Another year, another Beyond Wonderland come and gone. Yes it’s true, the 2022 edition of Beyond Wonderland SoCal came to an end last weekend at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, CA. This year’s event was one for the books; read on for an in-depth review!
As I began my trip down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, I discovered NOS Event Center had been completely transformed. Not only were there five massive themed stages popping off all night, but the festival grounds themselves were decorated with LED trees and mushrooms, costumed performers, an oversized chess board, floating pyrotechnics, and more.
Festival-goers could head to the Mad Bazaar to see what’s available at the trading post or stop in for a tea party. Around the corner is the “doorway” corridor, with a variety of mysterious doors leading into different themed rooms, an immersive experience like none other. The event center also had several rides, including a ferris wheel, several grassy hangout areas, and plenty of food and drink options.
Friday saw stage takeovers by Anjunadeep, Audiotistic, Dreamstate, and Lost in Dreams. The main stage, Queen’s Domain, stayed hype all night long thanks to performances by Chris Lorenzo, Benny Benassi, Zedd, and more. Anjunadeep favorites like Qrion, Spencer Brown and Tinlicker graced The Looking Glass stage, while Cheshire Woods saw a Lost in Dreams takeover with artists like Au5, Jason Ross, and MitiS, keeping listeners in their feels.
Audiotistic took over the Mad Hatter’s Castle on Friday, bringing some of the heaviest names in bass music to the stage. Artists like Jauz, Kai Wachi b2b PhaseOne, and of course DJ Diesel (aka Shaq) kept the crowd headbanging ’til the wee hours of the morning. Appeasing trance lovers everywhere, Dreamstate hosted Caterpillar’s Garden on Friday, with artists like ALPHA 9, Paul van Dyk, and Blastoyz sweeping the crowd away.
As fans headed back down the rabbit hole for day two, stage takeovers began their course, with today’s including Bassrush, Basscon, Factory 93, and Insomniac Records. Queens Domain experienced both sides of the EDM spectrum with a lineup spanning everything from house with JOYRYDE to melodic dubstep with Seven Lions, ending with the kings of emotive trance themselves, Above & Beyond.
Hosted by Bassrush, Mad Hatter’s Castle was once again transformed into a bass lover’s dream, as artists like Kompany, Zomboy, and Zeds Dead initiated the nastiest of bass faces. Basscon took over Cheshire Woods, bringing Lady Faith, Junkie Kid, and Sub Zero Project to the stage.
Factory 93 brought some of the freshest artists in techno to The Looking Glass today with Patrick Topping, Len Faki, and a live set from Reinier Zonneveld. House lovers flocked to Caterpillar’s Garden, as the groovy beats of J. Worra, Shiba San, and Biscits kept the dance floor going all night long.
Insomniac delivered yet another successful Beyond Wonderland this year and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next. If you’re ready to pull the trigger on Beyond Wonderland SoCal 2023, early bird tickets are already on sale with just $1 down. This price ends Monday at 11:59 PM, so get your tickets now!
