Deco Gallery

Getting her first exposure to psy-trance in the most ideal way - hearing Son Kite play live in Melbourne, Australia in 2001 - Marria exploded onto the New York/Boston psy scene shortly after moving back stateside in the summer of 2002. A chance meeting with Leonid Andreev at the first-ever Omni-Dance lead her to Changmian's "Anitya" in October of 2002... and the rest is history.

Her timing couldn't have been more perfect as long time Changmian resident graphic designer, Heather Thomas, was being forced to spend more time with her new job and subsequently less time with the Changmian crew. Marria's talents were immediately put to use. Using her vast knowledge of design software and graphics production, Marria began creating stickers, signage, banners, and promotional material for Changmian and its events. A few months later, she was named resident graphic artist and, two months later, single-handedly spearheaded one of the finest parties Boston has seen in years. Located in a cavernous conference hall on the campus of Northeastern University, decked to the gills with stainless steel and plush carpeting, Marria discovered ways around rules and kept the party thumping legally until 3:30AM. The night, called "Sunyata," is still one of the most talked about one-offs Boston has ever had. Banana nut lattes, vegetarian appetizers and entrees, and DJ sets from Changmian and Sonic Beating DJ’s created an atmosphere perfect for the refined (sometimes snotty) tastes of the Boston psy trance community.

From there, Marria grew into one of the most important members of Changmian/SonicBeating - not only in terms of designing every flyer, banner, and piece of physical promotion, but also in terms of her mothering, incessant planning, and detailed preparedness. Marria is the one who brings the toilet paper to the outdoor festivals – busting a roll out of her backpack a moment after the first "Oh shit, we forgot the toilet paper" is uttered around the campfire. She's the one that brings the ice for the beer coolers and opens the bag as soon as someone says "oh no, how are we going to keep the brews cold?" She’s the one who plans - weeks in advance - the next crew outing. Be it trips to Upstate New York lake-houses, a ladies-night in Boston, or the next renegade hooping session; Marria remains one step ahead of the game - even going as far as to check the weather a day before a festival and posting her findings to the crew. Not only does the crew rely on her graphics skill - it relies on her stable, balanced, and clever gathering and distributing of information. From raincoats to flashlights – from forecasts to lineups – it is Marria who has the answers to questions most people don’t think of asking until it’s too late.

But none of that is to say Marria's no fun. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Because she's so well informed and so prepared, she's always nothing BUT fun to be around. A 24-hour drive to Florida is FUN - because Marria remembered the espresso pot and portable stove! A "boring" night of movies at someone’s house is FUN because Marria has Moroccan imports to share! The only female "affiliated" with the crew - Marria's exuberance and enthusiasm have attracted numerous other women into the life of Changmian/SonicBeating. So many that she now works with nine other women spanning three different crews to have a monthly "ladies nights" in Boston. Be it hooping, making clothes, poi-spinning, or eating at Boston's newest restaurants - these crazies take the night by storm. In fact, male crew members have often been the butt of jokes for not having "guys nights" and when the ladies do go out – it is the guys who normally find themselves at home working on DJ mixes or combing the internet for the next global festival. Crew gatherings to watch Red Sox or Patriots games have now positively morphed into sports game watching AND knitting nights. Parties once focused on nothing but a DJ lineup and venue now, thanks to Marria, become parties with themes, costumes, and an array of added bonuses. Ideas and joy are two things of which Marria has an infinite supply.

Being the primary woman in my life – the fondest moments I have had with Marria are hardly fodder for this biographical short. But I do remember one time driving home from New York after hearing D-Space and Atmos play two of the most astounding sets in memory. The two of us were cramped in my old Ford Ranger with barely enough room to recline. We had been awake for over 30 hours and still had an entire drive from New York City to Boston ahead of us. I started babbling on about the drive ahead, the sets we had just heard, and a host of assorted philosophical ramblings that could have been construed in any way shape or form. Listening intently, but trying to enjoy the peace of 95 North, Marria tried her best to simply follow along. Soon, my babblings became too intense and were interfering with her calm. She took a segment from the orange she was peeling, looked at me with a grin and stuffed the segment in my mouth. It was the most loving and un-offensive "shut the hell up" I had ever heard. That’s Marria – too kind and gentle to be rude, too optimistic and loving to see the down-side of anything – and utterly wrapped up in all the positives life has to offer. There has never been a time (no matter how grim a situation appears on the surface) that Marria has given in to the complaining, whining, and defeatist attitude that seems to infect others like a cancer. Wise well beyond her years – Marria is the personification of the yin energy of the crew. She is the balancing element of all it does – and her constant generosity and selflessness seem to prove that point over and over again.

Official graphics designer and producer for the crew. PVC string art designer of the Sonic Beating Deco Crew. Organizer of ladies nights. Avid member and promoter of The Boston Hoop Troop and spokeswoman for all things trance and all things "hoop" - Marria - aside from being the love of my life - continues to make a huge impact on Boston trance with each passing day.

- written by Dave Henshaw