Relentless Beats returned and put on a helluva show for the first day of Decadence Arizona. AC Slater mixed in some deep Bass House to start my night. Tchami x Malaa were spectacular, with my favorite track “Summer 99” being tossed in. Dillon Francis started his set with an attendee proposing (the proposed said “yes,” in case you were wondering), and then immediately dropped into some funky beats. The best set of the night, by far, was Illenium live. His tear-dropping tracks, amplified with passionate guitar riffs, was such a mystifying act. He ended the night like any true rockstar would, by smashing his guitar to pieces on stage. Skrillex followed to close the night with some aggressive Dubstep. No matter how tired you were when his 2 AM show started, you couldn’t help but be woken up as the bass wrecked your body.
While the night was a cool 40 degrees, that did not stop many from dressing their best in preparation for the coming year. It was a stark contrast with those in shorts and those who were three layers deep. Everyone was having a great night regardless of what they arrived in, while also sticking close to the heaters. Here are a few of my top pics for the evening.
Day two of Decadence Arizona hit just as hard as the day prior, maybe even harder. Decadon slayed with killer guitar solos early in the evening, and then kept the good times going playing a second set at the Weird and Wonderful silent disco. The deep wubs that Zeds Dead brings have never let me down, and they sure as hell delivered. Following them, Galantis was a powerhouse of emotions, playing huge drums throughout. Joyryde brought in the new year. While they put on a great set, there was a mechanical issue that caused the balloons in the main stage area not to drop at midnight (#WhereTheBalloonsAt).
Aside from these small missteps, the rest of the night went off without a hitch. Fisher played a fun set dropping in hits like “Losing It” and “Crowd Control” that kept the party going. Playing in parallel on the mainstage, Griz and Subtronics came together as Griztronics, a team everyone had been excitedly waiting for. Their set was heavy and deep; everything I hoped it would be. It was the perfect way to end the festival. Here are my top photos of the night. If you would like a more complete rundown of Decadence Arizona, click here.
