Seismic Dance Event is my favorite home festival and I got to ring in my 29th birthday at Seismic Lite aka a mini Seismic for springtime. It was a perfect two-day event filled with the intimate vibes Seismic is known for with heavy hitter acts in house and techno.
Overview
Beginning in 2018, Seismic has become known for its intimate vibe and stacked house and techno lineup. Typically happening in the fall time until last year Seisimc debuted a spring event to give us a dose of the Seismic magic earlier in the year. I really do love coming to this event as it’s super easy to attend especially living in Austin. The Seismic community is also so special and I’m reminded every time Seismic comes back around. You can expect a friendly crowd who is truly there for the music. I’ll be sharing more about this experience and if it piques your interest, definitely purchase your tickets for Seismic in the fall.
You can use code VIBE for $10 off weekend passes.
Note: I do promote for Seismic so I do receive comped tickets from those using my code which I so appreciate. For this event, I had VIP tickets and will be sharing about that experience.
Venue
Seismic Dance Event is hosted at The Concourse Project which is near the Austin airport. It’s a big warehouse that transforms with every Seismic with next-level production. For Seismic Lite, they had the warehouse with the main lineup acts then a smaller tented outdoor stage featuring specialty sets and local artists. In terms of getting to and from the venue, you could rideshare or drive. We did rideshare both of the days and didn’t have any issues.
Stages & Production
The Main Stage inside the warehouse was my favorite production by far at The Concourse Project. It had an all-immersive feeling to it and paired so well with any artist there. I never have complaints when it comes to sound, visual, or lightning at Seismic because all of it is well thought out and intentional. The outdoor patio stage was also solid and felt super intimate with solid lightning to accompany it.
Music
I know I can always trust Seismic to deliver a solid music lineup filled with acts I might’ve seen or acts I’ve been wanting to see. I also walk away with more artists who I wouldn’t have known about if it weren’t for Seismic. The special thing with Seismic is the sets are extended sets most of the time where artists could play anywhere from 90-minute sets to three-hour sets. This really allows the artist to experiment with their set as they know they’re playing to house and techno fans. They know they can deliver a set that isn’t their typical festival set which is always cool to see.
Favorite Sets from the Weekend
From the first day, Armin van Buuren’s set really impressed me. I hadn’t seen a full set of his before and to get a three-hour trance and techno set was cool to see as he’s more of a trance artist. It was cool to see what other songs he’d throw in and he did go a melodic techno route at one point.
On the second day, I really enjoyed Cristoph, Solardo, and James Hype b2b Meduza. Cristoph has always been a favorite of mine with his progressive house and techno sound. Solardo had a high-energy house set that kept the energy going the whole time. James Hype b2b Meduza had a three-hour back-to-back that they totally improvised on. It was a true masterclass on how to do a proper back-to-back. I wish this set was recorded, but I’m excited they’ll be doing a b2b at an upcoming event I’m attending.
All in all, there is no shortage of good music at any Seismic event. I’m super stoked for their fall lineup.
Vibes
Seismic vibes are always the best vibes. The Austin crowd is always the best and everyone always dresses to impress.
Crowd
You definitely can expect a friendly crowd that keeps the high energy going. I never have a bad crowd experience even with people who travel from out of state. I think the house and techno crowd combined with the friendly Texas crowd makes for a good combo. Seismic always feels like a great homecoming with all of my friends so it’s always fun to run into the friends I’ve made throughout my time in Austin.
What to Wear
In terms of what to wear, you can expect house and techno baddies to be decked out in their proper black attire or streetwear. Black outfits are pretty common, but you’ll find the occasional colorful rave outfit too. Comfy shoes can also be important as you’re dancing on concrete or hard surfaces whether you’re inside or outside.
Overall Experience
Going to a festival like Seismic is always so seamless. It’s always refreshing to come back to Seismic because from beginning to end, it is a really solid experience.
Security
Security is a breeze typically just checking for weapons and ensuring you don’t have any prohibited items. Just be sure to check the website for what’s allowed and not allowed in.
VIP
I do enjoy the VIP experience at Seismic. They have a dedicated lounge and bar and separate bathrooms for VIP guests. They also recently added an elevated viewing deck inside of The Concourse Project which is nice to have for busier sets. I find VIP to be worth it especially in the fall for those reasons above.
Non-Music Features
For the Spring edition, it is mainly music-focused; however, you can find merch and vendors outside of the warehouse. I also find that Seismic does a great job of having photo ops and art featured too. For fall, they do have a lot of chill areas for attendees to sit and take breaks too which is always appreciated.
Food
There are always solid food options and they also have options for dietary restrictions too. I always go for Southside Flying Pizza, but I’ve heard great things about the other vendors there too.
Weather
This event was supposed to be outside, but given the nature of Texas in May, they had it inside and outside. The weather was overcast with some sprinkles, but otherwise wasn’t too hot whether you were inside or outside of the warehouse.
Tips for Next Time
I’m curious to see if they bring Seismic Spring back for next year as there are talks about not having it next year. If you’re interested, I think Seismic Spring is a real easy-going event and can be a great event for newbies to the scene too. I definitely recommend VIP if you care about better bathrooms and viewing areas/lounges.
Would I attend again?
Always lol I’ll be going to anything Seismic throws for the rest of my life I feel like.
I hope this recap piques your interest to join us for the Seismic Dance Event in the fall. Get your weekend passes and use code VIBE to save. See you there!
Check out my Seismic videos on YouTube!
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