Electric Forest 2019 Review – Getting Lost in the Forest
Photo Credit: Electric Forest Music Festival / Alive Coverage
Close your eyes… and envision your dream fairytale festival. What do you see? I see an illuminated sky full of neon lights and lasers, a crowd of smiling fans dancing to their favorite songs experiencing pure bliss, an array of trees glowing in their natural habitat, immersive and interactive art installations and so much more magic that I can’t even put into words. Now take this vision of yours and mine and intensify it then imagine it coming to life along with more creativity and experiences that we can’t even think possible. This is Electric Forest.
This music festival masterpiece leaves me more mind blown year after year and in absolute awe of the pure love, creativity, positivity, passion, hard work and magic that goes into producing this one of a kind experience.
Check out our review of Electric Forest 2018!
Check out our review of Electric Forest 2017!
Electric Forest is my favorite festival and every year I am reminded of my deep love and connection to this special place. The feelings and emotions I have towards this festival are unlike anything in this world and I know thousands of other people feel the same way. Although we cannot be in the Forest all year long, the energy, vibes and love of Electric Forest are strong enough to last all year round until we are blessed enough to reunite over the summer for a weekend of Forest adventures.
Getting to the Forest
I must admit, the Forest is a bit of a mission to get to with all of your camping gear, but it is ALWAYS worth the journey. This year my friends and I decided to fly into the Detroit airport and take the official Electric Forest shuttle to the festival.
Upon arriving in Detroit, we were easily able to find the area for shuttle pick up and were greeted by other festival attendees all with big smiles and excitement in their eyes. We looked around and were so happy with our decision to travel to the Forest on a shuttle filled with adventurous souls from all over the country. The shuttle ride went by so smooth and quick since everyone was busy talking about where they were from and who they were most excited to see over the weekend. We quickly made new friends and little did we know that these new friends of ours would become our neighbors for the weekend.
After arriving at Double JJ Resort, we had to walk to go setup camp. We walked for a few minutes until a guy came running to us and it was one of our new friends from the shuttle. He offered us to camp with him and his friends in the RV area and we eagerly accepted the invite. We quickly set up camp, so we could get ready for the start of day one.
As we walk up to the main gates of Electric Forest, I start to get butterflies. Realizing that I am about to walk into my heaven on earth for four full days of magic, love, adventures and surprises I couldn’t even imagine at the time. The gates are open and it’s time to start this festival fairytale.
Day One – Thursday
The first set of the day for my friends and I was TAUK at Sherwood Court, but in order to get to this stage one must walk through Sherwood Forest, the heart of the Forest. Walking through Sherwood Forest has always been the highlight of my Electric Forest experiences. You never know what you’re going to find or stumble upon. Not even your wildest imagination or craziest dreams can compare to the beauty and creativity of the Forest. With so much to see and so much to do, it is my favorite place in the entire festival.
Walking through Sherwood Forest, I spy fairies on stilts playing jump rope… intrigued, I walk over to join the jump rope activities. I quickly jumped in and started jumping up and down with tons of joy realizing that this was just the beginning. I can now say I jumped rope with fairies on stilts… I mean who can say that? (Only Forest Fam).
Continuing my stroll, I find a group of what appeared to be alien fairies. They were too weird and spacey looking to be normal fairies, but they sure were majestic and mysterious. I looked down at the ground and saw a plastic cup on the floor. I instantly looked up and made eye contact with one of the alien fairies. She looked at me and said, “That’s MOOP”. I replied, “What’s MOOP?” She quickly enlightened me by saying, “MOOP is matter out of place and therefore you should pick it up and place it where it belongs”. Even though I did not put the cup there, I quickly picked it up and placed it in the recycle bins that are scattered all throughout the Forest. I walked away from the interaction having learned something new and completing a good deed.
Time for some jams! Gramatik was one of the main headliners I wanted to see that night. One of Gramatik’s classic sayings is “Good music is felt not heard”. And WOW, my soul felt the funky jams and groovy beats he delivered to us at the Ranch Arena. I remember at one point turning around to my friends and saying, “This set is so fantastic, I will cherish this memory with all of you forever”, and I meant it.
