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Who would have thought that we’d be forced to go this long without music festivals? It’s now been well over a year since the last fest has gone down in the United States and if you are anything like us you’re getting antsy. I mean a whole year without raging with the crew, dancing like tripped-out hippies, and singing in a crowd like no one’s watching? It’s a miracle we even made it this long! But, luckily things are slowly but surely getting back to normal.  Music venues are reopening. Artists are announcing tours. Festivals are revealing lineups and releasing tickets. A full-blown festival season is growing more and more likely every day. As long as it keeps getting better the end of 2021 will be a movie! In the meantime, we can’t help but reminisce about all of the things we miss the most about music festivals!

1. Seeing Your Favorite Artists

Although obvious, there’s nothing quite like that feeling of seeing your favorite artist with your best friends in a crowd full of people. What’s even better is seeing a bunch of your favorite artists on the same weekend or even the same day! One of the many reasons why festivals will always be superior to concerts!

2. Dressing Outlandishly

One of many fascinating attires you will see at Eforrest.

Of course, you can rock some face paint, a pashmina, a trippy mask, or a Halloween costume into the supermarket but odds are you’ll turn some heads. At a music festival, there is no judgment and you’ll even catch quite a few high fives!

3. Making New Friends

Bonnarovians participating in hi-five Friday.

There aren’t too many places you can think of that are as happy as music festivals. You’ll find yourself connecting with people you’ve never met like they’ve been your best friend for years!

4. Campsite Drinking Games

Most underrated things about music festivals is the campground hang.

Whether your game is beer pong, slap cup, or flip cup it goes down in the campgrounds! Mix in some good music, good friends, good booze and you got the perfect pre-game!

5. Trading With Strangers

Trading Kandi at music festivals.

From trading Kandi in the crowd to exchanging gifts at spots like Electric Forrest’s Trading Post, people tend to be more giving at music festivals. Odds are you’ll head home with a souvenir that’ll remind you of all the craziness that went down that weekend!

6. Laying in the Grass

Tripped out at Shambhala Music Festival

One of the best feelings at a music festival is laying down in the grass to catch a chill show especially when you’re tired or a little too spun.

7. Getting Lost

A popular totem among festival goers.

Getting lost in the real world is terrifying but getting lost and exploring on your own at a festival is a raver’s right to passage.

8. Surprise Sets

Skrillex b2b Mija Surprise Sunrise Set at Bonnaroo 2014

Yeah, the lineup is everything but when you stumble upon a legendary set that wasn’t supposed to happen things get wonky in a good way. No pun intended!

9. Discovering New Artists

One of the best parts about seeing so many artists at a music festival is watching someone you’ve never heard of absolutely crushing it on stage! Sometimes the best performances are the ones you least expect!

10. Dancing All Night

Kalliope late night shows at Bonnaroo.

Everyone knows that once the sun goes down the energy goes up. Things tend to fall a little more on the wild side at night and it’s the perfect time to get your freak on and dance like your life depended on it!

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Before there was Waves or Kids See Ghosts, before there was Man on the Moon III or The Scotts, before the accolades, Coachella, or the HBO shows, there was a kid named Cudi. A rapper from Cleveland Ohio, who to many, was more than just a rapper. He was the voice of a generation who not only changed the direction of hip-hop but became the signal of hope for stoners, loners, and outcasts alike. There is a reason why there is a generation of kids who claim “Kid Cudi saved my life.” Kid Cudi gave a voice to the voiceless. He wasn’t flaunting his money, boasting, or bragging. He wasn’t driving fancy cars or dressing outlandishly. He was in jeans and a flannel preaching “I am you and you are me.” He expressed his emotions, admitted his shortcomings, and became an open book, exposing his insecurities and in doing so related to millions of kids just like him. He became the stoner rapper who didn’t smoke weed for the clout or his image but because he used marijuana to cope with the world. He was real, authentic, and original. You may say you know Kid Cudi. You know Day N’ Night or Pursuit of Happiness, you know Man on the Moon II, and even Indicud. You may even know his mixtape A Kid Named Cudi, or his rock albums WZRD and Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven but there is a collection of songs only the real Cudi fans know about. From unreleased singles to obscure features, Kid Cudi did some of his best work behind the scenes and out of the spotlight. Here are the best Kid Cudi songs that never made it to the mainstream.

Dat New New

Released around the same time as Day N’ Night, Dat New New never saw the light of day when it came to mainstream play. You won’t find this jam on Spotify or Apple Music but nonetheless it remains a classic.

I Be High

Sampling Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay, Kid Cudi raps about the polarity of life as he creates a true stoners anthem.

