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Behind every breakout festival set lies a foundation audiences rarely see: late nights spent practicing, early opportunities taken before confidence arrives, and the persistence to keep showing up. For Dallas-based tech house DJ Quadz, that work has quickly transformed into major opportunities. After winning a Texas stop of Dancefestopia’s Yellow Brick Road DJ Competition, Quadz is headed to Dancefestopia in Kansas for his second festival performance of the year, another milestone in his career that is less than two years old. With appearances at SILO Dallas and Breakaway Dallas already under his belt, the upcoming September 7-13 festival represents another step forward for an artist whose momentum has been built one set, one crowd, and one opportunity at a time. Photo Credit: Elesé Arias Winning the Yellow Brick Road competition is a proud milestone for Quadz. It shows his quick rise and inspires fans to believe in their own progress and potential. In less than two years behind the decks, he has already opened for SideQuest at SILO Dallas and performed on the Breakaway Dallas Main Stage These experiences have steadily raised the bar for what he wants to accomplish next. Now, Dancefestopia offers another chance to build on that momentum. For Quadz, the win is a reminder that the work is beginning to pay off, and that there is still much further to go. “As a relatively new DJ, this opportunity means a lot to me,” Quadz says. “It'll be two years this October since I started this journey, and I've been fortunate to make real progress in a short amount of time, earning opportunities to play some incredible stages. I actually took a video of myself while I was playing the Breakaway Dallas Main Stage as a reminder to keep manifesting opportunities like that. Now, getting to play my second festival of the year at Dancefestopia feels like another incredible accomplishment, both personally and professionally. I still watch the video, and every time I do, it reminds me that I'm not finished yet.” Photo Credit: Manny Goana Aguilar The foundation for these milestones was laid before Quadz stepped onto a festival stage. His path into DJing began with a friend, Abskii, who encouraged him to enroll in the DJ School Dallas after discovering the program himself. Quadz initially hesitated, unsure whether he had the time to commit. But after watching Abskii perform his graduation set at Green Light Social, he knew he wanted to take the same leap. Under the instruction of DJ Titan, Quadz learned the fundamentals while being pushed well outside his comfort zone. At one point, he was the only student in his class, giving him plenty of hands-on instruction and little room to hide from his mistakes. “The program was challenging, especially because I was the only student in my class for a while,” Quadz says. “He had me learning on vinyl before moving to CDJs, and it definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone. I definitely had some rough sets. I remember one where I train-wrecked for nearly an hour, but those moments became some of my biggest lessons. Looking back now, it’s hard to believe how much I’ve grown. That experience taught me that mastering any craft comes down to consistency. You have to keep practicing, keep learning, and keep showing up.” That mindset carried beyond the classroom. Quadz began seeking out open decks, using every opportunity to play in front of a crowd, even when he wasn’t completely confident in his abilities. His graduation recording eventually helped him secure his first real booking at Top Notch Tuesdays at Select Start, turning an early opportunity into a foothold in the Dallas scene. “It didn’t matter if I felt completely confident,” Quadz says. “I just wanted the experience. Even today, I still prepare extensively for every performance. Before each set, I build my playlist, rehearse it from start to finish, and spend more than an hour making sure everything feels right. That became my first real booking, and it opened the door to everything that followed.” Photo Credit: James Tran As Quadz moved from open decks to increasingly prominent rooms, the Texas electronic community became an important part of his development. Performing across the state exposed him to different crowds, venues, and expectations while giving him the confidence to trust his instincts behind the decks. That support has also helped shape the performer he is today. Familiar faces appearing from venue to venue, tagging him online, and showing up for his sets have reinforced the sense that he isn’t building his career online. “The Texas dance music scene has some of the best people,” Quadz proudly says. “Everyone shows so much love and support, and over the years I’ve made a lot of friends while meeting so many new faces. Having that kind of community behind me has definitely made me more confident every time I step on stage. Knowing people are there to support you makes it easier to go out, trust yourself, and give everything you’ve got. Those moments mean a lot because they remind me that people are paying attention and supporting what I’m doing.” Photo Credit: Elesé Arias That confidence has also allowed his sound to evolve. Quadz began with softer, more progressive material, but now his signature style features bass house, fast-paced rhythms, and energetic drops that make his sets stand out in the Dallas scene. The evolution reflects the same philosophy that has guided his career from the beginning: keep experimenting, keep learning, and keep finding ways to connect with the room. For Quadz, that connection is ultimately the point. He wants his performances to feel energetic, communal, and memorable enough that listeners leave already wanting to experience them again. “I hope people remember me as the guy who brought the heat,” Quadz says. ”More than anything, I want them to walk away thinking, ‘I can’t wait to dance to one of his sets again.’ A lot of people come to raves and festivals to escape whatever they’re going through in life. They come looking for a place where they can let go, be themselves, and enjoy the moment. If my music can help someone forget their worries for a while, bring them out of a dark place, or make them smile, that’s the kind of artist I want to be. If I can get a crowd moving and having a great time together, then I’ve done my job.” For festival goers discovering Quadz for the first time, Dancefestopia may be the beginning of their introduction. For those who have watched him grow across Texas, it is another chapter in a story that is still unfolding. Follow his links below to keep up with the heat. INSTAGRAM SOUNDCLOUD

Most talent agencies focus on the next booking. The Lockridge Agency is betting that lasting careers require much more than that. As today’s DJs, producers, creators, and performers navigate an increasingly competitive entertainment industry, success depends on far more than talent alone. Branding, audience engagement, business strategy, networking, and long-term career planning have become just as important as securing the next opportunity. Recognizing that shift, founder Jon Lockridge officially launched The Lockridge Agency in Dallas with a hands-on approach designed to help artists build sustainable careers. The Lockridge Agency Logo Jon Lockridge has been working in the entertainment industry, especially in the EDM scene, since around 2011, during the genre’s major boom. Early on, he was involved in talent management, and one thing always bothered him: how often artists are taken advantage of. He’s worked with and represented incredibly talented people, many of whom have achieved significant success. Yet, they’re still working day jobs while trying to make ends meet. That never sat right with him. For years, Jon knew he wanted to help change that, but he didn’t know exactly how. It took a long time to figure out what meaningful representation could look like. One thing became clear, though: most artists are genuinely good people who work incredibly hard. Those are the people he wants to represent. “Before I sign anyone, we spend time together,” Jon explains. “We have conversations, grab dinner, and get to know each other because character matters to me. I want to work with people who are not only talented but are also good humans. That’s the foundation of everything we’re building." The vision has always been to build an agency where artists don’t have to split their careers between a dozen different people taking percentages along the way. Instead, Jon wants to create a place where everything works together under one roof. Helping artists develop a comprehensive long-term strategy is crucial. Jon focuses on branding, social media, marketing, content, and music production support, ensuring they're prepared for sustained success and transparency in their careers. “Ultimately, I want companies, venues, and festivals coming to us because they already know who our artists are, not because we’re constantly chasing bookings,” Jon says. “If we can also help artists create great music and get it in front of the right audience, then everything begins working together. That’s the long-term vision. We’re still in the early stages. I’m not a massive agency with endless resources, and I’m learning as we grow. The Lockridge Agency has never been about me. It’s about the artists. I want everyone to grow together, learn together, and build something lasting.” The Founder Behind the Vision That philosophy was shaped by more than a decade of experiences, both successes and setbacks, that ultimately led Jon to create the agency he once wished existed. Jon Lockridge, Founder of The Lockridge Agency Jon’s own journey into EDM started unexpectedly. Growing up, he listened to some of the more mainstream electronic music of the ‘90s. Everything changed after he left the Marine Corps in 2011. After multiple deployments, he decided it was time to pursue something completely different, so he enrolled at Full Sail University in Orlando to study entertainment business. A few months into school, some classmates invited him to the very first EDC Orlando. “I remember asking them, ‘What’s EDC?’” Jon reflects. “They convinced me to go, and that weekend completely changed my life. From 2012 through about 2017, I attended nearly every major festival I could. What stood out was the community. It truly felt like a family. If someone looked like they needed help, people immediately stepped in with water or support. There was a genuine sense of looking out for one another.” In 2017, Jon launched Double Night Entertainment, focusing primarily on artist management. They experienced some early success, but he also made some significant mistakes that ultimately caused the company to collapse in 2019. “That failure was devastating,” Jon says. “I lost everything and was even homeless for a period of time. More than anything, I carried a tremendous amount of guilt because I felt like I had let people down. Instead of getting back up, I spent years sitting with those feelings. Eventually, I realized I couldn’t keep ignoring the vision I’d carried for so long. Every day I thought about building this agency, yet I wasn’t doing anything about it.” Jon was working other jobs, including security and later as a talent agent in Los Angeles representing actors, but he wasn’t pursuing what he truly wanted to build. Finally, he decided it was time to go all in. “When I began talking with potential clients, I made a commitment to be completely honest,” Jon says. “I told them exactly where I was, what I could offer, and what I was still building. I expected most people to walk away. Instead, they believed in the vision. One after another, artists said, ‘Let’s do it.’ That was the moment everything became real. It wasn’t just my dream anymore. It became a responsibility to the people who trusted me. Since then, it’s been an incredible experience, and every step forward reinforces why I started the Lockridge Agency in the first place!” Looking back, the overarching lesson through everything Jon has experienced is realizing it was never really about him. Whether it was serving in the Marine Corps, losing his business, or going through personal struggles, he realized those experiences weren’t happening just to him. They were shaping him into someone who could help better other people. Once his mindset shifted away from “him” and toward serving others, everything started to make more sense. He began seeing every challenge as a lesson he could use to help his artists avoid the same mistakes. “If I’ve already learned something the hard way, then I can help someone else take a better path,” Jon says. “Over time, you realize there’s still so much to learn, but you also recognize how much you’ve already learned. The experiences that feel devastating in the moment often become your greatest teachers years later. For a long time after my business failed, I saw myself as a loser. I thought I had failed, so there was no point in trying again. Eventually, I realized that failure had already given me one of the greatest educations I could have asked for. It showed me what doesn’t work, what mistakes not to repeat, and how to build something stronger the next time around. That’s the approach I carry with me today. If something doesn’t work, we acknowledge it, learn from it, adjust, and keep moving forward.” Building Careers Instead of Chasing Bookings The first thing Jon does with every new client is the T.L.A Onboarding process. It’s something he’s developed to help artists think bigger about where they want to go. “Your thoughts, emotions, vision, and actions all influence where you’re headed,” he says. “I want artists to imagine what’s possible before we start building a plan to get there.” They talk about where they’ve been, where they are today, and where they want to go. He encourages them to dream without limitations. He then asks, “If everything went perfectly over the next year, what would that look like?” Maybe an artist says they want to play the mainstage at Tomorrowland or perform a back-to-back set with one of their favorite artists. “Whether or not it happens in a year isn’t the point,” Jon says. “The point is getting them to think beyond what they believe is possible. Once they start imagining those possibilities, new ideas begin to emerge.” From there, Jon dives into everything they’re currently doing. He listens to their music, evaluates their social media presence, and looks at what’s working and what isn’t. Using that information, he begins developing a personalized brand strategy. Then they meet again to review the vision together. He presents the direction he thinks best fits them, gathers their feedback, and makes sure the brand feels authentic to who they are. “They have to enjoy representing the brand we’re building genuinely,” he emphasizes. Once they align on that vision, Jon creates a customized 90-day action plan. It outlines the type of content they should create, how he wants to position them, and the goals they’re working toward. Throughout those 90 days, they constantly evaluate what’s resonating with audiences. If one type of content performs well, they lean into it. If something isn’t connecting, they adjust and figure out why. At the same time, he looks for booking opportunities that reinforce the artist’s brand. “If someone is a deep house DJ, I’m not going to book them at an event that doesn’t fit their sound or long-term identity,” Jon says. “Every opportunity should strengthen the story we’re trying to tell. The first reason is to prove. I want artists to see that I can help move their careers forward. The second is for them to demonstrate their commitment, to show they’re willing to put in the work and that we’re a good fit personally and professionally. The third is to establish a strong foundation. No one is going to headline EDC in 90 days, but we can build the systems, audience, and momentum that creates long-term success. If we’re both confident after those three months, we move into a year-long partnership and continue building from there.” Because Jon serves as both agent and manager, a big part of his job is keeping artists accountable. Creative people naturally have a lot of ideas and emotions, which is what allows them to make incredible art, but it can also make it easy to lose focus. Jon checks in regularly to make sure they’re staying on track, understand what’s getting in their way if they aren’t, and help them find solutions rather than simply expecting results. More than anything, he believes relationships matter. “I’m friends with the artists I represent because I genuinely care about them as people,” Jon says. “You’ll often hear there’s no room for friendship in this industry, but I don’t believe that. I believe you can build successful professional relationships while still leading with honesty, trust, and respect. I think that honestly helped build trust from the very beginning, and it’s something I intend to carry forward as the Lockridge Agency continues to grow.” Raising the Standard for Talent Representation While The Lockridge Agency’s process begins with the individual artist, Jon believes the larger entertainment industry is also evolving, and talent agencies must evolve with it. He claims one of the biggest challenges facing the industry is that many talent agencies are still operating with the mindset of the ‘90s and early 2000s. Back then, success was built around exclusive relationships and gaining access to the right rooms. While those relationships still matter, today’s industry is driven just as much by branding, online presence, and genuine audience connection. “Artists need to be open to building recognizable brands,” Jon explains. “I’ve especially noticed this in some areas of the modeling industry in Dallas, where certain circles can feel very closed off. My philosophy is different. Rather than trying to force our way into those spaces, I’d rather build artists into such strong brands that they become impossible to ignore.” Jon wants artists to build meaningful communities long before they step onto the biggest stages. That means developing an engaged fan base, not just collecting followers or views, but building a community of people who genuinely connect with the artist. “I think authenticity is becoming more valuable than ever, especially as AI continues to change how people consume content,” he says. “Audiences are craving real people and real stories.” Instead of only showing polished performances or career highlights, Jon wants artists to share the entire journey. Show how a track evolves from its rough first draft into the finished record. Show the small gigs where only a handful of people showed up. Share the moments when a mix goes wrong, or a performance doesn’t go as planned. Those experiences make artists relatable. For someone just starting, seeing those struggles can be incredibly encouraging. When an aspiring producer hears a song they admire, it’s easy to assume it came together effortlessly. When they see the early versions, the mistakes, and the work that went into it, they realize growth is part of the process. The same is true for live performances. Maybe you spent weeks preparing for a show and only two people came. That doesn’t mean you failed. It means you’re building experience. Every successful artist has gone through moments like that. “When artists are willing to be vulnerable and show the reality behind the success, people connect with them on a much deeper level,” Jon explains. “I believe that’s where the industry is headed over the next several years. As AI makes it harder to distinguish what’s real, genuine human connection may become one of an artist’s greatest competitive advantages.” Beyond building stronger brands, that openness also has the power to inspire others. Imagine being the aspiring artist who feels discouraged, only to discover that the producer you admire struggled with the same doubts, played the same empty rooms, and kept going anyway. That’s the kind of impact Jon wants his artists to have. “Success is about showing others what’s possible through consistency, honesty, and the willingness to keep showing up, no matter how small the audience may be,” Jon says. If there’s one piece of advice Jon would leave an artist with, it’s this: remember that it was never just about you. When you build your career around serving other people, your perspective changes. “Music has saved my life, and it’s saved the lives of millions of others,” Jon says. “As an artist, it’s easy to get caught up in your own doubts or wonder whether you’re good enough, but it’s important that the music you create has the power to reach someone who needs it. We’ve all experienced those moments at a festival or concert when a song says exactly what we needed to hear. Those moments stay with us because music can comfort, inspire, and bring people together. So when you’re discouraged or questioning whether to keep going, remember that your work may mean far more to someone else than you realize. It's about the people your art has the potential to help. That’s the mindset I carry with me every day.” Streams, sold-out shows, and social metrics can often measure the music industry. The Lockridge Agency is betting that the strongest careers are built on something harder to quantify: purpose, authenticity, and relationships. If everyone succeeds, the agency will be remembered for helping build careers that last. Artists, creators, and industry professionals interested in learning more about The Lockridge Agency or its roster can connect with the agency through its official channels to explore representation opportunities and upcoming projects.

