You know your weekend is going to be legendary when you walk into a resort full of strictly EDC attendees, you’re handed a beautiful custom fan by Fancy Unicorns, and in the entrance is an adult sized
ball pit surrounded by life sized mushrooms. HomeBASS has changed the way I view non-camping festivals forever. Travel back with me through pictures to my epic weekend at HomeBASS Orlando.
Thursday: Pre-Party
After a seamless check-in process thanks to MFT (Music Festival Trips) Staff (Darren & Paige, you’re awesome), I checked into my room (which was in the EDM Maniac building!!). It was time to get ready and hop on the shuttle to see Arius and Dirty Phonics destroy the decks at the pre-party. The shuttles to and from the pre-party and the festival were a big reason why I chose to stay at HomeBASS, and I was not let down with their safety and efficiency.
As expected, Arius and Dirty Phonics started off our weekend with some filth, and the sold-out pre party soon reached max capacity as we tore up the dance floor. Normally, I’m hesitant to attend pre and after parties, because I’m so adamant about safety getting to and from these events, as I wanna make sure I’m alive and well for the festival, but with HomeBASS shuttles, my mind was vacant with these thoughts as I arrived back at the resort in tact, and fell asleep as I dreamed about the weekend to come.
Friday: EDC Day One
I woke up and grabbed my yoga mat to make sure I made it to hip hop yoga on time. I followed the beat down to the Zen Garden which was in a shaded area near the pool. I’ve never twerked during yoga until this day, and the combination of two of my favorite things, yoga and rap music prepared me for the weekend to come.
At HomeBASS, you have to move quick, or you could miss the next event, so I ran across the pool deck to Beats & Brunch featuring Worthy, grabbed myself a bloody mary from the custom bloody mary bar, and watched some baddies shuffling….AT BREAKFAST. I pinched myself, for I may have been dreaming.
COM3T was showing em how it’s done on the decks at the pool party, and I knew it was getting wild when she jumped into the pool herself. At HomeBASS, DJs are part of the family, and this was evident from the moment I heard her music pumping through the speakers at this first pool party of the weekend.
I threw on my holographic bodysuit and disco shorts, duh, and hopped on the shuttle to EDC feeling like a human disco ball. Throughout day one of the festival, I found myself looking around for those Fancy Unicorn HomeBASS fans fluttering in the wind, and when I saw them I introduced myself to the owners and made new friends, promising to meet up at the Mat Zo outer space invasion after party.
When the EDC exit gates opened, I felt like the luckiest girl in the world, because I didn’t have to worry about driving home, getting a ride, or an Uber. The bus line got a little savage, as everyone wanted that hot shower, but it warmed my heart to see the CEO of MFT, Brian Thomas out there efficiently and professionally making sure everyone safely got onto the shuttles back to our oasis.
When I walked into the Mat Zo after-party and saw the stage, I was more than satisfied with the production. After being so hesitant to attend after-parties in the past, I felt right at home at this one, because I WAS home! I got to shower before it, and walk right downstairs into the ethereal madness that was Mat Zo, and gratefulness consumed me as I danced the night away next to my brothers and my new friends.
On the way back to my room I saw people jamming in the hot tub, and friends gathered by the pool to enjoy each others’ company in the moonlight. Knowing everyone made it back safely to be with each other until the madness ensued the next day, my heart was full as the night came to an end, only to begin again the next morning with GOAT YOGA!
Saturday: EDC Day Two
Once again I was stoked to start my day with yoga, but this time with baby goats! This was one of those rare experiences that only HomeBASS has to offer, and I could sense the gratitude in the circle as we stretched our sore muscles before EDC day 2.
Beats & Brunch was right back where I left it, but this time with Sage Armstrong beats bumping as I sipped on Pedialyte and ate a delicious brunch, the day ahead on my mind, but not before the Bijou pool party I’d been waiting for.
Bathing suit on and fan in hand, I basked in the sun at the Soaked Pool Party featuring Bijou (with his fine ass). THIS was my music, and I found my groove as his immaculate bass house pumped through the subs and beautiful ladies danced around me. This was one of the peaks of my weekend, for here was where I really found my groove, and my sun kissed shoulders were the only thing that told me it was time for EDC day 2.
I met some awesome people on the shuttle who had the same goal as me: get to the function so we can dance. Surrounding myself with people like this always brings me joy, because I know how hard we all work to save up for festivals and surrounding events, and we all just come to have fun and take a break from reality. EDC was mind-blowing as always (that Vini Vici set though…), but I never thought I’d be so excited to get back to my hotel.
Everyone hopped into their animal onesies for the Where the Wild Things At? after-party with Crizzly, a basshead’s paradise. Sweat was dripping as the head banging ensued, and the crowd lost it when COM3T took the stage again for a definite favorite set of the weekend, and my brothers and I ended our night in the most epic way possible….in the ball pit.
Sunday: Recovery Day
What could be better than waking up the day after a festival and knowing you have the whole rest of the day and night to chill at a resort with people who just went through the same thing as you? I woke up on this recovery day to sweet summertime melodies being heard down by the pool, and of course caught those sick Dirtybird brunch beats by Codes. The Sam Feldt pool party was imminent as I sipped my coffee and donned my bathing suit again. Those MFT guys really know how to get the crowd moving, even on a Sunday, because this was truly one of the most impactful, and truly Heartfeldt events I’ve ever attended. The incredible feeling shared by the crowd will never be forgotten, and once again I felt gratitude seeping through my pores.
Miraculously, the party continued throughout the night. Even though there were non-stop events throughout the entire weekend at the resort, the MFT staff did a legendary job at keeping the party going with no snags. Walking into the Yolanda Be Cool and Cut Snake after-party, I was back in my element, with the non-stop, comforting house music baseline, and grimy treble. They started under the picturesque After Hours sign, and ended up at the main stage with lasers.
Dancing with old and new friends to my favorite genre at this afterparty was another highlight of the weekend. I could see the MFT staff working hard the entire time, and was so inspired by their ability to bring us such an unforgettable weekend.
In my magnificent Sea Dragon Studio outfit, I looked around at all the hard work that was put into this event, and all of the people soaking in the underground goodness of the performance, and I was awe-inspired
by the curators’ ability to bring a little bit of something for everyone. From dubstep to trap to all different kinds of house music, everyone felt truly in their element at some point. I was so thankful for the underground element to it. It didn’t feel cookie-cutter, and I could tell the crowd bonded through the uniqueness of the weekend. Next year, HomeBASS will be back and better than ever, which seems almost impossible after such a harmonious and life-changing weekend. There truly is no place like HomeBASS.
