Over the past weekend, Stage Hoppers had the pleasure of attending Dallas’ annual music festival, Lights All Night, to ring in the new year. With its top-tier lineup of artists and immersive production, it’s no wonder that the festival has become a beloved tradition for many in the Dallas area.
LINEUP
Past editions of Lights All Night hosted a range of well-known artists, and this year, featured fan favorites including Zeds Dead, Griz, Excision and many more. To recap on the performances, Zeds Dead opened with their new single with Griz, “Ecstacy of Soul,” after teasing fans with the ID all year. The dynamic dubstep duo shutdown LAN at mainstage day two with Ookay’s feel-good, melodic saxophone classic, “Theif”, as confetti cannons blasted rainbow bits into the air. Griz also killed it on stage with a heavier set compared to his other performances. Excision had some nasty drops with an insane amount of vibrant lasers.
Ganja White Night blew me away as the speakers got progressively louder throughout the night, jamming their wobbly bass music. Boogie T’s marijuanna-themed visuals were fun, Svdden Death took the crowd to another dimension, and Tchmai felt like a euphoric house party. Porter Robinson caught me by surprise with his skill to incorporate various genres of EDM including electro house and hardstyle as well as undulating synth-pop reveries. He also played a snippet of Skrillex & Fred Again’s new collab featuring Flowdan.
VENUE
I can’t help but praise the high-energy atmosphere and top-notch production at Light’s All Night 2022. LAN is known for its elaborate stage designs and lighting effects, which help to create an immersive and visually stunning experience. Although LAN is an indoor festival and there’s no pyro, the lasers are incredible.
I did not like this year’s set up at Lights All Night. There was only one water station, which was super crowded and unorganized. I also disliked the alleyway positioning of the portal potties which felt very claustrophobic.
There were several photo ops with cute neon signs, festive backdrops and of course, the epic “LAN” sign under the disco ball. There was also a 360 photo booth (which I’ve never seen at a festival before)! This innovative experience captures a 360 video from all angles of your festival squad.
I was really impressed with all the vendors at LAN. One food vendor sold lemonade (so refreshing!) in a large, decorative plastic cup and generously offered free refills. The White Claw tent was giving away free keychains, koozies and cans of White Claw Surges if you showed your ID!
COMMUNITY
In addition to the music, Lights All Night also aims to promote a message of positivity and unity, encouraging attendees to “Celebrate Life, Love, and Music.” The EDM scene in Texas is continuing to expand, and with the Disco Donnie Presents (DDP) acquisition of LAN, the festival joins Ubbi Dubbi and Freaky Deaky as another major Texas festival under the DDP umbrella.
The vibes at LAN were immaculate. There was plenty of room to dance and move around Dallas Market Hall and there were so many talented flow artists, especially the glovers hanging out in the back of the crowd giving mind-blowing shows. Some of my favorite totems I spotted were a Hasbullah reaper, a red flag (literally), and a Shrek piñata.
I wish there were more advertised, official afters to keep the party going, but with all the shows occurring for NYE, it’s understandable how difficult bookings could be. Lights All Night closed 2022 with a bang, and we’re super stoked for more from DDP this year.
