Why We Need More Intimate Music Venues in 2025 and Beyond

Imagine this, you are in a packed room with low ceilings, sweat dripping down the walls, the bass vibrating through your sneakers and right into your chest. You can see the DJ smiling, reacting to the crowd, feeling the music with you. The energy is alive, contagious, personal. Strangers are giving high-fives, singing together, locking eyes in those moments when a drop just hits right. Now compare that to a massive festival where the stage is a skyscraper, the DJ is a speck in the distance, and you are watching the show through someone else’s phone screen. Festivals have their magic, but in 2025, I think it is time we bring intimacy and connection back to the heart of the scene.

As the rave mom of my crew, I live for those nights where the whole room feels like a family. There is something about being shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers who instantly feel like friends. In smaller venues, you actually make eye contact, trade kandi, share water, and check on each other. The music feels closer too. I have discovered some of my favorite artists in rooms with only a few hundred people, before they ever made it to a mega festival lineup. The energy is personal and immediate. You catch someone else vibing to the exact same track. What that does is spark a sense of community you can’t get in a sea of 20,000. You run into the same people again and again, building real connections that turn into lasting friendships. Small venues are also where discovery happens. Plus, let’s be real, trying to capture that high of “first rave” nostalgia, it hits harder in these intimate spaces, and it’s the kind of magic that keeps me coming back, year after year.

Festivals will always have a place, but lately it feels like there are too many and they all have similar lineups. It can be hard to feel that spark when you have seen the same ten names on every flyer. Big crowds can also feel overwhelming and disconnected, with so many people filming content instead of actually dancing. Oh, and then there is the price tag, tickets, travel, hotels, outfits, and anything else; it adds up fast. Small shows are usually right in your city, affordable, and accessible to new ravers who just want to feel the music without breaking the bank.

Here’s what really gets me excited about smaller venues. Intimate shows give DJs room to breathe, experiment, and tell a story. The contrast with a big-scale venue or festival can bring a sense of unspoken pressure to perform a certain way in front of such a massive crowd. In a smaller venue, that pressure is cut in half or even thirds, and that freedom shows. You might get to hear an unreleased ID the artist is still debating including in their headline set, watch them test a brand-new transition in an old mix, or even witness them go completely off the walls just for fun. Small rooms create a welcoming space for those rare, special moments that make you remember why you fell in love with dance music in the first place.

I have seen DJs play sets where they go deep into their library, take risks, and create a journey that feels completely unique to that night. Festivals need big moments and predictable drops to keep tens of thousands engaged, but in an intimate space, a DJ can slow down, get weird, and really connect with the crowd.

If we want this scene to keep thriving, we need to keep supporting those micro-raves, pop-ups, and warehouse shows. Festivals are not going anywhere, but they should not be the only place where we gather. Intimate venues are where new artists get discovered, where genres are born, and where the culture stays alive and authentic.

Intimacy is community, and community is what keeps dance music beating. In 2025, I challenge everyone to buy tickets to the smaller local shows, drag your friends to the warehouse down the street, and help keep underground culture thriving. The magic you are looking for might just be waiting for you in a sweaty little room with low ceilings, a killer sound system, and a crowd that feels like home.