If you’re at all into EDM, you’re likely familiar with TomorrowWorld. The North American counterpart to ID&T’s acclaimed and widely loved Tomorrowland, the festival had its rookie outing last year and though it was, by all accounts, a success, there was definite room for improvement. So, heading into its sophomore outing, ravers and critics alike had high hopes for an equally, if not more successful event.
Thankfully, the organizers brought their A-game, as EDM’s heaviest hitters ascended upon Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia to deliver an unforgettable three day experience, one that will no doubt prove ID&T to be every bit as skilled at putting together a festival as their chief rival, Insomniac.
Taking place in the aforementioned Chattahoochee Hills, which is not so conveniently located about an hour outside of Atlanta (thankfully, shuttles were provided from most of the major hotels downtown), TomorrowWorld played host to seven spectacular stages this year, boasting names like David Guetta, Diplo, Skrillex, Zedd, Ferry Corsten, Showtek, Kaskade, Pete Tong, Martin Garrix and many, many more.
The 500 acre property that the festival took place at is, in a word, stunning. Located in the middle of nowhere (seriously, if you got stranded there after the shuttles left and didn’t have a car you’d be in a world of trouble. Unless of course you snuck into Dreamville), festivalgoers were for the most part cut off from cell phone service and able to focus solely on the music and experience, which was actually kind of nice for a change. Moreso at TomorrowWorld than any other festival I’ve been too, I didn’t see a whole lot of people on their phones during the sets. It’s a small thing, sure, and doesn’t exactly impact me in any way, but it was a pleasant sight and certainly helped to enhance the overall atmosphere.
Speaking of the atmosphere, the people at TomorrowWorld were amongst the friendliest that I’ve ever met at a festival. PLUR was in the air all weekend as folks from all different backgrounds and walks of life strutted their over the top costumes and favorite flags. Longer than they should be drink/food lines and over-priced concessions didn’t damper the mood of the 21+ (thank god!) crowd, either. Throughout the entire weekend festivalgoers were in extremely high sprits and everyone that I met was very pleasant to talk with.
The only complaint I heard from those in attendance was that perhaps the setting was a bit too big. A few of the stages had quite the distance between them, with some requiring a 20 or so minute walk to get from one to the other. Conversely, there were two or three stages that were actually a bit too close together, resulting in some awkward sound bleeding. I noticed this several times while in the VIP area as I was watching acts on the main stage yet hearing music from one of the smaller stages beside it, forcing me to go find a new location to stand in. It’s not a huge deal, but it was certainly noticeable at particular stages.
