On December 30th, I strapped on a pair of platform boots and headed out the door for a two-night adventure inside the magical land of Decadence Colorado for my third time.
Held at the Convention Center, this festival is no joke. Featuring two huge stages and a silent disco stage, this festival is truly a playground of PLUR. Oh, and there's a huge blue bear outside that makes for great Denver-landmark-esque photos.
I'm not going to lie, I've been attending raves and festivals for 9 years and it truly takes a lot to get me out of the house these days. However, after I attended a record-low in shows this year and after a heart-breaking Day 2 at Global Dance, I knew I had to end the year with a bang. When the Decadence lineup dropped back in September, I was 100% sold. I couldn't remember the last time I was so excited for BOTH days of a lineup which truly never seems to happen anymore.
Around New Year's, it seems like there's a lot of talk about whether the rave community is "dying", "sold out" or "too mainstream." Although I went into the event with these thoughts lingering in the back of my mind, I told myself I was going to go into this event with an open mind and no expectations. And, I am happy to say, that this is not what I experienced whatsoever. Yes, there were some attendees that were too drunk and obnoxious, but for the most part, the vibes were great for me all night!
Opposite of attending with a large squad like we normally do, I did Day 1 with just my husband. It was really fun going to an event where we didn't have to make a ton of plans with inevitable set conflicts - it was just us and the music.
Of course, Bassnectar did not disappoint and shook my soul, literally. I had a feeling that would be my favorite set of the night and I'm so happy it was. No matter how many times I've seen Lorin, it never gets old. Coming in hot second was Tiesto. We were really close to the stage with a ton of room to dance and it was great to hear some of my favorite, classic EDM tunes.
On Day 2, we still kept our squad small and just went with one of our good friends. It's tough to pick a favorite set from that night because there were so many sets that I was excited to see. From Steve Aoki's fun energy that hyped up the crowd early in the night, to getting my soul snatched by Space Mom, getting all the feels at Slander, and grooving to Don Diablo, the music aspect was absolutely great!
Aside from the music, there were tons of cool art installations to check out. My personal favorite was this really cool, big dome that had visuals on the inside, complete with a carpet underneath so you could sit down and look up. It definitely was a good place to take a break from dancing and stare off into space, literally.
Photo Courtesy of Jaybird Photography & Decadence
I loved all the other art installations, too! There was a 'futuristic' vibe going on with a lot of the art that was cool to look at.
Photo Courtesy of Jaybird Photography & Decadence
There were also lights on these trees that looked like a lit-up, enchanted forest - it was so pretty!
Overall, I'm really happy I decided to attend Decadence this year. From the stage production, to the performers, and art installations, this year's event was unmatched. It was a great way to start 2020 and end nearly a decade of raving for me. You can definitely bet I'll be back next year.
Next up: Catch me at Global Dance Festival in July, ready to rock!