A sold-out room can look impressive online. A million followers can look powerful on paper. But during the 2026 Winter Music Conference at Miami Music Week earlier this year, artists, executives, and promoters kept returning to a more meaningful truth: in today’s oversaturated electronic music landscape, clout may attract attention, but community creates longevity. And that's what Texas dance music does best. During one of the week’s most talked-about panels, “Clout Doesn’t Last, Community Does,” speakers explored how sustainable careers, thriving labels, and lasting scenes are built through trust, belonging, and people who genuinely care. This article examines why the dance music industry is shifting away from vanity metrics and toward community-driven growth. As algorithms reward visibility and constant output, many artists and brands are discovering that reach alone does not equal relevance. The panel’s message was clear: the future belongs to artists and organizations that know their values, understand their audience, and create real reasons for people to return. Genuine belonging has become one of the most valuable currencies in modern dance music culture. Photo Credit: EDM Texas Clout Is Fast. Community Is Durable. In the hyper-accelerated world of 2026, the dance music industry is at a crossroads. We’ve all seen the trajectory: an artist catches a viral spark on a short-form video platform, their follower count skyrockets by 50k overnight, and for a fleeting moment, they are the “it” name on every lineup. But look closer six months later, and the rooms are often empty. Why? Clout is a loan, but community is equity. We need to be honest about the current landscape: followers can be bought, inflated, or simply disengaged. "Clout” has become a shallow proxy for success. A hook that trends for fifteen seconds rarely translates into a fan who understands your discography. 100,000 followers mean very little if nobody shows up to the room. And when the trend shifts, and it always does, clout provides no safety net. The Green Elephant Crowd (Photo Credit: Riddim and Frames) While vanity metrics offer a quick dopamine hit, community sustains the ecosystem. Whether you are a producer in North Texas or a promoter in Austin, the real currency of this industry is the group of people who show up when the “hype” dies down. A community member doesn’t just go to your show once, they become a fixture in the front row. TCG Rave (Photo Credit: Ari Disraeli) Across Texas, some of the most respected names in dance music are the ones consistently building rooms year after year. Collectives and institutions like Top Notch Events, Next Level Events, J&K Presents, Baked Up Creations, Full Grind Entertainment, and Sounds From Below have remained relevant by building local ecosystems rather than chasing temporary virality. Venues like Kingdom, The Green Elephant, It’ll Do, Bauhaus, 9PM Music Venue, The Concourse Project, and more continue to survive changing trends because people feel emotionally connected to what happens inside those walls. More importantly, these scenes survive because their audiences become emotionally invested in them. Fans who feel a sense of belonging become your street team, your word-of-mouth marketing, and your most vocal defenders. From merch drops to vinyl pre-orders, communities invest in the artist because they are invested in the culture, not just the “content”. Repeat support matters infinitely more than first impressions. If you build for the algorithm, you belong to the algorithm. If you build for the people, you belong to the scene. Community Begins with Values If clout is a house built on sand, a community is a structure anchored by a foundation of shared values. Every artist has access to the same distribution tools and every promoter can run the same targeted ads. The only differentiator left is meaning. A real community forms around shared values, not just shared taste. As an artist or brand, you have to be clear about your values and ethics. If you try to be everything to everyone, you end up being nothing to anyone. The most durable artists in 2026 are those who stand for something, whether it’s environmental sustainability in touring, mental health advocacy, or the preservation of underground vinyl culture. Humans have an innate desire to belong to a “tribe”. If your brand lacks a clear identity, there is no “us” for a fan to join. Belonging is the byproduct of seeing your own values reflected in a project. Flowmies (Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch) Some of Texas’ strongest communities thrive because they stand for something beyond the lineup itself. Groups like Venus Collective, ATX Flowmies, Baraza Musiq, Side Quest Society, and more cultivate spaces rooted in creativity, inclusivity, movement, culture, and emotional connection. Their audiences return because the values behind the experience reflect their own. Flowmies (Photo Credit: Erick Blanquet) To move from a “project” to a “community”, you must answer the questions that go beyond the music: “What energy does your event represent?” Is it a safe space for radical self-expression, or a high-energy environment for pure technical appreciation? What is the mission? Are you here to profit from a trend, or to cultivate a specific sound that has been overlooked? Once you have defined your values, the next step is moving from the “what” to the “how”, turning those shared values into a sustainable, physical reality. Storytelling Turns Audiences Into Participants In the clout-chasing era, marketing becomes a one-way shout for attention. But to build a community, marketing must evolve into storytelling. If values provide the foundation, then the story is the “thread” that ties every release, show, and social post into a cohesive narrative that people can actually inhabit. As the saying goes, “We care about creating a story”. People want to feel part of something unfolding. When an artist or a label treats their career as a series of disconnected “drops”, the audience remains a passive spectator. But when you build a narrative, you invite the audience to become a participant. Texas Capitol Rave (Photo Credit: Secret Disco Society) Instead of only posting “perfect” press photos, show the evolution. Share the struggle of the 3 AM studio session or the nerves before the first club headline. When fans see the growth, they feel a sense of ownership in the success. A local scene is a living character. Documenting how a monthly party grew from a backyard to a warehouse creates a “lore” that new fans want to be a part of. A flyer tells you when to show up. A story tells you why the night matters in the grand scheme of dance music culture. The most powerful communities are those with a shared history. Whether it’s a label mission that spans a decade or a festival with a recurring identity, storytelling creates emotional investment. This investment is what makes a fan hold onto a wristband for three years or fly across the country for a specific anniversary set. They are simultaneously buying a ticket and appearing in the next chapter of the story. If you give someone a track, you have their ear for three minutes. If you give them a story, you have their heart for a decade. Texas Capitol Rave (Photo Credit: Secret Disco Society) Across Texas, some communities have mastered the art of turning events into ongoing cultural narratives. Weekly gatherings like Dallas DJam at The Green Elephant have become more than midweek parties. They are living archives of the local scene, sustained by years of dedication, rotating talent, flow artists, and grassroots support. Communities like DFW Rave Fam and platforms documenting local culture continue amplifying the evolution of the scene itself. In Austin, experiences like Secret Disco Society and IllFest succeed because attendees feel emotionally connected to the worlds being built around them, not just the lineup on the flyer. Service is the New Marketing The most radical thing an artist or brand can do is ask a different question entirely: “How can I contribute?” The old playbook of music marketing was entirely extractive, treating fans and peers as funnels for data and dollars. This year, the blueprint has flipped. Contribution creates loyalty faster than self-promotion. When your primary marketing strategy is shouting your own accolades, you are competing with millions of other voices doing the exact same thing. But when your strategy is service, you occupy a space with almost no competition. Helpfulness builds a reputation that no public relations budget can buy. Bluff Baby (Photo Credit: Full Grind Entertainment) Mad Muffinz performing at Ubbi Dubbi 2025 (Photo Credit: Kira Media) Opportunity creation earns trust the most. Across Texas, some of the most respected figures in the scene built their reputations through contribution rather than self-promotion. Community-driven leaders like Bluff Baby, Mad Muffinz, the Dallas DJam crew, and more have become known for connecting people through their own passions within the EDM space. Amplify EDM Founder & Host Kay Cote and DJ Shadowstar speaking at a Redefining Music event (Photo Credit: Amplify EDM) Platforms such as DFW Groove Guide and Peachie PLURCast consistently spotlight artists and events, while spaces like Josey Records, Soundworks, and voices like Demarkus Lewis, DJ Red Eye, DJ Titan, and more help preserve Dallas’s deeper musical history, whether it's through vinyl culture and DJ education. Initiatives like Amplify EDM and collectives such as Bass Hop Records contribute by creating resources, mentorship, and platforms for emerging talent. DFW Groove Guide Founder, Neleh (Photo Credit: Kira Media) DJ Titan at SILO (Photo Credit: DJ Titan) The promoters who become legendary are the ones giving local talent their first real break. You also need to build spaces where others benefit. When you create a platform, whether it’s a monthly producer meetup, an online sample-sharing community, or a local gear workshop, you build an ecosystem where everyone wins. Educational content is also a huge asset. Artists who share their production secrets, business insights, or mental health struggles aren’t “giving away their secret sauce”. They are positioning themselves as trusted pillars of the community. The most respected figures in dance music are rarely those who climbed to the top alone. They are the ones who brought an entire crew along. By spotlighting emerging talent and aggressively supporting local openers, established brands and artists validate the entire scene. When a local opener gets a proper soundcheck, a fair payout, and a shoutout on the headliner’s social media, that gesture resonates through the entire regional community. It signals that you care about the health of the soil, not just harvesting the crop. Brands that serve communities always outlast those that merely sell to them. For the Texas ecosystem, “Service as Marketing” is the ultimate growth hack for longevity. Transitioning from “ticket sellers” to scene curators by offering free educational panels during the day before a club night, or creating mentorship tracks for young audio engineers and visual artists. Hosting free track-feedback sessions or modular synth meetups at local record stores can also increase an artist’s impact. When you focus on adding value to the room rather than extracting from it, marketing ceases to feel like a chore. It becomes a natural extension of your art, and the loyalty it returns is unbreakable. Own Your Audience, Not Just Your Reach There is a dangerous trap waiting for artists and promoters who measure their success by digital scale alone. An artist can pull in one million monthly listeners on a streaming platform or amass half a million followers on a video app, yet face the harsh reality of an empty room when they play an underground spot in Dallas or Austin. Why? Because streaming and social platforms represent reach, not ownership. We have to be ruthless about this reality: algorithms rent attention while community ownership creates resilience. When you rely solely on a third-party platform to communicate with your fans, you are building a house on land you do not own. Social platforms operate on a pay-to-play model. Just because someone hit “follow” on your profile last year doesn’t mean the algorithm will allow them to see your show announcement tomorrow. In fact, organic reach across major platforms consistently hovers in the single digits. Platforms change their rules, modify their code, and shift their formats constantly. If your entire strategy relies on a specific type of short-form video trend, your access to your audience can disappear overnight with a single update. You cannot send a direct message to your Spotify listeners. If they stumble upon your track via an automated radio playlist, they are fans of the algorithm’s curation, not necessarily fans of you. Photo Credit: Funky Gold Network To build a sustainable career in dance music, you must own your data and understand who your people are. True scene resilience comes from converting passive, platform-directed reach into direct, unmediated communication. Independent Texas collectives are already proving how powerful direct community ownership can be. Labels and crews like Funky Gold Network, SOHO DTX, Special Delivery, Futura X, Wicked Loud, and Eventide Collective thrive by cultivating dedicated niche audiences that consistently return for the culture surrounding the music. Their success is rooted less in algorithmic scale than in trust, recurring identity, and direct relationships with the people who support them. Photo Credit: Futura X This means prioritizing owned channels where no algorithm can stand between you and your audience. Email lists feature zero algorithmic interference. It delivers a 20-40% open rate compared to a single-digit social media reach. SMS & Broadcasts are intimate and immediate. They boast a 90%+ open rate within minutes for sudden drops or secret warehouse coordinates. Direct hubs like Discord and private groups foster peer-to-peer relationships. The community talks to each other, keeping the scene alive between events. For independent labels, collectives, and artists, data ownership is the ultimate tool for financial survival. When you have a dedicated list of 2,000 email subscribers or text contacts who have explicitly raised their hands for your