A mere week after the fall season was announced, thousands of alt-rock lovers & myself flocked to Lake Perris to soak up some Sun and jam out at the 10th edition of the Desert Daze 2022 Music Festival. While I’ve only been to a handful of music festivals, my experience at Desert Daze was one of the most beautifully eccentric weekends of my life. From when the doors opened, the lineup never provided a dull moment. With extraordinary headliners like Tame Impala, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, and Beach House, each night ended with unforgettable sets that left people screaming for more, even into the AM.
One of the stand-out elements that make Desert Daze so special, is its setting. The four performance stages surround the beach of Lake Perris, where you’ll find people in swimmable fashion and with inflatable friends. There’s something deeply intimate about getting to listen to your favorite music while watching the sunset on the water, and curling your toes in the sand. The beach itself was decorated with vintage living room furniture, standing art exhibits and photo backdrops.
Many of the artists seemed extremely fond of the festival as well. Kevin Parker of Tame Impala took a short break from performing Lonerism to tell the crowd about how excited he was to return to the festival and his previous experience at Desert Daze. One of the most memorable moments I had at the festival was watching JPEGMAFIA jump into the crowd whilst rapping, and then returning to stage to sing a cover of Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen. Speaking of covers, Chicano Batman surprised his audience with the iconic Creep by Radiohead.
King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard was a fan favorite of the weekend, within two minutes of their performance I was caught in the mosh pit with my camera, which actually makes it pretty hard to take photos. Iggy Pop was originally one of the headliners but unfortunately had to drop out because his travel related issues with his band. So Beach House took their spot and the general consensus seemed to be that they were a very welcomed replacement. Personally, I was extremely excited to catch their set as I nearly saw them a few months ago when they performed at the Rosebowl.
There were so many other performances that stood out to me, like Reggie Watts, Nilüfer Yanya, BADBADNOTGOOD, and of course The Marías. So not only was my time at Desert Daze rich with incredible music, but also countless interactions with joyous people having the time of their life. It was a blessing to be a part of the 10 year anniversary, and I can’t wait to return.
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