Love Stoned

Freestyling over a Justin Timberlake sample, Kid Cudi delivers the legendary line “I smoke to get high because the world is so low.”

Angles and Demons

For eternity Kid Cudi stans will wonder why this never made it on the Man on the Moon.

Wasting My Minutes

Cudi teams up with 88 Keys and showcases his comedic and storytelling abilities.

Goodbye

Cudi shows off his flow and lyricism over a sample of Pink Floyd’s Cruel World.

She Came Along

This groovy western track was released 11 years ago on Sharam’s Get Wild Lp. Although you can find She Came Along on all streaming platforms it remains one of Cudi’s most obscure tracks in his discography.

All Summer

Cudi channels his inner free spirit as he raps about good vibes, good weed, shrooms, and just loving life.

Symphonies

One of Cudi’s most surprising performances, Symphonies is euphoric, nostalgic, and remains a straight up vibe 11 years later.

Falling Star

R3k’s mashup of Symphonies and Florence the Machine’s Cosmic Love will leave with chills throughout your body.

Do It Alone

One of Cudi’s most emotional tracks, Do It Alone is yet another stoner anthem.

Love

Cudi provides guidance and inspiration to his army of lonely stoners as his harmonies and melodies will leave you in emotional bliss.

Never Come Down

Cudi spits hard on this gloomy track and proves that his talent as an emcce should never be in question.

Cudderisback

Sampling Vampire Weekend’s Ottoman, Kid Cudi spits a lighthearted fun freestyle as we get a behind the scene look at his life while on tour.

Higher Up

Cudi spits his whole life story over Dr. Dre’s Imagine. The only downside is that it isn’t longer.

Dose of Dopeness

Although never officially released Dose Of Dopeness is one of Cudi’s best performances. A perfect mix of lyricism, rapping, and melodies. 11 years later and Dose of Dopeness is still next level.

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With great pain comes great art. In times of struggle, creativity seems to blossom, especially when it comes to music. In the 60s and 70s, as the world was ridden with racial injustice, political assassinations, police brutality, and an unjust war, rock and roll flourished as bands used the harsh realities imposed on their generation to fuel creativity and push musical boundaries. In the 80s and 90s, as police brutality, poverty, drugs, and violence continued to rage against society, hip-hop and punk became the new rock and roll as bands and artists used these new genres and creative outlets to combat the establishment. In 2020 the coronavirus swept through the globe causing lockdowns and disrupting life as we know it. Mix that with more police brutality, racism, protests, riots, and a divided America can only mean one thing. 2021 will be filled with great music.


What better way to pull ourselves out of these historically absurd times than with the power of music? Our generation craves, peace, love, and unity as we long for change and our own path. When the world looks back on our time they will see a generation that chose love over hate. A generation that pushed for an insurgence in consciousness through the power of music and festivals.

Despite what mainstream media may imply the music of this generation is without a doubt electronic and to say the best has yet to come would be an understatement. We are currently in the midst of a musical revolution. No festivals, tours, or shows means DJs are stuck home honing their craft and sitting on a bunch of unreleased music. Without the pressures and time restraints that come with being a touring DJ, artists have had the opportunity to commit all of their energy to producing and songwriting. Mix in the frustrations and tribulations caused by the lockdown and the state of our world, artists can muster up the inspiration to really push their creative limits.


Now, as the vaccine continues to circulate and festivals and shows seems more likely to happen , artists are beginning to release new music and announce upcoming albums. Here are the top 10 electronic records either rumored or announced we are looking forward to the most!

Kaskade – Reset- Release Date : 3/5/21

Although, only four songs, Kaskade goes back to his roots as his newest EP most resembles his Automatic and Atmosphere projects rather than his previous Redux releases. There is a common message through each track. With all that happened in 2020, Kaskade suggests we need a reset to get back to love and optimism.

Charles the First – Solus- Release Date : 3/5/21

If there is one artist truly pushing the boundaries of what electronic music can be, it would be Charles the First as he ingeniously meshes lo fi down tempo hip-hop with dance and dubstep inspired sounds creating a musical journey like no other.

Porter Robinson- Nurture- Release Date: 4/23/21

Arguably the most anticipated album of the year, Porter is set to release his first LP since his critically acclaimed Worlds album in 2014. Based off the four singles released in the past few months, Nurture has the potential to spark another creative revolution in dance music and will surely be talked about for years to come.

San Holo- BB u ok? – Release date- 5/21/21

San Holo is set to release his most diverse and personal record of his career thus far. Featuring artists such as Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, American Football, Mija and more, BB u ok? will be right up there with the best electronic albums in 2021.

