Phoenix Lights has kicked off the spring series of events in Arizona since 2015, and with the announcement of moving the festival inside the Phoenix Raceway for the first time, our expectations were high.
Upon entering, we were abducted to the stars and felt like we were in a space dance party all weekend. Attendees captured our hearts and Arizona has kicked off its 2023 season in style. Check out EDM Maniac’s experience at Phoenix Lights Dance Among The Stars below:
Vibes: B+
Arizona seems to be a hidden gem in the rave community. We were welcomed by AZ locals and met a lot of great staff in the vendor village. People had great costumes and got creative with inflatable totems. Unfortunately, only inflatable totems were allowed.
With Phoenix Rangers walking around, we felt safe and cared for. The Rangers are volunteers who check on people and make sure they are ok, wearing bright green shirts. Security was strict and thorough, utilizing metal detectors and a clear bag policy.
Although these measures were in place, there were a few reports of phone theft and slight overcrowding towards the front of the stage, but nothing that was dangerous.
Production: B+
Martin Garrix rounded out night one with an epic fireworks display. The use of lasers bouncing off the bleachers was a magnificent sight to see. We also loved the art installations including a giant astronaut and a UFO rig that covered the Invasion stage.
While the main stage held some great acts, the stage design itself felt like it could have fit the theme better. The Invasion stage had a UFO rig right in the center of it and felt the main stage could’ve adopted a similar style or stage design. We also would have loved to see a larger main stage to accommodate for the crowd size.
Each artist brought their own visuals and with a large LED screen behind them, which was very clear and easy to see, no matter your placement in the crowd. From Ganja White Night’s trippy music videos playing to Afrojack’s lights and lasers, the production of the headlining acts was nothing short of spectacular.
Music: B+
The music was amazing! With sets on day one from Sed’s Vortex, Moksi, Trivecta, San Holo, Afrojack and Martin Garrix, festival goers were in for a treat. Martin Garrix’s return to Phoenix Lights had the whole place jumping and getting ‘High on Life’ during his songs. Trivecta also brought some melodic bass to the festival, shredding his guitar and even playing techno.
Day two brought Pat Riot, Wenzday, Crankdat, AC Slater, ISOxo, and Ganja White Night. Crankdat had the entire crowd dancing with high energy. While there were people skeptical about ISOxo replacing Diesel last minute, he exceeded expectations and brought a trap sound to the event that was much needed.
The Invasion stage had a great lineup of local talent, such as Zeuz Dubz and Peachy Keen. While the sound had a few issues, the UFO rig was bumping everything from dubstep to techno to house music. All of the local artists showed out and the stage was full as soon as the doors opened!
Venue: A-
This festival was the first-ever electronic event to take place inside the Phoenix Raceway. Over the past year, events were held in the parking lot, but the move into the raceway proved to be a large feat for organizers and attendees alike.
On the first day, there was a miscommunication with the traffic patterns and there was a long traffic jam to get inside the festival. While driving instructions were posted online before the festival, the lack of signage next to the streets leading in led to people going to the wrong gates. This issue was fixed by the second day and we saw no traffic getting in that day. There was also an ADA-exclusive parking lot near the front entrance.
All of the restrooms were indoors inside the stadium. We would have liked to see more signage for the restrooms as the line for the bathrooms by the invasion stage was long at times.
There were a few more GA bathrooms that were more hidden and had no line the entire festival. The water stations were easy to navigate and located in the back of the main stage by the food trucks. The food options were plentiful, delicious and had short lines.
The VIP area at Phoenix Lights featured risers on the side and a pit only accessible from the VIP area. While the view on the risers was amazing, the flow of traffic to get into the pit was through the photographers down the middle, which was a disruptive flow of traffic. The VIP amenities were plentiful including beauty bars, VIP exclusive bars and more.
We appreciated the amount of space we saw at the festival. Besides the very front of the MainStage, the venue felt open. We loved seeing the experience that was created. There was an arcade game area, dodgeball tournaments, shuffle classes, and more.
Overall: B+
As a second-time attendee of Phoenix Lights, we were very impressed about the changes made to the festival since last year. With its small, but mighty, lineup, impressive art decorations, and move into the Raceway, we can see why this is the main event to start off each festival season in Arizona.
The event was well run and a great entry into the music scene in the southwest region of the U.S.. The crowd and culture here made Phoenix Lights what it is today, a dance party that was out of this world.
This festival is just the beginning for Relentless Beats, the festival organizers. The move into the Raceway has cemented a new chapter for the music scene here in Arizona.
A breath of fresh air for AZ locals after losing both Rawhide and Shady Park within the span of a few months, it seems like we are finally growing into our dance music culture. We are hopeful for the future of this festival and all the memories it will continue to create for fans and artists alike.
(All photos provided by Phoenix Lights/Relentless Beats Facebook)