project, you have a predictable business model. You no longer have to guess how many tickets you will sell or blast generic ads hoping the right people see them. You can look at your data, identify your repeat customers, and talk to them directly. If you give your direct community exclusive benefits, like early access to unreleased tracks, limited vinyl pre-orders, or first dibs on discount tickets, they will reward you with unparalleled loyalty. Stop playing the volume game on channels you can’t control. Use the platforms for what they are good for: broad discovery. But always build a clear, immediate pipeline that brings those casual listeners off the apps and into a space you own. Once you have shifted from renting attention to owning your relationships, you can stop fighting the algorithm and start focusing on what matters most: building the physical spaces where those deep emotional investments actually come alive. Why This Matters for Texas Dance Music There is a distinct reason why this shift from clout to community is the ultimate competitive advantage for our state. The global dance music machine often looks to the coasts or European hubs for validation, chasing hyper-commercialized mass production. But Texas is uniquely positioned to lead the future of electronic music precisely because strong scenes are local first. Texas is a network of distinct creative ecosystems. Our strength lies in the fact that Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and beyond have completely unique identities. Instead of trying to replicate an external formula, our cities have spent years cultivating distinct sonic landscapes rooted in grassroots loyalty. We have the infrastructure, real estate, and most importantly, the independent spirit to build our own self-sustaining economy. When we focus on deepening our roots of our local scenes through collectives, loyalty, and unwavering grassroots support, we insulate ourselves from the volatile highs and lows of the music industry. A career built on a flash-in-the-pan viral trend is fragile. But a career built on the backs of Texas dancefloors, where fans know your face, share your values, and show up rain or shine, is completely bulletproof. By prioritizing community over clout, Texas is drawing the roadmap of the future of dance music. At the end of the day, a million digital followers can applaud silently from a screen, but they cannot fill a room. They cannot recreate the energy of a packed dancefoor, and they cannot sustain a culture. When the algorithmic tide inevitably shifts, those numbers evaporate. But a real community buys tickets, brings their fans, defends your name, and grows with you year after year. The global music industry is waking up to a harsh truth that grassroots artists have always known: numbers can be rented, but belonging must be earned. As the 2026 Winter Music Conference made undeniably clear, the next era of dance music will not be built by whoever looks the biggest online. It will not belong to the hyper-inflated metric or the fifteen-second viral loop. The future belongs to the builders. It belongs to the labels, promoters, collectives, and artists who look past the vanity of clout and focus on the integrity of the room. It belongs to those who understand that our scenes are only as strong as the human connections inside them. The race for empty attention is over. The era of the true ecosystem is here. And the future of dance music will be built by whoever gives people a reason to stay.

Sometimes, the most memorable festival moments are the ones that reveal a community's strength when plans begin to change. That spirit was on full display at Space City Wub Fest, where Houston’s bass music community gathered at the Raven Tower for a one-day celebration dedicated to the artists, sounds, and culture driving the city's thriving underground electronic scene. Even when Texas weather forced the festival to adapt, the music and the people behind it never stopped. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Promoted as Houston's first bass-focused music festival, Space City Wub Fest delivered more than a day of performances. Four stages of music, local vendors, food, live art, workshops, and community activations transformed Raven Tower into a celebration of the city’s growing bass culture, creating space for fans, artists, and creatives to connect and strengthen the local scene. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch That mission was reflected throughout the lineup. Alongside an impressive roster of local and regional talent, attendees experienced performances from headliners Mport, STAR SEED, Star Monster, Ozztin, MIND G4ME, and Bàwldy, spanning dubstep and riddim to experimental bass and melodic soundscapes. The festival also spotlighted emerging artists, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing the next generation of Houston’s electronic music scene and supporting its future growth. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch As the afternoon settled in, attendees wandered between stages, reconnected with familiar faces, and discovered new artists, vendors, and creators. One of the day’s earliest highlights came from Bayou City Flows, whose interactive workshops welcomed everyone from seasoned flow artists to first-time participants. Flow stars and other props spun through the air as participants traded techniques, encouraged one another, and transformed the space into an open invitation to create. The experience extended well beyond the music. Local vendors showcased handcrafted goods and festival essentials, while live painters brought blank canvases to life with vibrant works of art. Nearby, The Hive Collective offered a welcoming chill space where attendees could recharge, relax, and connect between sets. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Like so many outdoor events in Texas, Space City Wub Fest was forced to adjust as rain rolled across Houston. As the house stage moved indoors, organizers quickly reworked the schedule to keep the festival moving forward. Rather than bringing the event to a halt, the unexpected challenge became part of its story. Artists continued to perform, attendees kept dancing, and smiles never disappeared from the crowd. As evening fell, performances across the lineup kept the energy alive, highlighting the depth of talent found throughout Houston's bass scene and beyond. New friendships formed, longtime friends reunited, and for a few hours, everyone shared a common purpose: celebrating the music and community that continue to shape the city’s electronic culture. In many ways, Space City Wub Fest reflected Houston itself, a city that continues to evolve and build on resilience, creativity, and the willingness to show up for one another, rain or shine. For a first-year festival, that’s a foundation worth celebrating, and one that promises an exciting future for Houston’s growing bass scene.

Before attendees ever reached a stage, they first had to leave reality behind. Guests were ushered through a winding, wormhole-like corridor filled with lights, sound, and anticipation. As the tunnel opened, they emerged inside what appeared to be a radio station - the portal into Meow Wolf Houston’s immersive universe. Photo Credit: Aaron Wharton Danceportation felt like a natural extension of what Meow Wolf already does best: creating surreal experiences that encourage curiosity and exploration. While the event brought together artists from Monstercat’s roster alongside local talent, the venue itself became just as important as the lineup. Built by more than 40 Texas artists and over 200 artists overall, the event featured those discoveries as part of the experience, with music and art blending into a single interactive experience. Inside, familiar pieces of a radio station had been transformed into something entirely different. Recording studios, production rooms, break areas, and hallways stretched outward in every direction, inviting guests to explore. As strangers moved through the same doorway, the crowd quickly dissolved, with each person pursuing their own path and uncovering different treasures hidden within the exhibit. Every hallway, mural, and hidden installation contributes to a larger story waiting to be uncovered. Rather than making a beeline straight for a stage, many attendees found themselves pulled in different directions by the artwork and hidden details scattered throughout Meow Wolf Houston. Every room offered something completely different from the one before, encouraging guests to wander wherever their curiosity led them. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch One of the first spaces I found myself drawn to featured an enormous, tornado-like structure made of debris, objects, and everyday items, suspended from the ceiling to the floor, with an opening that let guests step inside the towering, chaotic-looking structure. Surrounding the exhibit were sections of wall lined with wooden fencing and tiny viewing holes. Looking through them revealed miniature worlds hidden within the exhibit, offering a delightful surprise to those willing to slow down and pay close attention to the details. The sense of discovery continued throughout the night. Around seemingly ordinary corners lay interactive installations, glowing artwork, and hidden environments that constantly shifted the experience's mood. Rather than simply moving from stage to stage, attendees became explorers navigating an entirely different universe. Eventually, the journey led deeper into the other end of ETNL Radio, where music and storytelling began to merge. Surrounded by glowing forest-inspired scenery, wooden structures, colorful lighting, and otherworldly creatures, RAD CAT delivered a performance that felt perfectly at home within the environment. The stage itself felt like a scene pulled directly from the story unfolding throughout the exhibit. What made Danceportation so unique was how naturally the music blended into the world around it. At any moment, guests could find themselves dancing in front of a stage, discovering hidden artwork, or stumbling into a room they hadn't noticed before. The experience never felt confined to a single area, allowing everyone to create their own path throughout the exhibit, while the music served as a soundtrack. That spirit of exploration extended beyond the exhibits themselves. Before taking the stage later that evening, I sat down with Monstercat duo Smoakland to talk about creativity, curiosity, and why Danceportation felt like such a natural fit for Meow Wolf. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch EDM Texas: What's the first thing you do when you walk into a place like Meow Wolf? Harry: We always head to the stage first. We like to get familiar with where we're playing, check out the other stages, and get a sense of the venue layout. Once we've done that, we'll wander around and explore all the art and interactive experiences. EDM Texas: Looking back at your journey so far, what's something about Smoakland today that would surprise the version of yourself that first started this project? Anthony: Honestly, I think we'd be surprised by how consistent we've been. We've worked really hard to get where we are, pushing each other every step of the way, and it's amazing to look back and realize everything we've already achieved together. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch EDM Texas: Meow Wolf is a place where people can wander off and discover something unexpected around every corner. Do you think that some sense of discovery exists in bass music? Harry: Absolutely. I think that sense of discovery exists in bass music all the time. Every time you sit down in front of a computer to make a song, there's an opportunity to create something new or stumble across something unexpected. It feels like we're always one click away from discovering a new sound, a new technique, or even a whole new style. With the technology available today, the possibilities feel pretty endless. EDM Texas: If Smoakland had their own room inside now, what would people find inside? Harry & Anthony: You'd open the fridge, and it would just be endless milk cartons in the fridge. Endless milk cartons. And then you open the dishwasher. There would be no dishes in there because I don't like to do the dishes. And you could crawl through there into another room. True to their word, Smoakland transformed Danceportation from an evening of exploration into a full-scale celebration. The atmosphere shifted from curiosity to anticipation as fans packed into the space, ready for one of the night's most energetic sets. Heavy basslines, sing-along moments, and nonstop crowd interaction transformed the room. Fans bounced, danced, and sang along as waves of bass echoed throughout the exhibit, making the music feel as interactive as the installations themselves. Their performance was a shared experience, amplifying the vibrant’s, communal spirit and leaving attendees with unforgettable memories. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch With the energy from Smoakland still filling the room, Trivecta stepped behind the decks to deliver the final performance of the evening. Known for blending melodic bass, live instrumentation, and emotionally driven storytelling, his set provided a fitting conclusion to a night built around creativity and exploration. Throughout the performance, Trivecta seamlessly balanced powerful drops with uplifting melodies, creating moments that felt energetic and deeply cinematic. His signature style transformed the room, inviting attendees to become fully invested in the journey unfolding through the music. As visuals illuminated the space and the crowd sang along, the connection between artist and audience became the emotional centerpiece of the night. The emotional highs and cinematic atmosphere of Trivecta's music felt right at home inside Meow Wolf's dreamlike world, where every room already tells its own story. More than a concert and more than an art exhibit, Danceportation blurred the line between performance, storytelling, and exploration. For one night, Meow Wolf Houston became a living world where every hallway invited discovery and every performance became part of the narrative. If this first Danceportation is any indication, Houston has found one of its most imaginative live music experiences.

