Insomniac Events pulled out all the stops with its first rendition of Day Trip Seattle on August 7 in the city’s Fisher Pavilion.
It was a scorching hot Sunday in Seattle, but ravers came out en masse to attend the first edition of the festival, which completely sold out. Artists such as Duke Dumont, James Hype, Anna Lunoe, and Purple Disco Machine all took stage to an ecstatic crowd dancing away on the lawn. Jungle-like decor was scattered throughout the venue, neon lights, hammocks, and more all adorned the space. With not a cloud in the sky, a beautiful view of the Space Needle, and hours of pumping base, the day really couldn’t be beat.
Upon entry, we noticed the line to get in was circled around what appeared to be multiple blocks. Seattle certainly came out in droves and was ready to party! By the time we were able to get into the venue, Anna Lunoe had taken the stage and was throwing down some major tunes! Everyone seemed to be in great spirits; it was definitely a Sunday Funday! It’s been a while since Seattle received some proper house music acts and to say Insomniac totally nailed it is an understatement. Here’s a breakdown of our journey and review for Day Trip Seattle.
Venue: 4/5 rating
When you have a solid view of the Space Needle and a fountain directly settled behind the main stage, the venue is scenic to say the least. Albeit a touch small, the layout lends itself well for music and good times.
Beer garden and beverages lined the space inside Fisher Pavilion along with some food trucks and water refill stations outside the main area. VIP housed themselves in the upper portion of the building across from main stage that allowed for some primo viewing and a little more space to spread out. We love this space and it’s location and proximity to everything the city has to offer!
Crowd Vibes: 3.5/5 rating
We get it: it was beyond scorching outside and Seattle had been living through a heatwave for far too long. At Seattle Center and Fisher Pavilion, there seems to be little reprieve when it comes to shade unless you are directly under a tree or inside at the beer garden. Long lines for food added to the slight stress that could be felt in the air and a sold out show meant lots of people in a somewhat smaller space.
All in all, it wasn’t anything we hadn’t dealt with before and we came prepared. Majority of the crowd had solid good vibes and smiles on their faces; everyone certainly was enjoying themselves.
Festival Sets: 4.5/5 rating
Insomniac created a lineup that was full of top name artists, many of whom we either hadn’t seen in Seattle in some time or hadn’t seen at all. It was certainly a huge draw when it came to this festival and it showed.
James Hype lived up to his name and literally hyped the crowd as soon as he started playing. His popular songs like Ferrari and Disconnected sent everyone into a dancing frenzy and created a true singalong atmosphere. His way of mixing and production was a treat and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to finally see him on a local lineup! An hour-long set truly wasn’t long enough, but we were certainly impressed by the entire journey and the crowd seemed to feel our sentiment.
Duke Dumont was our favorite of the day, playing all of his classics like Red Light, Green Light, Ocean Avenue, The Giver, and more. By time Duke took the stage around 8 p.m., the sun was finally starting to set, and it was an absolute blast to see the entire crowd with hands in the air truly enjoying themselves.
The night ended with Kaytranada throwing down some chill vibes that made for a perfect end to the weekend. One thing was for sure: it was “house music all day long” and we loved every minute of it.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Day Trip Seattle was definitely a good time all around and we hope there will be another rendition in 2023! The lineup was fantastic, the venue is always a blast (with an amazing view), and Insomniac certainly puts a lot of effort in all there shows to ensure patrons have a great time! Did you attend Seattle’s Day Trip?
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