This past weekend, in the outskirts of Phoenix, Rawhide Western Town and all its patrons were abducted by an alien entity! Okay… so maybe we didn’t actually get abducted… but it sure felt like it! Relentless Beats held its annual galactic festival Phoenix Lights in Chandler, AZ. Between REZZ’s transporting energy and the deep bass from Of The Trees, this weekend hit level 100 and didn’t back down. As a returning attendees, this was a smaller experience but still bursting with an inclusive and comfortable energy.
As always, the crowd was packed with beautiful and eclectic faces! One of my favorite parts of attending EDM events is taking in all the creative outfits and skillful makeup. Where else can you say that you ran into an anglerfish AND Red Guy from Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared all in the same nights?! The squad that showed up to each night of Phoenix Lights was top quality when it came to safety and vibes.
My personal highlight of the weekend was watching REZZ command the crowd. It doesn’t matter if its your first time or 50th time seeing her, she never disappoints. A track that has been a staple in her sets recently is the remastered version of EDGE, and for good reason. It’s the perfect blend of nostalgic REZZ with the powerhouse she has grown to be.
Let’s go through a quick list of stand out moments from the two day fest!
- It’s Murph delivered a truly unique experience that had me feeling like I was at a middle school dance crossed with a rave! His sample selections were meaningful and reworked in an engaging way!
- Said The Sky peppered his entire set with Emo nostalgia that culminated in his version of Owl City’s “Fireflies” that gave me full body goosebumps!
- NGHTMRE surprised me with his rework of The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights
- Kavion treated us to a delicious ABBA moment and had all the Dancing Queens head banging to his eclectic sounds.
- Netsky leaned heavy into his DNB catalogue to deliver a ground shaking set.
- Of The Trees served up a smorgasbord of weird bass that gave everyone a little something to chew on.
Though the footprint of Phoenix Lights shrunk this year, the impact, crowd, and energy was still off the charts! As always, the visual experience was a treat for the eyes. Who wouldn’t want to spend a weekend under the lasers? Phoenix Lights was an abducting and memorable experience that I’m already missing! A special shout out to the Relentless Beats team for a killer weekend at Rawhide.
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