When I first decided that I was going to attend Lights All Night 2019, I was slightly excited, but also slightly unsure. In previous years, I had always celebrated NYE on the actual night… And usually with Bassnectar. So deviating from the normal was well…. ab-normal.

 

I’M PROUD TO SAY THOUGH- LAN 2019 EXCEEDED EVERY EXPECTATION I HAD AND THEN SOME.

 

Outside of just having an amazing lineup (truly it was to die for), the people I met while I was at LAN really made it special. When I was driving 5.5 hours to visit my boyfriends family in Amarillo, I really sat back and thought about those encounters. I felt grateful to have had them. Meeting good people- it’s one of the biggest reasons I fell in love with the EDM world. Check out the official Rave Hackers Review below!

• Security was friendly and asked which artists I was excited to see at the door
• Throughout the venue the security staff were friendly, even when directing inebriated attendees through the appropriate doors
• Crowd control was exceptional- there were security stationed at all doors / entries make sure the ‘flow of traffic’ was appropriate (one side designated as in, one side designated as out).
• Medical staff were very friendly and I often saw them dancing and PLURing with attendees. One set of medical responders were even handing out ‘decorative’ headbands!
• Didn’t have any issues bringing in my blogging camera (canon g7x mark II)

NOTE: SECURITY WAS NOT LAX DURING ENTRY FOR CERTAIN ITEMS SUCH AS METAL WATERBOTTLES, SELFIE STICKS, AND TOTEMS

4. MUSIC

Clearly, this was the biggest reason that I chose to go to LAN this year. The lineup itself was stacked with artists that I personally love, as well as artists that I was dying to see again. My only complaint about the lineup was that the days were definitely scheduled with like genres together. Although I know this was done to help sell single-day tickets, it would have been nice to get some diversity on day two to break up the headbanging. Another big factor was the sound system and the overall presentation of the artists to the crowd. Each stage was different, but I think the Intergalactic stage was my favorite because you were almost even with the artists! A stacked lineup with big-name artists!

• Not a lot of major schedule conflicts (at least for me and my group!)
• Diversity in the overall lineup
• The screens were a little low quality for the visuals. Overall not a big deal-breaker for me because they were big AF, and I don’t really look at the visuals. But for Louis, it would have been nice!
• The sound system sounded good most of the time, but sometimes during sets, it would get quiet randomly… and then get loud again.

OVERALL: 1/5 STARS. Although the artists were amazing and the day by day lineups awesome, I was disappointed that they were having sound issues (especially after they’ve faced these issues in previous years). As well- the screens were HUGE, but the quality was low up close which was a little bit of a letdown as well.

The post Re-live Lights All Night 2019 With Me! appeared first on Rave Hackers.

Lost Lands 2018 was a wild ride- there were some really amazing points, and some really not so amazing points. After speaking with a lot of the fans last year during and after the event, there were some major areas of concern that needed to be addressed. I’m happy to say that it seems like the team really took some of those concerns to heart for Lost Lands 2019. For those of you who caught my photographer, @taylor_thehuman, you can find all the pictures she took over on my ‘Faces of Lost Lands‘ album on Facebook! Tag your friends!

The New Route? Yay or Nay?

Last year getting into the venue was a total disaster- from Thursday to Friday there were constant issues and the lines honestly took FORever. However, for 2019 the team at LL decided to switch things up. Not only did they create a whole new route, but they also added another day for campers to enter and set up their sites. Although the lines were a little long (tbh how can they not be when you have tens of thousands of people converging on the same site) but they were much more manageable this year.

Security & Car Checks

Another big complaint from 2018 was the security team and the process of car checks last year. There were many people who told me about security being completely out-right unfriendly in 2018. Taking prescription medications, tearing entire cars apart for no reason and then expecting attendees to repack their car, and many people experiencing security harassing and scaring them into admitting they have prohibited goods in their car, even after clearly stating they have nothing.

I’m very happy to announce that I didn’t hear about this for 2019. It seems like the team really took the time to not only find a solid security group that was comfortable with festival checks, which honestly makes all the difference! After speaking with a lot of attendees, the change in security mentality really went a long way toward them feeling safer on the grounds.

