Fall has officially hit Seattle, and Insomniac’s BOO has once again transformed WAMU Theater into a hauntingly delightful playground for all its attendees. This year’s festival, held October 25 & 26, proved to be a perfect blend of thrills, chills, and enchanting experiences that left everyone buzzing with excitement. With top-tier artists spread across three stages, vendors galore, spooky decor, fair rides, and more, there was no shortage of amazing sites each corner you turned.
Each day of the festival brought on new heart-pumping performances from the likes of Kaskade, Rezz, Illenium, Slander, Deorro, Crankdat, Zomboy, and more. The artists were performed on three illuminating stages; The Dark Forest, Den of Darkness, and The Lighthouse. Each with its own peculiar sounds; attendees got to experience multiple genres of music. If they were lucky enough to find it, hidden among the spider webs was the silent disco stage with even more thrilling music and dancing. One thing that Insomniac’s BOO is consistent with is bringing epic EDM artists that include a mix of well-established names in addition to rising stars and Seattle locals.
Day 1: Enchanting Beats and Eerie Atmosphere
The festival kicked off on another rainy Seattle Friday evening, with the grounds already buzzing with energy. Attendees were decked out in elaborate costumes, from ghoulish creatures to comic characters, and more. Everyone seemed in high spirits to see what thrilling adventures waited for us inside.
It was a full lineup with artists like Maddix, Chris Lorenzo, and Deorro who all brought their a-game. Maddix’s set was a journey through house and techno vibes playing remix’s like Hardwell’s ACID while Deorro infused his performance with playful energy, engaging the crowd with interactive elements like light up roses that made everyone feel part of the show. The colorful mix of big room and Latino beats got the entire audience up and moving.
Headliners: Slander & Kaskade both delivered an electrifying set that had the crowd moving from the first drop. Kaskade’s mix of both old and new school tracks kept everyone dancing at the main stage illuminated by stunning light displays. Our favorite Kaskade track of the night was a remix of Gotye’s Somebody that I used to know that took us on a whole journey with the crowd singing along.
At the end of the night, the hit duo Slander took stage to a packed house awaiting their heavy beats. The synergy between their music and the bass pumping visuals and lasers created a captivating experience that felt both magical and other-worldly.
Photo by Orhun Uygur I www.turkphotos.com
Day 2: A Frightful Finale
As Saturday evening approached, the festival took on a more sinister vibe. Attendance grew heavily for this night’s lineup and festivities. With that, longer lines inside and out were prevalent in addition to larger crowds at each of the stages. That did not hinder the overall fun however!
Rezz and Illenium headlined the second night, delivering mind-blowing performances across the board. The Space Mom herself dazzled the stage playing all her hits in addition to an all-time favorite created alongside Deadmau5, Hypnocurrency, that left everyone bouncing their heads.
After an electrifying Rezz set, Illenium was left to close out the night with a bang. To say we were shocked with the amount of new tracks played was an understatement! Illenium took us on a journey of one banger after another. His set was a masterclass in building anticipation, with heavy drops that sent the crowd into a frenzy. A final highlight was an amped up set from none other than Afrojack, who’s songs throughout the night were nothing thing short of epic. MC Ambush supported the stage and really got the crowd moving to songs like Light it up and a remix of Pitbull’s Give Me Everything.
Jess Gallo for Insomniac Events
Overall Experience
The 2024 rendition of Seattle’s BOO excelled in every aspect — from the killer lineup to the thematic decorations. Festival vendors offered a variety of amazing threads, kandi, and fun things to purchase. Plus, the festival’s layout ensured easy navigation between stages, with plenty of photo opportunities for those looking to capture their Halloween spirit. As always, Insomniac does a great job in having free water stations available to all attendees in addition to chill zones and available medical support as needed.
As the festival wrapped up for the weekend, the energy remained high and attendees dispersed back out into the city. The sense of community was palpable, as everyone united through their love of music and the Halloween spirit.
Final Thoughts:
BOO was a celebration of music, creativity, and Halloween magic. We’ve enjoyed seeing BOO evolve over the past few years, and it seems Insomniac has gotten through the initial kinks and growing pains of putting on a new festival. The overall people flow, stage locations, security lines, and general challenges seemed to have evened themselves out for the most part and feel as though everything went quite smoothly. For those who missed it, make sure to mark your calendars for next year. This event has set the bar high for Halloween festivals, and we can’t wait to see what they conjure up next time!
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