Mersiv- Pretty Dark Loud – Release Date- TBA

After releasing his single Talkin Bout in January, Mersiv announced his debut album is in the works via Instagram in early February. Mersiv has been quickly rising to stardom in the past few years and is set to take the bass scene by storm once this highly anticipated album finally drops.

Illenium- Album title and release date TBA

Along with releasing his massive single Nightlight featuring vocals by Annika Wells, Illenium has teased an album coming sometime in the near future. Known for his heavy hitting, melodic dubstep and his emotional song content, Illenium will have you headbanging into your feels.

Flume- Album title and release date TBA

After releasing a remix of Eiffel 65’s Blue, the legendary Australian producer Flume announced he’s working a new album on George Breakfast’s Bangers & Bants radio show. “I’ve just kind of been sending demos out and trying to get as much music together before the lockdown finishes and hopefully come out of it with something to show for myself,” Flume said in the interview. “And we’ll see what happens, but yeah, I’m hoping to have a record done before the end of the year.”

Lsdream- Album title and release date TBA

After just celebrating the 3-year anniversary of the Lsdream project, trap lord turned spiritual bass shaman Sami Damient has announced his second single High Vibrations will be released as a follow up to the Follow the Vibe single released at the end of 2020. One can only speculate Lsdream has more music on the way.

Ganja White Night- Album title and release date TBA

Although no singles have been released, Ganja White Night recently took to Instagram to announce the postponement of Wobble Rocks, their 3 day concert series at Red Rocks, Colorado for not only safety concerns but to allow them the chance to release new music as they hinted at an upcoming album.

Alison Wonderland – Album title and release date TBA

Even without touring, Alison Wonderland has been hard at work throughout 2020, releasing singles like Bad Things and Anything featuring Valentino Kahn as well as teasing her 3rd Studio album set to release in the spring of 2021. With her producing skills combined with her ability to sing and play musical instruments, the EDM scene will be in for quite a treat once her album drops.

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There is something extraordinary about the power of the music festival community that reaches well beyond just music. From going to festivals and shows for ten years now, I’ve not only discovered new music year after year but have had remarkable experiences that shaped how I view the world. I’ve made lifelong friends and have been exposed to new ideas that allowed me to open my mind in ways I’ve never thought possible. Our community runs on a wavelength that tends to be overlooked by the rest of the world. Surrounded by war, hate, judgment, and conformity, festivals and shows act as a haven for the free spirit. A place where like-minded individuals come together, spreading love, peace, and individuality. A place that encourages conscious thinking and spirituality as much as it promotes music.

One of the best things I’ve taken away from the festival community is the practice of meditation. During a walk through the campgrounds of Okeechobee Music Festival, I stumbled upon Lsdream’s cosmic soundbath set, and it completely changed my life. I never thought about how powerful the act of just breathing and being actually is. That the act of doing nothing and allowing your thoughts to come and go has a profound effect on how you view the world. I left the soundbath set feeling not only refreshed but as if I had gone through some sort of transformation, and I wanted more. Meditation was something I never considered, and if it weren’t for music festivals, I would never have given it a chance.

Meditation teaches you to live in the moment. We spend most of our days either stuck in the past or worrying about the future. We rarely ever take the time just to be, and meditation allows you to do just that. After all, we love music festivals so much because they, too, embrace living in the moment. For those three or four days, nothing else matters. Not the past nor the future. Not your career, your classes, or the bills you have to pay.  What matters is dancing with your friends, basking in love, and enjoying the now. Ironically, Okeechobee’s theme is “Be here now.” I left the festival eager to learn more about meditation and ready to incorporate it into my own life.

Meditation not only helps you live in the now, but it actually changes the wiring of the brain. Studies have shown that meditation enlarges the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain responsible for managing emotions, focusing your attention, decision making, and adjusting to complex behaviors. Meditation can help with depression, anxiety, and overall well being. There are also different kinds of meditation. There is mindfulness where the point is not to allow your thoughts to control your emotions. Just let your thoughts come and go. Then there is focused meditation, where you focus on a goal you want to achieve and tap into the frequency of the universe.

As I began to read and research meditation, I came across various practices that helped me make meditation a daily routine. From guided meditations to meditation music to mediation apps, here are some of my favorites that will help you find inner peace whether you’re a beginner or a meditation guru!

Guided Meditations

10 Minute Chakra Balance Guided Meditation

Great for beginners! Balance your chakra’s and promote positive energy with this 10 minute meditation.

10 Minute Manifestation Meditation

This powerful meditation will help you achieve your biggest goals through the law of attraction.

