Tag - Skrillex

Catch Griztronics at the Decadence AZ Grand Pavilion

Decadence AZ 2019 Grand Pavilion

Phoenix, AZ – With just weeks to go before we step into the next decade, Arizona’s biggest New Year’s celebration- Decadence has announced a series of updates to the sixth annual event. Beginning with the artists-by-stage lineup, which includes the addition of Arius; Atlast; Bardz; Ekonovah; Qlank, the US Debut of Tony Romera, and over 25 local acts, the festival is also introducing Weird & Wonderful a performance art concept that will not only excite, but inspire.

Lineup-By-Stage:

THE GRAND PAVILION: AC Slater; Blossom; Dillon Francis; Diplo; Galantis; Gerry Gonza; Griztronics (GRiZ b2b Subtronics); Illenium: Ascend Live; Joyryde; Skrillex; Tchami x Malaa: No Redemption, and Zeds Dead.

THE ROYAL CIRCUS: Adam Beyer; Ardalan; Arius; Bardz; Dab the Sky (Dabin b2b Said the Sky); Decadon; Ekonovah; Fisher; G Jones; Jamie Jones; Nora En Pure; Space Jesus; Tony Romera, and Whipped Cream.

THE PLAYHOUSE: Atlast; Qlank; 2Soon; Alaska; Avitas; Bigstabes; Cafe Caderas; Chief; Dark Mark; Disco Zombie; Elwer; Evan Allen; Fairydvst; Ghost Effect; Guilty; Housekneckt; Kody Black; Lance Fairchild; Lujan; Michael Hooker; Mike Dao; Mustache Sweat; Muzhak; Mykill; Orenda; Skelefriend; Slippe; Storytime; Stvtc; Voodreau; Youms, with surprise guest, and the Weird & Wonderful cast.

Along with a 3-channel silent disco featuring the above artists, The Playhouse will be home to a brand new performance arts-based concept- Weird & Wonderful. An immersive albeit unpredictable environment of circus performers, dancers, wild characters, and visual stimulus Weird & Wonderful gives Relentless Beats’ extended festival family an avenue to share their talents and passion for expressing themselves.

“Weird & Wonderful will not only make Decadence Arizona extra special for attendees but will also serve as a positive impact on the community,” says creative director Bri Lueder. “We invite people within the festival family to share their talents and passion, and inspire everyone around them to express themselves as we grow this concept at our events.”

General Admission passes for Decadence Arizona are on sale now for $209, before fees. VIP passes are available at two levels: Standard VIP, including everything that a GA ticket provides plus express VIP entrance, a commemorative lanyard, access to VIP lounge, access to VIP front row viewing, premium restrooms and passed desserts in the VIP areas. Platinum VIP includes everything that the Standard VIP pass includes, plus: complimentary drinks, side stage viewing, access to artist hospitality lounge, steakhouse quality dinner, exclusive festival gift bag, and festival concierge. You must be age 21 and up to purchase Platinum VIP passes. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.decadencearizona.com. Presented by Relentless Beats and Global Dance, Decadence Arizona will take place on December 30 and 31, 2019, at Rawhide Event Center in Chandler. This is an 18+ event.

