Last weekend people came together at Mysteryland located in Bethel Woods, NY to enjoy three days of incredible music. One of the best parts of festivals is the ability to see many of your favorite artists in one place but to also discover new music. While every set we saw was incredible, here are a few that really made their mark on us during the three day weekend.
*Artists listed in no particular order
GanjaWhiteNight, the Belgian duo known for bringing high energy, heavy bass and plenty of headbanging, took over the boat stage day two. The crowd that these guys drew so early in the day was incredible. Their set included live keyboard, proof that DJing can be more than just pushing buttons and lots of energy. Working their way into the set the duo dropped their popular track “Wobble Master” off their new album Mr. Wobble and you can see the crowd instantly going wild and vibing off the track the second it’s dropped. Seeing fans react to the music in this way is one of the best parts of live sets, the energy was contagious and made this one of our top sets of day two.
When it came time for BTSM’s spot on the Boat Stage there was no question that these three would blow the crowd away. Between a new full length album released this year, a recently wrapped up tour, hitting the festival circuit hard at events such as TomorrowWorld, Electric Forest and now Mysteryland where the brand new, highly anticipated helmets were premiered, this set easily makes it in our top 10.
“Last year was the first year we kind of started playing festivals, they changed our lives because obviously right away so many people discover you and this year it’s fun because we are walking around and people recognize us and it’s a different feeling,” – Black Tiger Sex Machine
The lighting on the helmets seamlessly paired with the music while tracks such as, a personal favorite, “Swing High” with Apashe were dropped along with Lektrique and BTSM’s “Religion.” The energy this duo brings is like none other and fans can attest that whether they’re playing in a venue or festival setting you’re guaranteed a good time either way.
“The stages are bigger and there are more people but we try to bring the same energy whether it’s a small group or big group. We play our sound and tracks that we like, our sound works at a festival and small venues too because its always so high energy. A festival is really a whole weekend in another world instead of just one night it’s always an awesome experience.” -BTSM
Check out their recap which features their upcoming single!
3. AKKI
The BangOn!NYC stage was one our favorites and between the amazing production and their ability to score surprise sets from artists such as Griz and Mija we knew the artists gracing this stage would be nothing short of incredible. One that really stuck with us was NYC native Akki. Her high energy, high funk, ability to read a crowd and groovy sets create one of the best atmospheres an attendee can ask for and there is nothing better than an artist that can truly make you dance.
Her set included her own remix of The Police’s “Roxanne,” MK’s “My head is a Jungle” remix as well as DC artist Julius Jetson’s “Gangsta” who’s track “Came to Get it” was recently featured in our Unwind the Mind playlist and many more. This rising artist and her signature space jacket are a must see so the next time you see this name on a lineup don’t miss her.
4. Lido
A question we found ourselves asking was, how does so much talent fit into one person. Taking over the Main Stage day three, LIDO had everything from drums, to keyboards to live vocals and beyond and its no question he blew us away. His live set was perfection as he performed originals such as “Crazy,” “I love you” and plenty of brand new music yet to be released. His melodic sounds were a perfect break before heavy hitting Keys N Krates took over the stage and it was clear he had every female in the vicinity melting.
5. ZEDS DEAD
Two words when it came to Main Stage day three with Zeds Dead. HOLY CRAP. This duo took the stage by storm with a powerful opening and an even more powerful set. As people started migrating over to the stage the crowd became packed and the energy that Zeds Dead brought was incomparable. The first hard hitting drop set the scene for the remaining hour and the music paired with the amazing lighting and production of the main stage was beyond mesmerizing. The crowd went completely crazy as they dropped their collaboration with Hunter Siegel, “LOUD” and their ode to Woodstock legend Jimi Hendrix with a live mashup of “Purple Haze” into Flux Pavillion’s “Blow the Roof” was spectacular.
6. GRiZ
There was never a question whether GRiZ would blow us away during his Main Stage set, and not only was his music just as funky and dance inducing as ever, but he even threw a bit of humor in there when he took to the mic to correct the line in Montell Jordan’s “This is How we Do it” with it’s…Sunday… This artist’s ability to combine live instrumentals into his sets is one of our favorite things about him. GRiZ graced us with “The Anthem” and even later threw in some heavy dubstep just to keep everyone on their toes. If you missed his surprise set at the BangOn!NYC stage as well as his Main Stage set make sure to catch him at Camp Bisco!
7. Amtrac
Lets throw a little bit of house in here. If you didn’t make your way over to the Big Top Tent for DJ, Musician and vocalist, Amtrac, you missed out. With popular favorites such as “Hold On” and a few appearances from his recent EP Lost in Motion, Amtrac had the entire tent packed and dancing. Recently appearing at EDC Las Vegas this weekend, Amtrac is a veteran to large crowds and he knows how to keep the vibe going. His mantra is to keep connected with the crowd and the constant upbeat and deep sounds he permeated from the speakers had even the most sober attendees losing their minds.
8. Odesza
Mysteryland was my first opportunity to see Odesza live and if it was their goal to blow minds, that’s exactly what they did. Closing out the first night of the Main Stage with tracks such as their remix of Zhu’s “Faded,” popular track, “Say My Name” complete with amazing production and copious amounts of billowing confetti, their set was something comparable to magic. It’s the closing number that had the crowd so utterly impressed.
Of the many festivals I’ve attended, as well as seen videos or streams of, the reaction to the closing track, while fireworks went off in the distance, was an image I can never erase from my memory. As they dropped their trap remix of Alex Adair’s “Make Me Feel Better” the crowd completely lost control. Why they’re waiting to release this banger of a song we’re not sure, but if you have the chance to see them live make sure you do in order to catch a glimpse of this in person.
9. Illenium
Colorado based DJ and producer, Illenium has wowed us with a remix of The Chainsmokers, “Don’t Let Me Down,” and recent album Ashes which garnered attention from Seven Lions himself on Illenium’s track “Fortress”. This artist’s ability to bring together melodic sounds as well us upbeat bass had the crowd swaying, jumping, dancing and everything in between. With the Ashes tour in full swing, we were happy to catch him and his craft on the Woodstock grounds. This artist has definitely acquired his own sound through the years and we’re excited to see where his craft takes him. His remix of Shark’s “Oh Wonder” which made an appearance in his set was one of our many favorites next to his “Don’t Let me Down” remix which you can catch a glimpse of in the video below.
Video Credit: @hailger
10. Eau Claire
Wrapping up one of our favorite Mysteryland Sets is DC native Rachel Wong known as Eau Claire. This high energy, girl power, artist started the Feed Me Disco series and has performed all over, but it was this set in particular that really had us fall in love. Dropping tracks such as Hugel’s remix of Robin Schulz “Sugar” and her own “Sink Like a Stone,” Eau Claire brought high energy, dancing and a large crowd as the sun slowly began to set on the festival grounds.
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