PHXLIGHTS: Solar Sound System was an audio-visual journey from Earth to outer space launched at Rawhide Event Center in Chandler, AZ. On April 4-5, 2025, sounds from the ethers were provided by headliners Of The Trees and Louis The Child for a space exploration in this Electronic Dance Music galaxy.
Video Games Across the Multiverse: The Voodoo Ranger Arcade
PHXLIGHTS Fest went deep space-diving for the eight planets from the solar system and brought them to The Mothership Stage! Art installations in Mercury, Venus, Earth and more hovered the dance floor making headlining performances like NGHTMRE and Kaivon an out-of-this-world experience.
Space cadets discovered an arcade in the middle of the dance floor upon arriving! The Voodoo Ranger Arcade provided classic arcade video game machines at the main stage. Since the arcade was practically in the middle of the dance floor, one could have played video games for the entire time without missing a headlining performance. This is your sign to find your favorite arcade in space, too!
Cyberpunk Goggles and Inflatable Aliens: PHXLIGHTS Fashion
PHXLIGHTS fashion encourages extraterrestrial characters of all kinds to join the excursion to another galaxy. Ravers attend in astronaut costumes, green body paint, and silver antennas to prepare for a weekend of interstellar sounds. The most common rave wear accessory from the weekend were clear cyberpunk LED glasses flashing in various colors. Year after year, an inflatable green alien is used as a totem and classic accessory to a rave outfit by many. Some ravers go as far as adding kandi or an outfit to the alien.
With characters unfolding from the ethers, other characters are bound to reveal themselves. A French-inspired mime was seen and communicated silently to compliments, never breaking character. The PHXLIGHTS Fest ethos remains the same: be the character (or space traveler) you wish to be in this solar sound system!
The Journey From Earth to Outer Space: A Storytelling Lineup
The journey from earth to outer space begins with an unmatched view of natural wonders on the way beyond the stratosphere before meeting stars and planets. This year’s lineup incorporated visuals in the same chronological order with each performance on night 1. During Hybrid Minds, natural wonders in evergreen forests and ocean waves graced across The Mothership Stage.
After, it’s murph played his remix of “Give It To Me” and “Music Sounds Better With You”. PHXLIGHTS Fest was one step closer to leaving earth as visuals of rainbow-like circles and bright stars were displayed at the same time during this energetic performance. The crowd enjoyed the atmosphere as if they were actually leaving Earth for space travel!
The Portal at Rezz’s Performance
There’s more to outer space than stars and planets; there’s black holes and oblivion. As usual, Rezz began her performance in complete darkness as her hypnogoggles were one of the few lights illuminating The Mothership Stage. Rezz introduced to the crowd tracks “Life & Death” and “Witching Hour” before “CAN YOU SEE ME?”.
This performance didn’t shy away from incorporating tracks and visuals from previous tours as well as new projects. Rezzmau5 tracks such as “Hypnocurrency” and “Infraliminal” were crowd-pleasers among these ravers. Next, visuals from her latest audio-visual experience, PORTAL were included. Rezz is once depicted as a magician in one sequence but transitions to a concrete-colored gateway that grows green plants and other life in this particular portal.
