The Best of Decadence Arizona 2023 New Year’s Eve
Words & Photos by Yoselin Moreno | View the fully gallery here
Festival goers from all over the state and even the country descend upon Phoenix Raceway for back-to-back nights featuring the biggest names in electronic music to ring in 2024. Decadence Arizona: The Sky Realm, presented by Relentless Beats and Global Dance, was the event to be at this past New Year's Eve, which is why.
Countdown Sets
A New Year’s Eve music festival calls for unforgettable countdown sets. Decadence Arizona announced this year that SLANDER and Wax Motif would have countdown sets at different stages.
SLANDER
American DJ duo SLANDER took the main stage (The Grand Palace) at 10:50 pm. SLANDER’s set was full of melodic dubstep and future bass, keeping the crowd headbanging and dancing throughout the night. The duo played hits such as “Love is Gone” and “First Time” as festival-goers sang along to every word. As midnight grew very close, fellow headliner Illlenium joined SLANDER on stage for “Lay It Down.” The main LED screen illuminated the crowd as the countdown appeared. As the LED SCREEN began to read Happy New Year, the venue erupted with a cosmic amount of joy and excitement as confetti and balloons showered attendees to welcome the start of 2024.
Wax Motif
Wax Motif also had the privilege of playing a countdown set at this year’s Decadence AZ. The Australian producer is known for his massive house hits such as “See In Color,” “WET,” and “On The Low.” Wax Motif took the The Royal Ballroom stage at 10:50 pm and had a set full of vibrant visuals paired with insane lasers. Wax Motif treated festival-goers to an epic house leading up to Midnight. While I missed the midnight countdown, I only heard amazing things from those who did.
BEST SETS AT DECADENCE AZ
Let’s talk about some of my favorite and arguably best sets of the weekend. (In no particular order)
John Summit
Chicago native John Summit has seen massive success in recent years, and it is clear why. His fun personality, paired with his phenomenal house tracks, always makes for a good set. John Summit’s Decadence AZ set included tracks such as his remix of Kx5's "Escape" and his 2023 release “Where You Are” ft Hayla. Mid-set, he treated festival goers to an unreleased track titled “Shiver'' ft Hayla. Finally, his set came to an end as Subtronics joined Summit on stage for a Subjohnics track that sent the crowd into one last frenzy.
Steve Aoki
I was excited going into Steve Aoki’s set after seeing and hearing so much about his past performances. Steve Aoki brought an enormous amount of nonstop energy to the stage. I highly enjoyed his fun and vibrant visuals. It is also essential to mention Aoki’s insane crowd control that sets him apart from other DJs. If you have ever considered catching a Steve Aoki set, this is your sign to go for it.
Illenium
Illenium took the Grand Palace stage following SLANDER’s countdown set at 12:25 am. His 75-minute set was full of enchanting visuals and vibrant lasers. Illenium included a mix of melodic bass and hard-hitting dubstep that sent the crowd headbanging throughout the night. He treated fans to stellar performances of hit tracks such as “Feel Something,” “Crawl Outta Love,” and “Nightlight”. Illenium closed out his set with “Good Things Fall Apart” as confetti poured into the crowd one last time.
RISING ARTISTS
Inzo
Chicago native Inzo put on a stellar show on day 1 of Decadence, AZ. His set was full of various euphoric melodies and genres that kept the crowd in a nonstop trance. Inzo’s captivating visuals and engaging stage presence created a memorable experience for all who attended his set. I will definitely be seeing Inzo in the near future.
TURBO
Dubstep DJ and producer TURBO had one of the first sets on day 2 of Decadence AZ, making it a great way to start the night. TURBO’s energetic stage presence and bass-heavy tracks created the perfect New Year's Eve atmosphere.
San Pacho
If you are into the house, this one's for you. Hailing from Croatia, San Pacho's infectious beats and joyful stage presence are hard to ignore. His tech house tracks with Latin melodies, such as “Amor” and “Voy,” truly make San Pacho stand out and add to why I can’t recommend him enough.
There is a reason as to why Decadence Arizona has become Arizona’s biggest NYE event. It is a celebration of music, joy, and a new year. Oh! And in case you haven't heard, Decadence AZ turns ten this year, making the event much more special.
Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on all Relentless Beats events. Find Relentless Beats on Instagram and Twitter at @RelentlessBeats and Facebook at www.facebook.com/RelentlessBeats
