Daisy Chain welcomed a stacked bass lineup to Wicked West, which included Em Yujin, jordnmoody, sumthin sumthin, and the hard-hitting Hamdi!
Daisy Chain has steadily made a name for itself in the San Diego dance music community. Since its earliest beginnings, the brand has set itself apart by booking incredible lineups with huge names and giving local up-and-coming artists a platform to showcase their prowess. In a city heavily dominated by house and techno with brands like FNGRS CRSSD and Desert Hearts, Daisy Chain is breathing new life into the local scene with carefully curated lineups, unique offerings like on-site tattoos, a plethora of vendors, and, more importantly, building a community based on authenticity and respect.
Having heard wonderful things about San Diego’s newest collective, I knew I had to experience a show for myself. Not long into the event, I got a taste of what makes Daisy Chain great. The collective has their finger on the pulse of the bass music scene, allowing them to book lineups that set themselves apart from other events in San Diego. They found a beautiful home in Barrio Logan at Wicked West that supports their vision. More importantly, the community that has blossomed through Daisy Chain is warm and welcoming.
It’s no surprise Daisy Chain is becoming more of a household name in San Diego, and their latest bass-fueled event showed why. Locking in one of the bass music scene’s fastest-growing artists, Hamdi, alongside a stacked lineup of supporting artists like Em Yujin, sumthin sumthin, and jordnmoody. Daisy Chain’s latest event at Wicked West was nothing short of spectacular, and between the music, production, people, and space, there is something special brewing with this exciting new collective and partnership.
Having never been to a Daisy Chain event or Wicked West, I was excited to check out the space to enjoy music in San Diego and support a local collective.
Denver-based artist Em Yujin was kicking off the afternoon, and she primed the dance floor for anyone who got there early. The energy was palpable as she blessed us with a set full of breakbeats and experimental bass. By the end, everyone’s legs were warmed up and ready for the long night ahead.
jordnmoody kept the vibes going with his high-energy set with wonkier bass, one of my favorites of the night. This was the first time I got the full force of the production and sound system at Wicked West. For a relatively small space, the huge speaker setup made it feel like we were all at a larger-scale festival but in a much more intimate setting. During his set, I got the feeling that whatever Daisy Chain and Wicked West are cooking up has the potential to add so much to San Diego’s dance culture.
Mixing a variety of bass, tribal beats, and everything in between sumthin sumthin took the crowd on a trip across the vast spectrum of electronic dance music. By this time, the crowd thickened up, but one thing that stood out to me most about Wicked West is that there isn’t a bad spot in the venue. In addition to the music, I also noticed sumthin sumthin scanned my ticket to enter the event. I thought it was cool of him to be the first person I interacted with upon entering the space. It just showed his humility and gratefulness to be part of the experience.
Closing out the night was the highly-anticipated Hamdi. I knew it would be a great set, but he performed with such infectious energy that it was so much better than I could have imagined. Of course, he played through tons of his music, like “Push” with Skrillex, “Counting,” and “Skanka” while also mixing in a lot of other artist’s music. The full scale of the production was firing off by this point, and it was a cool experience to see the lasers pop off in such a small space.
The music wasn’t the only thing keeping attendees busy in the space. There were also a variety of vendors, food options, beverages, and even an on-site tattoo area.
The way the space is set up at Wicked West keeps things tight, so you can walk around and peruse the offerings without missing any music. If you were hungry, they had pizza and chicken tenders. Even though I didn’t treat myself this time, you can bet my nose was drawn to the delicious smell of food wafting through the dance floor. In the back area, there were dedicated spaces for vendors to bring their gear and set up in a highly foot-trafficked area.
The offering that took me most by surprise was the on-site tattooing area. I thought it was a unique and fun way for people to leave the event with a souvenir to remind them of the memories made at Wicked West. I didn’t want to get too much in the space of the tattoo artists and patrons getting tattoos, so I wasn’t able to see if they had Daisy Chain or Wicked West-themed selections, but whatever they were tattooing was probably pretty cool since that part of the event space was super dialed in.
Besides the music, though, I was so impressed by the energy and community Daisy Chain and Wicked West were able to foster.
Everybody I crossed paths with or connected with at the event was warm and welcoming. I had many great conversations and captured amazing moments that filled me with joy. People danced in front of the stage, even if it was completely open. They were trading kandi, smiling, hugging, and generally having a good time. The energy was contagious, and it reminded me that rave culture and the underground scene are alive and well. Amongst all the large-scale events that are hosted here in San Diego, it is refreshing to have smaller collectives championing the culture and ensuring vibes stay high.
This was my first time attending a Daisy Chain and seeing a show at Wicked West, but it surely won’t be my last. Between the music, production, art, and vibes, I will watch for anything forthcoming from these two brands. Not to mention, I heard they go even later and move the party into their warehouse for late-night shenanigans, which really piques my interest. Until next time, Daisy Chain and Wicked Warehouse!
