Despite having gone to many Dreamstate events in NorCal, I have never attended Insomniac’s premiere all-trance festival at the NOS Event Center. To add more stains on my trance-pants, I only went to Saturday of the two-day gathering. Luckily, my awesome rave fam helped me catch up on all the love and music for a magical night as we frolicked from stage to stage.

The first stage I encountered was The Void, located next to NOS’s iconic pond, where reflections of lights emitted from the strings of twinkles. As the name suggests, this was home to DJs who played darker trance tunes. Behind that stage was The Vision, the only indoor stage which hosted household names like Solarstone and Aly & Fila. Continuing along the path of lights was where I found a collection of tribes dancing to the psychedelic grooves of Vini Vici and Alchimyst at a tent called The Sequence.

At the end of the road was The Dream, a stage akin to the Megastructure I’ve seen at EDC or Ultra. Here, giant LED Screens and an assortment of lasers served as the backdrop to some of the biggest DJs playing those songs we all love to sing along to, like a karaoke machine IRL.

The Dream was where I spent most of my time Saturday night; this was where my tribe set camp for home base. Like many others who went to DS, I am sure I am not alone in saying there was so much love at this tent. I can’t help but smile when I think about how my friends and I embraced each other during the highs of Ilan Bluestone  or sang offkey to the hits of Gareth Emery  and ALPHA 9. There were definitely a bunch of bangers and criers.

But my favorite singalong was during Craig Connelly’s set when he played Ciaran McAuley’s remix of “All I Want.” Originally written and performed by Irish indie rock band Kodaline,  McAuley’s remix perfectly blends Clare Stagg’s vocals with uplifting melodies that got me all in my feelz.

Aside from the music, there were a lot of great things about Dreamstate. For one, I was pleased, also surprised, about how much space there was at the venue. I don’t think the event sold out; I saw on Reddit that only 20k people attended, but it was a bit of relief knowing that I had room to run to the exit if need be. Though it did make for a long walk to the bathroom; but, there were multiple neon structures in the middle of the festival to take a short break if need be.

The only bad experience I had was eating a whole pizza right before Andrew Beyer’s set. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, and it came from the back of a fire truck (quick shout out to Dang Brother Pizza because that pizza was bomb dot com!), but the heartburn was real! #RavingAfter30AmIRight?

Luckily, a stranger noticed my discomfort and coincidentally had some heartburn medicine. Honestly, this was one of the many acts of kindness I witnessed throughout the night. Maybe it’s the positive message within the music, or perhaps it’s all this PLUR that people are taking, but there is something special about the trance community.

At the end of the night, someone asked, “What was your favorite part about Dreamstate?” Without hesitating, I said, “It was reuniting with all my friends.” Since I moved to SoCal, I haven’t seen many of my rave fams and having them all in one festival at that.

Dreamstate allowed me to see my friends from all over the place, including some I never thought I would see again. I am thankful Insomniac provided a home where we can all be together again to celebrate our love for trance and lasers because festivals are more than just music; it’s about the friends you make along the way.

Yah, I know that was a cheesy line, but I had to say it. 10/10, can’t wait for next year!

Here are the top three reasons why I will be celebrating Trancegiving again next year: 

The Trance Tunes

I’ve been a fan of trance and psytrance ever since I came into the EDM scene years ago. The idea of a festival where every stage will be playing an incredible sound that I usually don’t get to hear in abundance at bigger events had my excitement levels through the roof. Each day I had a few artists on my radar that I did not want to miss, but in between those sets my friends and I let ourselves wander to where the music called us over to get lost in the beats. 

The first day was highlighted by Ace Ventura, Gentech, and Aly & Fila. My favorite set from day one was Astrix. With a rolling baseline of 138 bpm, his set really set the tone for what psytrance is all about. High intensity beats made you feel like you were going warped speed on a spaceship, and we were all along for the ride. 

The second day was more highly anticipated for me with the large amount of Ajunabeats artists present on the setlist. My low energy was immediately replenished during Oliver Smith’s set. The familiar beats drew in my crew and had us dancing throughout the whole show. My favorite sets from day two were Above & Beyond (of course) and Abraxis. This was my first time experiencing Above & Beyond at a festival and they lived up to the hype. Whether you were dancing with your friends, in the arms of a rave bae, or vibing by yourself, this two hour set transformed the atmosphere to one of the most euphoric and warmhearted sets I’ve ever experienced. I was astonished by Abraxis’ closing set. This new duo kept everyone on their toes with their experimental mix of psytrance and sneaking in some heavier beats along the way. 