The Polish Ambassador also blessed us with an invigorating and incredible set over at Sherwood Court. I’ll never forget just looking around the field and seeing everyone with pure glee glistening from their faces. It truly was a special moment. The next set of the night was Odesza. This talented duo always produces a spectacular show along with musicians and a full drum line. The way the drummers are all in sync while going absolutely crazy on the drums is always a sight to see and hear. To end the night, we head over to Lettuce at Jubilee. It was a beautiful blend of jazz, hip-hop and groovy soul music, perfect way to end the night. My ears and soul were left pleased beyond belief.
Walking back to camp, we decided to stop at The Chapel. This is the place where all the weird shenanigans happen and it is definitely the place to be for after hours. When we walked in there was a game going on called “Pass the Orange”. The only rules were you couldn’t use your hands to pass the orange. I watched strangers quickly join forces while trying to pass an orange with their necks. The next act was a Vampire Striptease.
What started off to be a dark and mysterious performance quickly turned sexy and exciting. While being mesmerized by this Vampire Goddess, I noticed that next to me was standing Pasquale Rotella. Yes, it was THE Pasquale Rotella. Now I didn’t know where to look, I wanted to enjoy the performance, but I also was admiring one of my biggest inspirations. For those of you that don’t know, Pasquale Rotella is the founder of Insomniac. Electric Forest is produced by Madison House Presents and Insomniac, which makes him one of the founders of this festival. I wanted to go up to him and thank him for creating this fairytale playground for all of us to experience, but I also admired seeing him being a “normal” person enjoying the festival just like the rest of us. So, I decided to just admire from a distance and let him enjoy just as I had been.
Day Two – Friday
I love that the Forest does four days; because when you wake up Friday morning you get a sense of relief knowing there is still three more days of fun ahead. I started the day by heading over to Main Street in GA camping. This area is filled with rows of food and art vendors, The Brainery and the General Store. This festival truly thinks of everything and tries to make the camping experience as convenient as possible for attendees. Campers are able to buy ice, hygiene products, snacks and camping supplies at the general store and are also offered several scrumptious food options that include gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options.
Time to go frolic in the Forest for Freaky Friday. We started the day with Escort at the Carousel Club. This is one of my favorite stages because it’s a bit hidden and tucked away, making you feel like you’re walking into a secret house party upon entering. It also has air-conditioning, which is a huge plus. After Escort, we decided to get down to some bass, so we went to Tripolee for Ivy Lab.
After raging to some bass, it was time to go explore the Forest. Having attended Electric Forest the last three years, I always wonder if there will be new art installations or just old ones. Fortunately, every year memorable art installations are brought back in addition to new masterpieces to catch our eye. This year I was left in awe by the new Wicked Wizard greeting fans as they entered Sherwood Forest. I also felt nostalgia after finding the beloved Elephant in the Forest. This art installation is not only a magnificent marvel to see, but also serves as an easy locator to find friends throughout the Forest.
The Silent Disco at Electric Forest is by far one of the best silent discos in the country. The way the trees glow and the lasers illuminate the sky makes it so unique. We danced around in the Silent Disco for a bit, each of us jamming to our own beat and channel. It’s such a personal experience, one can easily get lost in their own world.
Back to the music. Friday night was the bass take-over at Tripolee, so it was only appropriate to get more bass in my face. We watched Caspa throw down for thousands of bass lovers and we got in on the fun. We danced like weirdos yet without a care in the world. When people say you can dance however you like without people judging at a festival, it’s true, and one must experience it themselves to realize this. Festivals are places to be yourself, to be free, to dance like nobody is watching and to enjoy life in that very moment without any worries or stress.
After receiving a full dose of bass for the night, we headed over to the Carousel Club to watch The Nth Power Presents: Earth, Wind & Power. A set filled with old school classics, soulful jazzy beats and spiritually sexy sounds; an absolute delicacy for my senses.
Making our way back to camp, we stop at The Observatory. I’ve always enjoyed the peaceful and playful vibes of this stage. I experienced one of my favorite memories at this stage back in 2015 when I watched a set of a band I had never seen before with a charming young man that I had just met. A photographer captured this special moment and it will forever be one of my favorite memories and photos. But back to 2019… the renovations made at this stage were incredible compared to the year before. It was as if the stage had undergone a magical makeover.
