It looked shaky at one point, but Bass Canyon pulled off a leviathan feat. Excision’s annual takeover of the Gorge Amphitheatre in Washington overcame lightning and wind storms, mid-show cancellations and the threat of a spoiled weekend to deliver everything it promised.
The emotional—and borderline literal—whirlwind started during Saturday’s Kill The Noise set. The 21-year veteran was forced to abruptly end his set and informed fans of an impending lightning storm.
“Bass Canyon, I’m sorry but there’s lightning in the area,” Kill the Noise told fans. “You know how that s–t goes.”
An alert subsequently broadcast on the Canyon Stage screen directing concertgoers back to their vehicles for shelter. There was a collective hesitancy from fans who saw dark clouds nearby but no lightning. Then it rained.
Fans took shelter as cold, wet globs poured overhead. Campers filed out of the venue and returned to their campsites awaiting further details. An update was sent not long after informing attendees the show was on.
Fans started their second round trip from the campsites to the amphitheater with various degrees of enthusiasm. Roaring thunder and crackling lightning bolts sparked skepticism but it seemed the storms were moving away from the venue.
Day two picked up with its regularly scheduled programming. Kompany and Dion Timmer’s lightning-infused b2b was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Head-banging as lightning streaked through the sky was a surreal and unforgettable experience.
Unreal to capture this. From day 2 at Bass Canyon just before it was canceled due to the incoming storm (🎥: @Chase & Chelsea, h/t @edmtrain) #basscanyon#lightning#edm#bassmusic
Kompany and Timmer completed their set without incident and it seemed the Bass Gods were pleased. Then Eptic arrived. The "Tactix" producer drew fans in with an elaborate introduction and long countdown. At the climax of the intro, Eptic commanded the audience to, “Open up the f—ing pit!”
Lighting was no longer a concern but a wind storm now blowing through the venue was. A set-piece on the mainstage broke off and swung around, raising concerns about other structures in the venue and prompting staff to direct people back to their vehicles. Dejected fans walked back to their campsites to assess the damages caused by the wind, and were soon met with the responsible but disheartening news that day two was cancelled.
Mother Nature dealt a crushing blow to fans on Saturday. At the height of disappointment, fortifying campsites and concerns for full-blown event cancellation, optimistic chatter spread through the campsites. Habstrakt, who was scheduled to perform a b2b with JOYRYDE after Eptic’s set, was headed to the camp stage for a makeup performance. It was the weekend’s first reminder of why Excision’s commitment to the fan experience makes him a highly-regarded event curator.
Habstrakt, accompanied briefly by JOYRYDE cameo, and Viperactive rescued the evening camp stage performances after their scheduled sets were scrapped.
Excision’s team and the performing artists deserve repeat standing ovations. It would have been disappointing but forgivable if concessions were made after day two’s partial cancellation. That did not happen. The artists went above and beyond to deliver the weekend promised to fans. Every mainstage act whose set was canceled on Saturday stayed put to perform on Sunday.
A collective sigh of relief rang through the Gorge's campground at a windy Sunday noon when a notification alert hit the Bass Canyon app. The elements were calming and the show would proceed with welcomed amendments, and the festival's gates opened early to accommodate the revamped Sunday lineup. The final product was an insanely stacked finale. The mainstage featured Zingara, Ray Volpe, Excision’s "Detox" set, Eptic, Kai Wachi, Wooli, LSZEE, Zeds Dead and Excision’s throwback set in succession.
Saturday could have been a disaster. But thanks to the lengths taken to remedy day three, weekend campers can look back on nature’s intrusion as a temporary setback that brought people together. On that note, it’d be a disservice not to applaud the festival’s attendees. Campers rushed to help secure others’ campsites, share laughs amid the misery and boost morale with renegade sets. A special shoutout to our neighbors, who kindly invited us to watch Back to the Future on their campsite projector wall.
Excision’s industry-leading visuals truly went Hollywood this weekend. Friday’s headliner opened with a brand new Transformers-themed intro, followed by the news that Excision had collaborated on a project with the new Transformers One film premiering on September 20th. His industry-leading lasers and graphics are old news by now, but a dramatic increase in pyrotechnics made Bass Canyon feel like a grand spectacle.
Levity’s rapid rise was another day one highlight. EDM.com Class of 2024 trio maximized their marquee spot at the Hilltop Stage, delivering a fresh and unapologetically fun performance. ATLiens and Ganja White Night were among Friday’s great showcases.
The second-ever performance of CloZee and LSDREAM’s joint project was the weekend’s standout set. LSZEE was refreshingly unique, delivering a psychedelic-world bass fusion that never felt out of place. The duo is must-watch viewing and should be a priority on any personally curated festival schedule.
Divisuals
Wooli and Zeds Dead were two other highlights from Sunday. Wooli’s confidence and growth over the last two years are noticeable. His visuals stand by itself —no small feat when appearing on an Excision lineup—and his crowd control is top-notch. The dubstep star blew fans away by dropping an unreleased GriZ collaboration, but not before tempting fate with a dramatic voiceover hilariously condemning the elements.
“F–k wind. And definitely, f–k lightning!” the cinematic narrator proclaimed during Wooli’s intro.
Meanwhile, Zeds Dead’s set was a wild rollercoaster. It was at times exciting, emotional, unhinged and with their "Pure Imagination" finale, downright beautiful. And speaking of unhinged, a special shoutout to YOOKiE for their ridiculous, meme-worthy set on Sunday.
Team Excision continues to raise the bar each year. It’s no surprise they’ve curated one of the most welcoming fan cultures in electronic dance music. They lead by example. The Bass Canyon artists, fans and staff came together to overcome a potentially catastrophic weekend and deliver a show that exceeded expectations.