One of the most unique parts of ILLFest isn't found on stage. Throughout the weekend, artists from across the country transformed walls, structures, and festival spaces into living works of art, creating an immersive environment that extended far beyond the music. Among them was GhostBeard, whose colorful murals and unmistakable cartoon-inspired style became part of ILLFest 2026’s visual identity. While attendees moved between stages and sets, GhostBeard spent the weekend bringing a blank wall to life in real time. At the end of Day 3, we sat down with the muralist to discuss the story behind his name, the inspirations behind his work, and what makes creating art at ILLFest so special. Photo Credit: GhostBeard EDM Texas: I have to ask, where did the name “GhostBeard” come from? GhostBeard: The name GhostBeard comes from a real-life situation. My Dad was one of my best friends, and I wasn’t prepared to lose him at a young age. I was 30 years old, with a large beard that had been part of my identity for as long as I could grow one. Art, motorcycles, beards, sports... that was me. After he passed away, I experienced a lot of grief and developed alopecia from the stress. The beard started disappearing. First, I shaved it into a Fu Manchu, then into a mustache, until the remaining hair eventually fell out completely. My eyebrows and hair were next. I started shaving my head to avoid the strange hair patterns, but I left my face alone in hopes that the beard might return. Eventually, it did, but much thinner and completely lacking pigment. It came back white. My nephew was about five years old at the time, and after I explained alopecia to him, he looked at me one day and said, “Hey, Unc, you said you had no beard, but you’ve got a ghost beard.” I replied, “I am GhostBeard.” At that moment, the light bulb went off. GhostBeard was born! EDM Texas: Can you tell us about the kind of art you create? GhostBeard: I’m a muralist and aerosol painter, and I’ve been painting with ILLFest for multiple years now. My style is inspired by the energy of the festival community. Returning year after year, I feel a sense of family that fuels my creativity and makes the experience meaningful. EDM Texas: What originally inspired your artistic style? GhostBeard: I grew up loving cartoons, so I’ve always considered myself a cartoonist at heart. My style is heavily inspired by classic animation, such as Hanna-Barbera, Disney, and Looney Tunes. It’s all the things I watched growing up in the ’80s. Photo Credit: GhostBeard EDM Texas: What inspired your mural and theme for ILLFest this year? GhostBeard: My mural this year focuses on a storytelling narrative built around two of my “dream car” Car-toons. They represent people I’ve known both in life and in the afterlife, or what I call the “Otherworld”. The junkyard dogs within the piece represent people’s spirit animals. The Otherworld is my personal Tooniverse, a place where spirit animals and Car-toons come to life. EDM Texas: Do the music and crowd energy influence the way you paint while working at festivals? GhostBeard: Definitely. Music plays a huge role in what I create. I’m heavily influenced by hip-hop culture, street art, graffiti, and urban life in general. All of those elements naturally find their way into my work and help shape the energy behind the murals I paint. EDM Texas: ILLFest blends music and visual art so seamlessly. What makes that experience special for you as an artist? GhostBeard: I’ve painted at a lot of festivals over the years, but ILLFest really stands out because of how close the community is. A lot of these people are deeply rooted in Texas. For those of us who travel here every year, we’ve built genuine relationships with the Austin and Houston communities. Over time, it really becomes family. Photo Credit: GhostBeard EDM Texas: Is there a mural or project in your career that feels especially meaningful to you personally? GhostBeard: My most meaningful project is actually my most recent large-scale mural in Detroit on Gratiot Ave. It’s in my hometown and was the first mural I could share with my daughter. I even brought her up on the lift while I was painting and hid her name within the piece. That experience will always mean a lot to me. EDM Texas: What’s one thing you wish more people appreciated about mural artists and live painters? GhostBeard: Whenever we travel and paint in different cities and communities, we genuinely try to absorb as much of the local culture as possible so we can create from a sincere place. We’re telling our own story while also respecting and honoring the culture around us. We appreciate the love people give us, and we always try to give that love back. Photo Credit: GhostBeard EDM Texas: What advice would you give younger artists pursuing creative careers? GhostBeard: There’s no such thing as a linear path when it comes to living a creative life. It’s less of a traditional career and more of a lifestyle built around passion. If you trust your intuition, follow your creativity, and aim high, you can go much further than you ever expected. The experiences you gain from this kind of work are things money can’t buy. For GhostBeard, creating art at a festival is about much more than finishing a mural. It's about sharing the creative process with thousands of people in real time, fostering an environment where music and visual art coexist, and creating something that becomes part of a festival’s collective memory. As attendees reflected on their favorite moments from ILLFest 2026, many remembered the music and murals that transformed the festival grounds into an open-air gallery. Thanks to artists like GhostBeard, those worlds continue to collide in colorful and unforgettable ways.

As thousands of ravers packed together beneath the stage during GRiZ’s highly anticipated return set, a giant saxophone suddenly appeared overhead. Strangers pointed toward the sky. Hands shot into the air in an attempt to catch it. For a few moments, the entire crowd shared the same sense of wonder. Behind that moment was Balloonski, the artist responsible for many of ILLFest’s most beloved balloon creations. Photo Source: Balloonski What makes Balloonski’s work stand out is the way they become part of the festival experience, not just the scale of the pieces themselves. Instead of existing behind robes and barriers, his creations fly overhead, passed from person to person, and celebrated collectively by thousands at once. During ILLFest, we had the opportunity to sit down with Balloonski to discuss how he first became involved with the festival, the inspiration behind his iconic balloon drops, and how his work enhances the festival experience by engaging thousands in a collective moment of wonder. EDM Texas: For people seeing your work for the first time, how would you describe what you do? Balloonski: I've been creating giant balloon sculptures that float over the crowd so everybody gets to experience them together since 2011. That’s what I mainly do here at ILLFest and at festivals in general. I can make pretty much anything out of balloons, but these large crowd pieces are what I’m really known for here. Photo Source: Balloonski EDM Texas: What’s it like seeing thousands of people interact with something you created? Balloonski: Honestly, it’s overwhelming every single time. Especially when we’re able to do the really big drops. EDM Texas: The giant saxophone during GRiZ and the massive “X” during Excision were incredible. Can you share how you start developing ideas like that and what makes them special? Balloonski: I always try to build ideas around each artist. For GRiZ, obviously, the saxophone is iconic to him, so that idea made perfect sense. I actually spoke with one of his close creative collaborators beforehand, and everyone loved the idea. We didn’t fully plan it with GRiZ, though, so it still ended up being kind of a surprise moment for him, too. EDM Texas: What’s your favorite reaction to see from the crowd during your balloon drops? Balloonski: Seeing balloons turn adults into kids sparks joy and wonder, even if it’s only for a few seconds. It reminds the crowd of simple moments of happiness they cherish. I love that! Photo Source: Balloonski EDM Texas: Is there a dream balloon creation you’d still love to bring to ILLFest one day? Balloonski: I’d love to do a giant Texas-shaped balloon piece inspired by the ILLFest logo. It would be very detailed and challenging, but it would look amazing. Maybe next year… EDM Texas: What’s your favorite part about working behind the scenes at a festival like ILLFest? Balloonski: Honestly, everybody here feels like family. We’ve all been working together for years, and there’s so much love and support throughout the entire team. From the artists to the production crew, everyone genuinely wants to help one another and create something special together. EDM Texas: What’s something you wish people understood more about the work and effort behind these giant balloon creations? Balloonski: These pieces take a long time to make, and once we drop them into the crowd, they only last as long as they last. Sometimes that’s a minute, sometimes it’s the whole night. But we put so much time and energy into them, and we’re just grateful that people enjoy them and connect with them the way they do. At a festival built around creativity, immersion, and community, Balloonski’s work is a key part of ILLFest's traditions, creating memorable moments such as a giant saxophone floating across a sea of smiling faces or an illuminated “X” drifting above the crowd. As ILLFest continues to grow each year, so do the balloon drops, which have become one of the festival's most recognizable symbols. For Balloonski, that’s the real purpose behind every creation-fostering shared experiences that attendees will never forget.

