Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights 2025 was on July 18–20, 2025, at Cook’s Valley Campground in Northern California. Another year done, another fantastic romp in the redwoods. I’ve been going to the Northern Nights Music Festival almost every year since 2014; as a fan, as press representing Balanced Breakfast, and last year as an artist through my project Moonlust. And honestly? It just keeps getting better. It’s probably my favorite festival ever, most definitely my favorite in California.
At the Grove Stage (the heart and soul of Northern Nights), Vincent Antone gave us a funky, dark, driving, Gramatik / Pretty Lights-esque throwback set. Genre-bending N3ptune did a loud, raucous blues-y big-band thing. Will Magid of Balkan Bump was at his usual relentless maximum-energy level, bringing his signature mix of live instrumentation and electronics into a fusion-y world music aesthetic featuring dancers, including Juliano Wade.
Balkan Bump at the Grove Stage. Photo by Eyecatcher.
If there was a Grove highlight this year, it was probably Steamy Windows. Four guys in matching track suits brought positivity and good times like nobody else – one rapping, one DJing, Andy Ammo Schneider banging on bongos like his life depended on it, and the infamous Jeff Straw on a tenor saxophone. These guys had half the audience dancing around them on stage by the end of the set. They were roaming around the audience, hyping everybody up, throwing stickers. My camp crew was front and center, and at one point, I turned around and couldn’t even see halfway to the back through the sea of dancing bodies.
The River Stage hosted a regular flow of slamming beats. There’s nothing quite like the experience of floating around and around a bend in the river with the sunshine beaming down, drones flying overhead, a cold beer, and all your friends laughing and leaping in the water, while DJs spin house all day long just a few feet away on shore. The best river set of the weekend I caught was Cut Chemist, formerly of Jurassic 5, serving up that retro hip hop vibe.
Aluna on the Main Stage Friday night. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Main Stage brought it hard, too. Dirtybird legend Justin Martin brought fun and flirty accessible house jams. Wreckno was their usual wild, over-the-top self, unapologetically slamming you with aggressive party beats and major WUBBA WUBBA.
King Kairos and KR3TURE on the Main Stage on Saturday night. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Mayvn on sax during KR3TURE’s Main Stage set on Saturday night. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Juliano Wade and King Kairos during KR3TURE’s set at the Main Stage Saturday night. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Maybe the best set of the whole weekend was KR3TURE, who elevated this year to the Main Stage after crushing it at the Grove Stage in 2023. His show was a full band explosion, with Mavyn (a regular collaborator of Balkan Bump’s) on saxophone, sultry vocalist King Kairos, a violinist, and Krikor himself playing some impressive lead guitar throughout. It was big, it was visual, it was dirty and raw, and the bass drove down deep. And then he performed a stripped-down set later in the night at the Madrone stage, just to remind us how badass he is.
Tightrope walker daredevil action has become a common occurrence in recent years. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Classic Northern Nights had just 3 central stages: the main in the center, one by the river, and one in the trees. Back then, it was usually just a matter of hopping from one stage to the next to catch every act you wanted to see.
But in recent years, they’ve been gradually adding little stages, like Madrone, Octopus Garden, and the Bunker. And this year, the folks of Dirtybird Campout collaborated with Northern Nights and seemed to run their wing of the festival downriver. For the first time, I felt like it was physically impossible to be everywhere I wanted to be in time to see my schedule selections. To get to the Dirtybird-focused Birdbath Stage, you had to cross the long parking lot and enter an almost second festival, complete with its own beach, camping area, food vendors, etc.
Dirtybirds at the Bird Bath during Sacha Robotti on Sunday. Photo by Eyecatcher.
My camp made the trek (probably 20 minutes of walking?) out to the Dirtybird stage just once. We caught Sacha Robotti‘s set there, which was excellent – basically one wild beach party. But we had no more time to stay out there with so much going on at Northern Nights classic! This was a relentless year; it never stopped, never stopping.
SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Assuming Northern Nights chooses to collaborate with Dirtybird Campout again in 2026, they have to figure out a way to bridge that giant parking lot gap between the central festival and the Dirtybird stuff closer together. I know from talking to friends afterwards that people seemed to be experiencing two separate festivals entirely; they struggled to see it all, and journey back and forth. Dirtybird peeps rarely left the comfort of their Bird Bath, while most of us Northern Nights veterans had no awareness of the new party happening down the river. Once they resolve the space issue, they’re going to be unstoppable. (Truthfully, they’re unstoppable either way.)
Here’s to you, Northern Nights. Don’t stop, don’t ever stop.
With my brother Adam and friend Haley at the Bird Bath. Photo by Eyecatcher.
Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights came together for a one-of-a-kind fusion festival under the redwoods at Cook’s Valley Campground. Set along the scenic Eel River, the three-day celebration blended Dirtybird’s wild, quirky energy with Northern Nights’ serene and soulful vibes. Attendees enjoyed a stacked lineup featuring Jungle (DJ Set), Zeds Dead, Aluna, Justin Martin, and many more, alongside immersive wellness experiences, hilarious camp games, and lush VIP perks. From tug-of-war and river races to yoga, tarot readings, and late-night dancefloors, the weekend invited guests to play hard, rest deep, and dance wildly in nature.
It was the ultimate summer escape—an unforgettable adventure under the trees.
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🎶 Full Lineup
Jungle (DJ Set), Zeds Dead, Aluna, Justin Martin, Levity, Walker & Royce, Ardalan, Bachelors of Science, Balkan Bump, Big Milk, Black Neek, Christian Martin, Cut Chemist, DJ Glen, Ed Rush & Optical, Gene Farris, Gettoblaster, Jackie Hollander, J.Phlip, Justin Jay, Kaleida, KR3TURE, Mary Droppinz, Mz Worthy, Nala, Onhell, Sacha Robotti, Super Future, The Martin Brothers, UNIIQU3, VNSSA, Wreckno, Beat Kitty, Bianca Oblivion, Court T., DJ Dials, DJ E-Clyps, Ekonovah, Gritty Lex, Joanna Magik, Kevin Knapp, Kowta, Kurei, Life on Planets, Nikita, The Wicked, N3ptune, Oakk, Omicasa (Craze & Matsu), SHADED (Live), Smalltown DJs, The Great Bingo Revival, URN, Vincent Antone, AMPRS&ND, Artsychoke, Bad Girl Bailey, Beetroots, Brent Tactic, Caledru, Chocolate Sushi, Deron Delgado, Dirtybird Spelling Bee, DJ Rundat, Dragonfly, Driver405, Duchess B2B DollyWifey, DKB, Edward White, Four on the Floor, Has Joujou, Kae Lew, Kenny Summit, LHP Dance w/ Gudu, Local Assassin, Lyja, Mike Kerrigan, Moody Jones, Ms. Behave, N808, Only Now, Pruminati, Seek-One, Spektrum & Nas Ajaz, Steamy Windows, STPHN, Superbetch, Teknic02, Terra Cognita, Victoria Rawlins.
