Symbiosis: A Semi-Annual Gathering

Music festivals have surpassed their roots. It\’s a fact that some will fret on, but it remains a fact. Numerous festivals across the country are now selling out months before a lineup or any other details are released, and that is for one simple reason: these festivals happen every year.

Before they were in mainstream culture, music festivals were celebrated as sonic gatherings where opposing styles of music thrived, and most importantly, those in attendance understood that. Take Coachella for example. Coachella is now considered one of the most mainstream happenings in the world today, but a mere ten years ago, when tickets were considerably cheaper, Daft Punk kicked off their Alive tour with a closing set at the Sahara tent (Coachellas self proclaimed dance music stage) instead of main stage. That night, whether it was the electronic greatness of Daft Punk, the smooth rhymes of Atmosphere, or the funky rhythms of Depeche Mode, those grounds were filled with eager audiophiles who were fully aware of the marvels they were witnessing. However, its that sense of awareness that gradually started to turn festivals into what they are today.

As I am writing this piece for an EDM website in 2015, I know exactly who my audience is. It being close to the end of July, I know most of you have already packed your bags for at least one weekend this summer to escape the monotony of everyday life and let loose at your local festival (You know I have). And because I know exactly who my audience is, I know that upon leaving that festival your first thought was, \”I\’m coming back next year,\” and the first thing you said when you saw your friends who didn\’t go Monday afternoon was \”You have to come next year.\”

It\’s a reflex. I know you can\’t help it. You had such an amazing time at the festival in question that you want everyone you love to have that same experience. This is not a bad thing at all. I have been coaxed by someone else into attending almost every festival I have ever been to, but this can only happen because these festivals occur every year. It\’s a tradition, and getting your friends to become a part of that tradition will undoubtedly enhance your experience, but it does bring in a large amount of attendees who may not care about, or fully understand the reason that tradition exists in the first place.

This is where Symbiosis stands alone.

The first Symbiosis Gathering was held in the woods of Northern California in 2005, and its goals were not all too different than many other festivals. You had music of multiple genres, camping, yoga, various workshops, and for three years straight (05-07) the festival embodied just that. But then, in 2008. Symbiosis, after \”outgrowing its home\” according to the official website, disappeared. No Symbiosis Gathering took place in 2008.

If most promoters were to examine this decision they would call it a mistake. Symbiosis lost out on a years worth of profit, a years worth of expanding their fanbase, and a years worth of yadda yadda yadda. However, to Symbiosis, maintaining the spirit of the festival was more important than all the yadda yadda yadda. As such, Symbiosis Gathering 2009 is dubbed \”The best festival ever,\” on the Symbiosis website. 2009 presented a new venue, a new collaboration with The Do Lab (the company responsible for Lightning in a Bottle), and a lineup that was \”ahead of its time.\” You\’d think after such success, the decision to make Symbiosis an annual event would be a no-brainer. Well it might have been, but the no-brainer was to change everything about the festival.

Three years later in 2012, Symbiosis chose to forsake almost every concrete aspect of 2009. New venue, new state (NV), and even a new name, Pyramid Eclipse. Unfortunately this gathering was plagued with logistical issues and less than ideal weather, and despite the considerable effect it had on those involved, Symbiosis was poised to find a new home yet again.

Then in 2013, for the first time since \’06, Symbiosis would occur two years in a row, and for the first time since 2009, it would occur in California. Laying claim to the Woodward Reservoir, being outside of California for so long definitely cut down significantly on awareness (despite the fact that Chet Faker made his US debut at Symbiosis 2013) and lead to a more contained version of their gatherings in the past. As a general lack of awareness has never phased those in charge of Symbiosis, all it did was paint a picture of a second Symbiosis Gathering to take place at the Woodward Reservoir, which brings us to 2015. After yet another year-long hiatus, Symbiosis Gathering 2015 will take place at the Woodward Reservoir, just north of Oakdale California, with a lineup for the record books.

As has been made clear by the short history you just read, this is not your average festival. Yes, it may share many of the same artists as Coachella and other bigger festivals (Kaytranada, Justin Martin, Sylvan Esso) but that isn\’t just an effort to bring people back to Symbiosis. Those in charge of Symbiosis chose those artists (among many others), the Woodward Reservoir, and 2015 to be a part of a gathering that has very shallow roots in the American festival scene, but the deepest roots in its own culture and understanding of what festivals are really about. This is one you won\’t want to miss. Especially because it might not be seen again for years.

Check Out the full lineup for Symbiosis Gathering 2015 below. For tickets and all other info, visit the official website.