Elements Festival Overcomes Hurricane Debby to Deliver Spectacular Experience

by Michael Ryan · Published August 23, 2024

Despite facing the formidable challenge of Hurricane Debby, which forced the cancellation of its first full day of programming, Elements Music & Arts Festival delivered with resilience and spirit in 2024.

Spread across four days and nights, the festival turned what could have been a major setback into a testament to the power of the dance music community.

Elements kicked off with a Thursday pre-party featuring two of its four stages. The Air Stage hosted a takeover from the beloved Desert Hearts with sets from co-founders Porky, Marbs, Lee Reynolds and Mikey Lion. In similar fashion, the Water Stage hosted a Memory Palace takeover featuring performances by Player Dave, FLY, LYNY and founder Of The Trees, the lattermost of whom was named to the EDM.com Class of 2024.

Of The Trees performing at Elements 2024.
Lo Morrell

Festival-goers got a taste of what was to come, but the weather had other plans. With Hurricane Debby making her presence known, Friday’s conditions deteriorated to the point of complete cancellation. No one could enter the festival's grounds and those attempting to arrive were rightly turned away for their own safety—a difficult call, but a necessary one considering the grounds were in no condition to accommodate camping attendees.

Friday night's headliners took matters into their own hands, bringing the party to Elements' sound camps. This is a separate group camping area that uniquely encourages attendees to create their own stages for afterparty sets. Those that braved the rain were lucky enough to stumble across renegade sets from Tape B, INZO, Boogie T and others from Friday’s lineup.

And by the time Saturday rolled around, the energy was naturally as electric as the storm itself.

The festival's grounds, once battered by the storm, had been revived by Elements' hardworking staff. We could finally immerse ourselves in everything the festival had to offer.

That included four elementally-themed mainstages, the Disco Den, Fun Box, roaming performances and even a speakeasy hidden through a porta-potty upon which festival-goers could stumble.

Major b2b sets added to the festival's allure in 2024. AC Slater and Chris Lorenzo’s Fly With Us threw down on Saturday, building on the energy from Dr. Fresch’s set and leading perfectly into SLANDER's rip-roaring close of the Fire Stage. More standout b2b sets followed on Sunday, like VNSSA and Nala's Girl Math and a high-energy closing set from Chris Lake and Cloonee.

Before the final evening, we were all invited to join LSDREAM for a much-needed respite with LIGHTCODE, the producer's sound bath meditation experience. It allowed attendees to recharge and reflect while an unfamiliar yet comfortable silence swept the grounds.

Ready to take on the day, it took no time for the music and energy to bubble back to life. Those who wandered over to the Water Stage were lucky enough to catch a secret "Elements Legends DnB Set" featuring none other than Barclay Crenshaw. Anyone who has caught a set by Claude VonStroke's bass music alias might have guessed that he would be the one delivering the gas—no brakes—to kick off the final evening.

As Elements Festival came to its climactic close, attendees had the luxury of choosing their final set from a stellar lineup of closing acts: Sara Landry, Subtronics, Chris Lake b2b Cloonee, or an ethereal Bob Moses’ club set. Each offered a unique vibe, ensuring that everyone could find their perfect ending to this weekend full of surprises.

In the end, Elements 2024 proved that even in the face of nature’s fury, the show can and will go on. We were left with stories of resilience, community and incredible music that we won't soon forget.

You can keep a pulse on Elements and register for updates on its 2025 edition here.