Goldrush 2025: A House Music Experience

Goldrush: A Return To The West surprised me in numerous ways. I attended the 2023 and 2024 iterations of the festival that took place at the Phoenix Raceway, which were epic in their own right. However, this year’s running was exceptionally awesome. The switch back to Rawhide was refreshing. The entire Western Town was wide open, a first time experience for me. This played up (and added to) the neon cowboy vibe that the festival is known for. The vendors stood out as well, giving away awesome freebies and coupons. Armed with an Alleycvt jersey and a GRiZ mask, I was prepped and ready for the dust that added to the authenticity of The Wild West theme as well.

However, the thing that caught me off guard the most was the prevalence of house music at the main stage and various side stages. My expectations were that there would be much more bass music, making this a pleasant surprise! I have been gradually developing an obsession with house since the last Decadence festival. The soothing grooves and finger-wagging wobbles relax my otherwise anxious mind. House makes me feel present, social, and confident. House crowds are exceptionally chill and often make sets even more of a vibe.

Night One highlights included a hard-hitting set from Wax Motif, diverse offerings from Dillon Francis, and an epic groovefest courtesy of Kyle Watson. Dillon Francis impressed me with a seamless transition between “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys and “Get Low,” collaboration between himself and DJ Snake. His set went so hard in fact that his SD Card “exploded out of nowhere,” and rejoiced that he had a spare.

The side stage sponsored by Red Bull also heavily featured house music. This stage was set within one of the Wild West themed buildings. A representative from Red Bull took a photo of me, complete with my trademark flashing LED glasses and a Red Bull cup. The stage took on a heavy disco theme, featuring several disco balls and neon signs. This complemented the house vibes very well and provided a welcomed break from the more crowded stages.

I had to close at work, so I arrived at Night Two a tad later than Night One. However, I arrived just in time for (in my opinion) the best set of the festival. Disco Lines ABSOLUTELY stole the show with a beautiful set that gave me chills, butterflies, and a near-endless smile throughout. The gorgeous visuals featured vibrant colors and flashing disco balls. Skeletons, flowers, and mushrooms also made several appearances. An inebriated sun and psychedelic patterns were the icing on the cake, invoking giggles and a sly smirk in this writer. Another highlight of the night would have to be stumbling upon ChaseWest’s set at the Beatbox stage during a side quest. As a Chase, I had to make an appearance. I ran into a friend before the set who let me “borrow” his cowboy hat and ran off before I could give it back. This completed my look and added to the vibe of the rest of the night. I hopped between his set and the Zeds Dead & Illenium b2b, making the most out of both sets. Night Two ended with an epic laser and fireworks show. This concluded Goldrush: A Return To The West on a high note, making me even more excited for next year’s festival.