Spirit Guide Meditation Playlist

This playlist of guided meditations is designed to connect you with your spirit guide!

LIGHTCODE Guided Meditation Playlist

With this playlist Lsdream and his wife Sarah Hudson, guide you through numerous meditations with music provided by Lsdream’s ambient moniker LIGHTCODE!

Music for Meditation

Tipper’s Ambient CoSM Set

Tipper provides an ambient set perfect for meditation at the Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors!

Charles the First Out of the Dark Mix

Charles the First performs a groovy downtempo set that’s perfect to vibe out and relax your mind.

LIGHTCODE & Lsdream Higher Conscious Set

Lsdream mixes a trippy downtempo set with excerpts of guidance from teachers like Alan Watts and Ram Das! Also check out Lsdream’s LIGHTCODE album!

Meditation Apps

Synctuition

Synctuition is a meditation app that is designed to sync you in to your intuition using gamma wave frequencies, binary beats, and 3d sounds!

Calm

Less intense than Synctuition but Calm offers great guided mediations, podcasts, and even sleep stories!

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If there is one thing that quarantine has shown us about the music industry, it’s that the electronic dance scene as a collective cannot be stopped. You can take away our shows, festivals, and tours, but our music isn’t going anywhere. With the “if you build it, they will come” attitude, EDM has stepped up to the plate better than any other genre in all of music.  From live stream events to drive in raves to quarantine mixes, the EDM community has proven day in and day out that our community goes far beyond live music. If you are apart of the community, you understand. It doesn’t matter if you love dubstep, house, big room,  trance, or any other sub-genre, the unity, passion, and love for this music is undeniable. Festivals, artists, and labels have created a virtual world of music, bringing everything we love about the scene right into our living rooms. Whether you’ve thrown a house party to watch one of the numerous rave- athons hosted by Pasquale and Insomniac, sat on zoom with your friends while getting down to Lsdream, or raved by yourself to Ghastly in your room, live streams have made the most challenging year of our lives a little more enjoyable. Of course, nothing can replace that transcendent feeling live music offers. Still, I’m thankful for EDM for keeping the rave alive and proud to be apart of this beautiful community during these presented and trying times.

Here are our favorite sets that got us through quarantine!

10. Sidepiece- Edc Vegas Rave-a-Thon

Powerhouse DJ’s Nitti Gritti and Party Favor team up for a bumpin’ b2b under their house moniker Sidepiece!

9. Slander Virtual Vibes (Medusa Set)

Slander throws down a legendary set with one of the coolest stage set up we’ve seen resembling the head of Medusa.

8. Ducky – HARD Summer Staycation Virtual Rave-A-Thon

Ducky shocks Insomniac’s founder Pasquale and viewers alike with one of the best sets we’ve seen all of quarantine.

7. Dr. Fresch – Original Sound 

Dr. Fresch throws down as usual in front of a crowd of 90,000 marijuana plants!

6.CloZee – ShambhaRoo

Clozee perfectly synchronizes her Shambhala and Bonnaroo set into a tripped out show in the jungle!

5. Jai Wolf – Secret Sky

Jai wolf puts a unique spin on a live stream set as he incorporates stellar graphics in an exclusive audiovisual mix.

4. Subtronics- Bonnaroo 2020

Subtronics debuts new music in an all original set for Bonnaroo’s Virtual Festival!

3. Porter Robinson -Secret Sky

Porter Robinson closes out a virtual version of his Sky Festival with a nostalgic hour and a half set.

2. Lane 8 – Sunrise Set 

Lane 8 plays a euphoric set as he cruises Grand lake in Colorado.

1. Lsdream- Rave Cave Series

It’s hard to pick just one rave cave set as Lsdream throws down different themed sets displaying new music, trippy graphics, and heavy wubs!

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It is no secret that female DJs don’t get the recognition they deserve in the music industry. You wouldn’t know it from looking at many festival lineups, but there is a sea of talented female DJs and producers who not only have a massive following but are a driving force behind electronic dance music.  

For National DJ Day, it is only fitting we celebrate our favorite female DJs!

10. Lucii

After breaking into the scene with a massive EP titled Abduction, Lucii has been taken the bass scene by storm. Since then, she has been hard at work releasing music with Champagne Drip and a second ep called Wicked in 2020. Known for her celestial vocals and captivating production skills, this alien will wreak havoc once festival season returns.

9. GG Magree

Known for her versatile high-energy sets, GG Magree sure knows how to throw the fuck down. Mixing everything from hip-hop, to dubstep, to hardstyle GG knows how to get the party bumpin!

