Shambhala has lengthy been Western Canada’s—and arguably your complete nation’s—crown jewel for digital dance music getaways. That repute holds agency after welcoming 20,000 individuals to its twenty fifth anniversary weekend from July 26-29.
A poorly saved secret tucked between the river and timber, there is a purpose “Welcome Home” is a typical phrase amongst Shambha-lifers and newcomers alike. Pleasant faces consistently greet you, whether or not you are beginning or ending your day at 8am.
What separates Shambhala from most tenting festivals of its scale is the logistics. When you’re in, you’re in. There is no queue between the campsite and the pageant grounds—you’re free to go as you please. This creates a holistic expertise whereby you’re feeling such as you’re residing within the Salmo River Ranch ecosystem all through your keep, which may final every week for some friends.
Take Sunday, for instance. Some early birds and I fortunately dragged our fatigued our bodies to the Residing Room stage for LSDREAM’s “Lightcode” set, an hourlong meditative sound bathtub that undoubtedly didn’t unearth suppressed childhood trauma. It’s okay—I used to be higher for it.
Now spiritually cleansed, we made our method to the river, which runs alongside the facet of the pageant grounds, to chill off and unwind. A brief stroll to camp for dinner and a nap revitalized us for the lengthy evening forward. There are numerous high-quality meals distributors to maintain you fueled throughout the 18 to twenty hours of music every day, however whipping out a breakfast burrito from my fanny pack and chowing down at a 3am set is the liberty for which my frugal spirit is right here.
Shambhala is an independently owned music pageant produced on land belonging to its house owners. In contrast to many festivals, the levels aren’t torn down every year. They’re everlasting installations which might be improved yearly. This creates familiarity and curiosity as you revisit Pagoda’s laser-bathed entrance porch, Village’s coliseum-like halls or Fractal Forest’s limitless maze of lights.
Fractal Forest obtained the most important makeover in 2024. The jaw-dropping, all-encompassing forest stage was upgraded with extra lights and an even bigger, increased elevated platform. Fractal was distinctive for its 360° vantage level, whereby crowds may watch from all angles. It’s nonetheless technically a 360° presentation, however the up to date design pushed the stage off-center. The situation and better elevation made it troublesome to see from behind the artist; it’s a internet optimistic that improves a number of facets of Fractal Forest whereas taking away a element that impacts a minority of followers.
Elsewhere, Rabbit Gap, beforehand one in every of Shambs’ many hidden areas, was renovated right into a small, devoted stage so as to add to the pageant’s seemingly limitless choices for having fun with music.
Shambhala 2024’s largest success story is its entry course of. The strains to get into the tenting grounds had been notoriously grueling—you may spend between 4 and 12 hours ready together with your automotive to enter the campsites. I used to be unprepared for my first tour in 2022 and strongly thought-about not returning after dry-aging within the solar for what felt like an eternity.
Some counsel bringing canopies for the road or driving in a single day to keep away from the solar. Whereas I respect the spirit of the 20,000 individuals who do something to get to Shambhala, I don’t suppose making tenting preparations for a queue or driving sleep-deprived to flee the warmth are applicable options. I’m ecstatic to report that Shambhala pulverized these considerations this yr.
I used to be bewildered—and actually nonetheless am—to reach on Thursday evening and discover a wait time of 10 minutes. Shambhala not solely managed to enhance their dreaded queues, however additionally they eradicated the issue completely. Asking round, it appears a mix of things radically improved the method. Organizers opened two factors of entry, doubled its manpower and streamlined their safety course of to repair what I thought-about their one essential weak spot.
We’ve made it fairly far with out discussing an essential element within the “music festival” dynamic: the music. I used to be admittedly underwhelmed when the lineup was introduced. The poster had heavy-hitters, together with Chromeo, Dillon Francis, Disclosure, DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak), Excision and Subtronics, however the lineup featured many names we’ve seen at Shambhala in recent times and didn’t fairly measure as much as comparable summer season festivals. Longtime guests would possibly, nevertheless, insist that Shambhala is about far more than a lineup.
The set instances, excluding Sunday, weren’t extremely aggressive and that allowed me to expertise Shambhala with a beautiful presentness. I moved from stage to stage unencumbered by who was taking part in the place. If I struck a very good vibe, I freely loved it with out concern for what got here subsequent. It additionally cleared time to discover all of the whimsical hidden particulars tucked out of sight. It was extremely releasing.
Dimension, Excision and Subtronics shook the foundations of Village, Chromeo and Pee .Wee have been the lives of the social gathering at Fractal Forest, Zingara tore the roof off Pagoda and San Holo thrilled at AMP.
Certainly one of Shambhala’s nice traditions is its shock units. We have been handled this yr to a shock dawn b2b between Subtronics and Tape B. This was warmly obtained contemplating the 2 dubstep stars confronted stiff competitors earlier that night.
The pageant doubled up on particular reveals. Eyebrows have been raised when CloZee and LSDREAM have been scheduled for separate units at Pagoda contemplating the success of their supergroup, LSZEE. Nicely, they heard the suggestions and handled followers to an unannounced LSZEE set that ranks among the many greatest I’ve ever seen. Different highlights included The Funk Hunters, AHEE and SkiiTour.
All mentioned and carried out, Shambhala returned to the Salmo River Ranch in B.C. for its silver anniversary with a weekend that lived as much as the event. The pageant continues to construct on its strengths, patch its weaknesses and curate a few of the greatest experiences and fan tradition within the international EDM neighborhood. Cheers to a different 25 years.
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