Set beneath the backdrop of a warm Texas weekend, this year’s Ubbi Dubbi festival, Into The Abyss, lived up to its dreamlike, aquatic roots. This year’s intillations were top-notch with the ever-popular portal ring leading into the underwater world. My personal favorite was the giant Ubbi Dubbi fan spread open, providing the perfect picturesque background for you and your rave fam!
While wandering through the festival grounds, it was nice to see so many crews embrace this year’s aquatic theme. I saw a plethora of top-notch jellyfish outfits that looked so intricate they must’ve taken months to sew. I was even pleased to see a few Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy from the hit series, SpongeBob. Outfits aside, it was time to set coordinates for Dubbi’s Stage and go find the music!
Day One
I decided to kick off day one with local favorites Deluluz, and let me tell you, I see why they have been making major waves within the scene lately. Chock-full of charisma and big, bouncy dubstep drops, they got my blood pumping instantly. After enjoying their set, I cruised around for a bit, grabbed a quick and easy slice of pizza, and made my way to the Zoom Room. I stumbled upon SLAMM performing and was stopped dead in my tracks. Groove-laden house beats filled the air, and I began to enjoy my food with a soft bounce. Not on my radar for the day, they are a playlist add for all my house heads!
Making my way towards Ubbi’s stage (main stage), I wanted to get in a good position for Alesso’s sunset set. Not before being caught off guard by OMNOM’s performance first. OMNOM brought the heat to Texas! His set was powerful and sexy, main stage vibes with a warehouse feel. A wonderful precursor to Alesso’s set. Transporting me back to the golden era of 2010’s dance music, Alesso’s sunset set was sick! Tons of pyro and a spectacular firework show to match, this jam-packed performance had us dancing into the night full steam ahead!
Land Ho!
After this beautiful time capsule concluded, I made my way to Dubbi’s stage, located at the back, to catch Whethan’s performance. Jam-packed with gritty hip-hop bangers, Whethan did not disappoint! I’ve been trying to catch his set for quite some time now. Finally, the barnacles aligned, and I got lost in the euphoric wubs and gritty baselines that are Whethan. After washing back up on land, it was time to make a mad dash back to the main stage for Tape B. X marks the spot as Dubbi’s stage came into view.
Yo Tape B! Show ’em how it’s done!
With huge LED cassette tape aesthetics surrounding the decks, this bass master consigliere began his work. Ripping through heavy-hitting collabs and signature Tape B tracks, this Florida native commands the center of attention. I’ve noticed at other multi-genre events that it doesn’t matter who you are or what genre you’re primarily into; fans always flood a Tape B set. “Yo Tape B” screeches through the speakers as massive green lasers blast through the night sky. The city skyline was illuminated when a blast of lasers and/or pyro exploded with the beats. This set was headline material for sure.
Lastly, I remained in place to catch Kx5 (Deamua5 & Kaskade ). A pleasant nightcap to a wonderful evening of bass, wubs, and beats. Their set was magnetic. Witnessing these two legends of the game was a perfect way to end night one!
Day Two
After a hearty breakfast and plenty of electrolytes, I was off to the races on Day two! Making a mad dash to Dubbi’s stage, I wanted to check out Tinykvt first and see what this cvntstep was all about! Her performance was legendary, from ripping open Pokémon packs on stage to grabbing the mic and singing her own edits and remixes. Tinykvt opened up day two with precision. After that, I enjoyed half of Canvas’ gritty ATL-driven bass set, then made my way back to the front of the venue.
After wading around in front of the venue for a while, I cast my line towards Dubbi’s stage to catch Blanke. I love his drum and bass stuff, so I just had to see what “normal” Blanke set was like! Melodic and packed with heavy bass, Blanke was a pleasant surprise for me on day two. One could only reach for a buoy from all the waves he was making on Dubbi’s stage. Then came LAYZ…
Watch out for the Aftershock!!!
LAYZ has been on my radar to catch live for quite some time now. I was super stoked to witness her glory in person for the first time! Known for massive hits like “Shockwave” and lightning-style graphics, she began to fit the backdrop a little too well. Her commanding riddim and high-energy set blazed an illuminating trail in the beckoning thunderstorm overhead. Getting hungry, I decided to go grab some Island Noodles from the nearby food truck when the announcement struck. “Please make your way to the parking lot and safely evacuate the premises.”
Alas, the party was over. As some attendees remained bitter, I didn’t mind leaving early. The safety of the festival-goers, artists, and everyone involved is always number one. A Texas spring can be finicky, with hail, heavy winds, and even tornadoes. Disco Presents made the right call in closing early; no amount of music is worth risking people’s lives. I said goodbye to some friends and made my way back to my truck. Until next year, Ubbi Dubbi!