Decadence Arizona, is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

Countdown to Decadence AZ 2019

Decadence AZ 2019 Lineup

Phoenix, AZ – Hyping fans up with the late summer announcement of Dillion Francis; Diplo; Illenium: Ascend Live; Skrillex and Tchami x Malaa: No Redemption as headliners, followed by a cryptic post-Goldrush rumor of a New Year’s Eve performance by GriztronicsDecadence AZ, aka “Arizona’s Biggest New Year’s Eve Celebration” is rounding out its lineup with a final batch of artists. Previously announced: AC Slater; Adam Beyer; Blossom; Fisher; Galantis; Gerry Gonza; G Jones; Jamie Jones; Joyrde; Nora En Pure; Space Jesus, and Zeds Dead will be joined by Ardalan; Dab the Sky (Dabin b2b Said the Sky); Decadon, and Whipped Cream. Presented by Relentless Beats and Global Dance, the sixth annual festival will take place on December 30 and 31, 2019, at Rawhide Event Center in Chandler.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 30: AC Slater; Adam Beyer; Blossom; Dab the Sky (Dabin b2b Said the Sky); Dillon Francis; Illenium: Ascend Live; Jamie Jones; Nora En Pure; Skrillex; Space Jesus; Tchami x Malaa: No Redemption, and Whipped Cream.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31: Ardalan; Decadon; Diplo; Fisher; Galantis; Gerry Gonza; G Jones; Griztronics (GRiZ b2b Subtronics); Joyride, and Zeds Dead.

Earlier this year, Relentless Beats tapped its fans to assist with the overall experience by opening up a survey to have their voices heard. Features being implemented to improve on the guest experience include reconfiguration of the main stage area to create more dance floor space, additional entry and exit points, added water stations and heated areas, increased flooring throughout the event, and capacity control measures to ensure a more comfortable and enjoyable experience.

General Admission passes for Decadence Arizona are on sale now for $209, before fees. VIP passes are available at two levels: Standard VIP, including everything that a GA ticket provides plus express VIP entrance, a commemorative lanyard, access to VIP lounge, access to VIP front row viewing, premium restrooms and passed desserts in the VIP areas. Platinum VIP includes everything that the Standard VIP pass includes, plus: complimentary drinks, side stage viewing, access to artist hospitality lounge, steakhouse quality dinner, exclusive festival gift bag, and festival concierge. You must be age 21 and up to purchase Platinum VIP passes. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.decadencearizona.com. Decadence Arizona is an 18+ event.

Decadence Arizona is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

Dillon Francis, Diplo, Skrillex Round Out Decadence AZ 2019

Decadence Arizona 2019 Phase 1

Phoenix, AZ – After recent news of the return of “Arizona’s Biggest New Year’s Eve Celebration” – Decadence AZ lives up to its moniker, with Dillion Francis; Diplo; Illenium: Ascend Live; Skrillex and Tchami x Malaa: No Redemption announced as headliners. Presented by Relentless Beats and Global Dance, the sixth annual festival will take place on December 30 and 31, 2019, at Rawhide Event Center in Chandler. Last year’s festival featured epic performances by the likes of Above & Beyond; Alison Wonderland; DJ Diesel; Drezo; Dr Fresch; Eric Prydz; Ghastly; Marshmello; NGHTMRE; Porter Robinson; REZZ; San Holo; Skrillex, and more to ring in 2019. The lineup will continue to grow in the coming weeks, as will continued news about the Decadence AZ experience.

Relentless Beats also tapped its fans to assist with the overall experience by opening up a survey to have their voices heard. Receiving an overwhelming response, much of which was a continuation of conversations with fans since the close of 2018, Relentless Beats has begun utilizing the feedback to create the best Decadence yet. Features already being implemented to improve on the guest experience include increased flooring and dedicated walkways at and between the stages, additional entry and exits gates at the main stage, as well as a reconfigured and improved VIP experience, that will create better flow and shorter wait times, and increased chill stations and staffed water resources.

“As a company, it has always been our intent to improve Decadence year after year,” says Relentless Beats founder Thomas Turner. “I have read each comment, and I hear the fans loud and clear. Decadence will continue to grow, as will my team to make sure the fan experience is what people have come to expect from us.”

General Admission passes for Decadence Arizona are on sale now for $169, before fees. VIP passes are available at two levels: Standard VIP, including everything that a GA ticket provides plus express VIP entrance, a commemorative lanyard, access to VIP lounge, access to VIP front row viewing, premium restrooms and passed desserts in the VIP areas. Platinum VIP includes everything that the Standard VIP pass includes, plus: complimentary drinks, side stage viewing, access to artist hospitality lounge, steakhouse quality dinner, exclusive festival gift bag, and festival concierge. You must be age 21 and up to purchase Platinum VIP passes. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.decadencearizona.com. Decadence Arizona is an 18+ event.

