Bring It to the Runway: The Top 5 Acts to Catch at Desert Air Festival 2024

by Michael Ryan · Published November 14, 2024

Three years after its inaugural flight, Desert Air is set to take to the skies above Palm Springs once again.

The aviation-themed festival will triumphantly return to the Southern California desert this weekend with expanded offerings.

Curated by Goldenvoice, the fest is the spiritual successor of Splash House's afterhours events and will offer two days of pulsating electronic beats at the Palm Springs Air Museum. This unique venue allows guests to dance alongside vintage aircraft under the desert skies, offering an unmatched rave experience.

As part of its expanded offerings, this year's festivities will include the addition of a second stage. Dubbed the Terminal and the Hangar stages, each space will offer distinct vantage points within the air museum, allowing festival-goers to experience both indoor and outdoor soundscapes.

Additionally, event coordinators have partnered with the Palm Springs Surf Club to extend their programming into the daytime before the main festivities. Known as Day Drift, the locale will include resort-style amenities, sounds curated by Midnight Lovers, and a record shop by Chapter One.

The sounds reverberating from each venue that make up the Desert Air experience will be an eclectic mix of avant-garde tastemakers and genre-bending DJs. A quick scan of its diverse lineup reveals legendary performers, up-and-coming divas, heavy house hitters, techno mavens, and international pop stars.

We at EDM.com have combed through the impressive Desert Air 2024 lineup to spotlight five artists to see.