Dreamstate SoCal 2025 delivers a stunning 10-year anniversary [DMNW Review]

This past November 21 and 22nd, Dreamstate SoCal— Insomniac’s flagship trance festival — made a historic return to the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA for a two-nights of amazing music, art, and fun. The seaside setting added an extra dimension of ambience — a mix of salty breeze and trance energy under the night sky and the large outdoor space and waterfront backdrop allowed for immersive staging and a more expansive vibe than previous years’ when the event was held at NOS Event Center in San Bernadino. Plus, this year’s Dreamstate SoCal marked a major milestone: the 10-year anniversary of the festival which meant there was a lot of hype leading up to it. Everything from the lineup, the stages, and overall immersive experience couldn’t have been better – it was truly any trance fans dream.

Venue & Production

Overall, we are so pleased to see this event at the Queen Mary for the second year. The venue and production alike were top notch and hope to see this event here for future years to come. The open air, waterfront setting, and scenic elements only added to the great experience. Within the space, four stages all providing backdrops for differing genres of music proved to be some of the best we’ve seen at Dreamstate. Each one unique; each one had great sound and layout. The staging allowed for immersive environments where the music (and attendees) could breathe.

• The Queen Mary proved to be a fitting host and much preferred over NOS in San Bernadino, CA. The venue felt well laid out and allowed different energies to coexist.

• The Dream main stage offered elevated viewing for VIP guests on the balcony of the Queen Mary in addition to all around crisp sound and sweeping visuals. The stage LEDs were expansive and absolutely phenomenal.

• The Vision stage leaned more towards a warehouse-like feel that worked really well for trance purists. This stage was situated along the alluring LED tunnel which provided some extra elements to the overall visuals of the space.

• The Void stage nearest the entry had uber heavy-hitting beats, strong lasers, and post-apocalyptic vibes. It definitely grabbed your attention as soon as you walked into the venue!

• The Sequence stage gave way to a plethora of psy-trance artists and looked very futuristic. It was the perfect backdrop for this sound with plenty of space for people to spread out.

• Amenities should get some praise too — water stations, lockers, VIP zones (with heaters no less!), and lounges helped make the space comfortable and well thought out.

Music Lineup & Highlights

Given the 10-year celebration, Insomniac pulled out several significant bookings including Tiesto’s return to trance to close out the weekend. The mix of legacy trance pioneers and newer wave artists gave the weekend both gravitas and freshness that anyone could appreciate. Even more so, there were many unfamiliar artists (to us) that were mixed throughout both days that were definite heavy hitters! Dreamstate 2025 wasn’t only about nostalgia, the lineup fully represented the genre’s evolution, showcasing new sounds and fresh energy.

• Day 1 Highlights
  • Mad Maxx at the Sequence stage was the first set we went to as we entered the venue. Heavy hitting, fast-paced beats and visuals made the crowd double in size before the set was over. Definitely a highlight set of the entire evening.
  • Mark Sherry came out the gate hard for this years’ Dreamstate. As a producer that has been around for more than two decades, he’s built a reputation for blending driving techno rhythms with uplifting trance melodies. One of the key highlights during his set was a remix of Above & Beyond’s Quicksand in addition to his noteworthy track We Dance As One.
  • Local PNW DJ CancelTheCouch played at the Beatbox Artcar to a happy crowd full of Seattleites and excited trance fans alike. It was exciting to see one of our own playing such a large festival!
  • Dutch DJ Maddix hit us with the bass at the main stage playing songs like Open Sesame (Abracadabra) and Tiesto’s Adagio for Strings remix to really get the crowd moving. He’s been a key artist among festivals standing out as a modern rave instigator — a producer-DJ who fuses big-room energy, techno aggression, and trance-inspired hooks.
  • Gareth Emery closing out night 1 with his Cyberpunk set combined cutting-edge music with immersive visuals for a futuristic transcendent journey. His set offered a modern contrast to the old-school trance vibes: expect his signature emotive melodies but wrapped in a futuristic production and storytelling approach. Did we also mention extreme lasers!?

• Day 2 Highlights 

  • Coexist played at the Sequence stage with heavy hitting beats and a noteworthy remix of Anyma’s Voices in my Head. He is well known for delivering dynamic, crowd-engaging sets that blur the lines between sound design and communal trance — while there was a last minute schedule change, he ended up playing for two whole hours before John Flemming took the stage. We weren’t complaining!
  • A familiar face to the trance scene, long-time producer Solarstone played to a packed house at the Vision stage. Solarstone stands out as a bridge between trance’s golden era and its modern incarnations — someone who honors the genre’s history while keeping its heart alive for present-day dancefloors and trance fans worldwide. We’ve followed him over the decades and he’s certainly become one of trance’s most respected veterans.
  • Ferry Corsten — brought nostalgic, uplifting trance vibes that sent everyone to the dancefloor. Can someone say Gouryella – Anahera? His set was a touchstone of classic trance emotion: melodic leads, euphoric build-ups, and familiar sound.

  • Tiesto closed out the night with a dedicated trance-only set was easily the most buzzed-about moment of the festival. Fans got a mix of old-school anthems and fresh IDs — including his brand-new track Bring Me To Life, debuting live for the first time since being released. Everyone in the crowed was on their feet dancing the night away making it feel like a true homecoming for trance lovers who have waited over 15 years for this set. His remix of Adagio for Strings was the last song of the night. Tears were definitely shed.

In short: Dreamstate 2025 delivered — a transcendent, immersive journey through trance’s many dimensions.  It was a full-circle moment with Tiesto revisiting his trance roots, there was diversity across genres, a strong bridge between old and new artists, and plenty of immersive experiences. From the emotional euphoria of classic uplifting sets to the raw energy of psy and the forward-looking sounds of techno-infused trance, the festival reminded everyone why trance isn’t just a genre — it’s a soul-moving experience.

Crowd & Logistics

One of the strongest take-aways: the crowd felt more mature, respectful, and connected than a lot of festivals. The sense of being part of a “family” was genuine — people were there for the emotion and the music, not just spectacle. While day two of the festival certainly felt more crowded, most people were chill and understanding of the slower movement from each stage as the night went on.

• In one word – mellow. Trance crowds are generally always a more laid-back crowd, and this time around was no different. Everyone seemed to be having a great time and simply enjoying the music and vibes.
• Several key sets overlapped/conflicted — typical of festivals with multiple stages and big line-ups but definitely caused some logistical challenges for some.
• Shuttle lines, especially on Day 2 had wait times of an hour + which made for some very late nights. With that said however, shuttles were available for FREE which is almost unheard of at festivals of this scale.
• All but the Vision stage had some breathing room where attendees could spread out a little more on the sides and back of the space.
• Plenty of food and beverage stops in addition to restrooms spread out across the venue
• Overall venue easy to navigate and directional signage was prevalent

Final Verdict

Dreamstate SoCal 2025 at the Queen Mary Waterfront delivered a strong, emotionally rich celebration of trance. The combination of scenic venue, top-tier production, committed crowd and a meaningful anniversary made this edition quite memorable. While not without minor logistical wrinkles, the overall experience affirmed why this festival holds a special place for trance fans in the U.S. and beyond.

If you were there — you likely walked away with a few moments, you’ll remember. If you missed it — the fear of “What I missed” is real, but also a good reason to start planning for next year! Tickets are back on sale for 2026 as of Wednesday, November 26th. Don’t miss out!