LONG BEACH, CA – A dreamy fog rolls in from the harbor to the backdrop of hazy city lights. A monumental and elegant stage blasts pulsing melodies as rain-dappled laser beams streak overhead. The emotional lyrics, “there’s a thing called love, that we all forget,” reverberate in the air. A heartfelt message flashes across the screen: “There’s only one kind of love. True love. If you feel it for someone, don’t wait. Let them know tonight. Never forget to find that love in your heart first, then, share it.” People in the crowd embrace each other, dancing together to “you live your life just once, so don’t forget about a thing called love.” Above & Beyond uplifts and unites the crowd with their euphoric anthem “Thing Called Love”.
Dreamstate was made of little moments like these, where the perfect blend of uplifting music, surreal and awe-inspiring stage production, and ethereal vibes made every second an exhilarating state of flow. This was my third year of attending the event, and it was by far the best. In my previous years’ Dreamstate reviews, I went over everything that makes Dreamstate so special, as well as things that could be improved, and many of those points are still true. So instead of repeating myself, I will give 5 reasons why this year’s Dreamstate was my favorite so far.
1. The Dream Stage
When I rolled up to the Queens Way bridge on the way to the venue, my heart leaped as I got a glimpse of the main stage in the distance. Bigger and better than last year, the main stage dubbed “The Dream” showed more elegance this year than any main stage since Dreamstate 2021. The visual content displayed on the LED screens was also incredibly artful and immersive, fitting the stage and theme perfectly. You can tell that the production team went above and beyond in their design of this stage despite the limitations of the venue. Meanwhile, other stages were a bit lackluster in my opinion, with simple square LED panels on each. Nevertheless, each stage boasted remarkable laser, fog, and fire arrays as usual.
2. The Weather
The 20% chance of rain on Saturday night initially had me worried, but it ended up being more like a refreshing mist. In the hot, overpacked dancefloor at the main stage, I welcomed the fog and the cool drizzle from above. It enhanced the laser shows, augmented the dreamy atmosphere, and tingled on my skin while I was lifted to new heights by the music. I felt like I was in heaven amongst the clouds. Magical.
Meanwhile, Friday night’s weather was perfectly clear. Both nights were slightly chilly in the 50s, but I was comfortable the entire time in my onesie.
3. The Vibes
I always say that Dreamstate has the best vibes, but last year’s crowd left me a little disappointed. It seemed like there were more people who came only to part and didn’t really care about the music. This year, however, I really felt that the crowd cared about each other. Everyone’s experience is different, but for me, I could feel the PLUR. I was adopted by a rave family my first night, and everyone was so welcoming and warm. I hope this trend continues because progressive house, trance and psytrance are my favorite dance music genres, and I feel like they draw out a specific type of crowd that is extra special.
4. The Afterparties
This was my first time attending the official afterparty at The Queen Mary, and it by far overshadows the afterparty that went down when Dreamstate was at the NOS Events Center in 2022. With three separate stages in classy showrooms, the afterparty went on until sunrise and was an exquisite show in its own right. In addition, the afterparty ticket gave access to a balcony that overlooked The Dream stage. Watching Andrew Bayer’s closing set on Saturday night from the balcony was just the icing on the cake of the whole experience.
5. Above & Beyond’s Set
Above & Beyond has a very special place in my heart. My sentiment that this particular set was extra special was shared by a lot of other Anjunabeats and A&B fans at the event. For one, they played several of their throwbacks from the early 2010s. Many of their more recent sets have veered heavily from their roots, but Above & Beyond delivered beautifully on the trance theme of Dreamstate.
They played several original classics like Blue Sky Action, Black Room Boy, Thing Called Love (2011 club mix), as well as multiple new tracks that surprised me and reminded me of their signature early 2010s sound. They also played their remix of John Digweed’s trance classic Heaven Scent from the year 2000. This set almost brought tears to my eyes several times, as it was incredibly touching and almost spiritual.
Overview
It wasn’t just Above & Beyond’s set that made this festival special. Some of my favorite artists are always on the Dreamstate SoCal lineup, so I already knew that I was going to have a blast. It was such a joy to re-experience some of my favorite psytrance sets from the likes of Astrix, Infected Mushroom, Blastoyz, and Vini Vici. My second favorite set this year after Above & Beyond was Omiki, who played several psytrance bangers that I’ve heard in other psytrance artists’ sets over the years like Na Le, He.art (Omiki & Terra remix), and Queen.
I’m officially hooked. For me, this year’s Dreamstate was nothing short of spectacular—it was the most enchanting experience. From the incredible music that kept the euphoria high to the friendly and welcoming crowd that made every moment feel special, and the overall atmosphere that was simply mesmerizing, Dreamstate exceeded all expectations.
Dreamstate SoCal is truly a unique and special event that creates memories to last a lifetime—but don’t just take my word for it. Dive into the conversations and shared experiences from the DreamState community on Reddit below.
