Music is a collection of communities, and there are few as passionate as those who follow Tipper. Snowta has hosted Tipper at their events many times over the past few years, and when it was announced in the days of November that Tipper would perform two final shows in Minnesota, I eagerly signed on. Though the temperatures would be frigid in the Minnesota frostland, the thoughts and memories that come with a Tipper performance are sure to keep one warm. And blankets. Don’t forget your blankets, babe, and I brought my own fur throws to keep the cold at bay. Saddle up and settle in, your friend, Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, is about to take you on a depictive ride of what my Snowta adventure was like alongside a darling crew of heartwarming friends.
Eleven of us set off from various states in the Midwest, and we’d convene with several more of our Tipper fam shortly after arrival. Cody, Taylor, Tyler, Colin, Katie, Sam, Destiny, Bubba, Zac, Chrystal, Abby, Sweets, and Daniel would all accompany me on this expedition. Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Minnesota representin’, yo! Hell yeah, brother!!! Tipper heads from all across the country, and the world, landed in Minneapolis to see and support Dave Tipper. 2025 is the final year of Dave’s touring career, that has been 1000% confirmed. Anyone who says otherwise is merely attempting to manifest wishful thinking, unsuccessfully. Thus, in my mind, there really is no greater objective for the 2025 calendar year than catching as much of Tipper and his final performances as I can.
We stayed at an Airbnb about a ten-minute drive from the Armory, a venue I’ve long wanted to explore. Thanks to Taylor, who is masterful at creating a plan and organizing details, our group settled into a home away from home providing ample space and amenities satisfying all our basic human needs. A full kitchen, dining area, living room, two bathrooms and showers, and plenty of beds for eleven bodies kept us in good spirits throughout the weekend. There was even a hot tub out back for those brave enough to deny the cold and bask in the warmth of its solace. As great as the action was on stage at The Armory, some of the best moments of the weekend were had within the confines of this place.
Among the many things that sets Tipper and his accomplices apart from others is the wholesome vibe that flows forth from all artists and performers involved in these presentations. You’re sure to discover tracks and artists you were previously unfamiliar with. That was the case for night 1 of Snowta, and as my group and I arrived a quarter before 9PM, we discovered a line of attendees stretching down the side of the building. We did not panic, for Colin was on point and had found a Facebook post from within the Tipper Fam group directing us towards another, shorter line to the opposite side of the venue. We celebrated an early victory, and even our Uber driver was pumped on our behalf! The cold would nip at our bodies momentarily, but within ten minutes we were inside the doors.
Security was a bit maddening. Empty your pockets and step through the metal detector. Every person and outfit set off the detectors, and some security personnel sent patrons back through three and even four times. There were a few who went even further and searched shoes and socks. “Is that a pay bump for you, bud?” When it was my turn, I handled this process like a professional. I removed my hood so they could see my lovely face, presented everything they could possibly want to inspect, put my hands behind my head and walked through as the detector sounded off, yet again. Based on my calm and collected demeanor along with my cool gaze and confident smile, I was granted entry without need for any additional searching. An attendant scanned my ticket and I gained access to the innards of The Armory.
The Armory is a very cool venue with a rich and storied history, boasting capacity for 8400 attendees. Originally built as a National Guard armory between 1935-1936, it also hosted civic events like concerts and sporting events. Army and Navy units occupied the building until 1985 when its doors shuttered. Hennepin County purchased the building in 1989 with plans to place a new county jail on the grounds, but the Minnesota Historical Society interceded and sued. “Nah-ah, bud, not on my watch.” In 1993 the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled the structure was protected due to its historical status and could not be leveled. The building served as a parking structure from 1998-2015, after which it was purchased by a local development firm who converted it to an events center and concert venue opening in 2017.
On the inside, I discovered a spacious floor plan. Two stairwells lead upwards from the initial security and ticket scanning checkpoint to deposit patrons into a large rectangular main chamber. Vendors were stationed near the back selling their wares, and near the middle point of the room was stationed the soundboard and engineers, ensuring all music coming through the Funktion-One speaker system sounded prime. These fellas did a great job throughout the weekend. Absolutely no complaints from me and mine. Well played, well played indeed.
To the left and right of the dancing pit ran ample bars and service attendants. Throughout the two days, I rarely waited longer than a couple of minutes to gain refreshment. Day 2, Rocky was my go-to bartender, and I even composed for her a haiku in appreciation of her exceptional personality and service.
