There’s a certain energy to be felt during a dubstep or hard bass set that is lacking in other genres. The musical cadence is constantly shifting: Heavy drops one hour, wavy, wubby sounds the next. Some songs lock all eyes and phones to the stage, others get the crowd moving in a unison of headbanging. It’s one thing to experience that cadence for an hour or on a single stage during a multi-genre fest and another entirely when the full experience is dedicated to the intense energy.
Festivals like Bass Canyon, Lost Lands and Thunderdome have been some of the grandest scale across the United States, delivering top tier visuals and sound to bass lovers. But for those based in Arizona (and countless others who traveled to the Valley) the debut of Insomniac's Bassrush last year and, just last month, Relentless Beats’s System Overload, brought a sample of the production and talent that some of the premier names offer.
Hosted by one of Arizona’s top EDM promoters, the event took place Feb. 27 and 28, at Chandler’s Rawhide Event Center. At the main stage, or the Power Grid, acts like Wooli and Illenium headlined each night. Known for opposing styles, Wooli brought a harder energy for Friday night while Illenium brought his an eclectic mix of hardcore drops and emotionally heavy classics, ending with a dramatic fireworks show.
Beyond the headliners, the Power Grid saw established acts like Canabliss, Eptic, Liquid Stranger, HOL!, NGHTMRE and a first-time performance from the newly debuted Richard Finger.
The debut and rise of anonymous duo Richard Finger is a good reflection of where the state of riddim is headed in 2026. With many EDM fans growing tired of the name DJ who is the focus of attention on the floor and instead craving a dancing experience focused on the floor, Richard Finger’s anonymous, crass personas provide a fun, unapologetic energy that focuses not on what the DJ looks like, but what the music sounds like.
“Everything about [our reception] has been surprising,” the duo behind Richard Finger said in an email statement. “We’re just having fun writing music. And our whole brand is pretty silly.”
Richard Finger, who played night one of System Overload, saw a crowd filled with devoted energy, with headbangers going full force on the floor and many attendees taking the extra step to show up with merch, trinkets or even costumes replicating the band.
“This was our first time playing in Arizona together,” Richard Finger said. “Seems like the community is thriving and full of open minded fans.”
Off the main stage, or in Vault 404, was an equally talented breadth of bass musicians. The indoor stage was headlined each night by groups The Resistance and Stoned to Death on Friday and Saturday respectively, with artists like BLVNKSPACE, Don Jamal and Warlord also playing sets across the weekend.
“The crowd didn’t stop dancing from open to close,” Artist Don Jamal said about his set. “The energy was there the entire time, which is rare.”
Jamal, who has been known from experimenting across a wide variety of dub and bass sounds through his career, praised Arizonan ravers for their energy and open-mindedness.
“Arizona’s bass scene is one of my favorites,” Jamal said. “People really know their stuff here, and, from what I’ve seen, the crowds are respectful and there to have a good time. I’d say they’re definitely in the top three on the West Coast.”
Jamal had played previously at Rawhide Event Center, opening for Zeds Dead in May, a show he said is one of his most meaningful Arizona shows.
“The layout of stages and shows here feels more unique than in other places, and there’s more space to dance. I hope they realize how lucky they are to experience a venue like that,” Don Jamal said. “I’d definitely do it again.”
That sentiment was expressed by several attendees, including Emery Davis, a seasoned raver and lover of all EDM genres, with a particular passion for bass and experimental genres.
“I had a really great time,” Davis said. “Going to any festival that is specific to your favorite genre of music is going to be, honestly, the best experience.”
Davis first saw the teaser poster with a friend at Goldrush Music Festival and has been highly anticipating System Overload since signing up for presale as it was announced. Once the lineup was announced, Davis was even more anxious for the event—particularly seeing Liquid Stranger perform night one.
“A really good lineup is always going to sell me on a festival,” Davis said.
Davis, who originally hails from Denver and has lived previously in Los Angeles, feels that while Phoenix has a long way to go
“L.A. has a really strong underground scene…and Denver, of course, is known as bass capital,” Davis said. “Those are very unique to those cities. So I can see Arizona getting a huge dubstep name but Denver has been building up the name ‘bass capital’ since forever so Arizona might get a different reputation.”