I Want Lasers Lsdream
Melvina Kryder
After a hiatus in 2019, Okeechobee Music Festival has come back to life. Now under Insomniac operation, Okeechobee returned to Sunshine Grove, Florida on March 5-8 and came back bigger and better than ever. The weekend consisted of incredible acts, tons of activities, and a revived community. Okeechobee was in full swing with a slew of incredible acts, art installations and more that blew us away and have us already dreaming about next year.
In addition to his slotted set time, LSDream treated festival-goers with an extra special ambient meditation sound bath set at Yogachobee on Saturday. Nearly 300 people showed up for the sound bath and soaked up the binaural beats and astral sounds LSDream had for us. It was truly a moving set, and one of the most memorable parts of the weekend.
The tea lounge at Okeechobee offered a whimsical escape amidst the normal chaos of the festival. There were plenty of things to run into and discover within the tea lounge. From hidden passageways that led to winding halls, to customized poetry and gambling rooms, the entertainment was endless here.
One of our favorite things about Okeechobee was the options the festival provided for fans after shows ended for the night in the Grove. The Incendia Stage was literally on fire all night between the actual stage illuminated with flames and the bass thumping on some Funktions. The stage provided bassheads with an option to get weird well into the late night. Not to mention, it also hosted a secret performance which was a rare Big Gigantic DJ set.
Jungle 51 was spectacular and everything you could want in a late-night option for a festival. Nestled away in the woods, this disco party truly came to life from the few hours before sunrise. Legend techno artists like Derrick May, Lil Louis, Maya Jane Coles & many more supplied the entrancing beats while lasers and disco balls transported you to the 80s. We could have lost ourselves in the jungle for hours upon hours here.
One of the biggest changes in the grounds this year came as a complete makeover of the Here Stage. Once situated adjacent to the Be Stage and striking many similarities, the stage became an oasis for electronic beats and a place to escape the heat. The production value certainly received a major upgrade as the tent-like structure was lined with lights and lasers throughout. Once darkness hit, this structure felt like you were encapsulated and entering into a whole new venue. Overall, we really loved how unique the vibes they created at this stage were.
When you go to a festival, something you look forward to is hearing your favorite tracks played out on an incredible sound system. With Here stage redesigned and moved and Be and Now positioned just a little differently, sound bleed was pretty much nonexistent the whole weekend.
Campgrounds included water stations, general stores, and shower stations, along with Porto potties spread throughout giving campers easy access to basic needs. Also located inside the campgrounds were plenty of food options for all diets and cravings!
The vegan food options were some of the best we have ever seen at a festival. So many people in our crew are vegan and sometimes frustrated by the lack of options at some festivals. Not Okeechobee! The wide variety of choices for vegans was phenomenal and such an encouraging thing to see. Notable highlights for us included a tempeh BLT, a beet cheesesteak, a VEGAN slice of pizza, waffles and of course the always reliable Island Noodles.
The first year of Sacred Acre music festival brought a musical experience unlike any other to the small town of Ninilchik, Alaska. Acts from around the world and those from surrounding areas in Alaska came together to give festivalgoers an experience they will never forget.
Clint Samples is a DJ currently residing in Anchorage, Alaska. He has over 20 years of experience and has a true passion for electronic music. During his multiple sets at Sacred Acre music festival, he played a wide array of different genres, smoothly blending sounds and keeping the energy going all weekend. Party Guru Press got the opportunity to have a conversation with Clint Samples about his history in the electronic music world, as well as his thoughts on the first year of Sacred Acre. Check out our conversation below:
Getting to speak to Clint Samples was a great experience for Party Guru Press. Even after 20 years of performing, Clint Samples has a genuine passion for the electronic music community. He cares about each and every person who comes to watch him perform. From building stages, to curating sets, to making people feel included and happy in the darkest times, Clint Samples is a genuine person and an exemplary DJ.
Three and a half hours southwest of Anchorage is the small town of Ninilchik, Alaska. This town made history on the weekend of September 9-11th with the help of music fans from around the Kenai Peninsula. Sacred Acre was the first Electronic Music Festival in Alaska and they went all out making sure festival attendees had the best experience possible!
The second stage, which would later hold some of the after-hour festivities, was a geodesic dome that members of Party Guru Press had the pleasure of helping build from start to finish. Witnessing this stage come together made it all the more special to listen to fantastic local Alaskan artists later in the weekend. From the second Party Guru Press showed up on-site to the production area, they saw that this team had a fierce love for electronic music and that they were dedicated to making this festival special for all the attendees.
The night was far from over. Opiuo stepped on the stage and announced he was going to play a rare throwback set full of music that was made decades ago! Party Guru Press got to speak to Opiuo briefly after his set about his experience at Sacred Acre, and of course, about his favorite pair of sneakers:
As the first year of Sacred Acre finished up, it imparted a lasting impression on attendees and performers alike. The opinions of those people could not have been higher, which is very important for an event wanting to come back for many years. Party Guru Press asked those very people what impressed them over the weekend, and answers like a great artist lineup, huge production (including lasers, screens, and VOID sound), clean facilities, enough drinking water, and great camping grounds were said many times. With an event that asked people to come to such a unique area, it was important they made it convenient. Between shuttles to and from camping sites, camping gear rental, and clear answers to any questions festival goers had, they succeeded on all fronts . Another aspect that impressed people were the Tranquility and Sanctuary tents. There you could attend workshops of all kinds and find refuge in a warm, comfy place without judgment.
Do you have something that ignites a passion in you so intensely you want to shout it to the world? Two of those passions of mine are Electronic Music and Alaska! This September, those two worlds collide at the Sacred Acre Festival on the Kenai Peninsula in Ninilchik, Alaska!
This struck home for Chris. He knew there was a market for an Electronic scene in Alaska, and this created the perfect story for a festival. When putting this festival together, Chris covered everything, a fantastic lineup, transportation, accommodations and sustainability.
Being from Alaska, one of the main reactions I get when I tell people where
I am from is that it must be hard to get around. This could not be farther from
the truth in considering Sacred Acre! The team has put a lot of thought into
the logistics of this festival, like getting to the festival and getting
camping gear. Festival goers can step off the plane in Anchorage and get on a
shuttle that will take them to the festival grounds, where if they choose to
rent camping gear, it will be waiting for them too! Several types of
campgrounds at the festival range from lightly wooded areas to a site that
overlooks the Cook inlet with a chance to view otters, seals and whales!
One of the many great aspects of this festival is its sustainability
practices, which are dear to many festival attendees. This festival will be a
NO PLASTIC event which is just one of the many reasons this festival should get
a lot of love! In addition, Sacred Acre will boast hydration stations for
refillable water bottles, and reusable metal cups for alcohol sales, and all
vendors will use compostable and recyclable materials. Lastly, the creators and
producers of Scared Acre will be using part of the proceeds from the festival
to donate to local and national charities. These charities expose fishing
companies that use unethical fishing practices like trawling.