EDM festivals have a way of giving you a little bit of everything. One stage might have you dancing to house, while another is bumping out techno, bass or something completely unexpected. Then there’s Wasteland, where the music gets harder, the kicks hit heavier and the sounds really take you to a world you’ve never been before. At least, that’s what I’m imagining. Gritty, intense beats. High BPMs. A crowd of hyped up ravers riding the rails from one set to the next. That alone has me curious about what happens when an entire festival is dedicated to the harder side of EDM.
Wasteland puts hardstyle and hard techno front and center, creating a festival experience built around sounds that demand attention. These aren’t necessarily the first genres that come to mind when you think about an EDM festival, but they have quite the following. With the National Orange Show serving as the backdrop, I’m curious to see how the venue, production and music come together to create the Wasteland atmosphere.
The lineup is another reason I’m looking forward to this one. Bioweapon is definitely on my radar. The duo’s hardstyle sound feels like the kind of set that could set the tone for the weekend, with heavy kicks and the kind of intensity that makes it hard to stand still. Dani Thorne is another artist I’m keeping an eye on, and I’m interested to see what she brings to the festival.
On the harder techno side, Alignment and Trym immediately caught my attention. Their darker, driving sound adds another dimension to the lineup, and I’m interested in seeing how those sets contrast with the hardstyle performances. With so many different interpretations of hard dance represented throughout the weekend, there should be plenty of opportunities to discover something new.
But the music isn’t the only thing I’m thinking about. The crowd is a huge part of any rave, and I’m expecting Wasteland’s to bring its own personality. When everyone is showing up for the same sound, there’s something different about that shared experience. No waiting for the next genre or wondering when the music will get harder. Here, the harder sounds are the main event.
I’m heading into Wasteland with one question in mind: just how deep does the experience go? I’m ready to see what happens when a festival completely commits to one side of EDM, from the music and production to the artists and the people who show up for it. Now I just have to see if Wasteland lives up to the world I’ve imagined.