The party never ends at Electric Forest. The Renegade Stages are always popping off until sunrise and beyond. So many producers and DJs come together for some of the most epic and unexpected back-to-backs. The two Renegade Stages that I spent the most time at this year were the Mean Mug Stage and the Jaenga Bus Stage. Both delivering delicious beats every night until the sweet hours of the sunrise.
Day Three – Saturday
A true Forest experience isn’t complete without a lazy-day hammock session. Today was our day to hammock and chill. After raging for two full days, it was time to relax a bit before the Saturday night shenanigans. Being a group of girls, we struggled a bit to find a spot where we could set up all of our hammocks close to each other. A group of nice gentlemen offered to double stack our hammocks for us, so we could enjoy being above and under one another. They even offered to help us get in and out of our hammocks since most of us are a bit on the shorter side. You’re truly never alone in the Forest, the community at this festival is always eager to help out one another in endless ways.
During our hammock and chill session, a very familiar and classic voice starts singing. Long behold, it was one of the most recognized voices on the radio, T-Pain. My friends and I joked about seeing his set. We like to believe that we don’t “enjoy” radio music and we prefer more authentic music that can’t be listened to during the Top 40 countdown. To our surprise, his set was enjoyable and a lot of fun. We giggled and bobbed back and forth near our hammocks as we listened to some classics such as “Buy U A Drank” and “I’m In Love With A Stripper”. This just proved to us that no matter who is performing or what they’re playing, the Forest makes all music “better”. The vibes of this festival truly put the icing on top for unique and memorable music experiences from artists of all genres.
The Forest is full of interactive and playful games. One of my favorite puzzles is the challenge of obtaining a passport and solving all the riddles, which upon completion will grant you access to a super secret party that most attendees never get to experience or even know about. The passport can be obtained at the Time Travel Agency in The Hangar. This year’s passport included four riddles to be solved.
It’s always so entertaining and amusing going to the areas where the answers are to be found and seeing festival-goers coming together to try and solve these crazy riddles. We quickly joined forces with another group trying to solve the riddle that could be solved in The Hangar. Did we end up solving all of the riddles and getting access to the super secret party? Hell yeah. But due to the sacredness of the special party being a surprise for riddle solvers, I will leave the magic untold to be experienced by oneself upon completion of your Time Travel Agency Passport.
Other Forest treasures that are easy to stumble upon are the Fairy Houses that are scattered all throughout the festival. Each fairy house is beautifully crafted to create a cute and charismatic vibe and message for spectators. Finding these gems throughout the Forest is always such a pleasure. They contain little reminders such as “A light heart lives long” and “Too many people undervalue what they are, and overvalue what they are not”. These fairy houses serve as gentle yet gracious reminders of the simplicity of life.
The String Cheese Incident played several sets throughout the weekend, but tonight was their most anticipated set of the four-day weekend. They announced earlier in the week that they had a special surprise for Saturday night. We caught pieces of their set on Thursday and Friday, but tonight was the night to truly soak in the vibes of The String Cheese Incident. Whether you like jam bands or not, this group of musicians will for sure get you moving and grooving. Everyone is so friendly and welcoming that you can’t help but dance and smile to the sweet soulful music of Cheese. Their Saturday night performance left us mind blown. This band never ceases to amaze me more and more every set.
Calling all Dirtybird Fans! It is time for Mr. Dirtybird, Claude Vonstroke. This extremely talented and eclectic producer is the founder of the Dirtybird record label, which is loved and cherished by so many house music fans. This was my favorite house music set of the weekend. Claude really knows how to make you feel yourself and get lost in the music.
Next up, Bassnectar. This producer has one of the biggest followings I have ever witnessed. With his classic saying of “coming from miles around”, fans really do travel from all over the country and go on wild adventures just to see this man play a set. His production is always next level and out of this world. Some people claim his music is “too intense”, but if you love bass then you will be in heaven experiencing blissful bass beats. We absolutely went crazy for this set and after the set we all brought it in for a sweaty yet well-earned group hug. After Bassnectar, we went to catch the end of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Jubilee.
After the music, we were seeking a thrilling adventure. We found the Banyan Family House. Having no idea what it was or what it entailed, but we read the sign that said “A 60 minute Immersive Experience”. We waited in line where we were greeted by an energetic hummingbird. We waited less than ten minutes before entering the Banyan Family House. I don’t want to spoil the surprise for festival-goers who didn’t get to experience this or who have not attended the festival yet, so I’ll keep it short and sweet.
