Head Trip gave dance music fans a feeling of gratitude and magical memories that will last a long time. From the weather that left fans heartbroken on Night 1 to one of the greatest comeback stories featuring one of the greatest festival lineups in existence on Day 2, the legacy of Head Trip’s singular event will live on in the lore as a legendary music festival in EDM history.
What made Head Trip so special was that every artist who performed was genuinely as excited about their set as the fans. Each artist had been posting about the festival and commenting on all the posts prior to the event. Their energy and excitement could be felt by the crowd as they watched each and every artist deliver an absolutely amazing set.
Day 1
Walking into the Polo Grounds, you immediately felt the shared energy among the attendees. The vibes were high and the air radiated with energy. Whether it was your first time experiencing the space or you have been many times before, the grounds offered an immersive feeling from the start. The iconic attractions and the new Head Trip installations made it feel like a friend you haven’t seen in a while.
Under Construction, the tag team of Fisher and Chirs Lake, threw down and had an amazing intro. The crowd was so energetic, and so were they; Fisher even went on Chris Lake’s shoulders! When the set abruptly ended ten minutes early due to lightning in the area, ironically during “Turn Off The Lights,” fans were heartbroken that they did not get to finish and that Calvin Harris would no longer be able to perform.
Chris Lake later tweeted, “About last night at Head Trip. That was probably the best show I’ve ever played. Right before the music cut, Fish had said something similar. We unfortunately didn’t get any warning and didn’t get any chance to explain to you what was happening (we didn’t know either) and we got rushed off site.” However, Calvin Harris and Goldenvoice pulled through and added his set to Saturday’s lineup, making Day 2 one of the most iconic lineups in music festival history.
I know I was one of many who were hopefully optimistic that the show would resume, but as reality set in and the rain began to come down even harder, we eventually had to make our way off the grounds. Regardless of the disappointment, I still saw smiles and overheard enthusiastic conversations on my way out. Whether you continued back to camp or went straight home on the shuttles, Day 1 had huge highlights and left us wanting more for Day 2.
Day 2
Waking up in the morning for Day 2 felt like being a child on Christmas. Seeing the Day 2 revisions and what looked to be clear skies ahead for the day immediately brought back the energy. Some fans were upset about the night before, and some weren’t; however, Goldenvoice and the artists on the Day 2 lineup stepped up to the plate. Restructuring and carving out portions of set times to allow for Calvin Harris to be squeezed in might have been the best audible play in festival history, and right off the bat the artists came out swinging.
Dom Dolla and Kettama took the stage for their unique back-to-back set that occurred during sunset. Starting off with “Danger Danger,” the whole crowd was jumping with excitement. The two artists played Dom’s new hit remix of Kettama’s “Comes and Goes” which got everyone singing along. As soon as the sky went dark, production did a great job of utilizing all of the lasers and fireworks throughout the set.
Skrillex started off his set by turning off all the other screens and focusing on flames. He is known for this because he wants the crowd to focus all of their attention on the music and movement rather than standing and filming. The entire crowd went absolutely wild when he dropped his iconic song “Bangarang.” He ended his set with a remix of “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry that got everyone moving. He also had lasers near the end of his set, which surprised the crowd since he typically does not do so.
Now this is when the night went next level. Calvin Harris played an amazing set that brought everybody back to the good old days of EDM. From the very first second, the set brought an energy that was palpable. A collective gasp and roaring applause were met with music that many of us grew up on. It was nonstop fun from start to finish, many claiming that the music healed a part inside them; I agree!
He took time to express his gratitude to all of the other artists for adjusting their set times and slightly shortening their sets in order to give him the opportunity to still play his set after being forced to cancel on Day 1. He really utilized all of the lasers and production, playing a mix of his iconic hits like “Summer” and “Where Have You Been” alongside upbeat snippets of songs like “Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat,” which made the crowd go wild. Peggy Gou was seen in the crowd on someone’s shoulders having an amazing time during Harris’s set, which really demonstrated how artists can unite the world though music and bring people together to see how we are all one.
Swedish House Mafia headlined the night and started with a monologue about respect and how music unites everybody while featuring a surprise drone show that blew the crowd away. They kicked off their set with the iconic hit “Miami 2 Ibiza” and utilized the lights exceptionally well. Throughout their set, they played some of their emotional hits like “Don’t You Worry Child” while keeping the crowd energetic using upbeat mixes of songs such as “Antidote.” They engaged the crowd by speaking to them through the microphone during multiple parts of their performance, which made their set feel even more special. The night ended with a beautiful firework show that had the whole crowd staring into the sky.
Production
Romain Pissenem came up with one of the most amazing stages that I have ever seen at a music festival. I have never seen a festival with such amazing views from all over the crowd. After arriving early to get a great spot for the first half of the show at the front of the stage, I left and went all the way to the back just before Under Construction took the stage. My jaw dropped to the floor at how amazing the view was from the back of the crowd. Standing by the very back screen in the corner gave a view that was just as stunning as being right at the front of the stage.
This stage design was so well thought out and unique that guests could have the most amazing experience from truly anywhere in the crowd due to the placement of all of the light towers, speakers, multiple screens, and lasers. I spent the entirety of Day 2 watching each performance from a different spot in the crowd, and each time I was blown away by the production and had an amazing view of the artist on the screen no matter where I was.
Overall
Most of the time, regardless of the festival, you will leave with memories and an overall positive experience. Head Trip left us with something that felt different, that felt unique. Maybe it’s the fact that it was the only time it would happen, even though we wish it wasn’t, or maybe it was the fact that the talent was so incredible. There are so many things that went into the festival that made is so special. Head Trip becomes another shining example of how we can unite the world through music.