The Outstanding Ambiance 

Walking into the NOS Event Center during an Insomniac festival is always a sight to behold, but walking into Dreamstate was on a whole different level. Blue, white, and pink lights were strung across the entire venue, casting a soft purplish hue over every surface not already illuminated by the stage lights. The NOS lake reflected the glowing lights from below as the water rippled from the three huge fountains that acted as the welcome sign to this utopian world. Dozens of shining cybernetic crystals sprung from the grounds, creating a perfect backdrop for anyone wanting to take photos and document a small portion of their time spent at this uplifting event. 

Dreamstate hosted three stages, all equally impressive with their visual production and euphoric sounds. The Vision acted as a warm oasis away from the cold November air. An incredible multi-ring structure hung from the ceiling casting colored lights across the crowd. The Sequence was the home of psytrance heaven. I found myself being pulled back to this stage for the most psychedelic sets of the weekend. The Dream rightfully held the title of the main stage. Huge screens projected changing images of statues, lyrics, and utopian landscapes throughout each set. It acted as the perfect beacon to draw the whole trance fam together and vibe to our favorite artists. Oh, and did I mention the lasers? Getting lost underneath their atmospheric light did not disappoint! 

The Most Incredible Vibes

I feel like a broken record when I say this, but this festival had some of the most incredible people in attendance, seriously. I’ve heard a few rumors about the trance community being incredibly amicable and bubbly, and experiencing the Dreamers at this event first hand validated that for me. I have never felt so welcomed into a family more than willing to share in the music and vibes they love the most. It truly felt like coming home to a reunion. 

The Dreamstate performers were another huge highlight of the weekend. The shining zero gravity acrobats were entertaining enough to watch by themselves, but having the main stage centered behind them was the cherry on top of their performance. The luminescent cyber angels and other performers strolling through the festival grounds really brought the utopian society to life. 

Photo Courtesy of Dreamstate

I’m so glad I made it out to celebrate Dreamstate 2019 with my crew. Not only did we make some great new memories and listen to mind-blowing music, we met some amazing people to share them with as well. If you’re a fan of trance, I highly recommend adding Dreamstate SoCal to your festival bucket list for 2020!

Reflective Snow Bunny

Rock the latest trend in reflective gear but make it winter-ready by throwing elements of faux fur in there. You’ll be shining brighter than everyone’s future while staying warm and cozy.

 Reflective Triangle Top, Reflective Cargo Pants

Photo Credit: @anissa.pizzzza

Cosmic Glitz 

Are you more of a glamour girl? Take your outfit to a more celestial level by adding in sparkle, stars, rhinestones, and other planetary elements. You’ll look sleek and glamorous while also keeping it dreamy and whimsy.

)Demonia Star Cutout Booties, Marabou Kimono, Fishnet Bodysuit, Iridescent Aura Face Jewels

Millenial Wrap Around Studded Set (Photo Credit: @anastasiaosausedo)

Tempt Me Stud Two-Piece Set (Photo Credit: @love.you_em)

FUR FUR FUR (faux of course)

This is a must for those chilly winter nights! A faux fur coat or jacket instantly makes an outfit so if you’re in a rut and have no idea what to wear, throw in a faux fur coat and it instantly makes any fit. 

Ultra Plush Faux Fut Cropped Jacket, Midnight Faux Fur Jacket, Y2K Faux Fur Zip Up Jacket, Mo Money Faux Fur Jacket

@betsy_ville

Pastel Princess

If you’re in a more illustrious mood, it is your sovereign duty to go all out like the royal you are. Combine jewels, a flowy statement skirt, and even throw a crown in there for the full effect.

J. Valentine Convertible Harness Maxi Skirt, Royal Amethyst Crystal Crown, Sprinkled in Color Jewel Top, YRU x homegameauction Exclusive NIghtcall High Purple Holo Heels, Neva Nude Lustful Lilac Hologram Cross Pasties, Lavendar Dreamz Holo High Cut Booty Shorts

Lavender Dreamz Holo High Cut Booty Shorts, J. Valentine Convertible Harness Maxi Skirt, Power of Three Metal Triangle Top (Photo Credit: @tinydancer_88)

Lit & Luxurious

It is your duty to get lit and lavish! Especially at dreamstate. Combine one, two, or even all of these pieces so you can shine bright like the star you are. 