Decadence Arizona is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

Decadence AZ Releases 2018 After-Movie

Decadence 2018 After-Movie Teaser

Phoenix, AZ – After a record setting year for Arizona’s leading dance music and EDM promoter, which included Phoenix Lights christen a new venue, the return of 2017’s best received new festival, Goldrush, and the introduction of RBDeep’s ORIGINS, it was the final two days of the year that saw Relentless Beats greatest success of 2018. As Decadence Arizona started to come together, it was apparent that this was not going to be just another New Year’s celebration- that the team who brings fans over 300 events a year was ending the year in grand style. Artists such as Skrillex; Porter Robinson; Eric Prydz; Above & Beyond; Marshmello; Rezz; and the big man who ushered in 2019, DJ Diesel, populated a lineup that was a fitting close to a roller coaster of a year.

In celebration of a successful 2018, Relentless Beats tapped Phoenix-based Thrill Wave Productions to capture Decadence Arizona and transport fans back into the momentous event. Taking a somewhat unique approach, the Thrill Wave team used three separate editors to create the video as they saw Decadence Arizona through their own eyes and pulling it all together for one singular story. Each of the three tracks: the unreleased “Lick U” by Blossom, “Vestal Avenue” by San Holo and “Control” by Ghastly provide the soundtrack to the after-movie and allow each editor their own unique space visually. What comes together is a video that not only transports fans back to Decadence, it takes them on a journey through heart-thumping bass, high-energy bouncing and chilled out bliss of the night. The editors explain their thought process below.

“I just really wanted to help the fan relive the moment and if you weren’t part of it- the desire will be there for the next year,” says Thrill Wave and Act 01 editor Javier Mejiava. “I also wanted to create the feeling that you’ll want to keep pressing replay and going back.”

“We wanted this act to break up the high energy pace of the first act and really slow things down,” says Thrill Wave and Act 02 editor Tony Swann. “People tend to get very in touch with themselves emotionally at big EDM shows, especially like Decadence for New Year’s Eve. There is a lot of energy, lot’s of good vibes, and people are having an experience. I think capturing all of this in slow motion gives the viewer a sense of depth and warmth. The video suddenly slows down and you feel like you are having a moment in your head, which is much like being at the actual show. People chase moments and when that moment hits everything slows down and you bask in the euphoria.”

“The final portion of the after-movie can be described as controlled chaos. I wanted to showcase how large the audience was by using big, steady and long establishing shots, then cutting to short bursts of chaos, much like the behavior amongst the crowd and talent,” explains Thrill Wave and Act 03 editor Leah Semeniuk. “This created a nice juxtaposition between the two paces, as well as the previous sections done by other editors.”

Decadence Arizona is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. The after-movie was made possible by our partners at Dancing Astronaut & Wild Horse Pass. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

Sunset Music Festival Returns to Tampa in 2019

Sunset Music Festival 2019 Phase 1 Lineup

Sunset Music Festival will return to Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL for its eighth edition this Memorial Day Weekend, May 25 & 276, 2019. Festival producers Disco Donnie are powering through after last year’s event ran into some issues caused by Subtropical Storm Alberto. The storm never directly hit Tampa, but its peripheral effects were enough to cause concern for the Tampa Sports Authority, the Tampa Police Department, and Tampa Fire Rescue. Ultimately, those three departments made the decision to cancel Day 2 of SMF 2018 due to the Tropical Storm Warning that was in effect until 5PM that day; the decision to cancel was not up to Disco Donnie or the SMF promoters or producers. It caused a lot of exasperation with fans, especially because the weather on Day 2 was all blue skies by the time the festival would have started.