8. Clozee

Known for her dreamy psychedelic productions, Clozee is one of the most unique sounds in all of bass music. Drawing inspiration from her world travels and classical instruments, the French producer has established an identity as a pioneer in her genre-bending bass.

7. Mija

Mija’s career exploded after going b2b with Skrillex for a legendary sunrise set on the Kalliope Stage at Bonnaroo in 2014. Known for her genre-bending sounds with roots embedded in house, Mija has a style all her own as she continues to push the boundaries of dance music.

6. Whipped Cream

Coming fresh off her first full-length Lp titled Who Is Whipped Cream, Whipped Cream combines hip-hop, heavy metal, and hard-hitting dubstep to create a heart-thumping, goosebump rising experience.

5. Ducky

Another versatile DJ who can sing, play instruments, and produce, Ducky, mixes melodic pop with hard-hitting dubstep, hardcore, and hardstyle. Known for her massive performances at festivals such as Bonnaroo and EDC Las Vegas Ducky is quickly rising to dance music stardom.

4. Tokimonsta

With one of the most inspiring stories in the industry, Tokimonsta was left unable to read music and communicate following two brain surgeries after being diagnosed with Moyamoya disease in 2015. Instead of giving up, she pushed forward and has become one of the defining sounds in modern dance and beat music. Just one year after her final surgery, she received a Grammy nomination for best dance/electronic album for her 2017 release called Lune Rouge. When live music resumes, expect to see Tokimonsta grace many major festival lineups.

3. Level Up

After studying turntablism under the legendary Rob Swift, this hip-hop battle DJ turned Dubstep enthusiast is set to take over 2021.  With her musical storytelling ability mixed with a knack for heavy-hitting wubs, Level Up is a force to be reckoned with.

2. Rezz

Rezz, also known as the self-proclaimed Space Mom, has been rocking festival crowds for a few years now and is nowhere near slowing down. With an undeniable unique sound, the Canadian producer has been at the forefront of dance music as she combines heavy bass, minimal tech, and dark techno.

1. Alison Wonderland

One of the biggest stars in dance music, Alison can do it all. Not only does she sing, produce, and DJ, but she plays live instruments such as the cello during her sets. Leaving everything she as on the stage, Alison has been lighting the electronic scene on fire. Expect her to be headlining major festivals and sold out tours once live music returns.

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No era has been more transformative in music culture than the 1960s. Thanks to a combination of psychedelic drugs, the anti-war movement, and a longing for peace and unity, creativity exploded in a rebellious yet enticing fashion throughout the globe. The music changed, clothing styles were reimagined, hair became long, and the hippie was born. On the forefront of the rapidly changing culture were bands and artists such as the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin who challenged the status quo, and birthed a spiritual revolution.

Now 60 years later a new spiritual revolution has begun and once again music is at the forefront of this modern-day hippie resurgence. Here are 10 of our favorite artists and bands that fully embrace the infamous 60’s counter culture.

10. Flatbush Zombies

The Flatbush Zombies also known as the Glorious Dead is where hip-hop meets the hippie. Known for their outrages outfits, outspoken views on psychedelics, and controversial yet spiritual lyrical content, the Flatbush Zombies have reinvented hippie culture while pushing the boundaries of hip-hop.

9. Subtronics

Known for his heavy bass and wonky wubs, Subtonics is quickly becoming dubstep’s loudest stoner. With his “hair down to his knees” as John Lennon may say, and love for all things marijuana, Subtonics would fit right in on the corner of Haight-Asbury during the 1960s.

8. Glass Animals

When it comes to psychedelic pop, there aren’t too many bands that can keep up with the Glass Animals. Inspired by bands like The Beatles, and the Beach Boys, The Glass Animals set themselves apart with weird unique soundscapes that will take you on a trip.

7. Alison Wonderland

With her name an ode to the psychedelic “children’s movie” Alison Wonderland has become one of the biggest superstars in dance music and is the definition of a free spirit. Living for the music, traveling the world and constantly preaching, love and peace at her shows,  Alison fully embodies the rockstar lifestyle of the 1960s.

6. Run the Jewels

Another out of the box hip-hop group, Run the Jewels does not only rap about psychedelics, peace, and love, but are on the forefront of the civil rights movement. Killer Mike has been in the trenches fighting for peace and justice for his communities while encouraging younger generations to vote and make a change.

5. Lsdream

If there was one DJ leading the spiritual awakening in electronic music, it would without a doubt be Lsdream. From his trippy albums, to his Beatles remixes, to his guided meditation sessions, Lsdream represents everything that’s good about hippie culture. If you were to send  Lsdream back in time to Woodstock 69 to play a set heads would explode.  

