TomorrowWorld 2015 – Get ready Georgia
TomorrowWorld – a magical place where everything and everyone is shining (both metaphorically and literally-so much glitter)!
At the end of September every year, the unassuming grassy knoll of Chattahoochee Hills turns into a fairy tale for adults. It amazes me how much thought and effort goes into the story of TomorrowWorld. The production is incredible on its own but the creators of TomorrowWorld take it a step further when they incorporate the giant stages with a new theme and story every year. Honestly, it’s a great marketing move too! Throughout the year, the festival’s outlets tease devoted fans with recap videos of past festivals and animated short films giving clues to what the upcoming year will be like!
This year, The Key To Happiness is brought across the Atlantic Ocean to its temporary home just south of Atlanta, Georgia. The massive steam punk-inspired stage is what awaits the US version of TomorrowLand. There are literally countless gears and mechanical parts to this stage. I’m so excited to see it in person and take in all of the intricate details! (This is one reason I always recommend hitting up the main stage before the sun sets at least once during the weekend) The festival has also upped the number of stages. TomorrowWorld will get its first ever boat stage!
Make it a point to check out each stage both at night and during the day! During the day, you have a chance to get up closer to see more details in the designs. There’s also usually dancers and actors to watch! And of course, at night, everything at TomorrowWorld transforms. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the big room house and trance stuff that closes out the main stage each night, you have to check out the atmosphere of that giant hill full of people. If you’re witnessing from afar, you will still feel immersed in the thickness of the moment. You can feel the heat from the flame throwers on your face! You will get confetti in your hair! You will find yourself uncontrollably dancing and having the time of your life!
There is an art to finding the balance between running around from stage to stage and going with the flow a little more. It helps to be a little serendipitous in your planning. If you only have a couple of sets each day that you absolutely have to catch, you have time to wander around or take other people’s advice on what you should see. This brings me to pointing out the variety of the lineup. The 2015 TomorrowWorld lineup has more diversity than the festival has ever seen. The festival organizers do a good job to give a nod to the host region. There is a trap stage, an ATL stage, even a new Live stage curated by a local venue, Terminal West! I’m excited to see some bands and live sets on that stage on Sunday. I love many talented DJs but it will be nice to see some talented live musicians like Zoogma.
There really is something for everyone this year! Although the lineup for The Gathering, the pre-party held on Thursday evening in Dreamville, is not out yet, it will surely be a great addition. I really appreciate that TomorrowWorld has stages curated by cool labels or kind of random artists. A lot of larger festivals stick with the formula of having big corporate sponsorships and naming stages really creative titles like “Bud Light Stage”. Most of the huge headliners play on the main stage, which means there is a big pool of second tier headliners to have the chance to curate a stage one day. Thomas Jack will keep things tropical on Sunday. The Magician hosts his eclectic sounds on the Potion stage on Friday.
The festival has improved its appreciation of the host state each year. For example, the fest website has an entire section of things to do and visit in Atlanta for those not staying in Dreamville. 2015 will be the first edition of TomorrowWorld to have an onsite restaurant featuring Top Chef’s Kevin Gillespie, open to all (if you can get a reservation that is). At previous events, TomorrowWorld organizers have done a great job with the food and drink options. There are also plenty of them! Bars and food stands flank almost all available corners of the festival grounds. Which reminds me, I genuinely don’t remember standing in any lines for bathrooms, food or beverage. The only lines at TomorrowWorld are the entrance ones, which really aren’t anything to complain about. The staff that work at the festival are some of the kindest festival staff I have ever encountered. True southern hospitality shines through. Just another detail that the festival organizers clearly take the time to perfect.