J. Valentine Light Up The Night Bodysuit 

Pixelwhip by Fiberflies

Light Up the Night Wrap Top

J. Valentine Light up Sequin Hoodie 

Light Up Fairy LED Wings

J. Valentine Light Up the Night Wrap Top (Model: @sweetdistortion /Photog: @lizzierosemedia)

Rainbow Bright 

Of course, you can’t go wrong with the classic all rainbow vibe. It is fun, quirky, and will never go out of style. Add in more statement elements such as this chunky chain choker, the rainbow corset, and flowy tutu skirt to put your own spin on it and keep it fresh. 

Mystical Gaze Oversized Tee (Photo Credit: @chloe.ziff)

Rainbow Snake Charmer Lace Up Booty Shorts (Photo Credit: @queen_sarlotka)

So who will we be seeing at Dreamstate on November 22-23 at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino? No matter what your vibe is or what you decide to wear, a whole weekend of the best people, non-stop trance, and the dreamiest atmosphere cannot be beat. 

Look at That Lineup

The lineup for Dreamstate will get any trance fan crying. The extensive list of artists range across various subgenres of trance, including new artists to the Dreamstate scene and loved artists that have been dominating the EDM genre for years. 

More well-known artists include Ferry Corsten, Bryan Kearney, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Gareth Emery, Ace Ventura, Vini Vici, and Sean Tyas. New Dreamers will be happy to hear trance tunes they may recognize from other legacy events. 

This doesn’t include the incredible number of Anjunabeats artists on the list, Above & Beyond, Andrew Bayer B2B Ilian Bluestone, Gabriel & Dresden, Genix, Jason Ross, Oliver Smith, Spencer Brown, and Sunny Lax. Who else is excited to sing Sun & Moon at the top of the lungs at the Above & Beyond set? 

There are a number of newer artists on the lineup, but one that would be more noticeable to those newer to the trance scene is Seven Lions and Dimibo’s debut of their psytrance project, Abraxis. While they shed light on their new sound at Electric Forest this year, this duo has yet to officially release any music directly related to the project. Whether you’re a fan of Seven Lions, Dimibo, or psytrance, this will be a set worth checking out. 

Fall For the Fashion

One of the greatest parts of Dreamstate, other than groovin' to your favorite EDM genre, is flitting around the festival as a trance fairy. The Dreamstate fashion is always some of the most magical pieces of the year. As the festival is always held in November, the chilly weather encourages attendees to piece together outerwear and accessories that would usually be immediately discarded during summer fests. 

Dreamstate typically takes on a whimsical and utopian luminescent theme to its adjacent fashion vibes. If you’ve ever wanted to spread your lit up wings and twirl around to uplifting tunes, Dreamstate is the perfect festival to adorn those accessories. Want to unleash your trance magic in fashion form, but don’t have the wardrobe to piece together the perfect look? homegameauction has got you covered. 

New Year's Eve fests aren’t the only ones that encourage outerwear. Stay cozy sitting next to the NOS lake or looking fun and fierce with the various options of faux fur, sherpa, and bedazzling lit up coats and jackets on the homegameauction site. 

Photo Credit: @Tinydancer_88

Finish your looks off with the perfect magical, festival accessories, or make them the staple piece of your fit. Don’t forget your pixel whips, levitation wands, LED gloves, and (of course) glitter and face gems! 

Get Lost in the Vibes

Whether you’re a time traveler, spacewalker, or alien babe, Dreamstate has incredible vibes that will pull you out of your body and transport you to a higher state of consciousness. Above all else, this festival is known for welcoming crowd and magical features that make the experience unlike any other. 

Trance is a great genre with fans that are incredibly loyal to the sound. You will find yourself getting down to any subgenre from hard trance and psytrance to uplifting beats. Dreamstate SoCal is still a relatively new festival as this its 5th year in production. You can be part of the beginnings of this up and coming legacy. 

Photo Credit: Dreamstate

So what are you waiting for? Get your Dreamstate tickets now! 

See you Dreamers there! 

Dreamstate was my first all-trance festival. I’ve been to many festivals that featured trance artists but never been to one that was solely trance music. With trance being one of my favorite subgenres of EDM, I was ready to be teleported to a different universe through the uplifting melodies of trance. Even within trance, there are other genres as well, such as uplifting trance, vocal trance, and psytrance. Dreamstate had three stages, one mainstage (The Dream), a smaller indoor stage (The Vision), and a smaller stage (The Sequence) which featured psytrance all night for both nights. At all of these stages, the production was out of this world - the mainstage had tons of lasers that were so colorful and bright and looked unbelievable when synced with the music.