4. Beach House

All it takes is one listen to any of Beach House’s albums to be blasted into psychedelic euphoria. Their hypnotic tones and dreamy energy transmitted through their sound and persona will have you questioning if they were sent here from the hippie generation. “We are very, very big believers in the power of love and empathy. This is going to sound hippy-dippy but… we really, really care about love and empathy” the band explained in an interview with Stereo Gum in 2018.

3. Odesza

A fan favorite at festivals throughout the world, Odesza is one of the most magical acts in electronic dance music. Showcasing a live show with a full band Odesza is all about creating a truly unforgettable experience. 50 years from now kids will listen to A moment Apart claiming they were born in the wrong generation.

2. Griz

Griz is one of the most diverse acts in electronic music with the ability to go funky, hard, psychedelic, groovy, and euphoric all at once. From his Chasing the Golden Hour mixes, to his saxophone solos, and heavy bass drops Griz’s repertoire is loud and abundant. Music aside, he is also deeply involved in spreading consciousness and love. Griz is outspoken about the benefits of psychedelics such as LSD and marijuana. He constantly gives back to the world whether he’s protesting with Black Lives Matter, raising money for his charity with events such as Grizmas, or promoting self-empowerment with his meditation retreats at Camp Kulubunga.

1. Tame Impala

Known as the Pink Floyd of our generation, Kevin Parker and Tame Impala are the closest thing we’ve got to the psychedelic rock scene of the 1960s. Everything about Tame Impala screams hippie, from their tripped-out music to their live shows, to the fans they attract. Inspired by mind-altering substances and bands like the doors, Tame Impala will take you on a trip through time itself.

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The Universe has a peculiar way of speaking to you, especially when your judgments are closed and your heart and mind are open. When you are tuned into the right frequency, it becomes obvious that there is another force guiding us through this existence. You just have to trust that energy, and once you do, you recognize that the answers are often right in front of you and have been this whole time. Everything that happens in life has a purpose. It may not be what you want, expect, or understand, but as time goes on, you will realize that it was exactly what you needed.
It was the beginning of October, and my friends and I finally copped tickets to a drive-in rave. Not just any show but the Wakaan Halloween takeover in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Liquid Stranger, Champagne Drip, and Mize were set to throw down on top of Montage Mountain. We couldn’t think of a better first show back since the pandemic and were hyped as fuck, to say the least. Not just for the fact that we were going to see Liquid Stranger, or that we were finally going to see live music, but that we could ultimately rage together. We haven’t danced and headbanged through the night since Okeechobee, and we were all itching for an evening of good vibes, good music, and debauchery.
As Halloween approached, Liquid Stranger announced that each night of the three-day takeover would be unique. Night one would be dedicated to throwback jams, night two would be a tripped set, and night three would be full of bangers. Each night was sold out, and we were going to night two.
As much as I love downtempo tripped out music, I was skeptical of the tripped-out theme. It was my first show in 8 months, and I wanted to party. I had all this pent up energy from quarantine that I needed to release. How can I do that during a slow trippy show? But the Universe doesn’t always give you what you want but what you need.
Aside from my reserves, we were ready to be back in our element. We missed the crowd, the atmosphere, and of course, the people. Before we knew it, it was Friday morning, and we were finally on our 2 hour Journey to Montage Mountain Resorts to check in our hotel before the show. The only problem was it was not only freezing but raining. Not the greatest weather for an outdoor show, but the gray clouds wouldn’t stop our shine. After sitting in line for almost two hours, with flashbacks to Bonnaroo 2019, we finally made it in just in time for Mize to hit the stage.
Strangely enough, the sky opened up, and all the clouds disappeared. A full moon lit up the heavens above with Mars in the background. It was still cold, but it was perfect. As the night went on, Mize changed to DMVU, which switched to Champagne Drip, and then finally Liquid Stranger. The entire time I could not take my eyes off the moon. All I kept thinking that this is what humans have been doing for thousands of years. Dancing under the full moon, losing ourselves in the moment.

As Liquid Stranger finished his set, he spoke about his decision to perform a tripped set under the full moon. That he never gets a chance to play the music that he played that night. That every song he played from Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin to Forever Young by Rod Stewart had an impact on his life and his career. He spoke on how the world was going through a transition and that we need to treat each other with love.
It is then I realized that the Universe was speaking to me through Liquid Stranger. The world is going through a transition, but so am I. I realized that the tripped set was exactly what I needed. Instead of giving me a night full of bangers for my first show back, I got music that opens your mind and soothes the soul. I’ve been going to shows for ten years now, and I’ve partied as hard as anyone. I kept having this thought that part of my life is over. Not that I’ll stop going to shows or festivals, but my intentions will change. That I will be motivated by spirituality instead of just getting fucked up. It was as if the Universe was pushing me in a new direction.

