Over the past few years, North America has seen several major festivals get either postponed or canceled entirely. Not included in the ashes of the fallen is Elements Festival, an independent, East Coast festival that has proved year after year that they have what it takes to stand the test of time.
Founded out of curiosity, driven by passion, and supported by ambition, Elements Festival has grown from a one-day concert on a beach in Brooklyn to a multi-day, fully immersive, music and arts festival. For the past 5 years, River Beats Dance has had the exciting opportunity to cover Elements Festival as media partners. We witnessed them go through a turbulent year, a redeeming year, and a crowning year – in 2023 when we claimed, in our book, that Elements is the best independent festival on the East Coast.
In 2024, our excitement only grows as Elements continues to prove that they will not sit still and are committed to increasing the size and allure of the festival year after year. As we stare down the barrel of their most diverse lineup to date, we take a look at some of the main spectacles that make this a can’t-miss festival.
A Decorated Lineup
Starting from the top of the lineup, we’ve got more or less the kings of dubstep – Excision, Liquid Stranger, and Subtronics – holding down the heavier side of the headliners. As we slowly glide into the melodic bass realm, we have CloZee and Illenium who have proved time and time again their ability to both emote and excite.
In the higher BPMs of house and techno, we’ve got a killer B2B between Chris Lake and Cloonee, a Kaskade Redux set (more or less a throwback set), and Slander’s techno side project, “Before Dawn.” Lastly, on the opposite end of the high-energy spectrum, we have LSDream’s Lightcode, an ambient sound healing set meant to induce spiritual, emotional, and creative journeys.
On the second tier, a few names that stand out include Barclay Crenshaw – Claud Von Stroke’s recently revived bass-forward side project, Desert Hearts – a house and techno takeover typically consisting of Mikey Lion and Lee Reynolds, Dr. Fresch – with his signature “future ghetto” flow, and The Floozies – everyone’s favorite party starters that focus on jamtronica and improvised electronics.
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As for a few special guests we’re excited for, we have Sullivan King B2B Kayzo – who have constantly been finding magic together on stage (see Hard Summer 2023), Of The Trees – who has been strapped to a rocket ship over the last year (founded a label, announced a two night Red Rocks headliner), and Tape B – the golden boy of Zed’s Dead’s Deadbeats label.
While the higher-tiered artists are out of this world, you can really fall in love with Elements’ undercard this year. Right at the top of tier three, we’ve got Philadelphia’s 5AM Trio – a group led by the impeccable Sam Andrus (5AM) and supported by Aaron Harrel on the drums and Keith Wadsworth on the guitar/sampler.
Moving down the lineup we’ve got a few more jam-oriented groups such as Boogie T.rio and Sunsquabi as well as bass favorites like Cannabliss – the Canadian bass maven constantly leaving fans speechless, Cool Customer – by far the headiest name on the lineup with a specialty in left-field bass music, Saka – one of the biggest novelties in underground bass in recent years, and TVBOO – a River Beats Dance favorite and close friend of the publication.
It’s hard to even call the undercard an undercard with names like that. Decorated with muti-genre allure and fresh appeal on every tier, the Elements Festival 2024 lineup is divine.
Camping Grounds
When it comes to camping, the Poconos Raceways are an idyllic location to host a festival. The grounds are segmented by a circuit of cement roads and grass fields, all of which are entirely flat and great at draining water. After a storm briefly hit Elements in 2023, we were very impressed and relieved at how quickly our campsite dried up.
Dispersed throughout the campgrounds are different theme and sound camps that host renegades and after-parties throughout the night and into the early morning. One of our favorite sound camps from 2023 was the Soundz OrGanic and AfterShock renny (The After Funktion) that hosted names like Chef Boyarbeatz, Entangled Mind, and STARFOX on their Paraflex x Funktion-One rig.
From one end to the next, the Elements Festival campgrounds turn into a sonic wonderland at night. This novelty feature about the festival makes it stand out among the rest and is one of the main reasons why it is so unique and adored by attendees far and wide.
Festival Grounds & Stages
As for the actual festival grounds, that takes place in the Woodlands Outside of the Raceways directly adjacent to the campgrounds/raceway. The two main stages, Fire and Earth, have the biggest production by far and are where the headliners typically play. In 2023, the Fire Stage unveiled a ridiculous pyrotechnics rig that featured 11 cannons blasting off at multiple angles.
The Earth Stage leaned in the direction of lights with plenty of lasers, fireworks, and super technical projection mapping that stole the souls of multiple guests.
As you venture into the forest you will come across the Air stage, where higher-vibration acts and intimate sets take place as well as the Wub Hub – a destination that looks to spotlight some of the underground and upcoming acts in the bass scene that Elements has love for.
Last but not least, you’ve got the Water Stage, a daytime location for guests to soak up the sun and set the momentum for the rest of the day. This year, festival organizers have promised an upgraded water stage that includes more immersions and production for attendees to enjoy.
“Each year, we meticulously match the design and production of the stages to the talent we book to help take the beats to an interdimensional planet of immersive audio-visual experience.”
- Timothy Monkiewicz, Co-Founder of Elements
With 5 different stages spinning music from old-school house and dubstep to experimental bass and jamtronica, Elements Festival constantly impresses with their curation and commitment to expansion.
Immersions – Art Cars, Vibe Villages, Workshops
Yet another feature that sets Elements a part from other festivals are the various immersions they have set up throughout the grounds. Whether it’s Burning Man-style art cars, decorated theme camps created by guests (Vibe Villages), 3D video projection mapping, interactive performances, or large-scale art installations, there is an endless amount of stuff to enjoy besides the music.
What we also love about Elements Festival is their inclusion of Health & Wellness attractions that include yoga, aromatherapy, dance, comedy, sound baths, and multidisciplinary workshops. Last year, we indulged in an oxygen bar with a company called Vinyl Wellness that offered things like deep tissue massages, IV therapy, swiss ionic med beds, and even a bio charger made from a Tesla Coil.
These extra attractions, whether it was jumping in an ice bath or climbing on top of an art car, are all what contribute to every attendee having an authentic, unique, and one-of-a-kind experience at Elements Festival.
As the days grow closer to our expedition to Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on August 9-11, stay tuned to River Beats Dance to follow along with exclusive interviews, updates, and everything you need to know regarding Elements Festival 2024.