As the Valley enters the cooler season, Jeff Montalvo, musically known as Seven Lions, emerges from his ethereal forest as he brings his “Prelude: Gathering Twilight” show to the desert skies in Rawhide Western Town & Event Center. An enchanting journey awaits as Ekonovah, HVDES, Space Wizard and Apashe decorate the atmosphere with dynamic dubstep and riddim to set the stage for the world of Seven Lions.
As the sun sank behind the town, the glow of the stage illuminated the enclosed space with neon green and blue, jolting the crowd into action with the heavy bass as Ekonovah took the stage. He recently stepped outside his comfort zone as a primarily house artist, weaving heavier dubstep elements into this set. His departure from the expected became a theme echoed by the following artists. HVDES matched the dubstep energy as she brought a powerful and haunting set paired with eerie, beautiful visuals telling her heavy story of self-discovery.
Space Wizard transitioned from the metallic, robotic world of HVDES into a digital dreamscape as he brought bass that sent a shockwave under the entire venue and rattled the walls. His unique use of riddim mirrored the surreal and magical landscape of his visuals as they were brought to life.
Montreal producer Apashe's bass-heavy instrumentals transformed the scene into a majestic, classical palace. Cinematic visuals of knights, gleaming swords and towering castles swirled as his mixed classical elegance and modern glitchy beats create something royal and impossible not to move to. The crowd erupted as he played his collaboration with IMANU, High Klassified and Cherry Lena titled “I’m Fine - IMANU Remix” from his album “Renaissance (Remixes)” released in 2021. The unique blend of futuristic house and emotional lyrics creates a powerful narrative about trust.
Promptly at 12:10 a.m., the overhead lights and lanterns hanging from the ceiling spilled purple light over the concertgoers, signaling the arrival of the main event. The visuals transcended the audience into a new dimension full of melodic dubstep and trance. Flowers lined the DJ deck, completing the dreamlike world with blooming color.
The audience was completely absorbed by the emotional, almost nostalgic tracks like “Strangers” and his newest release, “By the Light of the Moon”. A real treat was having HALIENE share the stage to add her vocals to a few tracks and bring them to life. As the final notes faded, chants of “one more song!” reverberated with anticipation and successfully brought him out for one last track and a heartfelt goodbye. The night ended not in chaos, but with a wave of emotion as groups exchanged information and hugs.
An electrifying and unified night like this only builds excitement within the rave community for upcoming events like the Better Together festival and Decadence later this year.