This past weekend, Seattle’s WaMu theater played host to trance lovers and the trance curious alike, where people from all over the PNW and beyond assembled for an unprecedented event. We met trance lovers from Hawaii, California, Alaska, Oregon, B.C. and more. True fans of the genre made a pilgrimage to one of the most aptly titled events we’ve ever attended: Bliss. USC Events pulled out all the stops to ensure that the night went off without a hitch and with plenty of good vibes.
We loved the stage setup, with 15 LED panels, eight lasers, tons of lights, and perfect sound. Every set had incredible visuals, and every time we were treated to lasers it may has well have been the first time. With confetti cannons, pyrotechnic effects, and CO2 cannons thrown in, you never knew what to expect.
One of the best parts of the event was the people. We saw people who look like they got there by accident, fairies, butterflies, unicorns, angels, and even Trance Santa was there for what some may call Trance Christmas. Through our conversations, we discovered that many in attendance “don’t typically listen to trance,” yet there they were among the die-hards willing to give trance a chance. Throughout the night if you looked around, you could tell that some people’s hearts were about to burst with pure joy. The literal bliss in the air was palpable.
We began our night warming up our moves with Eddie Pitzul b2b Johnny Monsoon before going full groovy with Photographer. He played a bunch of throwback tracks that warmed our hearts and got us singing along. Then Coming Soon!!! took us down to a darker place, where lyrics were scarce, but the crowd danced harder than ever. MarLo brought us back up, giving us plenty of close-your-eyes-and-smile moments.
John O’Callaghan graced us with a well-balanced set, with strong builds and vocal breakdowns alike. Guieseppe Ottaviani started off his set with Above & Beyond’s Good For Me, and it seemed that just about everyone was serenading their rave bae, setting the mood to “full feels.” Then finally the master, the legend, the OG Paul Oakenfold went full on Fluoro and it was beautiful in a very classic trance way. He dropped Darude’s Sandstorm, and there wasn’t a person in the room who didn’t absolutely lose their mind.
On all accounts, Bliss: The Awakening was a total success and an embodiment of trance’s re-awakening (if you think it ever went to sleep.) Each set told a different story, took us on a different journey, and left us with different memories to keep forever. USC Events really heard us on this one, and we thank them for that. We can’t wait for the next edition of Bliss to come around, because there will be another, right?
How was your experience at Bliss: The Awakening? Who would you want to see play the next Bliss, if it happens?
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