This article is co-written by Macie Williams, Mario Battle, and Sophia Chartrand Balancing a career when building a music project might sound impossible, but REALEZT has found a way to make it work. Through consistency, discipline, and a relentless commitment to improving his craft, the Texas bass artist has steadily transformed long-term goals into reality. From major festival appearances to growing recognition within the bass music community, REALEZT continues to establish himself as an artist to watch. Photo Credit: Christian Clayton Building a music career while maintaining a full-time profession requires discipline, structure, and sacrifice. For REALEZT, that process starts early. Before client meetings, property showings, and the demands of the real estate world take over, he dedicates his mornings to music production. Rather than viewing his day job as an obstacle, he sees it as the foundation that allows him to continue pursuing his creative ambitions on his own terms. The balancing act isn’t always easy, but it has given him the freedom to invest in his project while continuing to grow as both an entrepreneur and artist. “I get up early to make sure that I can have a fresh mind while doing something creative,” REALEZT says. “After that, I’ll hit the gym, and then I will start my real estate work. I am thankful that I do real estate because it allows me to continue to make music and to leave for shows whenever I need to.” That adaptability extends into REALEZT’s music. While dubstep serves as the foundation of his sound, he refuses to limit himself to a single corner of the bass music spectrum. His sets and productions blend elements of melodic bass, dubstep, and riddim, creating a style that can shift between emotional melodies and high-energy drops without losing its identity. The result is a versatile approach that keeps audiences engaged while allowing him to explore different creative influences. Rather than chasing trends, REALEZT focuses on creating music that feels authentic to his evolving artistic vision. Photo Credit: Eduardo Padron Years of consistency have begun translating into career-defining opportunities. One of the most meaningful milestones came with REALEZT’s appearance at ILLFest, a festival he had long hoped to perform at. The performance marked another step forward in a career that has steadily gained momentum through persistence, hard work, and a commitment to growth. “ILLFest was such an awesome experience!” he says. “My favorite part of the festival was getting to see the boys, Hostage Situation, perform. They always bring insane energy, and I love seeing them shine. Playing ILLFest has been one of those goals I’ve had for a while now, so actually being able to play the festival makes this whole dream feel even more tangible. It feels like everything I’ve been working toward is starting to come to fruition.” Photo Credit: Christian Clayton The past year has provided several opportunities for REALEZT to test himself on larger stages. Festival appearances at Lights All Night and Wicked Oaks became important milestones in his development as a performer, exposing him to new audiences and helping him refine his live presence. Each experience offered valuable lessons about crowd dynamics, stage presence, and translating studio productions into memorable live moments. As his confidence has grown, so has his understanding of how to connect with audiences while staying true to his artistic identity. With new momentum behind him, REALEZT is focused on expanding both his music and the story behind it. One goal high on his list is to collaborate with Hostage Situation, a project he believes could bring together two complementary energies in the Texas bass scene. At the same time, he is preparing to release music that has been in the works behind the scenes while continuing to evolve his visual identity and overall brand. More importantly, he hopes to use his own journey to encourage other aspiring artists who may be balancing creative ambitions with everyday responsibilities. “I want to showcase the music that I’ve been sitting on,” REALEZT says. “I want to start telling my story, build a community, and share things I’ve gone through in the past and currently, so I can help other people. Start making music and do not stop.” For REALEZT, success has been built on early mornings, finished tracks, continuous learning, and a commitment to perseverance in the face of challenges. As new festival opportunities emerge and future collaborations take shape, his story serves as a reminder that momentum is rarely created overnight. More often, it’s built one song, one show, and one step forward at a time. Follow REALEZT on his outlets below: INSTAGRAM TIKTOK SPOTIFY APPLE MUSIC YOUTUBE

The moment you step through the gates of ILLFest, reality begins to bend. Massive murals come to life beside booming sound systems. Strangers exchange kandi, trinkets, and side quests. Bass rattles the ground while artists transform blank walls into living canvases. For three days in Austin, ILLFest became a vibrant, colorful world of its own where everyone felt part of something special. Photo Credit: ILLFest Day One: Music, Murals & First Impressions Day one immediately welcomed me with high energy as I kicked off the weekend at the Illuminaughty stage with SLOTH. The festival grounds, including the main stage, Your Mom’s House, and vendor areas, were easy to navigate, making it simple to catch sets and explore. Even as the festival grounds filled up, the crowd locked in, headbanging to the very first drops and setting the tone for the rest of the weekend. From there, I made my way over to the main stage called Your Mom’s House to catch HerShe, whose set quickly became one of the most unique performances of the day. Watching her beatbox live while she mixed added a fun, refreshing layer to her performance that instantly pulled people deeper into the vibe. As I wandered between stages, it became obvious that the crowd itself was part of the ILLFest 2026 experience. Everywhere I looked, creative totems, kandi trades, and spontaneous interactions added to the festival’s playful atmosphere. One group handed out unofficial ILLFest bingo cards, while another carried around a giant butter stick totem complete with stickers reading “The World Is A Butter Place With You In It.” It was dynamic and perfectly captured the playful energy surrounding the festival all weekend long. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Later in the evening, I caught Josh Teed for the very first time after hearing multiple recommendations throughout the day. His blend of live violin and bass created one of those goosebump moments where you could feel the emotion flowing through the crowd. The live instrumentation added such a powerful energy to the set and became one of my favorite discoveries of the weekend. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch While the music provided countless standout moments, some of the festival’s most grounding experiences happened away from the stages. Between sets, the festival grounds shifted into a living art gallery as muralists worked on massive pieces throughout the weekend. One of those artists was Ghostbeard, a returning ILLFest muralist whose cartoon-inspired style drew influence from classic animation, graffiti culture, and hip-hop. According to Ghostbeard, ILLFest stands apart for the deep sense of family shared among artists, attendees, and the Texas creative community. Photo Credit: Mario Battle As night fell, anticipation for LSDREAM and GRiZ elevated the festival grounds. The energy around Your Mom’s House became electric, and fans packed in waiting for the night's closing performances. The weekend's first Ballonski balloon drop arrived during GRiZ’s highly anticipated return set, featuring a giant saxophone floating over the crowd in tribute to the beloved producer. Seeing GRiZ pause for a moment to admire the massive creation and soak in the crowd’s love was a special moment that left a lasting impression. By the end of day one, ILLFest already felt like a unique world filled with music, creativity, and connection that attendees will remember for years. Day Two: Community Takes Center Stage Day two brought an entirely different kind of energy to ILLFest. On the way to the festival grounds, we received a surprise notification that GHENGAR would be hosting a pop-up meet and greet at the Space Goblin Collectibles booth inside the vendor village. Fans gathered for photos, signatures, and interactions with both GHENGAR and Cyclops before the night’s intensity fully began. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch One of the most wholesome moments of the entire weekend happened during the meet-up when GHENGAR recognized one of our friends, Raymond, who had introduced his kids to GHENGAR at a previous event. GHENGAR took the time to FaceTime Raymond’s children and say hello personally, creating one of those genuine moments that perfectly reflect the heart of rave culture and the sense of community. Not long after, we rushed over to catch Cyclops absolutely throwing it down. The crowd erupted almost immediately as heavy bass shook the entire crowd. At one point during the set, Cyclops threw a diaper into the crowd and announced that whoever caught it had just won ILLFest tickets for life, instantly sending the crowd into complete chaos and laughter. It was one of those random, unhinged festival moments everyone nearby will probably remember forever. The moment GHENGAR stepped onto the stage, the energy inside the venue intensified. Massive mosh pits opened almost instantly as fans followed every drop. Watching him command the crowd felt unreal at times, with the entire room moving together in pure mayhem from start to finish. As powerful as the set itself was, the moment afterward somehow became even more emotional. Before leaving the stage, GHENGAR removed his mask, and personally gifted it to Raymond, who was dressed at Peacemaker, sharing a heartfelt exchange that embodied the spirit of community and self-expression. Witnessing this genuine interaction made the weekend feel even more meaningful and memorable for everyone present. ATLiens followed with one of the wildest crowds of the festival. From wall to wall, the venue became a nonstop sea of synchronized headbanging. Hypnotizing visuals and crushing bass consumed the room, and the energy never let up for a second. Closing out the night was Excision, who delivered exactly the kind of explosive production fans had been waiting for all weekend. Lasers filled every inch of the venue while thousands of ravers raged together underneath another iconic Balloonski balloon drop, this time featuring a giant glowing “X” floating above the crowd. By the time Excision’s final lasers faded into the abyss, Day 2 had cemented itself as a celebration of everything ILLFest does best—massive production, memorable performances, and community-driven moments that extend far beyond the stage. Day 3: Creativity Around Every Corner By Day 3, ILLFest had become one little universe where everyone fully embraced the weekend's weird, playful, and creative energy. I arrived just in time for the Side Quest Society mushroom meet-up, where attendees received side quests to complete throughout the festival in exchange for prizes, trinkets, kandi, and collectibles. Watching strangers instantly become friends while trading gifts and helping each other complete challenges perfectly captured the welcoming spirit felt throughout ILLFest. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch After spending some time at the meet-up, I headed over to catch Hostage Situation at the indoor stage. The second they hopped on the decks, their fans wasted absolutely no time turning the floor into a war zone. A massive pit opened directly near the rails almost immediately while the crowd bounced and moshed nonstop from wall to wall. Their fanbase was locked in the entire set. Hits dropping harder, switching up sent the crowd woo-ing, and the energy inside kept building with every track. Walking between stages became an adventure of its own throughout the day. At one point, we stumbled across one of the most creative setups of the weekend - a fully built living room installation complete with decks hooked up for anyone brave enough to hop on and play music for random people passing by. The Datamage Renegade Gallery captures the free-spirited energy of ILLfest that makes this festival feel different. Brian Smith II and Kilian Hold of Datamage.art created the installation through long-term collaborations, along with production manager Alexandra Brent and a collective of visual artists, DJs, and creatives. EDM Texas: Where did the idea come from to create a lounge space where people can also plug in and DJ? Datamage Renegade Gallery: The lounge space was inspired by past studio sessions and renegade moments. The team wanted to create a comfortable, community-driven environment where people could relax, spark a conversation, and spontaneously jump in to DJ. More than anything, we wanted the space to feel welcoming, inspiring, and collaborative. EDM Texas: What's been your favorite moment or reaction from attendees so far? Datamage Renegade Gallery: Some of our favorite moments came from seeing people fully immersed in the experience. From festival-goers meditating and connecting deeply with the projection art to friends and attendees expressing how safe, welcoming, and inspired they felt in the space. What was especially meaningful was that festival management chose to spend their downtime in the gallery, reinforcing how impactful and inviting the installation became throughout the weekend. EDM Texas: What do you hope people remember most about this installation after ILLFest? Datamage Renegade Gallery: We hope people leave remembering to explore their creativity, take chances with art, and feel empowered to share their talents. The team believes spaces like this play a huge role in building community and spontaneity within festival culture. Throughout the weekend, the lounge naturally evolved, from a quiet place for people to rest and connect to a space for creative conversations. They described it as a reflection of the festival's energy, bringing people together through shared experiences and inspirations. Later in the evening, Saka B2B Fly delivered one of the most nostalgic moments of the weekend by blending Justin Bieber's “Beauty and a Beat” with deadmau5’s “Strobe.” Between the lasers filling the venue and the crowd singing along together, the entire set felt euphoric from start to finish. From there, I made my way to Your Mom’s House stage to lock in my spot for the rest of the night. Juelz kept the crowd moving with nonstop energy before NGHTMRE took over with one of the most cinematic sets of the weekend. NGHTMRE brought incredible visual storytelling, heavy bass, and drum-and-bass mixes that elevated the venue's atmosphere to the heavier end. When he brought out American Idol winner Jordin Sparks for their drum-and-bass remix of “No Air,” Hearing the entire crowd sing along instantly turned the set into another nostalgia-filled moment. Crankdat closed out the weekend with nonstop party energy and singalong moments like “We Like To Party.” The crowd danced underneath floating balloons, lasers, and glowing lights one final time. From there, it became clear ILLFest 2026 was never solely about the music. It was about the connections formed between strangers, the artists transforming blank spaces into something meaningful, and the countless unscripted moments that unfolded between sets. For one weekend, Austin became a playground for creativity, self-expression, and community, and I wouldn't have wanted to experience it any other way.

At the 2026 Winter Music Conference in Miami, one of the weekend’s most unexpected artists we had the pleasure of meeting wasn’t behind a wall of CDJs or modular gear. Seated between ancient tradition and modern electronic culture, Brennan Murphey, aka Planewalker, pulls melodies from the instrument that feels older than the dancefloor itself. Blending psychedelic bass, psytrance, live Celtic harp, and immersive stage design, Murphey is carving out a rare lane where electronic music reconnects with something deeply human. Photo Credit: Amir Weiss Brennan Murphey represents a growing shift in electronic music: a movement away from purely digital performance toward hybrid artistry. By blending traditional Celtic harp with psytrance structures and immersive live performance, Murphey challenges the idea that electronic music must be machine-first. As algorithms and overstimulation dominate our world, his works ask a different question entirely: what happens when dance music reconnects with memory, ritual, and human presence? Long before the harp became his signature, Planewalker had already spent decades immersed in electronic music culture. Murphey began DJing in 1999 while attending college and started producing electronic music seriously in 2001. Since releasing his first vinyl in 2004, he has performed at festivals and clubs across North America, sharing stages with artists such as The Polish Ambassador, Desert Dwellers, Random Rab, David Starfire, and Rabbit in the Moon. His genre-spanning catalog pulls from psychedelic bass, glitch-hop, dubstep, and psytrance while maintaining a deeply organic identity rooted in live instrumentation and storytelling. A Sound That Shouldn’t Work (But Does) The pairing of a Celtic harp with psytrance might seem unusual at first: the gentle notes of the harp contrast sharply with the intense energy of psytrance. One represents tradition and healing, while the other embodies the vibrant atmosphere of modern electronic music. However, in Brennan Murphey's hands, this combination creates a unique blend that offers a refreshing escape from the overwhelm of our digital age. The centerpiece of Murphey’s rig isn’t a standard MIDI controller, but a custom 23-string Celtic lap harp from Harps of Lorien. Unlike a guitar, where the player can bend and manipulate notes, the harp is a study in raw transparency. “You simply pluck the string and let it ring,” Murphey explains. The harp serves as a melodic counterweight in a genre often driven by repetition and speed. Its presence forces space back into the music: chord progressions breathe longer, melodies linger, and emotion cuts through the intensity. Rather than burying the instrument beneath layers of production, Murphey builds around its imperfections and resonance. The true magic comes from how he performs. To connect the seated folk tradition with an energetic electronic show, he modifies his harp to include a guitar strap, allowing him to wear the instrument while running the DJ setup. This inventive approach sparks admiration and curiosity about his live performance. “This allows me to mix on a DJ rig with one hand while playing the harp with the other,” says Murphey. “By splitting my focus between both hands, I can execute some really cool transitions. I’ll play a melody on the harp with my right hand while my left hand messes around with the effects to glitch the sound out.” The Harp as a Cultural Disruptor Electronic music started by chance, using instruments like the Roland 303 and 808, which were not meant to be lead instruments. While electronic sounds can feel mechanical, incorporating handcrafted instruments, such as the Celtic harp, adds a human touch. Brennan Murphey's use of the harp may challenge genre conventions, but it also revives a cultural narrative and highlights the potential of traditional instruments to shape modern electronic music. “Bringing a harp into a club environment definitely challenges people’s assumptions,” Murphey notes. “It has become a calling card for me because there isn’t another psytrance producer playing a Celtic harp over their tracks.” That uniqueness has carried Planewalker from underground gatherings to internationally recognized stages, including Burning Man, Sonic Bloom, and immersive destinations such as the Papaya Playa Project in Tulum. His performances often extend beyond a standard DJ set, incorporating projection mapping, synchronized visuals, fire dancers, and live improvisation layered directly over his productions. Photo Credit: Brennan Murphey Combining a delicate wooden soundbox with a powerful sound system showcases both engineering and artistic skill. To ensure the harp can handle the noise of a club, Murphey opts for a smaller lap harp instead of a full-sized concert harp. This choice is intentional, as a larger instrument could lead to too much bass and unwanted feedback. To bridge the acoustics and digital worlds, he installed a piezoelectric pickup inside the harp. This requires careful equalization to ensure the strings are captured clearly without the soundbox absorbing excessive low-end feedback from the room. Murphey views the harp as a connection to the real world amid the rise of AI and endless digital choices. While much of modern production seems like 'managing computer programs,' the harp offers a straightforward simplicity that reassures the audience of genuine, authentic music. “The average listener doesn’t care about technical production tweaks; they either feel the music or they don't,” Murphey says. “The harp helps people ‘feel’ me. It keeps me from losing my stage presence to the algorithm… it keeps the music real.” From Texas Country to Global Psytrance Brennan Murphey translates his musical lineage into a new language, blending the storytelling roots of his upbringing. As the son of Michael Martin Murphey, a key figure in the progressive country movement, Brennan grew up immersed in music that emphasized narrative and tradition. However, he takes this legacy and propels it into new realms. Drawing from his experience as a Celtic harpist in his father's band, Brennan acknowledges the importance of his heritage while intentionally forging his own path. He recognizes the connections between Irish folk