For the past few weeks leading up to Dreamstate SF, my friends were excited beyond belief and, to be honest, I really wasn’t. I’ve hit the point in my “EDM journey” where it somewhat takes a lot to impress me – it’s the “been there, done that mentality.” Now this is coming from someone who’s been going to events since 2008; that’s about seven years I’ve got on my belt. So when the opportunity arose to attend Dreamstate SF, it was bittersweet. While it is different from your typical Insomniac event, it is still just another Bill Graham Civic event to me. Meaning that production wise they are somewhat limited in comparison to NOS, in which Insomniac were able to provide a more immersive environment – LED panels on the ceiling, artwork, etc. In addition, I was a bit worried since Bill Graham Civic booked Kygo the night before allowing little time to set up the following day for Dreamstate SF’s two-day event. But when it came down to it Insomniac did pull through, and although not at the same level as is predecessor Dreamstate SoCal, it was a pleasant surprise.
Arriving at around 7-8pm each night, I was able to easily gain entry into the venue with little to no lines. Always a great start in my book and it definitely put me in a good mood each day. Nobody likes waiting outside in the cold, especially in San Francisco. Trust me – I’m from here and while I may be used to it, I still don’t like it. As I entered the main area the first night, I was met with the sounds of VINI VICI, a psytrance duo that was bringing the heat. It was the ideal warmup set and as we progressed further into the first night I was completely prepared for Paul Van Dyk, one of my personal favorites and a staple in the trance community. Paul Van Dyk’s Dreamstate SF set ensured his place among the stars. To summarize the first night, it would be psytrance plus our unicorn slayer Markus Schulz and PVD.
It was really day two that I was looking forward to the most. I mean come on – Cosmic Gate, John O’Callaghan, Aly & Fila, Fleming & Lawrence, and the list goes on.
Sunday was more than stacked, and in that sense I feel as though SF was a bit spoiled this time around. Highlights of day two were definitely John O’Callaghan who once again stole my heart and of course Cosmic Gate. It was first time seeing Cosmic Gate and it definitely was both uplifting and kept me dancing into the night. John O’Callaghan is pretty self-explanatory and it’s safe to say that both his Dreamstate SoCal and SF sets were amazing. Honorable mention and thank you goes out of Fleming & Lawrence. The synergy between the two of them is phenomenal. To John 00 Fleming, we appreciate you taking the time to chat with us and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for the rest of 2016!
Apart from the music, the overall vibe at Dreamstate SF was more positive than most events in San Francisco.
This could be attributed to both the style of music and the amount of people who were there for the music and not the alternative. The Dreamstate series affirms trance’s place in the EDM community and the hold it has on its fans is mind blowing. Seeing trance families from all around the country and Canada was amazing. The dedication these families have is immense and is a reflection of how music can really bring people together.
As we continue into 2016, you can expect the Dreamstate brand to expand as Insomniac begin to implement a Dreamstate stage at many of their major festivals including Beyond.
