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.

Travel Tips & Tricks for Lost Lands

Something I’m noticing as a trend this year is that the Lost Lands team is making a lot of improvements! One of those improvements appears to be their routing/traffic control. With that being said, there are TONS of resources available to you all on Rave Hackers AND on their website when it comes to Lost Land travel. They’re even nice enough to give us turn by turn directions on the website.

Another thing to keep in mind, when looking at their new map, is the actual traffic pattern. Review the entrance locations so you can better understand what wait times may be like once you get in line. As a pro tip, always be ready to sit and wait for a while.

Something new, and note worthy, in 2023 is that music on Friday will start 2-hours earlier than it has in the past. This is in the hopes to better handle the foot traffic coming across the main road separating the campgrounds and festival entrance. Another worth while mention is there will also be the implementation of a foot bridge that goes over the main road to help with traffic and pedestrian flow.

West Bound Traffic

For those of us that are traveling from the East, we are going to be taking EXIT 132. This is awesome since it looks like this line is pretty short! However, I’m sure a large number of people will be going West Bound! Plan accordingly, people.

Where To Meet With Your Group

Gas Stations

Same deal- these are all great options to meet up, get last-minute things and squad up. Not to mention they’re close to the exit, well lit, and they’re easy to find!

• BP – 2455 W. Pike, Zanesville, OH 43701
• Shell – 2655 W. Pike, Zanesville, OH 43701

 

Food Supplies

Sadly, there aren’t a TON of really ‘convenient’ options in terms of Walmart/Kroger/etc. going through Zanesville. Of course, you can plan to pick one a little farther out and that would be totally fine! However, I did find two that were a little more off the beaten path that are close to Zanesville/still ‘sort of’ on the way!

• Walmart – 2850 Maysville Pike, Zanesville, OH 43701
• Walmart – 2850 Maple Ave., Zanesville, OH 43701

This is the map from 2019 as the 2021 flow hasn’t been released. However, assuming it will be similar this year!

East Bound Traffic

For those of you that are coming from the West, you’re going to be taking EXIT 129. Be aware- this exit is where ALL GA traffic is going to be routed through. If you’re camping in Jurassic Glamping, Easy-Close & Quiet Camping, you’re going to be in for a wait if you decide to take this exit.

My recommendation for those of you who picked those above three options: DO NOT GET OFF AT EXIT 129. If you drive about 10-15 minutes PAST Legend Valley continuing East, you’ll come to the OH-668/N. Brownsville Rd exit. TAKE IT AND TURN AROUND. This will position you going WEST, which, according to the above map, is likely going to have a MUCH lighter traffic flow than at Exit 129.

Where To Meet With Your Group

Gas Stations

Obviously, these aren’t the only gas stations you can stop at! However, I always like ones that are not only well lit, but are close to the exit so the detour doesn’t take a lot of ‘extra’ time. Plus, they’re way easier to find!

• BP – 10679 Lancaster Rd., Hebron, OH 43025
• Shell – 9702 Hazelton-Etna Rd. SW, Pataskala, OH 43062

 

Food/Supplies

When gearing up for a festival, I almost always need to stop and get some items. Whether that be extra zip ties, perishable foods, etc. Or, if you don’t want to meet at a gas station, a close Walmart/Kmart/etc. is another great option to suggest! (With usually more parking space too!)

• Walmart – 2793 Taylor Rd. Ext, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

You’re almost there fellow bass lovers! Lost Lands is almost here, which means it’s time to focus on preparing for an amazing event! Check out the rest of the Lost Lands Festival Guide to make sure you’re ready.

LL Festival Essentials

LL Festival Guide

The post Lost Lands Travel Need-to-Knows 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.