Dreamscape Festival Day 1 Recap + Photos
–Written by Kevin Madert
Over the weekend, the annual event known as Dreamscape experienced a plethora of firsts in its fourth year of existence. It was the first year Badass Raves chose to expand the event into a two-day festival. As a result, it was also the first time Dreamscape called Camp Ramblewood home, allowing attendees to pitch tents and spend the weekend in rural Darlington, MD. Perhaps most relevant to this write-up is the fact that it was the first time I attended a Dreamscape – after the weekend I had, it certainly won’t be my last.
Ended up parked all the way in the back of Camp Ramblewood. Nice view though.
Arriving at Ramblewood around two in the afternoon, I was met with the familiar familial feel that permeates most Badass events. Organized chaos reigned, as my fellow festivalgoers laid claim to their campsites, explored the grounds, perused various vendors, and generally did whatever they felt like doing with little direction or discipline from security or festival staff. It worked (both then and all weekend) because of the positivity which radiated from 99 percent of the people I came into contact with. Hell, in my first ten minutes onsite I was thrown about a half dozen waves and flashed just as many smiles. Small scale festivals I thought to myself, just do it better.
I was a nomad for most of the day, as the group I was bunking with didn’t arrive until close to sundown. This suited me just fine; I felt the need to give the grounds an in-depth exploration and my solo status allowed me to do so unhindered. As the sun beat a humid rhythm onto the back of my neck and a light breeze rustled my t-shirt and ruffled my hair, I meandered through maze after colorful maze of tents. It didn’t take long to get the lay of the land, or rather the angle – most of Ramblewood is situated on a sizeable hill. Beginning at the warehouse (referred to from here on out as the City Of Dreams), the land flattens out briefly near the barn (Block Party) and Thunderdome before sloping down to the Pool Stage, chill-out pavilion, and finally the secluded lake.
Breathless hikes from Pool Stage to City Of Dreams nonwithstanding, Badass did a laudable job laying out Dreamscape in a logical, navigable fashion. The three stages were roughly equidistant, with the City Of Dreams and the Pool Stage perhaps a few hundred yards further from one another than either was from the Block Party. As aforementioned, camping was permitted in almost any place one could conceivably pitch a tent, but as things filled in during my wanderings the predefined pathways through the grounds were kept largely intact. As the sun completed its daily descent to the western horizon, attendees began descending on the various stages, and night one had begun.
Des McMahon pushed the tempo early with a vicious drum ‘n’ bass set
It was around this time I reminded myself I should probably catch some music, so I beat feet for the City Of Dreams, arriving just in time to catch the opening moments of DC local Des McMahon’s hour-long set. As he promised earlier in the week, it was a drum ‘n’ bass barrage from the word “go.” McMahon worked the crowd with the finesse of a headliner, picking up the mic the just-right number of times and laying down track after quality track in between.
I was in and out during LNY TNZ’s set, but each time I entered the warehouse I was greeted with the endless boings of hardstyle, broken up by the occasional trap tune with varying degrees of success. While the style may not have been up my alley, the crowd was loving it and the energy was palpable – score one of many for Dreamscape’s well-balanced lineup.
Dubloadz provided some of the best photo opportunities of the weekend
Then came the hands-down winner for filthiest set of the festival, as New Jersey native Dubloadz took to the decks in the City Of Dreams and proceeded to just about knock the place down. From roof-rattling originals to fan favorites like Excision & Downlink’s “Robo Kitty,” it was a set that took me back to the 2011-2012 bro/dubstep heyday, if only for an hour. After a quick pit stop at camp (ostensibly to rinse the grime off myself) I hustled down the hill to the Pool Stage, catching the tail end of Total Science’s upbeat DnB set as it led into the dark and unique high-octane soundscapes of Prolix.
On a tight schedule, I huffed and puffed my way back up Mount Ramblewood to the City Of Dreams in time to catch Must Die!. The hike was worth it; his fast-paced set rooted itself in heavy bass of all styles, with rattling trap high hats and low-end bass womps and wobbles that shook the warehouse on its foundation. He even threw a wild curveball in the final minutes of his performance, dropping a few deep house cuts that had the surprised crowd cheering and grooving along until the end.
Metrik (left) and Vibe Street (right) represent two extremes in the musical tapestry of Dreamscape
My next hour of music illustrated perfectly in hindsight the vast variety of musical offerings available to Dreamscape attendees, as I spent it split between Metrik’s set in the City Of Dreams and Vibe Street’s performance at the Pool Stage. The former was a liquid drum ‘n’ bass whirlwind in the warehouse, holding dominion over the assembled even with the bass unfortunately toned back due to ongoing noise complaints. The latter was a revelation, putting his deft combination of electronica, funk and bluegrass on display in a contender for set of the weekend (he’d later top himself on Saturday, but that’s getting ahead of ourselves).
Other than two brief stops – one in the warehouse for portions of Kicks N Licks’ bombastic night-closing set, another in the barn for the final minutes of Subversions – I was a nomad once more. I marveled at the eye-popping set pieces scattered around Ramblewood, from massive glowing mushrooms to a disco-reflective blue moon. The Thunderdome (a massive structure erected betwixt tents in the campgrounds) was going off every time I passed by, and bumped DJ battles well into the AM hours. People were also providing their own entertainment: gathering around fire pits with djembas and didgeridoos, fooling around on playground equipment, or simply dancing along to music only they seemed able to hear.
Swinging the morning away
None of that was for me, though; I’d had a hell of a night, and knew I needed to do some reclining and resting to ready myself for another full day of similar madness. As barely perceptible lightness began to tint the darkened night sky I clambered into my tent, doing up the zipper behind me to ward off any wayward mosquitoes. I dozed off to the sounds of birdsong and shouts of “CARL?!” echoing through the campgrounds, wondering how the following day could possibly top this one.
Click here for our full Day 2 recap + photos!
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