The ninth edition of Art Of The Wild delivered a fantastic experience. Unlike its predecessors, Art of the Wild IX Reimagined changed the dynamics of the schedule to bring out 36 hours worth of insanity. From the most melodic grooves, to the tribal and tropical textures, XS Nightclub in Las Vegas was the place to be thanks to Wynn Nightlife and Framework this past weekend. House and Techno were alive and well all weekend.
Recap
The event ran 7pm to 7am Friday to Sunday (March 8-10) in a display of incredible dj sets. The crowd did not want to leave early whatsoever. On Friday, the production resembled a disco cargo ship, with crates and chains covered in mirror tiles that reflected the beautiful triangular beam of lights and lasers. Saturday felt like a portal into a mystical jungle, with a circular layout that was surrounded by luminous plants and mushrooms. On the last evening, the dancefloor turned into a romantic headspace filled with rose petals hanging around beautiful red fabrics. The decorations integrated nicely into the golden decadent environment that the nightclub normally offers. You only need a few minutes on the dancefloor to feel like you are not in the city anymore, but in the jungle, or by the beach, or into the deep desert, where souls continue to dance, honoring the earth.
The vibes were divine. Compared to the most recent Art of the Wild this past October, it was a less crowded which allowed for more space to wander around and tear the dancefloor. Moreover, this lineup felt particularly more melodic, and the amount of live/hybrid acts exceeded all expectations. Let’s checkout the highlight sets!
Highlights
We started the weekend hard and rowdy with a great set from Chicago’s underground princess Azzecca. Afterwards, Mahmut Orhan and WHOMADEWHO(Hybrid DJ set) showcased two very different yet powerful sets. Hugel was a standout Techhouse set that continued the energy into the early morning.
Saturday we had the ethereal experience that is Jan Blomqvist. His breathy vocals and deep melodies carried powerful beats. His set was then followed by the wizard himself Damien Lazarus. The Crosstown Rebels head captured the dancefloor with his genre-bending set, which gave lots of high energy points throughout the night. Funny enough, his set skipped an hour due to daylight savings so it felt like we traveled through time.
On the last night, the stamina remained intact, since it was just as packed as the other nights. On Sunday, we enjoyed the vigorous sounds of RÜFÜS DU SOL. The XS residents gave momentum for the closing sets of Colyn and DJ Fergie. Standout sets go to Jan Blomqvist. His song selection was top notch, and each song weighted a lot of emotions into very powerful beats that had us dancing nonstop. His set was deep, soulful, and fluid.
Final Thoughts
It paid off for the production team to change the event’s hours, and not include Encore Beach Club given the weather. This allowed attendees to rest during the day to party all night. Security was simple and there weren’t many long lines. Club staff was on point and lively. It also felt like the production value increased and they focused a lot more on decorations and lights. All in all, the event felt fresh, unique, and a great merging of rave and nightclub ambiance. we hope to be invited yet again for the 10th edition of Art of the Wild! Until then, Farewell!
