Happy New Year electronic fans! We can all agree 2018 was full of some crazy events, but with the help of Decadence Festival in Arizona, we definitely made sure to send 2018 off in style. Despite some freezing temperatures and rain, nothing was going to stop us from having an excellent time.
Upon entering the venue at Rawhide Events Center, one was immediately greeted with thumping bass and a slew of excited fans. In comparison to years past, the event organizers at Relentless Beats surely upped their ante with this one. The venue was quite large, and there were three separate stages each with their own set of talented artists. In addition to the stages, one could surely appreciate the multiple heating lamps. Let’s not forget the vendors, rides, water stations, and more. This two-day event closing out the year on December 30th and 31st was nothing short of one of the best NYE festivals we’ve seen in a long time.
Night 1:
The sun was shining and we were ready to rage! The lineup alone was nothing short of stellar but what we weren’t totally expecting is how vast this venue was. Upon entry, the first stage we came to was the Sapphire Ballroom. A mostly enclosed building, this stage really lent itself to some heavy bass sound and never felt overly crowded at most times.
Top artists that night on the Sapphire stage included Morgan Page, Skism b2b Trampa, and Valentino Khan. The overall vibes within this space were like nothing else. While the event itself was packed solid, attendees were still smiling ear to ear and dancing like no one was watching. Shouts and screams could be heard in the distance as our feet took us towards the Ruby Courtyard that not only housed a smaller stage but several fun carnival rides as well. Funhouse anyone? Most of our night, however, was spent at the main stage noted as the Diamond Atrium. A large tented stage area filled with spectacular lighting, lasers, and plenty of sounds.
First up on the agenda was powerhouse GG Magree followed by the heavy hitting beats of Dr. Fresch. It may have been early in the night but the crowd was going wild and you could tell we were in for a treat. The main stage held its own as there were back to back killer headliners that certainly did not disappoint. From San Holo to Skrillex, Rezz, Porter Robinson, and closing out the night with fan favorite Above and Beyond.
Photo by: Rukes
Night 2:
As if Night 1 couldn’t have gotten any better, we ascended towards the venue on Night 2 with glee. Being that it was now truly NYE, a special feeling was in the air. The excitement was felt from every person we passed. The anticipation set in as we started to get closer to the end of 2018 and were about to ring in another great new year.
We kicked off our night on a high note with PAZ. Towards the end of his set, he announced that he had asked his fans on Twitter to vote on the song they would want him to play that would make them the happiest. The result: Owl City’s iconic track, Fireflies. To be able to witness a sea of people with their lights held up high, arms around each other and singing along to every single word of the song was a sight to behold. The rest of the night brought the likes of dance music giants 4B, Alison Wonderland, Marshmello, and Ghastly. DJ Diesel aka SHAQ and NGHTMRE threw down with their solo sets and joined forces for a B2B countdown set.
What was it like to have DJ Diesel and NGHTMRE play to ring in the new year?
Without mercy, they dropped Excision’s Rumble at midnight, sending the entire sea of ravers to headbang their way into 2019.
To say that Decadence 2018 was one for the books is definitely an understatement. We are so happy to have been able to support such an unforgettable event and share our experience with you. Want to relive all the best memories? Peep the official Decadence Arizona after movie brought to you by Relentless Beats.
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