Escape Psycho Circus Recap & Top 10 Performances

This past weekend I got the opportunity to attend Escape Psycho Circus in San Bernardino, California and it was truly incredible. The stages were massive, the lineup was stacked, and, as always, good vibes filled the air. With almost 90,000 attendees over two days on Halloween weekend, there was just about every costume you could think of.. and then some. Not only was there great music but there were also fortune tellers, tight rope walkers, and some scary looking performers on stage. Some DJ’s were in the Halloween spirit as well at the Super You & Me stage on day 2 all of the artists were dressed up as their favorite super heroes!

Escape Psycho Circus 2015 Official Trailer

The energy was high in the Ghoul’s Graveyard and the Chopping Block stages, featuring unforgettable sets by Firebeatz, Dannic, Paul van Dyk, Flux Pavilion, ETC!ETC!, and many many more. The Slaughterhouse mega-structure (mainstage) towered 190 feet tall by 400 feet wide with 10 impressive lasers, 14 hanging video panels, mind-blowing special effects and a giant wide-mouthed clown centerpiece. Flanking the immense clown DJ booth, which hosted the likes of Porter Robinson, Above & Beyond, and Martin Garrix, was a circus cage full of performers and a chilling guillotine. Tucked away between spinning Ferris Wheels, Richie Hawtin brought his mesmerizing ENTER experience to the Cannibal’s Tea Party, fulfilling every techno lover’s dream.

The lineup was full of some of the best DJ’s from around the world and with four different stages there was never a dull moment. With that being said here are my top 10 favorite acts from the event that I was able to see!

10. Aryay
With the second time slot on the mainstage for day two, I was expecting a warm up set that would just get the crowd loose and moving a little bit but Aryay had other plans. Dropping some festival bangers and heavy trap, Aryay had the crowd going nuts before the sun even went down. Aryay is fresh on the scene from Chicago, his first original production, ‘The Lawnmower’, got interest from Zedd, Diplo, Skrillex, and was then signed to Skrillex’s Owsla label. He has since released an EP, ‘Vicious’, featuring his signature ‘lion sound’ keeping him unique from the rest. Be sure to keep an eye on Aryay as he works his way up and catch him in Scottsdale on Friday, November 13th!

9. Jackal
Jackal is one of electronic music’s most dynamic producers. In less than two years, he has released nearly a dozen mixes and branded himself as a trap mastermind whose heart beats drum and bass. One of his most popular songs, “Chinchilla”, hit over 200k plays on Soundcloud in just one week getting recognition from his creative influence, Skrillex, and many other heavy weight producers. As soon as Jackal took the stage at the Chopping Block, designated to the trap/dubstep/bass artists, you could feel the energy surging through the building. Sticking with his signature crunchy bass and awesome visuals, Jackal definitely put on a show to remember. Jackal will also be coming through Arizona in February, 2015 alongside Brillz & Party Favor so be sure to grab your tickets!

8. Flux Pavilion
Most famously known for his single ‘I Can’t Stop’, Flux Pavilion has been in the game for a long time and still manages to evolve his style and stay ahead of the trend. I even got the opportunity to interview this pioneer of bass music in an interview coming shortly! Fresh off the release of his ‘Tesla’ album, Escape was one of his final stop in America on his Tesla tour before he heads overseas. His ability to read the crowd and play to their likes was incredible keeping them moving and headbanging throughout the entire set.

7. Shaun Frank
Shaun Frank has been on the rise over the past year with hits such as ‘This Could Be Love’, ‘Shades of Grey’, and his latest release ‘Heaven’. He took the stage in a Batman costume and put on an amazing show and even brought Delaney Jane out to close with the last few songs. Delaney was responsible for the vocals on ’This Could Be Love’, ‘Shades of Grey’, as well as ‘Heaven’ and they finished with a beautiful acapella mashup of a few different songs. Shaun is another artist on the rise to watch out for already collaborating with names like Oliver Heldens, Borgeous, and KSHMR, he is only just getting started.

