Relentless Beats is well known when it comes to throwing “holiday” parties. When they hinted at big things for 420, we knew we were in for a treat. But when that lineup dropped, so did our jaws. The moment I saw that fateful Saturday night would start with Blanke, then 1788-L, into Liquid Stranger, followed by TroyBoi, and end with Zeds Dead, I knew I needed to up my work out game immediately so I could physically make it through such a ridiculous night. Arizona events always bring the most fire lineups, but honestly, this is the best of the best. Sfmfstaffisingly enough, everyone made it through the night, although it was not for the faint of heart. Another surprise was the addition of the dope local support, consisting of none other than a b2b with Dark Mark and Mike Dao. Deadbeats 420 was nothing short of a success. I personally could not have dreamed up a better lineup, nor executed it as swimmingly. Of course, with a great event also comes great photos, and you know that we had Joshua Andrews documenting the night. Here is our top 10 photo recap of Deadbeats 420! Did we catch you puttin’ your Z’s up?
10.
The Deadbeats 420 setup at Rawhide Western Town and Event Center gave us flashbacks to 2017 Phoenix Lights (arguably one of the best years in our opinion) as the stage sat in a similar spot, next to the warehouse. Although the venue itself felt a little packed, there were plenty of vendors, bars, and porta potties so that lines never got too long.
9.
The giant Deadbeats logo made for a great photo opportunities! Friend groups gathered in front of the monument all night.
8.
Image Via Joshua Andrews of GrandSchemeViews
Now to the serious stuff…Liquid Stranger absolutely murdered his hometown. He gave Arizona several shout-outs through his set. It feels so great to be in a crowd and to genuinely hear in the artist’s voice that they are stoked to be there with you.
7.
So. Much. Artist. Merch! Baddies represented their favorite artists throughout the whole night. When a lineup is this crazy, it’s hard to look through the crowd and NOT see someone rockin’ an artists’ name. Besides the expected Wakaan and Deadbeats logos everywhere, I saw a ton of Dark Mark merch as well! If you are looking for some exclusive Dark Mark gear, you have to find him personally or catch a show. Arizona ravers are superb when it comes to supporting their locals.
6.
Image Via Joshua Andrews of GrandSchemeViews
Two words sum up Deadbeats 420; The Boys. Zeds Dead has a cult-like following and they were out in full force on 420. The Zeds Dead Fam hosted huge meetups, both at the venue itself and prior to the show at an Airbnb. Zeds Dead is practically a religion at this point, and worship was definitely in session when the boys dropped OG classics like In the Beginning, Rude Boy, and yes, even their legendary remix of Eyes on Fire.
5.
Remember what we said about the merch? Yeah, it was everywhere. No complaints from us, though! Arizona will have a hard time topping this lineup.
4.
T-R-O-Y-B-O-I. I actually overheard someone at the show say, “I literally came here tonight just to hear TroyBoi spell his own name,” and you know what? I don’t think he was alone in that! One of our favorites at Goldrush 2018, TroyBoi’s sets are iconic and unique. Although a bit of a change of pace from the rest of the night, he kept the crowd moving straight into Zeds Dead’s performance.
3.
After talking to some of the attendees, it is clear that although all of the sets were phenomenal, Liquid Stranger was definitely the fan favorite of the night. Arizona’s “hometown hero” is a busy man, curating his very own festival this fall, as well as bringing Wakaan takeovers to multiple festivals across the country.
2.
The Deadbeats 420 stage setup was unlike any other main stage we have seen at a Relentless Beats event. Rather than just a typical flat LED board, the triangular, pointed boards gave off a sense of 3D and framed around the artists.
1.
Lasers, confetti, a gorgeous sunset, and some of the scene’s best music made for the most beautiful night that we will forever remember as Deadbeats 420. We can only hope that this night opened the door to bringing more Deadbeats events back to Arizona! We will be waiting with our fingers crossed, and our Z’s up.
*Featured Image Via Joshua Andrews of GrandSchemeViews*
