Since 2018, Same Same But Different (SSBD) has made a splash in the Southern California dance music scene, and we can see why.
As word spread about the festival’s quirky but wholesome vibes, crazy sidequests, and feel-good lineup, more newcomers than ever gathered at this year’s festival in Lake Perris from September 26-28. After our first year attending the event, we can confidently say that SSBD 2025 left us with many good things to write home about.
While some festivals just feel like big parties, others leave us feeling as though we’ve experienced something sacred, and that feeling was alive and well at SSBD. From the Thursday night pre-party to the final hours on Sunday, we felt immersed in a landscape where the rest of the world’s troubles seemed far away. By day, we explored workshops and activities that encouraged laughter, play, creativity, community bonding, and even personal growth. By night, we saw iconic sets from mainstage headliners such as Zeds Dead, LSDREAM, CloZee, and Dr. Fresch.
For an event capped at 7,500 attendees, we were amazed by the large variety of things to do and the richness of the connections we made along the way. While we encountered a few logistical obstacles, such as poor phone service and amenity shortages, the festival’s intimate size ultimately proved refreshing and rewarding, especially in terms of accessibility and ease of movement.
Read EDM Maniac’s full report on Same Same But Different 2025 below.
Vibes: ★★★★★
SSBD champions a culture of inclusivity, creative expression, responsibility, and community connection, and we certainly saw these values reflected in our experience. We found a welcoming environment, friendly personalities, and polite crowd behavior throughout the weekend. People complimented each other, discussed boundaries and consent, checked in on one another, and made friends.
The festival’s smaller size, laid-back schedule, and many group activities contributed to this dynamic. People had more time to interact with each other on a personal level. This was welcome and refreshing amid increasing reports of overcrowding and rude and violent behavior at larger, more mainstream events this year. After all, it’s clear PLURR culture is alive and well at SSBD.
Production: ★★★☆☆
As a modestly sized independent event, SSBD showcased how creative vision and grassroots participation can make a simple production go a long way. The event’s beautiful location on the shores of Lake Perris elevated the production experience. Thematic art installations and a little bit of colorful lighting transformed the landscape into a magical wonderland.
We saw simple but high-quality light and sound design at the event’s two main stages, the “Same Stage” and “Different Stage,” which featured LED panels, spotlights, and lasers. Smaller stages, such as Ôme, Inner Space, and the Creation Station, delivered an intimate and laid-back ambience. Tented stages doubled as activity areas during the daytime. This made for a fun and eclectic environment, as the artwork and lounge areas became dancefloor features at night.
But at a festival like SSBD, producing the event experience goes beyond stage designs. We were especially impressed with the Burning Man-style art cars and the myriad of creative and playful activities attendees could participate in.
Some of our favorite activities included acro-yoga and wire-wrap jewelry-making on Friday, Saturday’s body paint party at the Creation Station, and LSDREAM’s LIGHTCODE meditation on Sunday. We also took full advantage of the lake access, cruising around the water on the banana boat and exploring Nakey Island. Wacky and irreverent activities, like hot dog eating contests, karaoke confessionals, and a divorce-themed party, were found at the But County Fair activation area.
From holistic to artistic, to downright ridiculous, a truly unique adventure awaited every single day. The creative and participatory nature of the event demonstrated that it doesn’t always take a sophisticated production to deliver an elevated experience.
Music: ★★★☆☆
Between headline favorites like Zeds Dead, LSDREAM, CloZee, and BOOGIE T.RIO (Boogie T’s jam group), SSBD’s 2025 lineup featured lots of funk and wobbles. Bass music dominated headline acts, but an eclectic mix of sounds characterized the smaller stages. We heard a variety of electronic styles, including experimental bass, techno, and dub reggae, as well as live bands.
We enjoyed a high-energy set from bass house staple Dr. Fresch and a feel-good surprise LSDREAM takeover on Friday. However, LSZEE (LSDREAM & CloZee) took the limelight on Saturday. CloZee kicked off Sunday with a mystical (albeit foggy) sunrise performance, while Zeds Dead wrapped up the weekend with a wobbly set on Sunday night. We also enjoyed unique sets from mold-breaking artists like A Hundred Drums, Łaszewo, Opiuo, and WonkyWilla. Though the mainstage acts sometimes felt predictable, we were impressed with the unique and high-quality performances we saw throughout the weekend.
Venue: ★★★☆☆
SSBD’s setting at the Lake Perris Recreation Area and its surrounding campgrounds made for a stunning venue experience. The festival grounds featured lakeside beaches, fields, and a wooded area where attendees could lounge and browse vendors. VIP areas featured additional seating areas, bar access, full-service bathrooms, and a small lounge with exclusive activations.
We appreciated seeing many independent artists and small businesses represented among this year’s vendors and activations. We even stumbled upon a small, free, and volunteer-run astronomy center, where volunteers helped viewers observe the moon, Jupiter, and other celestial bodies through a high-powered telescope on the beach. The absence of large corporate sponsors was also a notable element.
The campgrounds included tent-only campsites near the festival grounds, as well as powered and non-powered RV camping, and car camping at the back of the recreation area. Most campsites were within a 10-minute walk of the venue, but navigating the grounds was a bit challenging at times due to low lighting and a lack of signage.
One advantage of the festival’s small size was that most campgrounds featured free flushable toilets with showers. Lines throughout the event were relatively short, though the festival entrance got a little backed up during peak hours. The security checks we encountered were standard for most camping festivals we’ve attended. Emergency services and amenity suppliers were accessible near the festival entrance.
The main drawback we encountered at this location was the lack of phone service and data connection. Some vendors had trouble operating their sales systems during the weekend. Though some Wi-Fi access areas and phone charging stations were available, most required access to VIP areas or a fee. Nonetheless, the venue’s stunning setting and accessibility truly set the event apart. If we could add another half star to our rating, we would.
Food & Drink: ★★★☆☆
Food and drink vendors at SSBD offered a variety of cuisine options, such as Indian food, pizza, and Mexican food. Most vendors catered to customers’ dietary needs. We also saw a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, including coffee and nootropic drink blends.
Prices were on par with most festivals we’ve attended. Most alcoholic beverages were between $15 and $20, and meal prices averaged $20 to $25 per person, with generous portion sizes. Free water refill stations were also available inside the venue.
Overall: ★★★★☆
Same Same But Different truly showcased the unique wonder that niche and transformational-style festivals have to offer. While a festival this size naturally cannot provide the same caliber of production and musical variety that larger events like EDC or Tomorrowland can offer, the unique adventures and intimacy we discovered at SSBD made the experience well worth it.
Like any event, there was room for improvement in logistics, but overall, we saw a well-executed event that provided exactly what it promised, and more. We highly recommend this festival to ravers seeking a wholesome and laid-back experience where good vibes and “PLUR” rule the show.
Find EDM Maniac‘s complete Festival Report Card archive here.
Featured image courtesy: Same Same But Different. Credit: Jeffrey Neubauer.