Getting Into the Campgrounds/ Organization

This year it looks like the team filled in the campgrounds differently than they did last year, and in turn, avoiding the unfortunate issue they ran into last year when they flat out ran out of camping space. On Friday last year they tried to tell me there wasn’t any more space for us so we needed to leave the grounds and stay somewhere else- needless to say after paying for a camping spot I was furious and REFUSED to leave until they accommodated us in the grounds. However, I’m happy to say that there were no reports of us running out of room this year! #win 

There was plenty of space this year for campers and their gear, which is important. Not to mention, they also took high precaution for camper safety by ensuring fire lanes and exit routes were accessible. The fire marshalls came onsite to make anyone move their gear or cars to ensure those lanes were clera and safe. This was a huge concern in 2018 as campers simply threw tents and gear up anywhere, creating extreme safety issues as people started leaving the venue on Sunday, and resulted in a camper getting runover during exit last year.

Activities, Shopping, Food

Something that I found surprising in 2018 was the lack of things to do in the actual campgrounds. Unlike at other festivals, LL didn’t provide any activities on the grounds outside of their ‘Main Street’ which is where you found vendors and food during the day. This year they upped their game and created “The Village” which was the location for more vendors, as well as more diverse food options! Outside of The Village, there were also opportunities for attendees to go and hang out in The Grove. Although they weren’t able to add more spaces for hammocks, they did provide Yoga classes which yanno- who DOESN’T like a solid yoga class? You know I’m here for it. The Grove was also where the Producers Den was held.

Producers Den

This is something that I know a lot of people really loved. This was an additional cost on top of tickets, but from what I’ve gathered 100% worth it. The producer den gave attendees insight on how to create, brand and market their music from top name artists like Herobust, Dion Timmer, Hesh, and Subtronics. Talk about getting the ultimate industry insight, right?

Inside the Venue

Just like in previous years, there were two main stages inside the venue. This year the main stage boasted not only several more prehistoric animals but also several more screens! Not to mention there was also a mini-stage off to the side of the mainstage for sound camps. One big new feature inside this year was the AstroDome. A huge, 360-degree dome that provided high-end visual art that some would say would take you on a beautiful trip. Not to mention the line was hella-long all weekend long so it was obviously popular.

Something that I heard frequently throughout the event was how amazing it was to meet and see so many artists wandering around. Of course, just because they’re performing doesn’t mean they don’t want to jam and vibe in the crowds too. There were several artists walking around openly, but also several wandering around ‘incognito’.

Sound Camps Made Safer

This was likely the biggest change made to LL this year. In 2018, Soun Camps were an utter shit-show. There was no security so people were in free-for-all mode. I knew it was going to be wild when I saw people carrying in cases of beer and air mattresses. For 2019, Sound Camps moved into the venue, providing a little more security and safety for attendees. However, unlike last year, the stages were relatively spread out throughout the entire venue. The mainstage Sound Camp was like a free-for all for DJ’s, with so many as 30 at a time of the Headliners from the event playing b2b2b2b. The only complaint was that the sound system didn’t seem like it was quite as loud as last year though. But, maybe for the best. RIP to my eardrums, iykyk.

Health & Safety- MAJOR Upgrades

Something that’s a big talking point about festivals is health and safety. Ensuring that attendees are able to stay safe while still enjoying themselves is the highest importance at a festival. For LL 2019, the team extended the opportunity to share safety with attendees by creating the Headbanger Helpers program. These were teams of people walking around the venue passing out waters as well as getting help for anyone in need of some peer to peer assistance.

Another HUGE topic around festivals is the number of deaths at those events. Albeit, it’s a grim thought, but people seem to be obsessed with the topic. I’m proud to share that there were no deaths at LL in 2019. Yes, there were two unfortunate souls that were struck by lightning on the second night while holding down their canopy. BUT I am proud to share, they survived, and even came back to the event after discharge to continue raging. Good on-ya guys!

