HIGHLIGHTS

• Decadence NYE 2022 in Denver, CO boasted a stacked and eccentric EDM-fueled lineup.

• The two-day festival featured mesmerizing, animated light production and art installations.

• Though the crowd was energized and fun, the venue was packed and lines to the bar, bathroom, and coat check were long.

• Even though the stage areas were packed, there was plenty of space to take a break at the Cyber Hub and in the back of each room.

• The indoor festival had multiple bars, merch vendors, and delicious food trucks to choose from.

DENVER, CO – Global Dance has done it once again, with another Decadence NYE, America’s largest New Years extravaganza that took place at Colorado Convention Center during December 30 and 31. The EDM fueled lineup this year was varied and catered to many tastes.

We enjoyed an emotional and lively set from Big Wild, who opened with City of Sound, and followed up with several of his classics like Purple Sand and Ascension, finally closing out with his popular hit 6’s to 9’s. Tiesto followed Big Wild’s set by opening with his banger Secrets and continued to play hard hitters like Don’t Be Shy as well as throwbacks like Adagio for Strings. GRiZ closed out night one with a full ensemble including two horn players, a soulful singer, and a rapper.

Night two featured absolute legends like Flume, Zeds Dead and Porter Robinson. The countdown to the new year at the Motherboard Stage was brought in by Dillon Francis, who played a remix of Better Off Alone by Alice Deejay. Ganja White Night played an unreleased Infected Mushroom x Ganja White Night track to count down to 2023 at the Mainframe Stage, and finished his set by bringing Subtronics on stage for another unreleased collaboration.

The crowd was youthful and energized, and everyone was wearing fun outfits to celebrate the new year. The crowd went absolutely wild during bass drops and brilliant light displays. The countdown on New Years Eve was a thrilling and emotional moment at all of the stages.

At the same time, the venue was packed, making it hard to move through crowds, and difficult to dance unless you were far from the stage or in the VIP section. Lines were very long (20+ mins) for the bathroom, bar, and coat check throughout the evening, though the lines for the bar in VIP were substantially shorter.

Even though close quarters are to be expected at the majority of large indoor music events in the U.S., there was a lot more empty space at the venue that was roped off, and it left us wondering if that space could be utilized to make the dancefloor less crowded for the 40,000+ attendees.

The environment at Colorado Convention Center was as mesmerizing as it was packed to the brim with attendees. Glowing art installations combined with overhead light rigs were creatively designed to make the indoor convention center an immersive digital wonderland.

The Motherboard Stage featured a series of overhead hanging squares that lit up and tilted up and down to the music. The Mainframe Stage featured a similar overhead installation, but with glowing inflatable circuits resembling a computer chip. The lasers and lights were top-notch. VIP sections featured large glowing rainbow towers, tables and viewing platforms.

We were especially excited with the stunning silent disco stage and its surrounding immersive art. The Cyber Hub included food trucks and huge inflated lotus flowers that doubled as a lounge area. The Cyber Hub also had free Wifi, which was helpful since some cellular networks had spotty coverage.

The music at Decadence was top-notch and you could feel the bass pounding. Sound volume and quality were variable depending on where you were in the crowd. In the center and in the front the audio was crystal clear. On the sides and in the parts of VIP closest to the stage, the sound seemed a bit muffled. In some areas near the back of the crowd it sounded loud and muddy.

Loud volumes are to be expected at festivals, especially at indoor events, to prevent sound bleeding between stages. To remedy this, we recommend bringing a pair of high-quality earplugs and showing up to your sets early to find the best spot.

Overall, the energy at Decadence 2022 was high and the experience was well worth the ride. The event blasted us into 2023 with our thirst for bass satisfied, and our anticipation for more Global Dance events renewed.

OUR IMPRESSION OF DECADENCE COLORADO 2022

4 / 5 Electric Hearts

Written by Colin Eldridge