Since then, I’ve been meditating, reading, and positively focusing on my goals, and things are suddenly falling into place. I’m starting to get opportunities I’ve never had before, I feel better mentally and physically, and I have a newfound excitement for the future.
I felt this story was important to share as we head into 2020’s winter solstice coming early next week. On December 21, for the first time in 800 years, Saturn and Jupiter will align, creating what’s called the great conjunction allowing the Christmas star to be visible. This extraordinary event is said to be a sign of powerful change and spiritual transformation as we transition to a new age.
The fact that this will happen in 2020 is pretty remarkable considering what’s going on in the world. 2020 isn’t the year we asked for, but it is the year we needed. A year that acted as a wake-up call to say that this way of existence, full of hate, neglect for the earth, carelessness for our health, and need for material pleasures, is not sustainable. Our way of life has been taken from us. We have been forced to stay inside with no restaurants, no bars, no concerts, festivals, weddings, or parties. We can’t go to work, kids can’t go to school, and some of us have lost loved ones. But through all the tragedy, there is a silver lining. 2020 has forced us to find happiness from within and think in different ways. It taught us not to take life for granted because you never know when life will abruptly change. People are finally beginning to wake up. Everyone has grown in someway through quarantine. Whether it’s finding a new hobby, a new passion, or realizing you can survive on much less than you thought.
We’ve seen worldwide protests in the name of peace and equality. Governments are being exposed, the powers are shifting, and the world is learning that love trumps all. As Bob Dylan famously put it, “The times are a changin!” 2020 was not the year we wanted, but the year we needed. We struggled and survived together. New beginnings are ahead of us. It’s time to stop saying fuck 2020 and start being grateful that it happened. 2020 will be known as the year we woke up, and 2021 will not only be our year but a promising start to our greater purpose.

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It’s 2020. If aliens are ever going to expose themselves, now would be the time. Over the summer, The New York Times reported that the Pentagon released a report where they admit that UFOs are real. They then squashed any doubt by later stating that by UFO, they mean a “craft, not of this world.”
Amongst all of the craziness of 2020, this seemed to go unnoticed by the public. Then early this week, former Israeli space security chief says aliens not only exist, but there is an entire Galactic Federation that the United States knows about. According to Haim Eshed, extraterrestrial beings have a base deep under the crust of Mars. American astronauts are currently on the base, and aliens have been intervening with humanity for years, even de-escalating nuclear war.
Eshed explained that the aliens don’t think humanity is ready to understand the existential truth of their existence. You can’t blame them. We’ve destroyed this planet and each other. How can we be prepared for aliens if we can’t even get along with our neighbor?
But what if they do decide to come down from the stars? Will they destroy us like they do in the movies? Will they wipe us off the face of existence with a push of a single button?
Plot twist! Aliens are peaceful and not only spiritual beings, but they’re all about the wubs. They are chill as fuck and just want to vibe. They come down from the mothership and ask for a playlist full of 10 dubstep bangers to cruise the milky way while they hotbox the ship.
This is what we gave them.

  1. Hello Human – Lsdream

Of course, we will start the playlist with Hello Human by Lsdream. As a human myself, I enjoy singing along but imagine rapping “Hello Human, Ew Your Planet is Gross” as an ET.

2. Space Boss- Liquid Stranger & Space Jesus

For the second song, we hit em with Space Boss as they sore out of our atmosphere. They’d probably start rolling up right about now.

3. Mind Tricks- Bassnectar Feat. Lafa Taylor

As the space weed starts to kick in Mind Tricks by necatar will surely blast them off into another dimension.

4. Jungle Juice – Ganja White Night & Liquid Stranger

Jungle Juice by Ganja seems like the perfect theme music for dodging asteroids and mini planets while traveling at lightspeed through the asteroid belt, aka the jungle of the milky way.

5. Wubbalubbadubdub- Jade Cicada

Assuming the aliens watch interdimensional television and love Rick and Morty as much as us humans Wubbalubbadubdub by Jade Cicada will have them vibing hard.

6. Expand the Universe- Lsdream

Soaring through the expanding universe while bumping Expand the Universe is a trip in its self.

7. Maintaining it All- Tiedye Ky

Tiedye Ky’s Maintaining it All will surely get the E.T’s heads knockin.