This year’s event looks like SMF is returning to its roots after a very heavy focus on Bass and Dubstep in 2018. 2019’s event features some nice diversity in dance music, with a specific focus on House and Bass music and curated stages by Anjunabeats and Deadbeats. The initial lineup includes 12th Planet, Alison Wonderland, Audien, Bonnie x Clyde, Chris Lake, Destructo, Dog Blood (Skrillex & Boys Noize), Dombresky, Fisher, Flux Pavilion, Gabriel & Dresden, Gammer, Ganja White Night, Getter, Ilan Bluestone, Kaskade (Sunset Set), Lick, Liquid Stranger, Mat Zo, Omnom, Peekaboo, Rusko, Said The Sky, Steve Darko, Subtronics, Walker & Royce, Weiss, and Will Clarke. An additional phase of at least 20 more artists will be released in the coming months. In past years, SMF has released it’s Phase 2 lineup around the end of March.

2-day GA ($160.11), GA Plus ($180.71), and VIP ($252.81) tickets are currently on sale with a variety of purchasing options, including an option for a payment plan. GA Plus includes a GA pass with express entry, while VIP includes access to the VIP express entrance, VIP viewing platforms, air-conditioned VIP bathrooms, front row VIP pit access, and access to VIP bars.

BUKU 2019 Reveals Daily Lineup & Talent Additions

BUKU 2019 Dog Blood

New Orleans, LA – The BUKU Music + Art Project today announced a handful of surprise additions to the lineup as well as the daily performance schedule for the festival taking place on March 22-23, 2019 at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans. Two-day passes for the event are available now with single-day admission sales beginning on Friday, January 18th. A portion of ticket proceeds support the Upbeat Academy Foundation, a non-profit organization providing New Orleans youth with opportunities to study hip-hop and dance music production.

BUKU 2019 Daily Lineup
BUKU 2019 Daily Lineup

The latest additions to the lineup of performers include: lyrical alt-rapper and Odd Future co-founder Earl Sweatshirt; Swedish DJ and producer Kasbo; experimental dance pop band Kero Kero Bonito; experimental low-fi soul and ambient artist Yves Tumor; jam-funk trio SunSquabi; UK house DJ Mason Maynard; and New Orleans swamp funk band The Iceman Special. These artists join a previously announced roster featuring: Lana Del Rey, A$AP Rocky, Dog Blood (Skrillex x Boys Noize), Excision, Kevin Gates, GRiZ, RL Grime, Louis The Child, Ella Mai, $UICIDEBOY$, Playboi Carti, Dashboard Confessional, Fisher, Toro Y Moi, The Black Madonna, TOKiMONSTA and many more. Artists will perform across six unique stages at the venue set along the Mississippi River. The daily schedule is as follows and is also available here:

Friday, March 22
Lana Del Rey
Excision
Kevin Gates
RL Grime
NGHTMRE B2B Slander
Playboi Carti
Claude VonStroke
Fisher
Mayday Parade
Toro Y Moi
Death Grips
Denzel Curry
Ekali
TOKiMONSTA
Kero Kero Bonito
1788-L
Rico Nasty
From First To Last DJ Set (Matt + Travis)
Yves Tumor
Kidswaste
SunSquabi
Whipped Cream
Dounia
Mason Maynard
sfam

VIP-Only Lineup:
CharlesTheFirst
Dabin
Noizu
AF THE NAYSAYER

New Orleans Artist + Showcase Lineup:
bàwldy B2B Boarcrok
Freewater
The Iceman Special
Klutch
Lleauna
TRAX ONLY
Trombone Shorty Academy

Saturday, March 23
A$AP Rocky
Dog Blood (Skrillex x Boys Noize)
GRiZ
Louis The Child
Ella Mai
$UICIDEBOY$
Dashboard Confessional
Gunna
The Black Madonna
Earl Sweatshirt
J.I.D
Getter (Presents: Visceral)
Yaeji
G Jones
Liquid Stranger
Oliver Tree
Kasbo
Peekaboo
Papadosio
EARTHGANG
Roy Blair
Doja Cat
We Came As Romans
Mersiv

VIP-Only Lineup:
Duskus
Jantsen
Kittens
Xie

New Orleans Artist + Showcase Lineup:
Dohm Collective
Freewater
James Seville
Lil Jodeci
Malik Ninety Five
Thou
Tristan Dufrene
Unicorn Fukr
Upbeat Academy

Inspired by the creative subculture of New Orleans, BUKU sits at the crosshairs of underground warehouse party and major urban music festival by fusing a progressive and diverse musical lineup with live street art, one-of-a-kind industrial art installations, local food vendors, and dozens of surprise “pop-up” performances.

