If you’ve been around the festival scene long enough, you know the routine. You spend weeks color-coding your schedule, convince yourself you’re finally going to stay hydrated, and promise your friends you won’t split up this year. Then someone hears bass in the distance, another person wants chicken tenders, and suddenly you’re watching an artist you never planned on seeing become your favorite set of the weekend. That’s the magic of North Coast Music Festival. For 16 years, the festival has mastered the art of balancing world-class headliners with rising talent, creating the kind of lineup where every stage has the potential to steal the show. Whether you’re a first-timer or a North Coast veteran, these are the artists we’d be making a point to catch.
Tape B
At this point, Tape B doesn’t just attract crowds—he has a bass army behind him. His ability to blend nostalgic hip-hop samples, deep dubstep, and flawless edits has turned him into one of the hottest names in bass music. Every festival feels like another level-up, and his sets have become appointment viewing for fans who appreciate equal parts filthy drops and feel-good throwbacks. If you’re planning on seeing Tape B, don’t make the mistake of showing up five minutes before he starts.
Sammy Virji
Sammy Virji has been one of the driving forces behind UK garage’s explosion in North America, and his sets make it incredibly easy to understand why. His infectious grooves, effortless mixing, and unmatched ability to keep a crowd moving create the kind of performance where even your friend who “doesn’t really dance” suddenly forgets they’re too cool. It’s impossible not to have fun when Virji is behind the decks.
Levity
Levity has had one of the fastest come ups in recent years, becoming synonymous with good vibes, and honestly, that’s harder to pull off than it sounds. Their sets blend emotional moments, huge bass drops, and nonstop energy into an experience that feels like a celebration from start to finish. Don’t be surprised if this ends up being the set your camera roll accidentally fills itself with.
Reaper
If your ideal festival experience involves taking a quick breather, Reaper respectfully declines. His relentless drum & bass sets are packed with blistering energy, razor-sharp production, and enough intensity to make your smartwatch think you’re running a marathon. Consider this your warning to stretch beforehand.
Wuki
Trying to predict where a Wuki set is going next is part of the fun. House, bass, hip-hop, festival edits—he’ll bounce between them all without ever losing momentum. Every time you think you’ve figured out the direction he’s taking, he’ll flip the script again. That’s exactly why he’s become one of the most consistently entertaining performers on any festival lineup.
ARMNHMR
Every festival needs a set that reminds everyone they still have emotions somewhere underneath the hydration packs and pashminas. ARMNHMR has mastered that balance between melodic beauty and earth-shaking bass, delivering performances that feel cinematic without ever sacrificing energy. Don’t be surprised if you catch yourself singing along with thousands of strangers before the next drop sends everyone airborne.
Super Future
Super Future has quietly become one of the most exciting artists in experimental bass by refusing to sound like anyone else. His blend of funk, soulful melodies, downtempo grooves, and deep bass creates the kind of set you wander into out of curiosity and leave wondering why more people weren’t talking about it. North Coast has always been a festival for discovering artists like this.
Zorza
Every year, there’s an artist whose name you’ll suddenly start seeing everywhere after festival season wraps up. Zorza feels like one of those artists. Her energetic style, polished productions, and rapidly growing fanbase make this the perfect opportunity to catch her while she’s still climbing toward even bigger stages.
Emorfik
If subtlety is what you’re looking for, Emorfik is probably not your guy—and that’s exactly the point. His crushing sound design and unapologetically heavy performances have made him one of bass music’s fastest-rising names. Expect headbanging, neck soreness, and enough bass to make you question whether your earplugs are working.
Gudfella
Gudfella continues building momentum with explosive productions and crowd-focused performances that never seem to let the energy dip. If you’re chasing those chaotic festival moments where everyone around you instantly becomes your best friend for the next hour, this is a set worth circling.
Close Friends Only
Some artists perform for a crowd. Close Friends Only performs with one. Their collaborative energy and genre-spanning selections create an atmosphere that feels less like a concert and more like one giant party where everyone somehow already knows each other. It’s exactly the kind of set North Coast has built its reputation on.
Dansyn
Festival veterans know that some of the best memories don’t come from the biggest names—they come from the artists you knew almost nothing about before wandering into their set. Dansyn has all the ingredients to become one of those discoveries this year, making now the perfect time to get familiar before everyone else catches on.
The best advice we can give after years of chasing festival schedules is simple: don’t chase them too hard. Some of your favorite memories will happen because you took a wrong turn, followed the sound of a stage you hadn’t planned on visiting, or let your friends convince you to check out “just one song.” North Coast has always rewarded curiosity, and this year’s lineup is no different. We’ll continue our Road to North Coast series with exclusive guest mixes from Reaper, Wuki, Dansyn, and ARMNHMR, along with curated playlists from Super Future, Zorza, Emorfik, Gudfella, and Close Friends Only, available on our socials.
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Photo Credit: Featured Photo; @sflynnphoto