This past weekend was the fifth anniversary of the Imagine Music Festival. Imagine takes place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway and welcomed over 35,000 festival goers for four days of camping, workshops, and a killer lineup including acts like Kaskade, Armin van Buuren, ZedsDead and more. Imagine Music Festival was also my first ever festival and it couldn't have gone more smoothly.
Day 1 – Friday (12th Planet, The Glitch Mob, Armin van Buuren)
Getting into the campgrounds and setting up camp was quick and easy and a great way to start the weekend. I took off with some new friends to walk around the grounds, see some vendors and of course, get my first peek at the Imagine sign. I purchased my first pashmina to save me from the sun and finally became a full festival goer. My group and I were eager to finally get inside the speedway so we got ready and headed into day one of Imagine.
Friday night was filled with sets from Zaxx, Riot Ten, 12th Planet, The Glitch Mob, Galantis and Armin van Buuren – and that was just the main stage. With four stages throughout the whole festival, there was a constant variety of music playing everywhere you went. Throughout the speedway, there were art installations that added to the feel of the festival perfectly. From a giant LED pyramid to murals on the main street, art was everywhere in every form. If you were hungry or thirsty, there were plenty of vendors to stop by and refuel at.
Zaxx and 12th Planet brought the house down and is where I spent most of my night and energy. While recouping next to the pool, I watched The Glitch Mob‘s killer set and graphics and went back into the action for Galantis.
Below you can find some clips from Galantis and Armin van Buuren.
(Thank you Whitman Bransford for the video.)
Day 2 – Saturday (Ekali, Liquid Stranger, Bassnectar, Zhu)
Saturday day was spent conserving energy because I realized just how much I needed to fully rage later on in the night. I walked around the campgrounds, grabbed delicious food from vendors, took a free shower – a lifesaver honestly – and enjoyed the atmosphere. Around where the vendors were local DJ's keeping the energy high. It was amazing to see everyone dancing and having a good time at all hours of the day.
Saturday night I stage hopped like no other. I went back and forth from Oceania to Amazonia seeing acts like Leah Culver, Ekali, Liquid Stranger, Adventure Club, Bassnectar, and Zhu. Ekali is one of my favorite DJs and it was such a treat to finally see him live at the Amazonia stage. Sets like Liquid Stranger and Adventure Club were newer to me, but the exposure to new artists was appreciated and I'm now forever obsessed. Last but definitely not least for me was the Bassnectar set. I don't think I've ever experienced anything like that and am already looking forward to seeing him again. Saturday was sold out because of Bassnectar and you could tell because the whole field was absolutely packed and full of good vibes.
Find clips from Bassnectar, Adventure Club and Liquid Stranger below!
(Adventure Club video by Stoyan Stamatov.)
(Thank you @lilmanderssss on Twitter for the video!)
Day 3 – Sunday (Getter, RL Grime, ZedsDead, Kaskade)
Sunday was when I discovered that no one really sleeps at festivals. Music was playing through the campgrounds at all hours and it was honestly amazing. After mainstage shows, some DJs would show up at the Silent Disco for surprise sets as early/late at 5:30 am. It was awesome having constant energy throughout the week and is what really kept me going.
Sunday night my world was changed with the lineup of Getter, RL Grime, and ZedsDead. I was on the middle rail for all of these sets, so I got the full basshead experience. The production of the stages and sets were out of this world and incredibly impressive. Imagine made sure to keep headbangers on the rail hydrated and cool with free water bottles and walked by with fans. It was great to see a festival keeping an eye on their ravers and making sure we were all safe and hydrated.
After tons of bass, we ended the night with Kaskade‘s beautiful, sparkly dancing set. Kaskade was the perfect way to end a perfect weekend with endless amounts of confetti, bouncing beach balls, and fireworks.
Clips from Kaskade and ZedsDead below!
Overall, Imagine Music Festival was the perfect way to get into the festival scene. For me, everything went smoothly and beautifully. The people, the music, security was top notch and only getting better and better every year from what I heard. Imagine really knocked it out of the park this year with the lineup and overall operation of the festival. I couldn't give them more props for putting on such a good time. Here's to Imagine 2019!