Conclusion

Overall, it seems like Lost Lands 2019 really brought together some amazing people and music. The fans were beyond stoked not only to have some more things to do inside the venue, but the lineup also boasted sets that no other lineup can claim. Although the resounding thoughts and feelings from headbangers were that they enjoyed the event, there was also a resounding complaint that they felt ticket prices skyrocketed this year. Of course, we understand that in order to make a festival better we must implement change and those changes aren’t always free. However, the majority of attendees that I spoke with told me they highly hope prices will go back down for the 2020 event as prices this year, were teetering on being way too high.

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The post Lost Lands 2019 Recap appeared first on Rave Hackers.

This year, big things happened at Moonrise 2019. Not only were the sets out of this world (like we all knew they would be) but the actual event itself was too. The stages, the artists, and the people were amazing. The vibes? Even better.

Make sure you check out our photography recap at the bottom of the page! All photographs were taken by @taylor_thehuman

The Stages

This year Moonrise made it a point to take some much-needed actions for their stage setups and boy- they did not disappoint. You can check out the artists day by day schedule here, and you can check out the stage set-ups here.

The Solar Tent

The Solar Tent was a highly anticipated part of Moonrise this year, and it was totally worth the wait! The tent was way bigger this year (60% bigger, to be exact) and it was set up so that the artists playing were higher up than normal.

Stellar Stage

Unlike in previous years, for 2019 Moonrise did the Stellar Stage right. Not only were the sounds and screens bigger and better, but the location of the tent was better too. This made it more convenient for festival-goers to swing by the stage without having to dive too far off course to another stage.

Lunar Stage

Over the weekend, this stage was the one festival-goers wanted to hit if they were looking for mass amounts of confetti and streamers. The sound was great, and the stage was huge. Although it was a little lower to the ground, it was still an amazing experience. Not to mention Desiigner climbed up the side of it during his set.

Celestial Garden

For Moonrise, this stage was everything it needed to be. Like the other stages, it boasted it’s own ‘vibe’ and boy, were we down for it. Being the home of house music for the weekend, Celestial Garden was also the home for hoopers, flowers, and just downright hang-outers.

The Artists

Obviously- with such a stacked lineup there were bound to be some performances that just utterly stole the show. Not to mention that there were some artists that just absolutely DESTROYED their sets and wow-ed their fans in return.

Day 1 (August 10th)

If you checked out my Moonrise Schedule post, you’ll know that Saturday was a PACKED day. The conflicts were intense, but the sets were to die for. Gryffin brought the heat during his set, not only bringing a top-notch performance but also played live instruments to take it over the top. As promised, the Boogie T B2B Subtronics set was absolutely insane. They played at sunset which was even more magical to experience. Their set was lively and you could tell from their stage chemistry that they knew how to feed off each others energy.

Closing down the night was some intense shows. The first ‘need-to-mention’ show was the Gud Vibrations boys. Slander and NGHTMRE brought in a big crowd, as expected, and although most of the crowd was exceptionally happy with the set, there were others that may not feel the same. Those looking for the more melodic, sing-songs were a little shocked by how heavy the bass truly was. There were no complaints coming from us though!

Closing down Saturday was the one, the only, ILLENIUM! I would consider the Rave Hackers team definite Illenium fans, and this set, like always, did not disappoint. As we’ve started to see from this diverse artist, he’s able to cater his sets to either heavy bass, sing-song melodic, or a beautiful mixture of the two. At Moonrise, he chose the latter and it was amazing. We’re already beyond excited about his new Ascend Tour!

Day 2 (August 11th)

Day 2 seemed to have less running around and mayhem as compared to day 1. However, that’s not to say that the shows weren’t just as AMAZING! The Zhu set was beautiful- the people that attended that set were enthralled and were so happy which of course, made me happy in return. Hippie Sabotage was another set that was exceptionally fun to watch too. The brothers were energetic as always, and one of them even made it a point to get down in the crowd. This was a great surprise after their more disappointing set at Electric Forest.

Touching on disappointing, Seven Lions was unable to make it to Moonrise festival this year. Due to some intense travel logistics that didn’t pan out, he was unable to attend. However, he did issue a public apology to his Seven Lions fan group:

Another amazing artist that’s a personal favorite for the Rave Hackers team is Space Jesus. As always, he played that weird shit that we all love and his visuals were A1 too.