Photo credit: Dreamstate USA

The main stage was hands-down my favorite stage. It was massive and lasers and lights were shining from every direction, even from behind. This stage featured the biggest trance artists, and some of my favorite acts that I saw at this stage were Gareth Emery’s Laserface, Giuseppe Ottovani, Ferry Corsten presents System F, Vini Vici, and Bryan Kearney. Their sets were all unique in their own ways and were trance sets that provided a completely different experience like any other trance set I’ve seen before. Part of this was due to the impressive production and how all the lights and lasers moved and synced with the music. My ultimate favorite set of the weekend was at this stage, and it was Gareth Emery’s Laserface. He has been one of my favorite trance artists forever and I knew Laserface was a different kind of set, one where the primary focus was on the laser show. He delivered an amazing set that was so colorful and bright and left me in awe throughout the entire set. Gareth Emery recorded his entire set at Dreamstate, so check out the craziness in this video!

Unlike the Main Stage, The Vision Stage had a circular structure made me feel like I was in a portal being transported to a different place. There were tons of lasers at this stage, too and together with the booming music that echoed throughout the indoor stage was definitely a unique and breathtaking experience. Some people that I saw at this stage were Craig Connelly and Arctic Moon vs RAM. I absolutely loved the feel that this stage provided and the portal-like structure was so unique in itself.

Photocredit: Dreamstate USA

The third stage, The Sequence, was a smaller but nonetheless special stage as well. This was the stage that featured psytrance all night both days. One of my favorite parts of this stage was the cool trippy canvas art that was on the ceiling of the tent. In the blacklight, it turned into this cool glowing artwork that I could not stop staring at. There were lots of lasers at this stage too, and with psytrance being more on the darker side of trance, this stage was a cool contrast to all the uplifting trance at the other stages. My favorite artists at this stage included Ganesh and Liquid Soul. They were artists that I had never seen before and psytrance was a genre that I never got to experience live much. If I had the chance to go to Dreamstate again (very likely) I definitely would check this stage out a ton more! The vibes were amazing at this stage.

Dreamstate SoCal was such a dream. The trance family is so tight-knit and welcoming and I loved being surrounded by other ravers who love trance as much as I do. It was a weekend full of so many uplifting beats and melodies and combined that with some of the best production I have seen at a festival made me feel as if I was in a different universe. I got to see some of my favorite trance artists as well as discover new ones, especially in psytrance, which gave a completely different and unique vibe that I enjoyed as well. I will for sure be back at Dreamstate again in the future years!

This year’s lineup is unlike any other year: it is completely stacked with some of the biggest trance artists, like Ferry Corsten, Bryan Kearney, Cosmic Gate, Giuseppe Ottoviani, John O’ Callaghan, Markus Shulz, Paul Van Dyk, Vini Vici, and many more.

This year is extra special because Gareth Emery is bringing Laserface to Dreamstate! Laserface is a brand new show concept by Gareth Emery and Anthony Garcia, his “laser wizard” who controls all the laser and light production. His Laserface shows bring record-breaking numbers of Kvant lasers that are perfectly synchronized with the best trance music DJed by Gareth Emery. He kicked off his Laserface set in NYC and San Francisco and put on two stunning sets, that is both wonderful to watch and listen to. Laserface is making its festival debut right at the heart of Dreamstate, and it’s a set you’ll definitely want to catch. 

The visuals from Laser Face are anticipated to be even more intense than the normal lasers at Dreamsate (Photo credit: Dreamstate)

Dreamstate is not only an oasis for trance-lovers, it is an uplifting atmosphere that features art in not only the music, but the production through performers and stages. All over the venue, there will be various travellers, spacewalkers and extraterrestrial beings that will accompany your journey to your trance destination.

Photocredit: Dreamstate USA

You’ll be transported to a different dimension at each of the four stages:The Dream, The Vision, The Sequence and Timeless. Each of these stages provides a unique audiovisual experience that combines breathtaking visuals and lasers with all the wonders of trance, featuring some of the best trance DJs around. 

The production and music at Dreamstate will be no doubt amazing, but what is even better is the people: the trance community is global, yet it still feels tight-knit. It is one of the most welcoming groups of the EDM domain, so no matter who you are or where you come from, the trance family always provides a welcoming hand.

Photo Credit: Dreamstate USA

Get ready to be taken on an emotional journey and connected with the euphoric rhythms of trance with some of the biggest trance DJs. Tickets are still available with 2-day GA passes starting at $120. Get them here before they run out! You don’t want to miss out on Trancegiving.