Splash House August Edition brought more than just heat to the Palm Springs area August 8th and 9th. Touting a stellar lineup of of some of the hottest names in dance, future, dirty bird, trap, and more, the two-day festival played out over three massive hotel pools and an impressive airplane hangar for the late night festivities. And while the thermometer topped out near 100 degrees, the atmosphere was nothing but cool breeze and sunshine while attendees bedecked in giant donut floaties and board shorts bounced around to names like Autograf, Shiba San, Jai Wolf, The Knocks, Moon Boots, and more. Check out our top 5 performances of the weekend, and make sure to catch the full photo recap at the bottom!

Photo Credits (all courtesy of Goldenvoice Media): Felicia Garcia, Jose Negrete, Chris Carrasquillo, Oliver Walker

5. After Hours Party

Fuck it, I’m done. I’ve been to my fair share of music festivals and have seen some pretty high production shit. But it’s not just about throwing money into lights, sound, and fire that makes a venue special.

After walking under the wing of a massive transport plane and turning the corner of Hangar Some Number, my jaw dropped to find thousands of people getting down rave style, framed by a pair of massive airplane hangars and military helicopters. (Editor’s note: They may not have been military, but I was drunk and it sounds good for the story.) I’ve been to and covered a lot of music festivals, but I won’t be the first to tell you that the Palm Springs Airport Museum hosted one of the coolest setups I’ve ever seen.

The Saturday night after party had kicked off in full gear, there was no question, headlined by Wax Motif, Kitten, and Jai Wolf, things got chaotic quick. And we’ll just leave it at that.

4. Shiba San

“Who, Shiba San? Oh, he plays that dirty birdy, baby.” – Mikul Wing, Autograf

Yeah, I wasn’t too familiar with Shiba San before Splash House, but I am now. Watching my first set of the weekend at the Hard Rock Hotel, Shiba San absolutely tore the place up, the soggy crowd eager to soak in the massive beats. With the crowd at his control and the Hard Rock bouncing in sync, Shiba San proceeded to spin one of the most ratchet sets I saw at Splash House.

3. The Knocks

The Knocks and The Sights And Sounds go back quite a ways. They were the first artists I bought shots for after a show (when they opened for Ellie Goulding), and everytime I see them perform I have a fucking blast. Blending perfect summer feels with deep dance vibes, The Knocks continue to burn up dance floors across the world. Performing at probably the hottest part of the day, the NY duo spun to a sweat and alcohol soaked crowd, including favorites like their recently re-released version of “Classic” featuring Fetty Wap and POWERS.

A video posted by The Sights and Sounds (@thesightsandsounds) on Aug 8, 2015 at 5:24pm PDT

2. Louis The Child

I might be biased because I just spent 5 years living in Chicago and am good friends with Louis The Child, but these two barely-out-of-high-school boys are on the crest of becoming a massive force in the game. With their ratchet future-garage and trap sounds, Louis The Child cranked up the heat on the shoulder to shoulder Saguero Hotel. There wasn’t even room to float in the pool as pockets of ‘rave splashers’ churned up the water to new hits and, especially, the throwback remixed classics.

A video posted by The Sights and Sounds (@thesightsandsounds) on Aug 9, 2015 at 3:11pm PDT

1. Slow Magic

And to think I almost left this festival early. Sunday night came all too quickly, and between the heat, drinks, and filming all weekend, the team was just about cashed. However, I decided to stay and snap a few shots before calling it a drive back into the city. Why not? I ended up staying through the entire set, bouncing up and down with my camera tripod for support.

Quite unfamiliar with Slow Magic, I didn’t quite know what to expect as stage hands began to remove the DJ booth and set up a pair of toms and a laptop. And then all of a sudden, I was blown away. From the first note and percussive blast, I couldn’t turn away – even as Slow Magic picked up his drum and bee lined into the crowd. You’re doing yourself and your eyes and ears a disservice if you pass up a chance to see Slow Magic perform next.

Photos by: Kris Kish

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