Closing down the night, Excision absolutely destroyed the crowd. Playing tons of fan favorites, as well as bringing his A-game when it came to production level and visuals. No one was disappointed by this closing set.

Security & The Venue

Lines getting into Moonrise this year were actually pretty reasonable. Wait times weren’t long and there were hardly any issues once you got to actual security. Unlike in previous years, security was laxer and seemed a little more disorganized in comparison to other festivals. However, it made getting access to certain areas easier which was a bonus.

Cell Service

Another positive was that cell service seemed to be pretty good. Sure, it was spotty sometimes and it took a little longer to get things to load, but overall coverage was good (using AT&T anyway). Getting other internet-based applications to load such as Instagram or email wasn’t as easy, but if you waited long enough it would eventually load.

Travel

The Rave Hackers squad was lucky enough to have a friend that lived close to Pimlico that was willing to let us crash with him (shout out Henry!). The location was about 15 minutes from the track which was ideal, to say the least. Something to note for anyone anticipating driving in the future though, parking is expensive. We were able to secure parking on a side street, however, there were tons of people selling parking in various areas around the track.

Food & Water

Arguably one of the most important aspects of festivals is food and water. With so many different ‘lifestyles’ out today (vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, gluten-free, etc.) having options for your attendees is essential. Moonrise didn’t disappoint though! The festival offered tons of different options for those of us choosing a different lifestyle.

The other MOST important key to festivals is hydration. For Moonrise the water was cool, clean and refreshing. The water stations were easily accessible and lines were equally easy. On top of the fill-up stations, Moonrise also had giant water guns that sprayed the crowds throughout the sets, and they were VERY generous in handing out water bottles to those who were at the rail.

Check out the ‘Faces of Moonrise‘ over on my Facebook page! This is where you can find the rest of @taylor_thehuman ‘s pictures from Moonrise! They were all too beautiful to fit on this post. Make sure to tag your friends if you see them <3

The post The ‘Tea’ on Moonrise Festival appeared first on Rave Hackers.

It’s that time of year again where all the headbangers are starting to prep their necks. Lost Lands Festival is upon us and boy- lemme tell you it’s a doozie this year. I would describe this festival as something like the wild west- anything goes and there are very few limitations.

The Background

Lost Lands made its debut on the festival circuit in 2017. Boasting a heavy-hitting lineup of headbangers that had everyone scrambling to purchase tickets. The event has been held at Legend Valley Campgrounds (Thornville, OH) for the past couple of years. If not familiar, these grounds are also home to several other festivals throughout the year such as Resonance (which has now moved to a new venue), as well as WorkOut and Camp Punk.

Another notable tidbit about Lost Lands is that it’s personally curated by headbanger god himself, Excision. This means that attendees are teleported to an experienced custom curated for headbangers in mind. Who wouldn’t love that?

The Venue

As previously mentioned, Legend Valley is no stranger to festivals or large amounts of camping folks. This venue has been home to tons of mention worthy festivals, one of them being Resonance before they packed up and moved shop. (Some say that it was because of Lost Lands that they moved… Hmm). So here are some facts about the venue:

• The campgrounds and the actual music venue itself are separated by the main road. This means that ALL festival-goers are required to walk across a FUNCTIONING major road if they want to enter or exit the event. Luckily, in previous years, there have always been tons of cops and a crossing guard in this particular area to ensure festival goer safety. For 2023, they’re planning on constructing a pedestrian walk-way that goes over the road to help ease the delays to cross for traffic and attendees.

• The grounds themselves are NOT flat. The area where attendees are able to set up shop is situated on several hills (imagine Camp Bisco style). So if you don’t arrive early arrival, you’ll be at the bottom of ALL the hills which results in a lot of lost lands walk through.

• This year, Lost Lands is re-routing their traffic pattern to better accommodate attendees, as well as providing new/additional entrances. This means that if you’ve attended in previous years, the way you took may not be open this year, just FYI.

• To ensure you’re going to the right place, I highly recommend trying to go in with other people that know where the entrance is. Last year, there were signs out on the road directing traffic. However, the signs took us all in the completely wrong direction.