Information on tickets offerings, travel packages and pricing can be found at http://bit.ly/BUKU2019Tickets. The first official BUKU 2019 after-parties will be announced in the coming weeks. The official 2019 BUKU Music + Art project trailer can be viewed here.

For additional info, visit BUKU Music + Art Project online or on the following platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @thebukuproject.

Decadence AZ 2018 Announces Daily Lineup

Decadence AZ 2018 Daily Lineup

Phoenix, AZ – As the rest of the country gears up to head into the holiday season, Relentless Beats has been busy at work putting the finishing touches on the monolith of a lineup at fifth annual Decadence AZ. Newly added artists include: Anti Up; Cristoph; GG Magree; Green Velvet; Gryffin; Kidnap; Moon Boots; Paz and Valentino Khan, with still more to come. These artist join a solid foundation of talent which started with Skrillex; Porter Robinson (DJ set) and Eric Prydz, and continued with 4B; Above & Beyond; Alison Wonderland; DJ Diesel; Drezo; Dr Fresch; Fransis Derelle; Gerry Gonza; Ghastly; Marshmello; Morgan Page; NGHTMRE; Rezz; San Holo; Skism b2b Trampa and Solardo.

Additionally, Relentless Beats earlier announced a very special New Years Eve countdown set from NGHTMRE b2b DJ Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal. What better way to end 2018 than with confetti blasting, balloon dropping, cork popping, and a legendary performance you’re not going to want to miss.

Relentless Beats will once again be partnering with Surreal, the fundraising platform, which works with festivals and musicians to offer fans once-in-a-lifetime experiences with proceeds benefitting local charities. The artist-based experiences unique to Decadence AZ include: Get Dunked on by Shaq; Throw Tacos on stage with Paz; a meet and greet with Marshmello; snap a photo with Alison Wonderland; and hang with 4B. Each winner will receive a VIP ticket to Decadence AZ for themselves and a friend, roundtrip airfare courtesy of Orbitz, hotel accommodations, as well as the artist experience they entered. Net proceeds from the campaign will benefit Childhelp a national nonprofit organization which exists to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected and at-risk children.

Running from through December 18th, fans can enter by submitting a mail-in entry or through several different donation tiers.* The package is valued at $4,500 and donations start at $10 for any individual experience. Additionally, a fan can enter by signing up for the ChildHelp newsletter or by donating $12.00 or more for a Surreal Chief. Fans can visit www.propellar.la/decadence for full details and to enter.

General Admission passes for Decadence Arizona are on sale now for $219, before fees. VIP passes will be available at two levels: Standard VIP, including everything that a GA ticket provides plus express VIP entrance, a commemorative lanyard, access to VIP lounge, access to VIP viewing deck, premium restrooms and passed desserts in the VIP areas. Platinum VIP includes everything that the Standard VIP pass includes, plus: complimentary drinks, side stage viewing, access to artist hospitality lounge, steakhouse quality dinner, exclusive festival gift bag, and festival concierge. You must be age 21 and up to purchase Platinum VIP passes. Single day passes are now on sale for $109 and $119, before fees, for Saturday and Sunday respectively. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.decadencearizona.com. Decadence Arizona is an 18+ event.

Decadence Arizona is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

About Childhelp
A national nonprofit organization founded in 1959 by Sara O’Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp exists to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of abused, neglected and at-risk children. We focus our efforts on advocacy, prevention, treatment, and community outreach. Visit www.childhelp.org for more information.

