Dreamscape Festival Day 2 Recap + Photos
–Written by Kevin Madert
I awoke to a dull gray sky. The chatter of birds echoed through the trees over my tent. Interspersed were the overlapping conversations of others who’d either just woken up or hadn’t yet gone to bed. I checked my phone, hoping to see four digits. 8:45 – damn. I try for maybe ten more minutes to fall back asleep, fail, sit up, and rub last night from my eyes. Unzipping my tent, I step out into the cool post-dawn mist and into the second day of Dreamscape.
Happenstance has other ideas as a vibration in my pocket informs me of some rather unfortunate news. A friend who’d left the festival for work around when I went to bed (call it crazy, call it dedication) had blown a tire not once but twice on the Baltimore Beltway. My next several hours were spent on a round trip journey to fetch him from the mechanic’s shop, with a stop at Chipotlé wedged in between. All the alone time (my friend slept through most of the drive back) saw me thinking about how the day would unfold. How would the music compare? The crowds? Could it top Friday? Thoughts ran rampant as I eased under the shade of a low-branched tree behind the eerie white house that served as the Dreamscape ops center and put my car in park.
TWRK works the pool party crowd
As it turned out I’d made it back just in time for the heart of the pool party. TWRK and Party Favor proceeded to throw down a pair of trap & bass-centric sets – not always my cup of tea, but the perfect fodder for a sun-soaked poolside get-down. There was enough variety in both sets to keep things interesting, and the energy level was impressive for the time of day.
Then it was time for something completely different, as Vibe Street proceeded to steal the show for a second time in as many days with a summery, upbeat set. Brimming with originals old and new (including an extra-chill remix of Sigur Rós’ “Sæglópur” and a mash-up featuring vocals from “It Was A Good Day”) it was a total 180 from his performance the night before, highlighting his versatility in a live setting. The hour-long respite from heavier styles was much-needed, and I spent a good portion of Vibe Street’s time on stage sitting in the grass to the right of the stage, basking in the slowly setting sun.
Massacat makes dat money on the Pool Stage
Once hellacious hometown heroine Massacat took over, I was glad I’d given myself a break. Her set proceeded at a frenetic pace and worked the crowd right back into the frenzy TWRK and Party Favor had begun and Vibe Street had put on hold an hour before. By the climactic final minutes a small pile of dollar bills had been tossed in front of the CDJs and several friends had jumped on stage, including a big ol’ jumbo shrimp – par for the course if you’re at all familiar with Massacat’s stylings.
Thoughts of man-sized shrimp and strippers nipped at my heels as I took a meandering route back to my campsite, once again taking in the visceral natural beauty of Ramblewood and the Badass art deco that complimented it. The chill-out area, with its vibrant tapestries and plush seating options, holds my attention briefly; I head back to camp before I can be subsumed by the lethargic atmosphere in the cool shade of the pavilion.
Sunset over Ramblewood
The strong tail end of Pittsburgh’s wonky bass peddler Buku began my night, as the last light of day ceded to night’s total darkness. I was faced thereafter with the only conflict of the night (at least for my musical preferences). I decided to catch Dr. Fresch over Marvel Years knowing I’d be swimming in future bass all night. By that logic, I figured the dark and funky mix of deep house the LA native is known for would provide a little variety.
While the authenticity of Dr. Fresch’s doctorate degree may be questionable, his abilities in the studio and on the stage are proven and formidable.
Having absorbed my fill of 128, I ducked back to the Pool Stage in time to hear a fantastic two + hours of futuristic soundscapes. Midwest pride & joy Manic Focus gave way to the super-duo that is Manic Menert, which shortly thereafter morphed into a Michal Menert solo set. The relentless heaping helpings of future-bass and electro-soul had the assembled crowd moving and grooving for what would inevitably be the final full-volume sets of the night.
Future bassing with the best
It was around this time the sound was noticeably limited courtesy of continued noise complaints. The multi-layered productions of Thriftworks began at lowered levels and grew steadily quieter; by the time Space Jesus took over the music was barely audible. While this was unfortunate, it was far preferable to the alternative, which Badass later revealed would have been a total shutdown of the festival and mass exodus from the property. Like many attendees I was upset that Dreamscape’s music schedule ended with a whimper instead of a bang, but I applaud Badass Raves and the Dreamscape staff for making difficult decisions in the name of safety and in turn allowing us all to remain at Ramblewood until the following day.
Had the show gone on, I still wouldn’t have been able to take part thanks to family responsibilities – Mother’s Day always seems to sneak up on me. I packed up my things in the dark, heaving my belongings back to my car through the thinning throngs of weekend-worn Dreamscapers hoping to squeeze maximum enjoyment out of the festival’s fast-dwindling lifespan. Key turned in the ignition, I pointed my car towards the exit, closing the door on a dream-filled Dreamscape weekend.
If you missed it, click here for our Day 1 recap + photos!
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