It’s been 10 months since the last normal music festival in the U.S., and the question on all our minds is: Will we actually be able to fest again in 2021?
Events over 10,000 *might* be possible by the fall if the COVID-19 vaccine rollout significantly speeds up, but the marquee festival of RealMusic Events has renewed the hope that some smaller boutique festivals could safely return by the summer. Seismic Dance Event 3.3 – a house and techno haven featuring heavy-hitters like Charlotte de Witte, Richie Hawtin, Claude VonStroke, and Walker & Royce – is implementing safety protocols that make its May 21-23 dates quite feasible following State of Texas and CDC guidelines for outdoor gatherings.
Seismic Dance Event 2.0 was one of our favorite intimate fests in 2019, and this edition has reduced capacity a bit to 2,500 attendees while moving to a bigger, to-be-announced 7-acre venue near the Austin, Texas airport. A pod-style format is being instituted for the event, meaning separate sections are laid out grid-style at each stage, and patrons file into available sections when navigating the three stages to ensure physical distancing. Other safety arrangements include screenings at check-in, facemasks worn at all times, sanitation stations, on-site health officials and dedicated personnel enforcing regulations.
The lineup is a dream for ravers who’ve been aching to get back on the dance floor with Euro DJs, propulsive beats and fancy footwork. Adana Twins, Anabel Englund, ARTBAT, Ben Böhmer, Bob Moses, Enrico Sangiuliano, Jonas Rathman, Kyle Watson, Mathame, Nicole Moudaber, Öona Dahl, Phantoms, Rebüke, Reinier Zonneveld, Sacha Robotti, Stephan Bodzin, Steve Darko, Tchami, The Martinez Brothers, Volac and more bring glorious house and techno grooves to the ATX underground at what’s usually the busiest festival time of the year. Considering most of those larger events still won’t be able to proceed safely by then, Seismic Dance Event transcends its niche-festival status and takes on a blockbuster position opening the summer.
General Admission passes cost $199 before fees, while VIP weekend tickets go for $299 before fees, with single-day passes, payment plans and refund protection available as well. The uncertainty of the pandemic also requires back-up plans, so if (worst case scenario) Seismic needs to be rescheduled, it will be pushed to November 12-14, 2021, with the option to transfer tickets to that fall date or to Seismic 2022. However, a fall Seismic Dance Event is still a much more realistic bet than the precarious prospect of massive-sized festivals in the fall.