• Outside of the music venue (which doesn’t open until noon on all three days), there are not many (if any) additional activities or experiences for attendees to stay occupied within the campgrounds until gates open. So make sure you bring some games to stay busy while you wait or start planning your Lost Lands set times plan.

• Most of the stages are set up at the bottom of the hills, so no matter where you are in the crowd, you SHOULD be able to see.

Another thing to point out about the venue/Lost Lands is that every night there are Sound Camps. These are essentially the late night stages for LL, and each stage is custom curated by individual artists, boasting their own individual experiences. All I’ll say about these here is that I saw people carrying in air mattress and cases on cases of beer…. with no security in sight.

The Vibes

Overall, I would describe this festival as the wild west. Unlike other larger festivals (like Bonnaroo and Electric Forest), Lost Lands is an 18+ event- which means you will not be seeing families and small children running around the grounds.

When looking at the overall demographics of the festival, it should be pretty clear why I feel it’s is like the wild west. Fresh high school seniors/grads, as well as college students, tend to fill this festival annually. Of course, this isn’t a bad thing (myself being in one of those categories). However, it definitely contributes to the overall vibes. Just like in college, Lost Lands is a GIANT party, 24/7. I would say that the majority of attendees spend their time drinking and partaking in other ‘ventures’ throughout the span of the mornings until they attempt to head into the venue around noon.

The Fashion

There are definitely very ‘headbanger’ vibes at this festival. Unlike at other festivals, attendees are a sea of black and dark colors. Girls tend to trade their leg wraps and fluffy ears for leather harnesses and studded jewelry. The fashion at this festival really speaks to me more than other festivals. Everyone just looks so fierce!

(The pictures below are not mine. The beautiful ladies they belong to are linked to each picture, as well as their insta handles at the tops! Make sure you go show them some love!)

Inside The Venue

At some festivals, no matter where you are, things are crammed so tight with people you can’t move. Even in the back. Lost Lands is definitely a place where each headbanger has its own dancing space, whether in the front or the back. The other thing that really stood out was that they have several vendors (with what I would say have better prices than other festivals). Last year they even had this awesome protein, coffee shake deal that was outstanding. Oh.. And did I mention that there are giant fucking dinosaurs… EVERYWHERE.

The Music

Obviously, saving the best for last. The music at Lost Lands, some would argue, is like no other. The lineup alone is what brings people from far and wide to attend this event. The Lost Lands lineup is full of heavy bass music, ranging through a variety of different subgenres of Dubstep. Of course, there are artists on the lineup that have attended annually (looking at you Illenium, Ganja White Night and Rusko). If anything, this festival will leave your bass meter busted.

The post About Lost Lands Festival appeared first on Rave Hackers.

Planning out festival season always get’s a little stressful. When I first started, I was very monetarily aware of what I was spending, and in the beginning, I crossed my fingers that I wasn’t wasting money on a bad experience. One of the biggest things I used to struggle with was “Which festivals do I go to? If I don’t go to this one, this year, I’m going to have to wait an ENTIRE year and IDK if I can do that.”

So, this post is going to give you all EVERYTHING you need to know when you start planning out festival season next year! I’m comparing and contrasting two very beautiful, but very different, festivals for you all: Bonnaroo VS Electric Forest.

* PSA: Bolded text within the sections is to highlight the DIFFERENCES between the festivals. *

Tickets & What’s Included

Obviously- this undoubtedly THE most important part of either of these festivals. Both have their own unique options when it comes to tickets and what’s included in the said ticket. So make sure you know what you’re getting with your purchase.

The other factor to take into consideration is the PRICE of the events. Bonnaroo tickets can be snagged for a cheaper price the earlier that attendees buy, however, Electric Forest tickets are a set price, starting around $350 (GA) before fees, and go upwards with different tiers, etc.

My suggestion: If you’re unsure which festival you want to attend, I would encourage you to purchase tickets to Electric Forest before Bonnaroo. EF sold out in about 30 minutes this year, and people were selling tickets later on for a much more elevated ticket price ($450+). Bonnaroo is always a safe bet as this festival does not USUALLY sell out. In 2019, they did about 2 weeks before the festival, but attendees should more or less have an idea of if they’re going to be attending or not by this point.