*A payment, purchase, or donation is not necessary for entry, nor will it improve your chances of winning. For details on how to enter without making a donation, see the official sweepstakes rules.

Decadence AZ Announces 2018 Headliners

Decadence 2018 Initial Lineup

Phoenix, AZ – Relentless Beats has caused the premature popping of champagne bottles with the announcement that Skrillex, Porter Robinson (DJ set), and Eric Prydz would be headlining Decadence NYE Arizona- a two-day New Year’s Eve celebration taking place at Rawhide Event Center in Chandler, Arizona on December 30 and 31, 2018. Presented by Relentless Beats and Global Dance, the fifth annual festival has played host to some of electronic dance music’s biggest and most buzz-worthy artists, including: Armin Van Buuren; Black Tiger Sex Machine; Borgore; the Chainsmokers; Deadmau5; Disclosure; Galantis; Green Velvet; Jauz; Marshmello; Slushii; DJ Snake; Zedd; Zed’s Dead and ZHU. The highly anticipated lineup joining Skrillex, Porter Robinson and Eric Prydz will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are ensuring that New Year’s Eve is no longer for the amateurs,” says Relentless Beats founder Thomas Turner. “Assembling an opening lineup of acts who have been out of the market for some time now is a sign of things to come in 2019.”

Situated on the Gila River Indian Community, Rawhide Event Center is Arizona’s largest 1880s western-themed entertainment venue located just south of Phoenix- a mere 20 minutes from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Relentless Beats will be transforming the venue into the Arizona’s biggest super-club for a decadent two nights. Guests are invited to indulge and live lavishly one last time, as they say good-bye to 2018 and prepare to welcome the fresh beginnings of a new year. The venue hosts several marquee Relentless Beats events, including; BOO!, CRUSH AZ, Decadence, Global Dance Festival, and other major artist concerts.

General Admission passes for Decadence Arizona are on sale now for $159, before fees. VIP passes will be available at two levels: Standard VIP, including everything that a GA ticket provides plus express VIP entrance, a commemorative lanyard, access to VIP lounge, access to VIP viewing deck, premium restrooms and passed desserts in the VIP areas. Platinum VIP includes everything that the Standard VIP pass includes, plus: complimentary drinks, side stage viewing, access to artist hospitality lounge, steakhouse quality dinner, exclusive festival gift bag, and festival concierge. You must be age 21 and up to purchase Platinum VIP passes. For full details and all ticket options, visit www.decadencearizona.com. Decadence Arizona is an all ages event. Fans under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Decadence Arizona is produced by Relentless Beats and Global Dance. Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RelentlessBeats and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats.

Okeechobee Music Festival is Here to Stay

Okeechobee Music Festival

Earlier this month, Okeechobee County hosted the inaugural Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival at Sunshine Grove. Fans that followed the coverage leading up to the festival would probably agree that there was a lot of hype to live up to. Before anyone knew much about Okeechobee, the festival was being promoted as a Coachella or Bonnaroo of sorts for Florida and the South East. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise when you consider that Paul Peck, a co-founder of Okeechobee Music Festival, is also credited as one of the masterminds behind Bonnaroo Music Festival. Comparing a first-time festival to well-established festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo certainly sets the bar high. If anyone had any doubts about whether or not Okeechobee would live up to the hype, I’m sure those doubts were long gone by the end of the weekend. The reaction from fans was one of resounding success. The first Okeechobee Music Festival was a smashing success and it’s here to stay.

The weekend kicked off on the night of Thursday, March 3, with Miami Beach High School’s marching jazz band kicking off a parade around the festival grounds. Thursday night was largely limited to small and local music acts, as headliners were booked specifically for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. Starting the festival with a local high school jazz band is an example of the great lengths that Paul Peck and crew took to curate an original festival—one that brings in big headliners like Mumford & Sons, Bassnectar, and Kendrick Lamar, while simultaneously enlisting the support of local musicians and artists. From the moment that I first arrived, it was very clear to me that Okeechobee was a festival created by musicians and artists for music and art enthusiasts. There were no cheap gimmicks, just a whole lot of passion, hard work, art and music. That notion becomes even clearer when you read about Paul Peck’s goals and ambitions, and what it takes to create a collaborative music festival.

