This Insomniac Entertainment festival is curated from the iconic Alice in Wonderland elements we all adore: Playing Card characters touring the festival grounds and accurate art installations from the storybook. Apart from unleashing their inner bandersnatch or jabberwocky, headliners (ravers) embodied Alice’s curiosity to explore the depths of wonderland: The Caterpillar’s Garden, Mad Hatter’s Stage, and Queen’s Valley.

Orhon Uygur for Insomniac Events

Caterpillar's Garden: The Garden of Looking-Glass Insects & Live Flowers

Sprouting from Tulgey Alley, the path beyond the playing card and rose garden arches, and past “This Way”, “That Way”, “Down” or “Up” Road, every stage was designed like playing cards in King, Ace, 9, and 10. Who knew caterpillars and butterflies love the best of house music? The Absolems on this particular dance floor danced to Cherry Tooth, Max Styler and Nostalgix before HYPERBEAM: Odd Mob + OMNOM on day 1. This no-boundaries-experimental B2B performance originated from their collaborative releases like “Mind Awake, Body Asleep” featured on John Summit’s label, Experts Only.

HYPERBEAM featured well-loved favorites “Saving Up - Remix”, “Stay Busy - Odd Mob Club Mix”, “All Day, All Night”, and “Losing Control”. HYPERBEAM easily became my favorite performance of the weekend as I truly felt like Alice in search of wisdom among the sonic bloom in this garden of live flowers. If you didn’t feel like Absolem at this stage basking in the sounds of the garden of live flowers, all white rabbits on a mission to the bass stage hopped to the Mad Hatter Stage for Crankdat. 

After, Disco Lines attracted a crowd ready to dance to his seamless and talented fusion of bass to house to drum and bass to house again. The sun began to disappear during this set and the stage’s mint-green shadow lights glowed the stage like a butterfly’s cocoon for us to dance.

The closer yet higher elevation towards the stage made it seem as if you were looking into this swirly portal while the dusk faded. On day 2, Fame Sounds was cooking and feeding the looking-glass insects on the dance floor with mixed classic songs such as “Heads Will Roll” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs and “Walking On a Dream” by Empire Of The Sun. Next, Gene Ferris, BISCITS, and Shiba San B2B CID had the talking-flower-ravers grooving in this EDM amphitheater.

@olddirtyleather

Dipping Clocks into Tea Cups at The Mad Hatter Stage

March Hares and Hatters flocked to this stage for filthy bass and filthy bass only. Starting with day 1, Sip & Smoak: Smoakland B2B SIPPY was the cake of this mad tea party with tracks featuring SIPPY’s “Sip That” and sharing Mersiv and Effin’s new unreleased track. The three artists were seen wearing SIPPY’s official pink fuzzy sunglasses while she mixed a song she confessed she wrote on the way to The Gorge.

This was a performance bringing bandersnatches out of their cages for the start of summer next to the blue teapot photo opp in VIP. In addition, the Queen of Hearts was getting in on the fun dancing on stage in full costume away from her rose garden and posing for pictures with headliners. Scheduled to perform next was Crankdat, Of The Trees, and Adventure Club. On day 2, primarily riddim and drum and bass was heard; Poni mixed “i like the way you kiss me” by Artemas before YDG blended dubstep into his mix.

Making the crowd mob, a trippy wormhole-themed dormouse danced on stage at the same time. Later that night, Boogie T had the dance floor wooking out with new music featuring Ganja White Night. With the night unfinished, Virtual Riot then asked for an all-girl mosh pit and asked for the crowd to be nice to one another-who doesn’t love it when DJs make female-led mosh pits? 

The Red Queen’s Croquet Ground at The Queen’s Valley Stage

The Queen’s Valley Stage is placed in the amphitheater further away from the two stages next to the “Drink Me” bar and lookout directing to the famous scenic views of the Columbia River. New ravers: hanging out at the “Drink Me” bar and waiting for the sun to set for the perfect picture is never a bad idea.

Still from the same place, you could listen to Pauline Herr and Discovery Project while taking a break from the large crowd in this nocturnal garden-like balcony. On day 1, Alison Wonderland began her performance with a storyline in her visuals which could be watched in the lawn above the amphitheater. “I’m Alison Wonderland at Beyond Wonderland and I can play however fucking long I want”, this crowd matched her energy in intensity as the pit was entirely full.