8. Alien Technology- Shlump

Wouldn’t be surprised if Alien Technology by Shlump is already on their playlist.

9. Me and You – Champagne Drip & Lucci

Me and You by Champagne Drip & Lucci will have every alien on board lost in their feelings.

10. Mercy Falls- Charlesthefirst

As the ETs start coming down from their trip and soar through the final constellations Mercy Falls by Charlesthefirst will surely chill them out with some lo fi wubs.

Check out the playlist here!

Alien Wubs

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Unless you live as a hermit and dismiss technology all together odds are you listen to music every day. It’s 2020. Everyone listens to music in some form or another. In fact, in today’s digital age, it’s damn near impossible to avoid it. According to a Nielson Music study in 2017, nearly 90 percent of Americans listen to music on a daily basis for about 32 hours per week. That’s a lot of our time dedicated to music, and without the advancement of technology, it wouldn’t be possible.

Music and technology go hand in hand. As technology advances to make our lives easier, we end up just adding more and more onto our plate. We are continually striving to be the most efficient we can be. Multi-tasking ultimately becomes our greatest skill as we try to cram as much as we can into 24 hours, and if you don’t, you, unfortunately, will be left in the dust. So how does every American have time to listen to 32 hours of music every week? Do we really listen?

I want you to really think about when you listen to music. You listen when you’re working out, sitting in traffic, writing your email, making dinner, in the shower, or mindlessly scrolling through social media. And how do we listen? Usually with our phones. We listen to music to distract us from what we are doing. We don’t actually listen to music. We treat music as background noise in our lives, so we don’t have to live in the moment.

Don’t get me wrong; music is a great escape. It makes driving and working tolerable. It pushes you to get in that last rep at the gym or run that last lap at the track, but music has more than that to offer. Because of streaming services, music has never been more accessible. Frankly, I couldn’t live without Apple Music, but it does come with a cost. It takes away from the magic of listening to a song the way your favorite artist intended. It went from being something you looked forward to doing everyday to something mundane and just a natural part of life, such as walking or breathing. Streaming apps are not only changing when we listen, but how we listen, and I fear we’re beginning to take music for granted.

Sixty years ago, when the only way to listen to the music of your choice was a vinyl record, the process of listening was a lot more exciting, and some may argue like a ritual. When a new record would drop, you had to go to the store, buy an album, drive home, and pop open the record player all before you could hear just one note. You would sit around the speaker like you would a tv and listen to the full album front to back.

Every song had a purpose and told a unique part of the story the artist was trying to portray. There were no distractions. You weren’t aimlessly scrolling through your phone or focusing on that email to make a sale. You were fully immersed in the sound. It wasn’t just something you did. It was an experience for the body, mind, and soul and the music reflected that. Bands and artists such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, the list can go on and on, would focus on the whole album. The whole experience. Every song meant something, and fans took the time not only to listen but interpret and consume every lyric, emotion, and guitar riff.

Today, at least in the mainstream, we seemed to have lost touch with the art of music. Songs are getting shorter and shorter. Lp’s are turning to Ep’s, and Ep’s are becoming singles. Our attention spans are disappearing, and the music is suffering. When did we choose the 2 min song made in 20 minutes over full-scale albums and seven-minute ballads? It’s not the artist’s fault either. It starts with us, the listener. Artists need to make a living, and if they have to make singles over albums, that’s what they’ll do. If we change our listening habits and fall in love with the art again, the music will follow. I’m not saying stop streaming music. I’m saying take time out of your day and dedicate it to listening to your favorite album—nothing else, just the music.

The good news is it’s not all doom and gloom. As much as things are changing, there is a demand to slow down. We’ve been fed the digital life so much; people are starting to get fed up. There’s a reason the demand for physical vinyl records is skyrocketing. There’s a reason meditation apps are the new big thing. People are starting to wake up and slow down. Sometimes we need a break from all the complex technology running our lives. We need to live in the moment and experience, not just the now but something real and physical. The Glass Animals said it best on the opening song of their new Album Dreamland.

“You’ve had too much of the digital love. You want everything live, you want things you can touch. Make it feel like a movie you saw in your youth. Make it feel like that song that just unopened you”

A revolution in listening to music needs to happen, but we’re on the right track. The more we sit down and listen to music the way it is intended, the more things will change. It won’t only help the artist. It will help the listener have a full experience in body, mind, and spirit. Just listening to your favorite artist with no distractions could be a form of meditation and could not only entertain you but ease your stress, anxiety, and overall well being. So get comfy, grab a drink, spark a joint, close your eyes, and get lost in the music, man.