A hummingbird led us to a room that was filled with fuzzy walls and a creature named Fuzzy who made us sing tribal songs as a group. Then we were led by other Banyan family members such as the Eagle to other secret rooms where we had to solve puzzles as a group in order to move onto the next room. After completing each room we were gifted a sticker to put in our own personal Banyan Family House book. At the end of the immersive experience, one should have all the stickers to fill out their family book. This was a new addition to the Forest this year and it was so interestingly immersive, I hope they bring it back again next year.
Day Four – Sunday
On the last day we woke up and headed to Yoga with Hannah Muse at Tripolee. Yoga is offered every morning of the Forest and it’s so nice to stretch it out and let it out. After loosening up, it was time to enjoy the final day of Electric Forest.
It’s always such a bittersweet feeling on the last day. You are happy to be there and to be soaking in the magic, but you’re also a bit sad knowing today is the last day of this fairytale festival experience.
On the last day I always like to spend a lot of time in Sherwood Forest since there is no place comparable in the world. I take time to admire the art installations, to engage in the interactive activities and to make new friends. One of my favorite installations in the Forest is the Forest Goddess that watches over us all weekend. She is so powerful and majestic. The Forest Goddess is joined by Forest Guardians, who guide fans down a colorful and bright path of umbrellas.
We follow the umbrella path and are led to The Hangar. This is another one of my favorite areas in the festival since there is so much to do. Inside of The Hangar there is a barbershop, a tattoo parlor, a massage room, a candy counter, a mini-golf setup, bowling, pool tables, foosball tables, the Time Travel Agency, the Carousel Club and many more surprises. After a weekend of dancing and walking, I am in need of a massage. I lie down and let the attractive young lady get to work on my back. I am left feeling refreshed and relaxed for the final night of festivities.
One of my biggest dreams in life has been to ride a hot air balloon. Luckily, Electric Forest turned this dream into a reality. The festival offers hot air balloon rides all weekend (weather-permitting) for an extremely affordable price. Waiting in line to go up in the sky, it started to hit me that I was manifesting one of my biggest dreams in life at my favorite place in the world.
Time to go up! Walking up to the basket, we were instructed to have one person climb out followed by one person climbing in. The reality of this situation started to hit me. We started to go up and up until we could see most of the Forest overhead. I must admit, I was a little bit nervous realizing how high up we were, but the view made it very memorable and such a special experience that I will cherish forever. After coming back down to land, it was time for the final night of music.
The Floozies were our first set of the night. This electronic duo delivered a set filled with joyful and uplifting songs along with a dazzling display of lights and lasers. Feeling content and euphoric, we headed over to the Ranch Arena for the closing headliner, Zeds Dead.
Zeds Dead played a heavy and exhilarating set. Realizing it was the last set of Electric Forest 2019; I started to cry tears of happiness and sadness. I was happy that I got to experience all of this, but so sad that it was coming to an end. I proceeded to dance my heart out with a big smile on, yet with tears rolling down my face. My friends, old and new, hugged me and comforted me during this moment of realization. I have never cried at any other music festival because it was coming to an end, but every year at Electric Forest I am brought to tears as I exit what I consider to be my “heaven on Earth”.
After the music, we roamed the Forest until we were kindly asked to make our way to the exit. Upon exiting, we found a sacred altar illuminated by colorful lights in the middle of Reincarnation Village. We stood there admiring the altar and paying our final respects and goodbyes to Sherwood Forest.
I have never felt the feelings or emotions for anything or anyone in my life that I feel for Electric Forest. It sounds a bit “cliché”, but until you experience this festival for yourself you won’t fully understand. I’ve been to festivals all over the country and even internationally, and nothing even comes close to comparing. The community at the festival is so welcoming and friendly, creating a strong sense of belonging and unity. I have never yearned to return to a festival so much in my life until Electric Forest. Immediately after exiting the gates, you feel a strong desire and connection to return. It’s truly an indescribable feeling. It’s one that must be felt personally for each individual to have his or her own unique experience. We are already counting down the days to Electric Forest 2020 where the festival will be celebrating its 10th year anniversary. Join us next year for a life-changing adventure and stay up to date by visiting the official Electric Forest website for news and updates about Electric Forest 2020.
Electric Forest 2019 Photo Gallery