Closing the stage on this night was the special performance Mellodeath: Marshmello x SVDDEN DEATH. Trap and heavy bass blasted its way through the crowd and people seemed to party harder compared to other SVDDEN DEATH sets. Usually feared because of his scary visuals, this B2B performance specifically welcomed those who wouldn’t normally attend a SVDDEN DEATH set. 

On day 2, the crowd was standing shoulder-to-shoulder for one of the most anticipated artists of the weekend, Troyboi. His performance turned this festival into a club with loud energy and trap sounds, unable to hear anything but him mixing “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg as his final song.

Waving goodbye to Beyond Wonderland 2024 at this stage was Zedd sharing old school tracks “Clarity”, “The Middle”, “Stay” and my personal favorite “Break Free”. Finally, he shared his new track “Out of Time” featuring Bea Miller which he self-claimed was his favorite singer. If you’ve never seen Zedd before, you can expect (and remember) an uplifting, heartwarming time; it’s the EDM designed to give you positive feelings. 

Taylor Regulski for Insomniac Events

Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice Found at the Afterparty

Open to experiencing the full throttle of this EDM wonderland, the curious Alices (like myself) found a larger than life sized chessboard for anyone to play. To my surprise, some played a full game at 3am! This afterparty was a looking-glass silent disco labeled with “eat me” entertainment! Were you the Hatter of the group? The White Rabbit? Or, Alice? What did you find at the afterparty? Some of the craziest experiences are born from afterparties and what did you see down the rabbit hole? 

Joyous and willing to connect together in dance, this afterparty on day 0 showcased SIPPY and her preview of her B2B2B performance with Smoakland (Sip & Smoak). The entire time she wore her new signature pink gremlin mask and pink fuzzy sunglasses to match–total feral gremlin mode. Before she hugged WUBMAMA on stage, SIPPY mixed Panic At The Disco’s, “I Write Sins Not Tragedies" with a drum and bass beat she twerked to as her farewell. SHe truly filled the room with her feminine, lively energy! 

On day 1, Sheps, TOBEHONEST, and AUXCENT, created a gateway to another rabbit hole with their versatile display of house. AUXCENT blew the minds of those who love bass house with underground hits, “Like This” and unreleased IDs from his house mix series “House Slang 4”. 

Jabberwocky-mode was most welcome here! Jessica Audiffred’s Hard Techno set was a combination between techno and her natural progression towards bass. If you were anything like me, you loved this alternate reality so much that you wished it could have been longer! 

Taylor Regulski for Insomniac Events

Mad Hatter’s Creations: 10/6 Hats & White Aprons

Beyond Wonderland PNW fashion sparkled when attendees dressed as Tweedledum and Tweedlee, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Alice, and White Rabbit. However, I didn’t see any ravers taking any inspiration from Tim Burton's White Queen. How could you not plan your rave outfits according to the theme? Dressing up for this mad tea party only enhanced your tea time and becoming part of the storybook psychedelia was unforgettable! Designing my outfits with both Alice and playing cards in mind, my favorite look from the weekend was this unique DIY Painted Rose Top.

The White Rabbit welcomes you to the tea party again this 2025! Tickets for Beyond Wonderland at The Gorge 2025 are on sale now! 

The Music

I am a raver at my core, and with that comes a love for all types of electronic music (even hardcore is growing on me!). With that being said, I will be the first to admit that I've gotten a little tired of house music in recent years. What used to sound fresh and exciting with so many new artists entering the space now, often, sounds repetitive and low energy. But a good DJ is a good DJ, and there are many exceptions to that.

At Get Funky, the music ranged from forgettable to awe-inspiring. Surprisingly, it was the younger, newer artists like Xie, anabel, and Wüki who delivered the freshest sounds and most exciting beats. Kaskade, a local favorite, was predictable but satisfying as he played a wide range of his older music and some newer hits. I personally will rarely pass up an opportunity to see Kaskade, as his music has only gotten better as it ages and the crowds at his shows are always a great time. 

The Vibe

Get Funky celebrates the start of the summer each year (this year it took place on the summer solstice) so the vibes were, predictably, immaculate. I often talk about the sunsets on the Great Salt Lake when I review shows at the Great Saltair, but that's only because they're some of the best sunsets you'll see. 

A snow cone at a concert on a warm summer night will cure you (I have scientific research to back this up), and Get Funky had all three. Although the festival was small, with only one stage and not many places to explore or art to check out, the vibes were generally positive and the crowd was friendly. In recent years I've noticed rave crowds become more and more friendly and caring for one another, and this was no exception. It was hot, and several times throughout both nights of the festival I saw people helping each other out and taking care of each other, even among strangers. 

