After facing numerous challenges over the years, Sound Haven had its best edition at Jaceland yet with iconic performances and a vibrant atmosphere.
Sound Haven is a festival that undoubtedly lives up to its name as a true sonic paradise on Earth. What began in 2018 as an intimate gathering with just a few hundred attendees and a modest stage has evolved into an iconic underground bass music festival with a thriving community in 2024.
As a four-time attendee, I’ve witnessed the festival’s growth firsthand and the different levels of chaos it’s experienced along the way. Each past edition has brought its own set of challenges, from battling unpredictable Tennessee weather to overcoming venue hurdles. Yet, with the community’s mutual love for the event and the music, the festival’s spirit has never dimmed.
This year felt different as Sound Haven delivered its best edition thus far, proving that perseverance in the name of good sound pays off. It was a seamless blend of sound, aesthetics, and community with no roadblocks that made it clear that the festival had finally found its stride. Keep reading to learn how everything fell into place for the sixth edition in 2024.
The Sound Haven team once again faced storms during setup, but this year, they made sure the Jaceland grounds were ready, and it was smooth sailing from day one.
Seasoned Sound Haven fans know to expect unpredictable summer storms each year, no matter what. The way that Jaceland is situated on top of a rural mountainside makes it a prime target for intense weather be it the heat or storms. Last year, storms hit badly during peak entry, leading to staff pushing cars through a mud pit for an entire night. The weather destroyed the venue’s only shade structure before the festival began.
It’s safe to say they were equipped and ready this year, with no entry issues and a beautiful shade canopy standing tall between the two stages that proved to be a blessing all weekend. As far as storms during the festival itself, we only got one, but it was not to be understated. It started when Skeler began his mainstage set at the UFO on Friday night, quickly leading to the stage being evacuated. At least three to four inches of rain fell during this 40-minute flash thunderstorm, along with some intense lighting that struck the outskirts of the property one too many times.
Jaceland’s geography undoubtedly allows our favorite sound systems to run all night, but, unfortunately, the yearly storms are a genuine safety threat to consider when camping at this property. Preparedness is key at this venue. The music resumed right at the following hour with unreal sets from Skeler and Daily Bread, and besides countless wrecked campsites, the festival infrastructure was all intact the next morning.
Sound Haven’s production grows each year, but the Planetary Stage upgrades were a surprise that had everyone more hooked than ever on the late-night stage.
While I’d stay glued to this stage without a speck of production simply to bask under the Element 5‘s, Sound Haven knocked it out of the park this year with the Planetary Stage’s new doubled production. What started as a modest side stage for late-night shenanigans with a small HSD deployment in the festival’s early years has become a key nightly ritual of the event with one of the country’s most coveted and hard-to-catch sound systems.
Last year’s visual screen wasn’t surrounded by the huge new LED panels pictured above, and this huge new frame allowed the talented visual artists even more space to shine. While the UFO stage is a stunning beast perfect for relaxing daytime vibes under the sun, the Planetary Stage is where attendees get down on the rails when the heat subsides.
Its small but intense setup makes for an unmatched energy you won’t find at many other events, and it’s safe to say the Sound Haven crowd is some of the rowdiest fans in the bass scene. The Widdler, Chief Kaya, Tunic, and Chef Boaybeatz threw down some of the best sets of the whole weekend at the Planetary Stage.
Sunday’s mainstage curation at the UFO was the perfect closer to an incredible weekend of music.
By the time Sunday rolled around too quickly, I realized it was the end of the most successful weekend Sound Haven had ever thrown. The previous night, Of The Trees‘ headlining set had brought possibly the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen at Jaceland. They even launched fireworks for the first time, and he closed with his hit track, “Spanish Moss,” making the moment even more iconic.
From featuring endless smaller artists via renegade sets in the campgrounds to always putting rising stars onto massive stages for the first time, Sound Haven upholds their commitment to the underground after all these years. When Flintwick couldn’t make his opening set, the stage and audio technicians got the chance to hop onto the decks at the UFO stage. It was another wholesome reminder of the close community. From then on, Sunday’s run-of-show couldn’t be more meticulously crafted with a day full of halftime and chill-hop sounds.
Thought Process and Parkbreezy threw down some of my favorite sets of the weekend before Mickman blew everyone away with the final UFO stage set. More fireworks popped for his finale before everyone migrated from the dazzling UFO to the intimate Planetary.
A social media post from the festival before the weekend claimed it may be the last time the UFO stage would return to Sound Haven for a while, as they thought it could be nearing time to switch it up. But it wasn’t long after the festival ended that they admitted that they may not be able to take it away so soon after all. After all, there’s no doubt that this stage has become a hallmark of the event since its debut in 2022, and it never fails to impress year after year.
Sound Haven continues to transform with each passing edition, and its future is bright as a destination for bass music lovers.
From the stacked lineups and vibrant community to the upgraded stages and booming sound systems, it has been amazing to witness the growth of Sound Haven over the past six years. After such a great experience this year, it seems that it’s only up from here for the event. Sound Haven to the moon!