The Camping Experience

This is where things start to get a little complicated with both of these festivals. Since Bonnaroo and Electric Forest have both been around for a while, they’ve had plenty of time to get a groovy list of options for festival-goers camping experiences. This is the one part of EACH of these festivals that people are constantly confused about- so make sure you PAY ATTENTION when you’re purchasing for next year.

Bonnaroo

• Entry level camping is considered GA. This means that you’re placed in one of the 10 (or 11) pods within the grounds.
• There are separate camping sections for VIP, Platinum, RV, ADA, Tent Only, Groop, and Community camping. All of these options allow you different perks. (More camping descriptions over here)
• There is no shaded camping within Bonnaroo. The Farm is completely flat and the only trees/forested areas are The Grove & Where In The Woods, however, there is NO camping in these areas.
• Bonnaroo offers Community camping. This is essentially where large groups of people can camp together with like minded/interested people. There are groups such Soberoo, SheRoo, ReddiRoo, etc. It’s a GREAT way to meet other people who share similar interests or ideas!

Electric Forest

• Entry level camping is considered GA. This means that you’re placed in one of the 15 ‘camps’ within the grounds.
• There are separate camping sections for Good Life, Maple Woods, RV and Tent Only. All of these options allow you different perks.
• One notable camping option for EF is Maple Woods Camping. This camping option allows attendees to actually camp within a forest. That means shade, and lots of it people!
• Good Life (VIP) is also located WITHIN the Forest. That means no lines to get in, shade all day every day, and easy access to the venue whenever! Not to mention that Good Life has their own village full of exclusive food vendors, drinks, and even secret DJ surprise sets. Talk about getting your monies worth!

Between these two festivals, I would say that Electric Forest definitely has Bonnaroo beat when it comes to camping options. When it comes to festing in the summer, camping in the shade is pretty much unbeatable. However, one thing that makes Bonnaroo stand out from EF is their Community camping. This goes hand in hand with the overall encouragement of ‘community’ and ‘togetherness’ that Bonnaroo promotes, and is known for.

The Music

Obviously, if you’re going to be dropping a couple hundred on a festival, you want to listen to music you love. Bonnaroo and Electric Forest boast a very different lineup to each other.

The Venue & Experience

I left this one for last because I think it’s personally the make or break factor when it comes to attending a festival or not. Bonnaroo and Electric Forest offer very different things for attendees.

Bonnaroo

• The Farm is about 120+ acres of literally farm. There are plazas spread throughout the grounds. Each plaza is home to different EXPERIENCES that attendees can go too. This means comedy acts, movie showings, glitter/glam stations, etc.
• There are several art installations set up throughout The Grove and within the Plaza barns for attendees can look at and sometimes interact with. However, within the music venue there are not as many ‘art installations’.
• The vibes of the Farm are very communal. People really do make it a point to talk to strangers, to radiate positivity and just overall be there for one another- strangers or not.
• There are several different clothing/accessory/etc. vendors, as well as tons of amazing food vendors to go along with it.

Electric Forest

• The Forest is also relatively large in terms of space. Unlike Bonnaroo, there are not Plazas or hubs of activity within the campgrounds. The RV grounds are home to several personally curated events throughout the weekend though, and is home to the late night/surprise sets.
• Within the venue is where all the art installations and interactive activity are located. Everything within the Forest venue is completely interactive and fully immersive.
• The curators of Electric Forest also provide TONS of activities for the attendees to do while in the venue. There are scavenger hunts, surprise parties, as well as games, villages, and experiences with actors to keep everyone entertained and engaged.
• Within the Forest venue there are limited numbers of food vendors. For me, this wasn’t an issue because I prefer to cook my own food at festivals and save my money for merch.

So, there it is everyone! These festivals are hands down two of my favorite festivals. These are BY NO MEANS the only things that differentiate these two festivals, but they are the big factors. I’m a huge lover of these festivals, and each of them holds a special place in my heart, however, they both offer their own positives and negatives. I encourage you to go to each at some point in your life!

The post Bonnaroo VS Electric Forest appeared first on Rave Hackers.