This past weekend was my first weekend in Palm Springs, and quite memorable, worry-free, vacation in paradise at that. Admittedly, I did not fare swimmingly with the desert heat, although accustomed to waves of swelter of my residing hometown, nonetheless beginning the weekend teeming with excitement. Splash House was underway, and that meant hotel pre-games, swimsuit grooves, and the freedom to easily sway through the dance floor unfazed by sunrays.
Beginning with the Hilton, we caught the deep funky grooves of Klatch and Figgy, while Manila Killa threw down a mind numbing set (as proved by incredible footage his entourage provided, let us know if you've seen it), who brought out Mark Johns for a well-rounded performance. The assortment of floaties populating the pool was incredible; there were enough donuts, pizzas, stingrays, dinosaurs, llamas, flamingos, shamus to create the illusion of dancing zoo. At times it literally turned into a splashing house whilst wading through the water, and other times it was a groovy get-down under the stage tent. Anna Lunoe totally killed it that afternoon, playing a scorching hot set (literally) at 4, switching up the techno house vibes to dirty bassy beats. By this time, the pool was overflowing with moving bodies and I began to wiggle through the crowd.
My favorite venue out of the three was by far the Hacienda, a resort turned into the Dirtybird headquarters for Worthy, Christian Martin, and Justin Jay. The luxury of misty patios, grass dance floor with overhanging lanterns, and poolside lounge chairs made for a relaxing tanning session. As the sun made its way overhead, our tanning sessions turned into full-fledged conversations and margarita siestas with our fellow neighbors. The groove of Hacienda was embedded into my body and I couldn’t help but move with the music as we talked.
When time came to take the shuttle to the next hotel, we parted ways with smiles and hugs, prepared for more serendipitous encounters. Each shuttle was like a lottery: you didn’t know what kind of party it would turn into inside. Some were lined with felt pizzas, giant banana leaf ornaments, and others with piñata pom poms down the aisle. Once the sun neared setting, Splash House kept the energy alive from day to night by throwing shows Friday and Saturday evening, bringing throwback RnB artist Le Youth, house maestro Taches, Eagles, Light Years, and more to the stage.
Splash House was mesmerizing in energy and intimacy, a summer party that reminds us of how dance music brings people together. Clear aqua blue skies, tangy G&Ts laden with crisp ice cubes, endlessly waving arms and bobbing heads, and a healthy mix of vibing out on good feels and day raging until retreating towards the haven of our hotels. We’re looking forward to the another trip to the desert in August, where Splash House aims to complete their second weekend. Acts include performances by Method White's Jonas Rathsman, OWSLA protege Mija, French Express' groovy Moon Boots, recently inducted member of Foreign Family Collective Big Wild, and many more. Needless to say, another killer lineup of DJs and artists awaits.
Photos by Asa Moore from Goldenvoice Media