The Food

For years I've heard people talk up the chicken strips at the Great Saltair, but this was the first time I've actually tried them. Aside from the snow cone truck, there weren't any food trucks at Get Funky this year, meaning that the chicken strips from the snack shop were the only choice. Das Energi, which takes place at the same venue later in the summer, offers a wide selection of food trucks to pick from, so this was a little bit of a disappointing change. 

The chicken strips were alright, but I'm beginning to question the authority of every raver who ever talked them up. At best, they were reminiscent of what you would get at the snack shack of your community pool growing up. Not horrible, but not exactly Gordon Ramsay approved. 

Despite the fact that it's a small festival, Get Funky is one of my favorite festivals of the year that takes place in Utah. For locals, it's a can't miss event that showcases some of Utah's best views at a venue, some of the best house music you can find out there, and vibes that are truly unmatched. Keep an eye out for the Get Funky 2025 announcement early next year! 

The Mothership Stage: Far Out Among the Stars

As gates opened and RESIDUO welcomed ravers to this intergalactic party,  they were greeted by the legendary flying saucer PHXLIGHTS sign inspiring those to snag a quick picture with their rave families, or should I say fellow space cadets? When the sun finally vanished to reveal the stars in the black sky, night 1’s special B2B performance showcased JOYRYDE B2B Habstrakt was loved to the moon and back.

Watching JOYRYDE collaborate with a friend and fellow DJ-producer Habstrakt on stage livened him to express his delight that spread to the crowd’s body language. JOYRYDE said he was grateful to be there at PHXLIGHTS with his friends and family while rainbow visuals were displayed in the background. With this masterful combination of these two heavy-hitting names, it created another flavor of bass house that felt extremely special to PHXLIGHTS.

If this set couldn't become more special for this duo, JOYRYDE asked the crowd to wish Habstrakt him a happy birthday and the crowd without hesitation proceeded. In the midst of everyone dancing themselves clean, a rave family dressed as a group of astronauts in full helmet gear! 

For the past three years in Arizona’s EDM scene, the spinning cloths, formally known as flow stars, weren't extremely popular, but they were popular in Arizona this weekend! It was eye-opening to see this new and upcoming change happening in the local flow art print paired with matching Kritter Klips and a tail!

It wasn’t exactly related to aliens but it was a space-strawberry-inspired look! Seeing this specific outfit inspired me to buy matching Kritter Klips and corresponding tail at The Dreamland Studios vending booth! One unexpected perk about this festival map: there was always a food vendor in close proximity to every stage which saved time!

On night 2, ALLEYCVT shared her space bass transcending the crowd, followed by Apashe and Dr. Oliver Tree. After, the crowd finally made it to their destination into a futuristic soundscape with Deorro B2B Valentine Khan and Kaskade. 

@olddirtyleather & @svnshine.fm

Extraterrestrial Earthlings at The Evo Silent Disco 

Two channels hosting to the sounds of house, bass, DnB, and the genre-bending combination of all of it was a perfect spot to spend time away from the main stage if you needed a break from the crowd. Plus, who doesn't like channel surfing to give support to all of the artists? By the end of the night 1, most people scattered this stage’s dance floor to see Seven Lions.

Even though PRETTYHARD’s performance was the second to last set for this stage, Sed’s Vortex was seen at the front of the stage supporting him–seeing DJ-producer-couples support one another is another form of PLUR in my book! Night 2 scheduled artists DOMINATRIX, SAFEWORD, and more to continue Arizona’s trip beyond the galaxy. 

BeatBox Invasion Stage: Abducted by the Sound

Near the outskirts of the BeatBox Invasion Stage, Weird & Wonderful cast members were dressed in chrome outfits and large green yoda ears! If you’re a stage-hopper like me, watching performers in full character on the way to the next stage deserves to be listed on the itinerary of fun at every festival!

Despite the Invasion stage being a side stage, many would think this stage wouldn’t rise to the occasion with a packed stage, but this stage was packed during SEPPI’s hardcore performance that had everyone dancing to every bass drop on night 1! District XII, a local heavy riddim DJ, still had dancers clinging to every heavy bass drop because Arizona celebrates local artists from their community like any other headliner! Night 2 carried another well-loved riddim DJ-producer BLVCKROSE, Cafe Caderas, and more to end the weekend’s excursion. 

