IrisTV After Movie Release: What We’re Still Dreaming About From Imagine Festival 2014

You’ve eaten five different pumpkin-flavored things today, the sweaters are out, and it hardly feels like just over a month ago you were raging away Labor Day weekend at Imagine Music Festival. Though the weather has cooled off our memories from Imagine are still ignited. WRR is proud to officially release the first ever Imagine Festival after movie along with our highlights from this year’s event.

The Carnival Creatures that are Beats Antique

The Seven Lions vs. Beats Antique set decision on Saturday night was kind of a no brainer on our end. Not that we don’t love Jeff, but passing up an entrancing set by BA would have been all but blasphemous. It was impossible not to get down to the middle eastern x downtempo x dubstep rhythms of Zoe Jakes, Sidecar Tommy, and David Satori. If the music didn’t initially draw you in, then Zoe’s belly dancing and costume changes definitely did the trick.

ill.Gates’ Afternoon-Appropriate Set

2:30 in the afternoon is never a coveted set time at a festival, but nonetheless ill.Gates delivered a noteworthy performance for those attendees who had managed to make it through the gates after a long Saturday night. Rather than forcing a banger-filled set in the heat of the day, he kept it simple; tailoring to his surroundings and killing it per usual with his finger-drumming.

After his set Dylan sat down with WRR for a no-holds-barred interview where he discussed net neutrality, plug-in based DJs, water restrictions at festivals, and how he can help you discover your production genius no matter what your circumstances may be.

ill.Gates and His Mission to Un-f*ck the Whole System of EDM can be read here.

The Legendary RJD2

While we all may use “legendary” subjectively, I’ve had “Ghostwriter” as the alarm on my phone for four years, so seeing the man up close and personal was a pretty serious milestone for this live music enthusiast. RJ kicked of the set in front of the booth sporting a rhinestone jump suit and welding mask. For those in the crowd paying close attention you were treated to a hilarious label on the back of his suit titled, “Commissioner Crotch Buttons,” but most fans were probably too enamored by the portable, spinning sound board attached to, well…his crotch.

Once the costume came off RJ got down to business, keeping us mesmerized with the live vinyl he was spinning and old school approach to dance music that is rarely seen live today.

The Misting Dome

Photo Cred: Imagine Festival

It’s not called “Hotlanta” for nothing. This Incendia Geo Dome was the perfect haven for festival goers to take a break from the blazing heat of the day. Major props to organizers for making the safety and comfort of patrons top priority. Bountiful water stations plus chill spots equals healthy, happy ravers.

The Performers

As if the pulsing, LED lasers and hypnotizing graphics weren’t stimulating enough, the aerial silk, hoop, and go-go dancers added an extra live entertainment aspect to the festival. Rather than acting as onlookers in the stands of a show, the performers made us feel like we were actually a part of the circus.

My favorite performer of the weekend was a fella practicing his hooping amongst the crowd before taking the stage with Shpongle. It was a touching moment seeing how excited he was to share his hooping talent with not only the patrons, but an artist that he truly admired.

Sunday Night’s Closing Sets: Destroid vs. Sphongle

Photo Cred: Alex G Perez

On Sunday evening in the heart of Atlanta there was a very difficult decision to be made for EDM lovers. Equally amazing in their different ways, Destroid and Shpongle went head to head, ripping apart rave crews and causing an infectious case of FOMO.

If spiritual enlightenment led you to Sphongle’s set you unfortunately were met with an issue with sound from the main stage bleeding over into your experience. While this was an issue that had been occurring all weekend (Emancipator was barely able to hear their sound check over Fedde Le Grande on the main stage), Sunday night’s sound issue was hardly production’s fault. There were actually reports that Destroid’s bone-rattling, dubstep set was being heard in Buckhead, a suburb of Atlanta located eight miles north of the city. The lucid dreaming experience at Shpongle however was well worth dealing with the spilling bass from Destroid.

A pioneering event for EDM in the south, Imagine Festival did an exceptional job of pulling off a successful dance music festival not only outdoors, but within Atlanta city limits. Taking advantage of Historic Old Fourth Ward Park was genius. Having attended other festivals in ATL at Piedmont Park, Centennial Park, and Atlantic Station, I can honestly say that the O4W venue takes the cake.

Another festival season has come and gone and this year was more saturated than ever, but Imagine Festival has breached through the sea of summer EDM events. Start bracing for Imagine 2015 because it is sure to not be missed.

Connect with Imagine Festival:
https://www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival
https://twitter.com/imaginemusicfes

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