6. Showtek
These two Dutch brothers ‘Like to Party’ and definitely know how to throw one. With massive anthems such as ‘Booyah’, ‘Bad’, ‘We Like To Party’, and many more, Showtek had the crowd jumping all night long. Let’s not forget the visuals either, they had the sky covered in lasers & confetti with some great graphics up front too. I don’t need to tell you to watch out for Showtek cause you probably already know who they are but if you ever get a chance to see them live, 10/10 would recommend!

5. Firebeatz
Firebeatz stormed onto the Dance music scene in 2008. Releases such as “Funky Shit”, “Where’s Your Head At“, “Miniman”, “Dear New York” and “Here We F*cking Go”, all achieved top positions on Beatport’s Main Chart, and put the Dutch duo firmly on the map. Since this Firebeatz are regarded as one of Dance music’s hottest prospects and are consistently championed by the scene’s biggest names. I also got the opportunity to interview Firebeatz and they were really fun, down to earth guys that made their passion for music & their fans clear. They brought some serious energy with them on stage and had an amazing stage presence that got you into the music as much as they were. Firebeatz also just released a preview for a massive new track, ‘Tornado’, so be on the watch for that as well as their recent release ‘Ghostchild’!

4. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
The world’s new #1 DJs according to DJ Mag’s Top 100 and man did they show why they deserve it! Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike are known for their festival appearances and sold out shows across the globe. With huge festival anthems such as ‘The Hum’, ‘Higher Place’, and ‘Louder’ all being released in 2015, it’s no wonder there’s a party wherever these guys go! The only reason I have them at #4 and not higher is because they played exactly what I’ve seen them playing in livestreams and other videos and nothing new or out of the ordinary that would give it that extra flair.

3. Martin Garrix
One of the hottest (in more ways than one) young DJs in the world right now. At only 19 years old, Martin has an amazing career ahead of him. Most famously known for his single ‘Animals’, he has since worked with some of the world’s top producers and in 2015 released hits like “Don’t Look Down’, ‘Forbidden Voices’, and ‘The Only Way Is Up’. Garrix had the closing slot on the final day of Escape and definitely rocked it. Teasing fans by opening his set with a soothing piano version of ‘Animals’ and then saving it till the prime time, he knew the perfect time to pull it out and the crowd went nuts for it! He was one of the most energetic and enthusiastic DJs I have ever seen and definitely put on a show no one could forget.

2. Above & Beyond
The vibes at an Above & Beyond set are indescribable and anyone who has seen them will back me up on that. This set had another special factor as a fan proposed to his girlfriend during the set, she said yes obviously, and as they’re known to do, A&B brought a fan on stage with them to ‘push the button’. Above & Beyond is well known for songs like ‘Sun & Moon’, ‘Thing Called Love’, ‘Alone Tonight’, and many others. The trio has been around since 2000 and with the release of their 2015 album, ‘We Are All We Need’, they show no signs of slowing down. If you want to experience the euphoric vibes of Above & Beyond, they will be in Arizona for Decadence NYE on December 31 so be sure to grab your tickets!

1. Porter Robinson
It’s not easy to fill in for DJ Snake but when Porter Robinson was announced I knew I would’t be disappointed. His set will literally take you on a journey through some really good vibes and some sad moments too, but sad in a good way. Porter also has some of the best visuals in the game. Perfectly synced with the music they also match the vibes and atmosphere to make it more than just a musical performance. At only 23 years old, Porter has a very bright future ahead of him and is already leaving a mark not only on dance music but on all genres of music, breaking boundaries to create his own unique style.

Overall it was a very exciting and adventurous festival full of music, mazes, and much more. I am definitely looking forward to more festivals to come and in the mean time be on the lookout for my interviews with Firebeatz and Flux Pavilion coming in the next few days!

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