One of the coolest elements of Suwannee Hulaween is the diversity of not only the music, but also of the audience. New-wave EDM kids and old-school hippies can organically intermingle in the crowd as they explore and connect beyond their typical genre comfort zones. So whether you live for jam bands, rave to the grave or just wanna move your body to whatever’s good, here are 10 sets guaranteed to get everyone grooving.
The String Cheese Incident – Halloween She-Bang – Saturday 9:30-10:45 at The Meadow
Seeing as how Hulaween is The String Cheese Incident’s festival, you owe it to yourself to catch at least one of the six shows the jam-band extraordinaires play throughout the weekend. The main event goes down Saturday night at the main stage as the group performs a set chock-full of magnificent spectacle and costumed dancers, covering certified classics that tie into the theme of the festival (this year it’s the “Monster Mash”).
Deathpact – Thursday 7:50-8:50 at The Hallows
Experienced Hulaweeners know the Thursday night Pre-party always delivers killer vibes and several really special sets. This year takes it up a notch with the DeadBeats takeover at a new stage in the Meadow called The Hallows. Prolific headlining duo Zed’s Dead will surely close the evening out with gusto, but the masked enigma known only as Deathpact promises the most intriguing and rare act of the night. Having only played a small handful of live shows thus far – this being just their second U.S. performance – Deathpact shrouds their identity in mystical cyber-mystery and summons a deep, dark and enthralling style of midtempo bass more diabolically compelling than the sound of Rezz.
LSDREAM – Thursday 9:10-10:10 at The Hallows
After Deathpact drops the crowd into a devilish underworld, LSDREAM will elevate the vibrations into higher-consciousness bass-ascension right after. Peace, love and trippy wubz percolate through the energetic body and reverberate out the crown chakra at every LSDREAM show. The combination of deep bass, alien spaceship sounds, cosmic contemplation, psychedelic Beatles’ edits and “Alice in Wonderland” ethos should make this a favorite set for hippies of every age.
Chris Lake – Friday 11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. at The Hallows
Charge your batteries for this one folks! Few DJs can electrify the dancefloor like the Earl of Electro House, Chris Lake. His mixing skills alone spin so hot the fire marshal might show up. But at this point in his career his discography runneth over with such an abundance of explosive original bangers and commanding collaborations that a solo, pure Chris Lake set incites bodies to shake, stomp and quake hard enough to shift the tectonic plates below.
Lane 8 – Sunday 8-9 at The Amphitheatre
Sometimes you need something a little more soothing to speak to your soul as you commune with the Spanish Moss trees and gaze upon the majesty of the stars. That’s when the sublime progressive and deep house of maestro Lane 8 washes over your senses like a tide rolling over your feet on the beach, skin kissed by the sun as it crosses the horizon. Lane 8 crafts pristinely enrapturing vibes, and even if you usually find deep house boring, this set will resonate with profound feeling.
Mark Farina (Mushroom Jazz) – Saturday 10:30-Midnight at Spirit Lake
Mark Farina has been breaking new ground in underground house music for over 30 years, most famously with the subgenre he created, the miraculous style of mushroom jazz. If you’ve ever found jazz too chaotic, too boring, or wished it was more digestible, danceable and fun, then this is the magic mixture of house and jazz melodies you didn’t know you needed in your life.
Jungle – Sunday 6:30-7:30 at The Hallows
Disco-funk receives a soaring breath of fresh air through the impressive talents of UK duo Jungle, whose sumptuous arrangements feel rooted in ‘70s inspiration and really take flight with modern production vibrance and complexity. Timeless timbre in the vocals, goosebump-inducing choruses and occasional rap diversions swirl into majestic harmonies that nearly lift listeners off their feet with euphoria.
Claude VonStroke – Saturday 12:15-1:45 a.m. at Spirit Lake
Dirtybird head honcho Claude VonStroke rounds out the roster of rumpus-rousing DJs turning the Spirit Lake stage into an all-day dance party Saturday, so save some energy to finish the night strong with 90 minutes of tech house glory. Claude operates as a bona fide tastemaker at the forefront of deliciously designed house and techno with bumpin’ basslines – reliably appealing to ravers, bassheads, and newcomers just dabbling in electronic music. This timeslot is like the climax to let loose with costumed creatures of the night, and Claude the perfect artist to curate those goofy and wild late-night vibes.
Bonobo (DJ set) – Friday 10:15-11:15 at The Hallows
With more tingling trip-hop than his live shows, Bonobo guides the audience on stunning journeys in his DJ sets through melodic soundscapes – across ambient shores, breathtaking horizons and dancing up mythical inner peaks of sonic revelation. It has a chill and introspective feel while also unshackling the mind and body from human worries to freely move in tandem with the rising spirit.
Masego – Saturday 6:15-7:15 at The Amphitheatre
Dynamic hip-hop/R&B artists have a way of surprising attendees to become stand-out favorites each Hulaween, so count on the stirring singing, engrossing instrumentation and sizzling saxophone of Masego to get you sumptuously swaying like Spanish Moss blowing in the wind. Relax and bliss out because his songs go down smooooooooth as gravy.
Check out the full schedule below and prep your costumes. We’ll see you Halloween weekend in the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park!