One of the unique aspects of Okeechobee was the PoWow!. The PoWow! is a superstar collaboration that’s exclusive to Okeechobee. A host of talented artists from a range of genres share one of the main stages to create a special experience. This year, the PoWow! featured Miguel, Win Butler (Arcade Fire), Hall & Oates, Skrillex (performing on the guitar), and many more. Similarly, although not listed as an official PoWow!, the last night saw Mumford & Sons share the stage with The Avett Brothers, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine), and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. That collaborative mentality is so important because it highlights a critical aspect that a festival should celebrate: inclusivity. There are a number of festivals that attract tens of thousands of patrons and have great monetary success, but can feel insincere due to the emphasis placed on headliners and big ticket artists. Okeechobee felt very different; instead of focusing on individuals, it focused on the group experience, which is what festivals are really all about: sharing a weekend of music, dancing, and art with incredible people.

In addition to the music collaboration, there was a significant emphasis on the art experience. Okeechobee had a number of different themed stages and art installations: The Grove (main stage area), Aquachobee Beach, Yogachobee, ChobeeWobee Village, Jungle 51, Natarja Torana, and more. Of the themed areas, Jungle 51 was one of the most mesmerizing. Jungle 51 was located in the middle of a palm tree forest. A stage at the back of the forest was complemented by a crashed UFO and generous amounts of fog, lasers, and lights. Jungle 51 featured 12 hours of music per day: from 9PM to 9AM, every day. This is where the house and techno lovers would go to dance until the early hours of the morning. The non-stop music combined with the unique lighting created an atmosphere that allowed patrons to get lost in the music for hours.

The Natarja Torana stage also played a special role during the weekend, as the structure was built with help from Dancebreak contributors, as previously noted. The Natarja Torana stage was located near Aquachobee Beach, giving patrons the opportunity to stop and dance or just listen as they passed by.

After an experience like Okeechobee, it can be difficult to try to put together a list of top performances at the festival. The music was so carefully curated; many of the artists put on spectacular performances. Robert Plant brought some good old nostalgic classic rock. Medicine for the People brought the musical medicine. Bassnectar, per usual, got the crowd rowdy, as did RL Grime and Kill the Noise (who also decided to Rick Roll everyone). Classixx presented a smooth exploration of retro-sounding Nu Disco music. Lettuce and Lotus brought the jams, while Big Gigantic fused heavy-hitting dubstep with their usual jazz-infused music. Big Wild brought a dynamic performance with a range of different percussion instruments (check back here soon for our follow-up interview with Big Wild). Bonobo crafted an artful set that coincided with the setting sun. Big Grams provided an eclectic mix of hip hop and vocals. Personally, my favorite moment of the weekend was when Odesza rocked the crowd with cerebrally blissful music, followed up by the outstanding closing ceremony with Mumford & Sons, The Avett Brothers, Tom Morello (who absolutely shredded on the guitar), and Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Overall, there was little to complain about at Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival. From my experience, it was one of the most professional and well-organized festivals that I have been to. The festival suffered from some of the normal festival madness, like long waits for showers and the general store (at peak hours) and long wait times to leave the festival at the end of the weekend; all issues that are not unique to Okeechobee. Perhaps one of the only warranted gripes was the size of the stages. Okeechobee could certainly benefit from larger stages to accommodate a larger crowd next year, especially if they plan on growing. It certainly will be necessary, as I can only imagine that Okeechobee will have tremendous growth as word gets out of this incredible experience. Thank you Okeechobee and Okeechobeings, we hope to see you all next year!

Make sure to check out our photos from Okeechobee on our Facebook page!