Sleep Is Your Only Regret: This Year’s Cultural Freak-Out Under the Dome

Dre Rawlings is at it again. She’s famous as the brains behind what she describes as her “annual cultural freak-out” and this year’s event is already getting good Facebook buzz.  Anyone who has been knows what I’m about to describe, and if you’re not familiar with this Valley artist, designer and event maker, you will be soon.

Dre Rawlings
Dre Rawlings

Dozens have already bought tickets and shared the May 3 event with friends. This year it’s called Sleep Is Your Only Regret,’ and the festivities take place at Indoor Action sports, the dome north of Greenfield at 1385 Bernardston Rd, where indoor soccer and other sports take place.

To Dre, (short for Andrea, pronounced DREE) who lives in Ashfield, the venues are as important as the event.  Last year they took over the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, and the year before that it was Stoneleigh Burnham School’s horse stables. That year, the horses joined in the dance performance.

Another year it was the former Carr Hardware store space on Wells Street. Dre and her crew create these happenings considering the art that can be made, the spectacle that can be seen, and the music their invited musicians can make.

This Saturday’s event at Indoor Action will have to be experienced to understand. “You just have to go to it, don’t explain it, ” she told me in a phone interview. The musical guests this year will be Valley favorites And the Kids as well as Providence based band called Math the Band.

The Brass Buckle will be catering the event with “epic nachos” and beer, wine and Ginger Libation will be on sale. What Dre loves is the space, she said. “This is such a big space, [at Indoor Action] there will be a dance performance with Cynthia McLaughlin, along with the music and some of the guests will arrive in costumes. There will be a photoscape, a funky photo booth where guests can have their photos taken curated by artists Sean Greene and Patrick Glass.  “It’s sort of like the experimental art from the ’60s, and what’s going on in Brooklyn right now,” Dre sort-of explained.

I asked her what kinds of costumes people will be wearing, and she said last year there were hipster cowgirls at the event in the stables. A sports theme, perhaps?

If you’re not sure just what to expect, listen to Monte Belmonte’s podcast from last year’s event. He’s a big fan, Dre told me, and he’ll be there this year too.  This event sounds like it’s been well planned and from all I hear,  Dre’s events are never, ever boring.

You can buy tickets for $15 at Kestrel, in Northampton, and at Magpie in Greenfield. At the door they are $20.

Like Dre said, sometimes you just gotta experience something to know what to expect.