and Western cowboy songs. Still, he translates those influences into a dynamic new context, electronic music at 145 BPM. “I’m a continuation of a musical legacy, but I’m evolving it,” Murphey explains. Ambitiously, he remixes his father's work, such as “Dancing in the Meadow,” infusing bluegrass’s high energy into modern dance music. While his acoustic project, Tears of Joy, delves into his traditional roots, his 2017 full-length bass album, Planes of Consciousness, and his upcoming album, The King’s Chamber, explore the fusion of ancient melodies with psychedelic bass. Photo Credit: Amir Weiss Brennan's approach is rooted in respect for tradition, yet unbound by it. He seeks to discover “noises no one else has heard before,” using the harp as his guiding star. This balance of honoring the past and pushing boundaries shapes his unique sonic identity as he crafts a distinctive musical language for the future. “While I respect tradition, it can be limiting and repetitive,” says Murphey. “I prefer to push boundaries.” Along the way, Planewalker has connected with influential underground labels and collectives including Desert Trax, Merkaba Music, Street Ritual, and Geomagnetic. His collaborations and remixes alongside artists like Desert Dwellers and Merkaba further position him within the evolving psychedelic bass movement. Why Brennan Murphey Fits the Future of Dance Music Brennan Murphey’s music transcends the typical dance culture landscape, existing far from the transactional nature of conventional clubs. Instead, he finds his home in wellness and intentional movement spaces, aiming to create immersive experiences that resonate emotionally and spiritually with his audience. "My music is deeply spiritual and geared towards mind expansion," Murphey explains. He seeks a crowd that values the cerebral high of music over fleeting distractions. This approach is essential for fostering genuine connections amidst overwhelming stimuli and noise that often overshadow the communal essence of the dancefloor. Murphey expresses concern about the disconnection prevalent at modern festivals, noting that the overwhelming volume and multiple stages can stifle authentic interaction. He advocates for creating spaces where individuals can bond genuinely, much like the "Chill Tent" of the 90s, where real connection thrives. Ultimately, Murphey’s vision for the future of performance culture focuses on elevating the dancefloor as a ceremonial space, a sacred setting for shared experiences, storytelling, and emotional exploration. As he says, “The dancefloor will always be a ceremonial space,” reminding us of its profound cultural significance in fostering community and intentional artistry. Planewalker rebalances technology by focusing on emotion, ritual, and human presence. Somewhere between the pulse of psychedelic bass and the resonance of 23 harp strings, Brennan Murphey is reminding electronic music of something it was never supposed to forget in the first place: connection, not just to the dance floor, but of each other. SPOTIFY INSTAGRAM

Austin's most immersive blend of electronic music and live street art is returning in less than two weeks, as ILLfest takes over the Travis County Expo Center from May 29-31. Known for combining massive bass-heavy lineups with live mutual installations and interactive art experiences, the festival has continued to carve out its own identity within Texas’s growing dance music scene. Photo Credit: ILLFest Now entering its eighth year, ILLfest has evolved from a local favorite into one of the state's most recognizable independent electronic festivals. While many events focus strictly on music, ILLfest leans heavily into visual creativity, transforming the festival grounds into a living gallery filled with large-scale murals, roaming performers, immersive stage production, and live art activations throughout the weekend. The 2026 edition is shaping up to be one of the festival’s biggest yet, with a lineup packed with some of the most in-demand names in bass music and experimental electronic culture. Artists including Excision, GRiZ, LSDREAM, NGHTMRE, and ATLiens headline a stacked roster spanning dubstep, melodic bass, and underground sounds. ILLFest 2026 Lineup Beyond the lineup itself, ILLfest has built a strong reputation for delivering a visually immersive production experience that matches the intensity of its music programming. Previous editions of the festival featured massive LED displays, projection mapping, synchronized lasers, pyro effects, confetti drops, cryo blasts, and booming sound systems designed specifically for bass-heavy performances. Last year's festival also introduced a new 360-degree renegade stage, combined with live mural painting around it, making ILLfest an interactive art exhibit. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Part of what makes ILLfest stand out is the level of individuality and creativity expressed by the crowd itself. The festival’s connection to street art culture naturally blends into rave fashion, creating an environment where attendees embrace everything from experimental streetwear to handmade kandi to pashminas, artist jerseys, and fully customized festival fits. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Flow artists carrying orbitals, staffs, hoops, and LED props add another layer of movement and visual energy throughout the grounds, helping the festival feel alive even between sets. The combination of music, fashion, and visual art gives ILLfest a distinct identity compared to many other Texas EDM festivals, with self-expression just as much a part of the experience as the performances on stage. ILLfest continues to create a space where creativity feels encouraged from every direction. While the music remains the centerpiece of the weekend, part of the magic of ILLfest comes from exploring everything happening beyond the stages. Attendees are encouraged to wander through the festival grounds and experience the live mural installations as artists create massive pieces in real time throughout the weekend. Between sets, festivalgoers can discover local vendors, take photos inside colorful art displays, trade kandi with new friends, or watch flow artists light up the crowd after dark. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch With anticipation continuing to build online and tickets already moving quickly, iLLfest 2026 looks ready to once again bring thousands of music and art lovers together for a weekend centered around music, art, and creative freedom in the heart of Austin. Buy your passes here.

What began as a night of melodic bass quickly unfolded into something far larger inside 713 Music Hall. Beneath floating celestial lights, cathedral-inspired stage structures, and towering laser displays, Seven Lions transformed the venue into a fully immersive fantasy world during his Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars tour stop in Houston. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Known for blending melodic bass, psytrance, and emotionally driven storytelling into his performances, Seven Lions has long existed in a lane of his own. His latest tour feels like you’re stepping into another dimension entirely. From the gothic-inspired production design to the glowing suspended orbs hanging above the crowd, every visual element contributed to the tour’s dark celestial atmosphere. The evening opened with a melodic warmup from Nurko, whose emotionally charged bass music immediately wrapped around the venue. His set balanced soaring melodies with bursts of dubstep that sparked waves of headbanging across the crowd while still maintaining a cinematic tone. Even before the night fully escalated, the production and organization inside 713 Music Hall stood out. Staff moved guests into the venue quickly and efficiently. At the same time, the merch booth became an early hotspot thanks to the exclusive apparel and double-sided fans, which quickly became crowd favorites. As the night progressed, the mood inside the venue began to shift. The moment Level Up stepped on stage, the atmosphere elevated. Known for her fierce dubstep sound and infectious stage presence, she delivered a relentless set packed with crushing bass drops, explosive breakdowns, and nonstop crowd movement. Nearly the entire venue pulsed as her powerful style collided with massive dubstep sequences that rattled the room from the floor to the balcony. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Along with the musical intensity of her performance, Level Up also created one of the night's most memorable moments when she played her remix of Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been”. For a brief moment, the aggression dissolved into pure nostalgia as the crowd shouted every lyric in unison, only for the chaos to surge back with the returning drop. The switch perfectly captured the emotional balance that defined the night as a whole. Then came Seven Lions. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch Opening with the melodic soundscapes fans have connected with for years, Seven Lions slowly transformed the room into something far beyond a standard live show. As the set evolved, the production became increasingly immersive. Suspended glowing bulbs descended above the audience like infernal stars, hovering throughout the venue. At the same time, lasers stretched wall-to-wall across 713 Music Hall in massive geometric patterns. What made the performance especially captivating was its unpredictability. Just as the crowd settled into emotional melodic passages, Seven Lions would suddenly pivot into explosive hardstyle drops, rapid-fire drum-and-bass moments, or hypnotic psytrance, completely reshaping the room's energy within seconds. Photo Credit: Side Quest Dispatch The gothic-inspired stage design added another layer to the experience. Stone-like textures, cathedral architecture, and fantasy-ruin visuals displayed across the LED screens made the audience feel as if they had entered an ancient cosmic sanctuary. Combined with the floating lights and relentless crowd energy filling every level of the venue, the entire performance was cinematic from beginning to end. For longtime fans, the inclusion of older tracks throughout the set triggered repeated waves of nostalgia across the world. Whether fans were screaming lyrics during melodic moments, headbanging through dubstep drops, or losing themselves in sudden hardstyle and drum and bass switch-ups, the momentum inside 713 Music Hall never once felt static. As the final moments of the night unfolded, the crowd continued reaching toward the ceiling. Simultaneously, the suspended lights slowly faded overhead, almost refusing to let the experience end. Fans lingered throughout the venue's outdoor gardens and surrounding areas, soaking in the aftermath of what had just unfolded. For a few hours, 713 Music Hall became something entirely different, suspended somewhere between a rave, a fantasy world, and a full sensory spectacle.