Amidst a tundra // A warm soul beckoned me // The pleasant Rocky
Above and to the sides of the main floor sit elevated balconies offering booths and their own separate bars, accessible by stairwells at the back of the room. Access to these areas was granted through a hefty premium. Something like, $2200 per group, with an addendum requiring another $700 collectively spent with their bartenders and service staff. Ouch, but not for those with deep pockets. Truthfully, these type of up charges are part and parcel to a club experience. Though it’s not for everyone, it’s a delightful way to accentuate and elevate a group outing.
Doors opened daily at 8PM and entertainment ran until 2AM in the early morning. The lineup for day 1 featured a bevy of heavy hitters. Eastwood Red, Restraint, Chez, Keota, Mickman, and Tipper closing out the night. I entered to the sounds of Restraint, and instantly was impressed by his production. This fella grooves with funky and glitchy beats. For an example of what he’s all about, check out his songs ‘Tunnel Fission’ and ‘Wonkysplat’. His set was accompanied by evocative and imaginative sequences courtesy of Ivy Visuals. The collaboration between these two artists welcomed me into the building. Though I am familiar with Restraint, I had never before seen him live, and he was my favorite day 1 discovery. This early performance was only the tip of the sonic spear for my adventure through Snowta and The Armory.
For many, Chez was the highlight of this night. His reputation has grown precipitously over the past year, and his sequences delight and impress crowds whenever, and wherever, he plays. Chez’s set was paired with visuals by Johnathan Singer and evoked awe inspired, open-mouthed reactions from many of those in attendance. I adore producers who are playful with their productions, and Chez opened his set with what many title the ‘Nascar Speech Prayer’. Further on Chez dropped a banger rendition of the JG Wentworth advertisement that many of us have committed to memory. At present, this is an unreleased track, but I’m sure if you search Facebook or Instagram, you’ll find evidence of this delightful treat from Snowta.
Keota, alongside visual accoutrements courtesy of Uhnomaly, kept the energy in the building juiced. Keota has an arsenal that covers a variety of genres. He describes his productions as merely, “bass music”, but he fulfills genres like dubstep, drum and bass (Hell yeah!), garage, glitch and neuro hop, and beyond. You’ll find many outstanding mixes through his Soundcloud that give you a potent idea of the talent he represents. He kicked off his performance with a meme lord Luigi tribute and here are some of my favored tracks from his catalog: ‘Stop Playin’, ‘Meat Receipt’, ‘Deeds’, and ‘Two Yutes’.
Mickman, another one of my faves, and always worth the price of admission, exceeded expectations on night 1. When he dropped ‘Particle Party’, myself and those around went wild! How about ‘Fibble’? Yea, that hits right. Get up and get down, wubble wubble fibble, yee yeeee! I chilled with my homegirl Sammie throughout this set, and we got down and dirty for the entire hour. The visual display supplied by Diethylamide was a perfect pairing to Mickman’s juicy beats.
At promptly 1AM, Tipper ascended the rostrum and proceeded to brawl with an angry uptempo set. That’s not to say Dave Tipper actually was upset, but some of his sets possess a bristling quality of construction that some describe as rampaging. Some of the tracks from his night 1 performance are as follows: ‘Higgins’ VIP – ‘Scapula’ – ‘Chrome Splat’ VIP – ‘Shant’ VIP – ‘Rancid Shuff’ x ‘Deal With It’ VIP – ‘Preparations for Departure’ VIP – ‘Lattice’ VIP – ‘Bilirubin’ VIP – ‘Groundscore’. This is only a partial list of tracks from Tipper’s night 1 presentation, and there were plenty of others unreleased Tipper IDs that had me grooving throughout. That’s one of the reasons you go see Tipper. He never plays the same set twice, and it’s the only way to hear many of his songs. Visual artistry came courtesy of the extraordinarily talented VJ, Oneirogen, and added another superb aspect for amusing viewers. Once entertainment concluded, my group ordered dual Uber XL’s back to our Airbnb and settled in for a little R&R between friends, and candy. I ate a lot of candy and fruit this Snowta weekend. Healthy habits, and it’s about time for a fast.
After a restful recharge, and I took the fold out futon by the door (this Bear keeps watch over his cubs), we Door Dashed succulent breakfast provisions from Eggy’s Diner for delivery. Eggs, bacon, sausage links, and pancakes. Mmmmm, those chocolate chips be hittin’, my tastebuds are winnin’! This was a chill day for us as we recovered from the night before. Later on, we ordered noodles from Tenka Ramen for dinner. I went with Shoyu style, although there was an error with our order and mine was absent. Graciously, Bubba ended up giving me his. Thanks, Bubba, you’re always looking out for the tummy contents of others.