In an effort to curate more passion and appreciation for the EDM community, artists Green Velvet, Dr. Fresch, TOBEHONEST, Kito, and BIJOU supported the mission of coming together in the name of music to enrich this Phoenician community. This special underground event attracted a collective to Warehouse 215 to celebrate an atmosphere of inspiration, connection, and hedonistic-good house music. 

Chandeliers and Bookshelves: Warehouse Meets Luxury

Veteran ravers: do you remember your first warehouse rave? Many ravers remember their first warehouse rave as an underground, one-for-the-books experience but nothing too luxurious. With your typical warehouse rave, the address on the event flier isn’t announced until 10pm, the warehouse has one A/C unit, everyone is drowning in sweat, and there’s absolutely little to no light–just music imposing as the atmosphere.

At Warehouse 215, it’s a grand, elevated experience. Eclectic yet underground, there were at least two chandeliers in every room, The Reading Room Stage had a bookshelf wall with succulents and books which embellished the ambience–it’s a warehouse-gone-glamorous! 

The Three Stages of Intimacy: The Guild, The Reading Room, & The Cathedral 

Smaller venues like Warehouse 215 are notorious for bringing people together; sometimes there can be too much anonymity at festivals as it can be harder to recognize people you may know. If you can’t recognize your friends or artists among large crowds, you can’t expect to connect with others.

Three close-knit stages were planted in the rich, elevated warehouse: The Guild, The Reading Room, and The Cathedral. Spacious and close views of the DJ, every space-turned-dance-floor opened a sense of closeness between yourself, other ravers, and the artist.

As much as all ravers love the feeling of dancing at a massive stage, there’s nothing like being able to watch your favorite DJ make every move on the mixing board. It allows ravers to see artists’ facial expressions, movement, and production methods–a look inside artists’ personalities.

Without this small setting, ravers like myself wouldn’t have been able to notice Green Velvet’s stoic demeanor during “Sheeple” and “Jolean." He doesn’t introduce himself to the crowd on the microphone or have a facial expression unless it's his signature smile widening from ear-to-ear as the last sound leaves the speaker and his set concludes.

The Ultimate Seduction: BIJOU’s Performance 

BIJOU is one of Arizona’s most prolific and cherished DJs while highly regarded among both g-house and bass house, especially after winning the 2023 Bass House Song Of The Year Award from the Electronic Dance Music Awards for “I know” featuring Marten Hørger.

Since he’s involved with his local community and EDM scene, fans were ecstatic to hear him mix “Gang Gang” and “Losing Control” by OMNOM . “Something for your mind, your body, and your soul”, BIJOU sampled “The Realm” by C’hantal and it felt like a guided meditation to “pleasures of the higher sense." 

Soon after that, Dr. Fresch couldn’t help himself from jumping on stage to play a mini B2B with his best friend and played their collaborative tracks like “Hello (Gangsta $hit)”. Biased towards loving bass house to the ends of the earth, this was my favorite performance of the weekend. 

B2B2B2B2B…

Dr. Fresch was halfway through his set when he said, “We’re not going home until we decide on a song we like” and proceeded to bring a multitude of other artists on stage for a B2B2B2B2B… If you were standing on the outskirts of the stage entrance, you could see a train of DJs at the right side of the stage approaching the decks, taking turns in an order right after the other.

Some of those DJs were No Thanks, Garrett Murphy, Burman, and BIJOU. It wasn’t until Dr. Fresch ended his set by announcing there were twenty DJs who joined him on stage–what a party! By now, you could imagine the immaculate, tastemaking yet various styles of house music emitting from those speakers simultaneously. 

The Passion in Community and Creativity

Community, art, and love were pillars of inspiration for Thomas Turner, Founder of The Phoenix Warehouse Project. The three foundational pillars of this project have one commonality: coming together. Setting the intention of celebrating music and dance, local artists like AVITAS, Peachy Keen, and other creatives were seen reconnecting and frolicking to each other’s performances; artists hopped off stage for fans or friends to shake hands and snag a quick picture.

The Weird And Wonderful Cast gave hypnotizing performances on both nights, so much that people would stop dancing to watch the coordinated dances before them. Visual artists Nonotheartist and Rami completed a live B2B painting for the VIP section for surveyors to witness the work in progress which shows warehouse raves have the potential to be immersive!

Smaller venues/events open the possibilities of meeting your new best friend or sharing kind words with your favorite artists–it keeps the PLUR and inspiration going around. Plus, who doesn’t feel more passionate about EDM, happy to connect with others, and pursuing your own passions after a memorable event?