Head Trip: The Communal Act of Listening to Music

Calvin Harris, Skrillex, and Swedish House Mafia were Head Trip highlights, but the real draw was rediscovering a long communal tradition. “Head Trip, this is fucking unbelievable,” FISHER told a crowd of around 90,000 people last Saturday night. An artist shouting the name of the event plus some other declaration has become so commonplace at music festivals that, for me, it’s lost its entire meaning. But that evening, the DJ’s words reverberated with such an intensity that they earned a thunderous roar from the audience. “Holy shit,” I said to myself as I scanned the massive crowd and watched thousands embrace their friends and jump with joy. “He’s actually right.” On October 10-11, fans traveled to the city of Indio, California. This time, it wasn’t to experience Goldenvoice’s staple festival, Coachella, which takes place there in April. They made the trek to attend its new dance music event, Head Trip, a two-day, one-time-only production that featured Calvin Harris, Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, and many other leading voices in electronic music. Back in March, when Goldenvoice announced Head Trip, the promoter promised that this new concept would be a culture-defining moment. T...