Phrases by Arron Leppard | Photograph courtesy of Jamal Eid – Desert Hearts Pageant
Once I began making new mates and delving into the digital music scene in California, I stored noticing that lots of people with a sure particular vibe wore a necklace bearing the identical brand. Pointing to the necklace, I requested what it was, and with a gleaming smile throughout their face, they answered: “It’s Desert Hearts!” I’d by no means heard of it earlier than. They rapidly defined to me that it’s a group that created an intimate competition on an Indian reservation considerably close to San Diego… 1 stage. 24 hour music. Nothing however home and techno, and just a few thousand persons are fortunate sufficient to expertise it annually. It me, and I checked it out on-line, however I couldn’t actually get a full grasp of what was to be anticipated. I’d by no means actually heard of lots of the artists that play, and I knew little of it exterior of the truth that it appeared to draw lots of people with really stunning vibes, virtually as a magical congregation of a mysterious underground tribe.
Photograph courtesy of Desert Hearts Pageant – Jamal Eid
Clearly, I needed to go to essentially expertise it myself. I received a ticket and joined in with a gaggle of my now-friends who had been to some Desert Coronary heart associated occasions elsewhere earlier than, so we had been all excited to expertise the precise competition itself. As quickly as we arrived, I knew this place was completely different. The employees and the volunteers had been simply gleaming – everybody was so completely satisfied to be there – the positivity was really radiant. We had by accident arrange our camp within the visitors administration volunteer part, and whereas letting us know, in addition they bodily helped us relocate to a different spot. As soon as we had been settled, we rapidly befriended nearly everybody camped round us, with everybody simply hopping between every teams settlements to say hello and hang around. Then the music began. Everybody I noticed was dressed so fabulously – really expressing their individuality and creativity of their outfits! The sense of openness and group was a lot deeper than another competition I’ve skilled. Wherever within the crowd we stood, there was nothing however eye contact, smiles and hugs, and I felt like I knew the title of each individual round me in a matter of hours. Our group was continuously rising, to the purpose the place the dance ground wasn’t stuffed with unique teams of mates – we had been all one! Each time I returned to the dance ground, I used to be comforted by all of those pleasant, acquainted faces round me. There was a continuing ebb and move of individuals interacting in essentially the most stunning methods, creating real connections. I felt this overwhelming sense of belonging – that everybody there have been mates. This was group. This was respect. This was love. There was no such factor as a VIP space. Anybody may very well be backstage, and even ON stage – it didn’t matter who you had been. Any time I appeared round, there was nothing however love and affection. Whether or not it was a cuddle puddle on an inflatable sofa behind the dance ground, everybody dancing with their arms round one another or speaking and laughing, or everybody piled on to the stage with the DJ’s simply loving the entire folks squeezed round them.
Photograph courtesy of Desert Hearts Pageant – Jamal Eid
So many nice experiences have come from this group. I’ve hugged and danced and laughed with new mates at different festivals like Lightning In A Bottle and Shambhala, purely as a result of we recognised one another from Desert Hearts, regardless of having not spoken there. I had a dialog with a fellow passenger for your entire length of a flight throughout Europe as a result of she had recognised my necklace. That is a lot extra important than I might have ever imagined.
Photograph courtesy of Desert Hearts Pageant – Jamal Eid
What Lee Reynolds, Mikey Lion, Porky and Marbs have created is really one thing particular. This isn’t only a competition. It’s a group. It’s a tribe. It’s a collective of open, loving, acutely aware people who come collectively to rejoice everybody’s uniqueness, creativity and mutual love of music and humanity. It doesn’t matter should you’re a first-timer or one of many founding DJs – everyone seems to be equal, and everyone seems to be cherished. The home is unbelievable. The techno is unbelievable. The stage. The lighting. The artwork. It’s all unbelievable. Quite a bit involves thoughts that units it aside from the rest, but it surely’s that LOVE that really shines brighter than the rest, and also you’ll in a short time really feel such as you’ve entered into a brand new tribe that you just’ll eternally be part of.
Photograph courtesy of Desert Hearts Pageant – Jamal Eid
