Electric Nights and Unforgettable Beats: Recapping Lights All Night 2026
This year at Lights All Night was a wild ride, to say the least. Getting to meet musical and VFX artists alike was surreal, and somehow, the cards played out just right for me to essentially gain all-access this year. I’ve been going to LAN for many years now—my very first festival was back in 2015—but this year’s festival may have been the closest to my heart.
On the first day, after getting my bearings, I spent most of my time with friends exploring all the new areas of the festival I’d never had access to before. I just happened to know someone who got to play on the second day, and I was able to ride their coattails, meeting a myriad of people who played at or worked for the festival in some way. After a full adventure behind stages and through artist lounges, we arrived at Wooli on the mainstage and caught the view from the ultra VIP lounge upstairs—truly one of the best seats in the house.
Seeing the stage production from that vantage point was breathtaking. The sea of people on the mainstage put the scale of the festival into perspective, but my feet were itching to move. Being the adventurer that I am, I said goodbye to my group and wandered around, usually dancing in the GA crowd as I moved from stage to stage. The Disco Rodeo had tight sound and groovy beats as I walked up, with people taking pictures in front of the giant LAN letters while the lights danced and music thumped behind them. There’s something about B-stage house vibes that’s hard to describe—there’s just enough room to move however you want, the energy is always upbeat, and even if the music isn’t exactly my style, it’s refreshing to spend time in that crowd.
On my way toward the Watering Hole, people played on the lit-up see-saws outside, their delighted screams reminiscent of elementary school playgrounds. The hanging circular chairs lit up their cozy occupants as I followed the walkway to a small but heart-filled stage. I plopped down on the lit-up circular benches that dotted the back and jammed out while chatting with GA festival-goers. At the risk of tarnishing my newfound VIP royalty, it was a lovely conversation.
It’s always a treat to catch fresh artists making a name for themselves out back, and this unlikely spot would become one of my most memorable locations on day two. Passing through the crowd to The Lonestar stage, you can find the not-so-lit-up porta-johns (hear me out, Disco Donnie: light-up porta-johns are the obvious next step) and the food court. The enticing smell of food grabbed my attention, and before long, I had a large slice of pizza in hand as I followed the sound of wubz into the tent that held the stage. The Lonestar stage featured a large rubber-ducky-shaped disco ball overhead, with the crowd collectively putting on their best stank faces. Being a bit of a wook myself, I couldn’t help but do the same as I chowed down.
To wrap up my day one adventure, I headed back to The Metroplex to catch Illenium and somehow ran into the rest of my group—they had, of course, missed the meet-up time. True to form, I walked right into them and got to enjoy the rest of Illenium’s set with the people I call family. Strange how that works sometimes—the festival is massive, with the mainstage alone housing a literal sea of people, and yet you always end up exactly where you need to be.
Day two was a completely different ballgame. Now familiar with the festival layout, I was able to focus more on who I wanted to see. The music really stood out, especially since tonight was the main event—who doesn’t love a New Year’s countdown, after all?
Starting out with Crankdat’s high-energy drops, we made our way to the artists’ lounge for drinks and found ourselves backstage at The Lonestar stage, which was cool, but I much prefer being in the crowd. After moving in, I really enjoyed the wubz on display—Freddy Todd, I must say, I was unfamiliar with your game, but I’m impressed.
Later, we moved to the mainstage to catch the unmistakable sax-infused sound of Griz, then wandered over to The Watering Hole at 9 sharp to make sure an important member of our group made it to his set. I had planned to leave halfway through his set to catch a bit of Grabbitz and meet back up for Deathpact—but that didn’t happen. Sedation proceeded to play the best set I’ve seen from him yet, and all my plans faded away in a sea of filthy wubz. I’m not one to plug an artist due to personal connections, but that set earned its praise.
After hanging around for him to meet fans, we rushed to the mainstage to catch the end of Deathpact on our way back for drinks. The dark undertones of the grindy beats never fail to impress, and getting to see Deathpact from the other side of the stage as we headed to the artist lounge is a memory I won’t forget. I spent quite a bit of time talking to various people in the industry, all of whom were wonderful.
After shaking off all the stars I’d met, I continued on to Wreckno. I was almost allowed on stage but respectfully declined due to unfamiliarity and stage fright. I did, however, enjoy the funky beats from the safety of the crowd. Cruising around, I caught Levity, Genesi, and the pass-off from TRN ME UP to PassThe40 at The Watering Hole.
Finally, I planted my feet at the mainstage for Porter Robinson. He opened with some classics and played his heart out until the countdown, and yes, I may have fought back a tear or two. Watching the ball drop with one of my favorite artists was incredible. As confetti fell and flames shot from the stage, strangers hugged, people kissed, and some just stood in awe.
I spent the rest of the night with the friends I hold dear, watching TVBOO play country-infused wubz, which was definitely unexpected—but I suppose it wouldn’t be a Texas New Year’s without a little country.
LAN 2025-26 was an experience I’ll remember for a long time. As someone who’s experienced most festivals from the GA side, I never imagined I could have an experience like this. It was truly special, and I can’t thank everyone who made it happen enough.