Written by: Zoey Dyment
Known for its iconic trance and psytrance music, Dreamstate SoCal is one of the few festivals in the United States you can go to find these unique sounds! Though artists from the line up can be found from festivals like EDC or ULTRA, the performances do not compare. DJs come full throttle to Dreamstate, experimenting & leaving nothing on the table.
Entering the festival is very straightforward, even though it’s a bit of a walk from the parking garage. You can even rent an electric scooter to get yourself over, or pay for a personal bike taxi, which we did on day 2!
The venue is the Queen Mary in Long Beach, right on the water. The Queen Mary itself is a massive ship that no longer goes out to sea, but is docked and used as a hotel, as well as a location for the after-parties. All around the ship and the parking lot, Insomniac curates the most incredible portal of energy with art, lights, activations, and four different stages to catch music at.
The Void, The Sequence, The Vision, and The Dream are the names of the four stages, with The Dream being the main stage. Each offers lights, lasers, and incredible sound production, and the main stage even has fireworks with Tomorrowland-level visuals and stage design. Headliners included Gareth Emery, Lilly Palmer, and Tiësto, who returned to trance for the first time in 20 years!
As a frequent festival-goer and someone who’s been to raves all over the country, even though I’ve attended Dreamstate twice before, I was genuinely blown away by this year’s energy and stage designs. Every year gets better and better. Some new artists I discovered this year include Giorgia Angiuli and Olly James!
Between the merch, the food options, the DJs on the lineup, and the other festival-goers themselves… this is my ideal festival!
We got to meet lots of new people and reconnect with our close friend and the CEO of EDM YOGA, Christina Joy. She attends Dreamstate each year, teaching breathwork to the crowd and sharing her helpful tips for having the most magical rave experience. Just another example of how high-frequency the community at this event is. 🪽🪄✨
If you’re looking for high BPMs, lots of PLUR, dancing, and totems, plus a smaller crowd and a more curated lineup, this festival is for you!
Until next year, dreamers 🫶🏼☁️