Phoenix is one of the hottest spots in the country for EDM.
Between numerous larger-scale festivals with popular names hosted in Chandler and Avondale throughout the year and shows nearly every weekend in Scottsdale and Tempe, the mainstream EDM scene is robust. The underground scene is just as rich, with smaller events like After12 becoming prominent and promoter Techno Snobs hosting The Fillmore Afters. The two scenes seem to be intertwining more and more.
Body Language Music Festival, held by its namesake promoter, and Obsidian Music Festival, hosted by Body Language in collaboration with Techno Snobs, will both be coming to Phoenix this fall.
Body Language will be held a week before Halloween (October 24-25) and Obsidian the week after (November 7-8). Under its underpass, both festivals will be held in Eastlake Park, creating a grittier feel than your average Arizona festival. Both festivals are collaborations with Arizona’s EDM top dog, Relentless Beats.
Body Language — Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25
For the ultimate crossover of the underground and festival house scene, Body Language will return for its ninth anniversary following the cancellation of Body Language 2024. Incepted in 2015, Body Language’s focus is bringing sounds across the house genre to Phoenix, bringing out household names and amplifying local talent.
This year’s lineup boasts what some may consider a more modest lineup of talent than previous years, but still plenty of recognizable names for house lovers. Tchami and AC Slater are set for a headlining back-to-back set on Friday, creating a crossover set between Tchami’s futuristic beats and AC Slater’s bass-house sounds, while deep house duo Gorgon City are set to end the night on Saturday. Local talent Valerie Stoss and Edward Joseph will start each night off.
"Downtown Phoenix is where I was born, and is an important area for us to continue to invest in,” says Relentless Beats founder Thomas Turner. “It's the cultural heart of our community, filled with an unmistakable energy."
Body Language lineup (in alphabetical order)
Friday:
Ayybo
MichaelBM
Marco Strous
Noizu
Tchami b2b AC Slater
Valerie Stoss
Saturday:
Amal Nemer
KREAM
Gorgon City
Edward Joseph
Rafael
Ranger Trucco
2-day General Admission and VIP tickets, starting at $154, are on sale now. Single-day tickets, starting at $82, are also available. See Body Language’s website for more information.
Obsidian — Friday, Nov. 7 and Saturday, Nov. 8
Obsidian was founded by Techno Snobs in 2019, five years ago, with the hopes of bringing something different and larger-scale to Arizona’s techno community. Its name is after the obsidian stone and the Latin word “obsidinus,” which translates to “of darkness,” a nod to the raw and industrial sounds often found in techno.
While the festival initially took place at Lumberjaxes Axe Throwing, it moved last year to Eastlake Underpass, which provides a larger capacity while keeping the underground feel.
“Techno feels a lot more at home in an industrial environment without the flashy club stuff.” Lex Gonzalez, talent coordinator for Relentless Beats, says. “Nothing wrong with it, but (Eastlake Underpass) just makes sense for what we want to build out here.”
Obsidian 2025 will bring some major techno players to its stage (unlike previous years, this year’s iteration will have one primary stage). Artists Alignment, Deborah De Luca, and JSTJR are set to bring harder dance sounds to the stage, while other artists on the lineup offer more of a traditional, hypnotic feel. Meanwhile, local artists will bring flavors of house music to open the night.
“You can expect a safe and welcoming environment where you will get to be a part of something special to the city, while making some of the best memories with like-minded individuals,” says Gonzalez.
Obsidian lineup (in alphabetical order)
Friday:
Alignment
Dax J
Dukes of Dawn
JSTJR
Panteros666
The Pontiac House Project
TRYM
Saturday:
Callush
Deborah De Luca
Noises
OGUZ
Regal
SALOME
2-day General Admission and VIP tickets, starting at $119, are on sale now. Single-day tickets are not yet available. Click here for more information.
