The return of live music in 2021 was turbulent, with concerns lingering about whether big-scale music events with massive crowds were safe to attend. However, given how heavily the pandemic hit the music industry—and how much music lovers missed going to experience their favorite artists—there has been a lot of anticipation for them to return.
As the 2022 festival season is upon us, excitement rides the air. That one blissful part of the year where you file away all the bad news, gloomy weather, and outraged tweets for weeks upon weeks of relentless music-fuelled revelry. As a central point for music fans and industry heads alike, who wouldn’t want to spend three days and two nights partying in different destinations and running around fields with their pals, especially after surviving a pandemic. With all this in mind, you’ll probably be deciding what festival you would like to add to your calendar this April. Not to worry, we’ve done all the work, so you know what to look out for this season.
A State of Trance 1000 Los Angeles
With the ease of pandemic restrictions, Armin Van Buuren returns to Los Angeles to celebrate 1000 episodes of A State Of Trance. Scheduled for April 9, 2022, A State of Trance 1000 will occur at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles.
Joining Armin Van Buuren to get your trance on will be iconic German duo Cosmic Gate, Anjunabeats favorites Gabriel & Dresden, DJ and producer MaRLo, and Armin van Buuren’s second in command on the radio show Ruben de Ronde.
A State of Trance festival will deliver the unique ‘ASOT’ vibe and electrifying atmosphere in its purest form with a strong lineup of artists performing for the night.
Tickets to ASOT 1000 are still available. - Lauryn Njeri
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Coachella
For years now, Coachella has been one of the most loved and respected events on the calendar. As one of the season’s first music festivals, Coachella 2022 is scheduled across two weekends: April 15-17 and April 22-24 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.
The announced headliners for Coachella 2022 include Harry Styles and Billie Eilish. The prestigious event will also feature special performances by Swedish House Mafia, Disclosure, and ANNA. In addition, Peggy Gou, TOKiMONSTA, Richie Hawtin, Run The Jewels, Flume, The Avalanches, DJ Holographic, DJ Koze, Jayda G, and many more will be performing across the two weekends. Check out the full lineup below. - Lauryn Njeri
Tickets to Coachella are available now.
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Desert Hearts Festival
Desert Hearts Festival is back to celebrate a decade of all things house, techno, and love. While the pandemic has made it impossible for the festival to occur in recent years, Desert Hearts promises that the weekend-long event will return from April 28-May 2. Festival-goers can anticipate non-stop music from the cutting-edge of electronic dance music with a fabulously freeing, creative vibe at their new Lake Perris locale in Southern California.
This year’s lineup welcomes Desert Hearts label bosses Mikey Lions and Lee Reynolds, accompanied by a star-studded lineup including Alan Nieves, Atish, Carl Craig, DJ Harvey, Kevin Knapp, Latmun, Lubelski, Marbs, Rinzen, Shaded, Tara Brooks, Township Rebellion, and loads more.
Music isn’t all that festival-goers can look forward to at Desert Hearts. The whole festival is an open-air art gallery, and it’s difficult to move without noticing mind-bending, immersive installations from local and international artists, not to mention a major new addition to the party — a picturesque and swimmable lake. - Lauryn Njeri
Tickets to Desert Hearts Festival are available now
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Ubbi Dubbi Festival
After solidifying its reputation as the “first festival back” following last year’s exhilarating production, Ubbi Dubbi Festival is a now-essential part of the calendar. The festival returns to its old Panther Island grounds in Fort Worth, Texas, this April 23-24.
The festival is Disco Donnie’s biggest fest yet, as some of the biggest names in electronic music like Dom Dolla, John Summit, Alison Wonderland, Diplo, Tiësto, Excision, PEEKABOO, Zeds Dead, and more are scheduled to take the stage.
With a solid lineup and a convenient location and date, it will be an undoubtedly memorable experience. - Lauryn Njeri
Tickets to Ubbi Dubbi Festival are still available.
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Afrikaburn
Africa’s Burning Man, known as Afrikaburn, will be taking place from April 25 - May 1 in Quaggafontein in the Tankwa Karoo, located in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.
The nature of this regional event is to explore and immerse yourself in whatever is playful, entertaining, or beautiful. The touchstone of value at Afrikaburn is immediacy: experience before theory, moral relationships before politics, survival before services, roles before jobs, ritual before symbolism, work before vested interest, participant support before sponsorship. Because it is not officially a music festival, there are never any set times or acts confirmed. It will be up to festival-goers to find the music and follow it. - Lauryn Njeri
Tickets to Afrikaburn are still available.
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Lucidity Festival: Regeneration Earth 2022
Lucidity Festival: Regeneration Earth, held at the Live Oak Park in Santa Barbara from April 8-10, is a transformative festival that pushes boundaries and touts itself as an open-source event. They co-create the festival with you! Inclusion is a big part of Lucidity, and immersion is strongly encouraged, so bring your art, lead a workshop, don that costume, and be free.
Local legends and international talent unite to help make your experience truly magical. This event features a diverse lineup of genres, ranging from bluegrass and trip-hop to hip-hop, downtempo, and world music. Acts like The Polish Ambassador, High Step Society, An-Ten-Nae, Balkan Bump, and Ayla Nereo will take you on a musical journey, helping make your Lucidity experience one to remember.
Lucidity boasts a variety of stages and environments that offer exactly what you need. For example, Lucid Landing handles the opening and closing festival and serves as host to the headlining acts. Inclucidity unites Santa Barbara’s underground house and techno community, while the Art Temple is a sacred space for full expression. Then you have the Pyrobar, which is all about that fire, and the Imaginarium is the spot for kids of all ages to experience the Family Garden. Rediscover your inner child at Lucidity Festival. - Carolina Quijano
Tickets to Lucidity Festival are available now.
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Paradise Blue
Paradise Blue is Excision’s first-ever vacation destination event in Cancun from April 29-May 2. This event takes place in paradise, hence the name, at the Four-Diamond Paradisus Resort and Marriott Resort. There’ll be multiple stages, including one directly on the beach!
Paradise Blue features an international bass lineup handpicked by Excision himself, guaranteed to make your headbang. Excision will perform three different sets throughout the party. In addition, ATLiens, Bear Grillz, Jessica Audiffred, LAYZ, Sullivan King, and Vampa will be joining him.
In addition to the incredible lineup, Paradise Blue also offers excursions such as visiting cenotes for rappelling, ziplining, and cliff jumping, taking ATVs through the jungles of Emotions Native Park, and visiting one of the best-preserved Mayan coastal sites, Tulum. Of course, this is just a taste of what you can experience while at Paradise Blue, so if this sounds like something up your alley, Excision’s festival is the one for you. - Carolina Quijano
Tickets for Paradise Blue are available now.