Written by Daniella Hughes
Photos by Daniella Hughes
Deep in the hills of La Jolla [San Diego], a movement is erupting. What I thought was a new movement is actually something that began decades ago in a place called Goa, India. Goa trance, now branded Psytrance, has made its way over to the States in the form of nonstop desert parties. One of these parties, Psytribe Spring Frequency, was fueled by an array of psychedelic sounds. From full-on to progressive to darkpsy, there was not one time where you were not absolutely engulfed in sound.
QUICK FACTS:
Music genre – Psytrance, house, techno
Camping: Yes! Camping is scattered throughout the grounds and is first come-first serve. Parking near your campsite is scarce so be sure to arrive early. There is also RV camping.
Capacity: Extra small (~2k)
Crowd type: Family friendly. There were children as young as 2 and partygoers well into their 60’s!
Water stations: There were a few filtered waterspouts but bringing plenty of water is highly recommended.
Standout Food – There were only 2 food vendors: Soltribe Cuisine and Spyros Gyros. Soltribe provided vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and raw food options while Spyros provided authentic Greek food. Spyros had some amazing feta fries while Soltribe gave a unique twist to vegan cheesecake.
Musical Highlights – I have to admit, I am very new to the Psytrance scene and mostly everything I know now I learned from a die-hard fan I camped next to. Nikita Tselovalnikov, aka Penta, had returned to California from a ~4-year hiatus and blew away the crowd with his darkpsy sounds. Although a veteran of the scene, Penta not only surprised the crowd with his extensive choice of sounds but also brought so much energy during his 2 a.m. slot.
Things To Do – Since California received significant rainfall this winter, the river that runs through the grounds were full! Many people took a break and cooled off there. Have I mentioned how friendly everyone was? If you got tired of dancing, you could simply walk through the grounds and strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone.
VIP or Nah — There is no VIP offered at this festival.
Story Corner – This was my first nonstop festival and it was amazing. Everyone fed off of each other’s energies and created such a blissful place, it was nothing like I’ve ever experienced before. The array of people who were in attendance ranged from dog trainers to microbiologists, each with their own story of how they fell in love with this community and all that is in it. Psytribe introduced me to people I will never forget and gave me an experience I will forever cherish in my heart.