Currently, one of my favorite artists is Smigonaut, and my group made sure we were on site for his performance. He recently released an EP, Timeboxed, and a few of those tracks appeared as part of his presentation. I’d describe Smigonaut’s sounds as bass laden. He represents elements of beats, downtempo, hip-hop, and even some drum and bass at times, which makes me a happy Bear. He isn’t limited to just those genres, and spans a gamut infusing multiple sources and sounds to delight audiences. Yea, Smigonaut is dope af. His set was accompanied by vibrant visuals courtesy of Jonna P.
Next up, Shwamp. One of the members of my group, Destiny, had been singing his praises throughout the day and hours preceding this performance. There may be a better description available elsewhere, but I found Shwamp’s performance akin an ambient journey. There certainly were other portions that pumped and jumped, and I delighted in the versatility and uniqueness of original selections Shwamp put forth. Here’s a couple of examples of his production: ‘Oscalated’ from his 2022 EP Fluide and ‘Scape’ from his 2023 EP, Heartifact. I’m not gonna lie, that’s an awesome title for an album. An artifact is something viewed as a product of human conception // a tool, weapon, or ornament of historical interest. Obviously, the heart is the primary human organ maintaing the circulation of blood. Furthermore, it relates to a person’s personality or disposition. I adore the combination of these two terms to create something brand new. Heartifact. Brilliant, as were the acommpanying visual victuals served up by Nebulazar.
Ekorce, assumed control of the decks next, and proceeded to fill ears with organic and hypnotic melodies. His productions incorporate classical instruments like guitar, piano, and pan flute (and many others) layered amongst psychedelic rhythms in creating superb downtempto songs. Ekorce is a fascinating character outside the realm of music and holds a PhD in Neurosciences. Holy cow, and he’s French. Bien joué en effet, bonhomme. I think I got that right. Next thing y’ know, he comes and crucifies me for my crude diction and ugly accent. Lolzer. Anyway he was paired with visual maestro Johnathan Singer. Here are a few tracks from Ekorce that I’ve come to appreciate from his catalog of music. ‘Feel Your Skin’, ‘Rust and Tears’, and ‘Zest’.
Finally, the moment many had come for. Tipper’s downtempo journey set. There’s a belief among Tipper’s fandom that his downtempo sets go harder than his uptempo ones, and I gotta say, in some cases that’s true. I kind of feel like Dave adores ambient sounds, you can hear it throughout his catalog of work. Steven Haman earned VJ duties for this set, which was an adventure through sight and sound adding to the colorful imagery supplied by my own mind’s eye. I’ll once again give you an abridged list of tracks Tipper masterfully mixed this night: ‘Kites Couldn’t Even’ – ‘Viscous’ VIP – ‘Gratis’ VIP – ‘Uptrick’ VIP – ‘Guilty Feet’ – ‘Bubble Control’. I’m fairly certain my senses also caught a Tipper rework of Detox Unit’s, ‘Sedative’, and he finished his performance with his ‘Finale’ ID.
After the show concluded, we once again called Uber XL’s to ferry us safely home. We elected to Uber to and from the venue each night so that we could let loose a little bit without worrying about driving. It was very affordable, too. I think we paid at most, $20 per each ride. During this ride, I chatted with our driver about the meanings of names. He was curious about the origin and meaning of the name Katie. Etymology is a hobby of mine, so I informed him that it’s derived from the Greek word ‘Katharos’ meaning ‘pure’ or ‘clean’. Once we arrived home, we gathered our blankets and rearranged the living room for a nice hangout sesh. Sleep would come easy for us all this night, and we’d explore the Mall of America the following Sunday before departing Minnesota homeward bound on Monday, January 6.
My experience at Snowta and The Armory was terrific. I had a blast kickin’ it with my Midwestern Tipper fam, and I was fortunate to run into some familiar faces from back home. Shoutout to my fella Eric, who is a talented VJ who goes by the name RooT Visuals. As well to my favorite Sammie, a friend I made from Summercamp: Solshine Reverie this past 2024. Trista, a gal I met at Marauda at the Schaumburg Convention Center and vibed with over sign language in July of 2023, also entered my proximity as she found my guy, Ty. She was dressed in beautiful red and black autumnal attire. As I was writing notes in my little journal, she asked to make a contribution. Here are her thoughts: Baking is a science, but cooking is an artform. I heartily agree, Trista, and so does my stomach.
I want to thank the members of my crew for making this celebration and trip an exceptional time. Cody, Taylor, Tyler, Colin, Katie, Sam, Destiny, Bubba, Zac, Chrystal, Abby, Sweets, and Daniel. You guys are great, it’s always wonderful in your company, and I look forward to experiencing the Gorge with you all by my side. That’s all for this episode, but fret naught, there are still more to come, and quite soon I will add. This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scibe, signing off. Sayonara, all you samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
