Written by Michael “Jack” Kierecki
Photos by Splash House/Infamous PR
Splash House raised the bar on their COVID-19 precautions this year by requiring proof of vaccination or recent negative test results to keep live music alive. After the multitude of festival cancellations in 2020 and 2021, it was a relief that Splash House went forward with their festival dates. Because of the strict COVID-19 entry requirements, they were able to pull off a positive and safe weekend. Attendees had to be verified for test results and/or vaccination cards before they were even allowed to get in line for credentials. Results were checked again at the front of the entry line. Results/vaccination cards were double-checked by Splash House staff who then confirmed and gave attendees separate wristbands like a 21+ ID check before giving out the actual festival wristbands. Additionally, friendly reminders to mask up by security every time you enter a hotel lobby or shuttle was really second nature at this point. If you lost your mask along with the way security stayed ready to provide one for you. Feels good to party hard and party safe 😉
Hitting up the different venues felt like traveling to different dimensions on shuttles you wish you had as school buses growing up. The shuttles were always ready to take you on an adventure, no driving required.
If your answer to which decade you’d like to go back to is the 70’s then The Saguaro takes you to where retro meets house music. Sets at The Saguaro included Shiba San, J. Phlip, DJ Holographic, and TOKiMONSTA, among others. TOKiMONSTA’s set popped off and her beats caused ripples in the water, making it feel like a wave pool during her set. It was an other-worldly experience to see music move the water around you. Going back and forth from dancing in the pool to dancing on the floor at the stage blurred any care of being anywhere other than at Splash House. The happy vibes at this stage brought back the joy we’ve missed the past year.
With the majority of people hitting up other venues at night, Margaritaville felt like the vastness of being on a river yet somehow still floating upstream through a jungle while Tycho sounds flow around you. With nothing but the currents, you’ll swear you are actually there inside a jungle. Tycho brought out the feels inside you that you thought were lost, but were actually just waiting for you around the next bend. Other sets at Margaritaville over the weekend included CRi, Poolside, and Whethan, among others.
Renaissance brought the external house vibes of Saguaro and the internal deep feels of Margaritaville together to the main stage of Splash House. Everyone wants to be here and it shows somehow – in the middle of the desert everyone found their oasis. Claude VonStroke and Green Velvet closed out the weekend with the vibes we’ve all been itching for. Even if you weren’t able to get up close to Get Real there was plenty of space in the pool to soak it all up. Unlike being at home with earphones on, we could all finally feel it in your chest and not just our eardrums. Other sets at Renaissance over the weekend included Moon Boots, Josh Butler, Lubelski, Mark Knight, Dom Dolla, J. Worra, and Dateless.
Going to the Air Museum after-party lets you say that you know what sneaking into Area 51 feels like. The air traffic control tower with planes landing and taking off in the distance is a total departure from the day venues. This change in setting lets you switch from swimwear into nightwear – time to flex your night fits. Lane 8 and Green Velvet, our Deep House and Techno pilots respectively, brought out their best extended sets and created the atmosphere for everyone to bust out the moves they’ve been waiting to let out.Â
Splash House just hit different this year. The mature vibes from the 21+ only crowd and the paradise of jumping in a pool on a hot day will be missed at other events. You’ll be saying dang there are no pools at this fest, and it’s only one venue?!?! Splashing around to house music after a year of being at home shows that being responsible is worth it for weekends like this.