Get Freaky 2025 Recap
Location: Utah Fair Grounds
10/24-10/26
Who I saw:
- Night 1: Whales, HVDES, Kaivon, Jessica Audiffred, Of The Trees and Zeds Dead
- Night 2: Sabi, Adventure Club (throwback set) and Inzo
- Night 3: Riot Ten, Dirt Monkey, ATLiens and Excision
Wubs, Whales, and a Little Dinosaur: My Get Freaky 2025 Adventure
Just before Halloween, Salt Lake City’s Utah State Fair park transformed into a pulsing, laser-lit sanctuary for ravers and dubstep devotees as V2 unleashed Get Freaky 2025; giving us three nights of heavy hitters, eye-melting production and a crowd that didn’t stop moving.
The lineup was stacked with big names like Zeds Dead, INZO and Excision — along with others like Whales, Dirt Monkey and Adventure Club. It was a weekend filled with lots of dubstep and spooky vibes!
When the Freaks Come Out to Play
Stepping through the Fair park gates felt like entering another realm. The sound of deep wubs and trap-infused basslines echoed around us, while costumed ravers in LED wings, skeleton face paint, and fuzzy animal onesies swarmed the grounds. V2’s team once again outdid themselves, leaning hard into bass culture with booming sound systems, massive LED walls, lasers for days, and bass that you could feel through the pavement. Plus, the kind of communal synergy you hope to find at any festival.
The Freakiest Fits
Halloween weekend at Get Freaky always doubles as a full-on costume runway, and we came prepared.
Night 1, our crew paid tribute to the cult-classic Holes, decked out as the orange-jump suited Camp Green Lake kids — dust, shovels, and all. The nostalgia hit hard, and we got more than a few shout-outs from fellow 2000s-movie fans. 
Night 2, we swapped the desert grit for under-the-sea chaos and rolled in as characters from SpongeBob SquarePants. I claimed the role of Mermaid Man, shell bra and all, which somehow matched the aquatic lighting of the main stage perfectly.
By Night 3, comfort and cozy chaos took over. We all showed up in Pokémon onesies — I went full Gengar, floating through the crowd like a mischievous ghost-type under purple strobes. It was the perfect combo of comfy and freaky, ideal for dancing through the final night’s bass barrage. 
Headliners:
Zeds Dead – Night 1
Opened their set with a mix of deep dubstep grooves straight into their signature “Zeds Dead style” — heavy wobble, surprising transitions, and a moment when the smoke and strobe lights hit all at once and the crowd erupted. They reminded everyone why they’ve become fixtures in the bass scene, blending melody and menace with ease.
Friday night’s headliners, Zeds Dead, reminded everyone why they’re considered legends of the genre. Their set opened with a deep, rolling bassline that built into an eruption of classics, not to mention playing my all-time favorite song in full, Rude Boy. What stood out most wasn’t just the music—it was how seamlessly they mixed nostalgia with modern grit.
The duo wove in moments of trance-like melody before dropping right back into walls of bass that sent shockwaves through the crowd. When the smoke machines burst and the lasers hit in perfect sync, the entire Tomb of Doom erupted into chaos.
It was that classic Zeds Dead formula: clean transitions, heavy emotion, and enough low-end to shake your ribcage.
Inzo – Night 2
Saturday brought INZO, the Chicago-based melodic bass producer who continues to redefine how pretty and heavy can coexist. His set offered a refreshing balance—a cosmic journey through glitchy, ethereal melodies layered with earth-rattling subs.
The standout moment came when he dropped Overthinker, and the crowd collectively went still for a moment before exploding with emotion as the lasers and lights filled the Tent of Terror. His visuals shifting galaxies, pulsating colors matched perfectly with the introspective energy of his sound.
INZO’s set felt like a palette cleanser between the heavier chaos of the weekend. It reminded everyone that bass doesn’t always have to destroy; sometimes it can heal.
Excision – Night 3
And then came, my all-time favorite, my obsession, my main man, Excision! Sunday’s closing set was nothing short of seismic. Known for his cinematic visuals and unmatched sound design, he transformed the Tomb of Doom into a post-apocalyptic rave arena. Every drop was an earthquake. Every pause, a breath before impact.
I was deep into the music when it happened—a listener from the Radio From Hell Show found me mid-set and handed me a small dinosaur trinket, saying she was a long time listener and enjoyed that I share my love for the EDM community. In the middle of Excision’s laser storm, that little gesture hit me harder than any drop. It reminded me why I do this—why the music, the community and the connection all matter.
From his new Lost Lands/Becky song to old-school hits like Bring the Madness, the final half hour of his set was pure adrenaline. Visuals that altered reality, matched by the unrelenting bass and laser assault. When the final beat hit and the lights went up, the crowd roared with excitement, pleading for an encore, which of course he gave us… I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Caity and Whales
Reconnecting with Whales
One of the weekend’s most personal moments came early day 1, when I got to reconnect with Whales, my favorite French DJ and producer. We first met years ago, then again at Lost Lands this year, while at Lost Lands we made plans to meet up in my hometown! Whales’ set was a beautiful blend of heavy bass and emotional catharsis, and his energy on stage radiated warmth even through the cold night air.
It’s one thing to see an artist you admire crush a festival set; it’s another to share a moment of recognition afterward, both of you smiling like it’s your first rave all over again.
The Scene: Utah’s EDM Family
What makes Get Freaky special isn’t just the lineup—it’s the people. Utah’s rave scene has always carried a strong sense of community, and 2025’s edition was a testament to that. Strangers handed out kandi, hugged freely, and danced like no one was watching. The energy was raw, inclusive, and electric.
Everywhere you turned, someone was dressed up, from fairies to monsters to onesies and more—but the real magic was the smiles beneath the masks. V2 continues to cultivate this energy year after year, creating not just an event, but a community gathering to celebrate Halloween with all genres of EDM.
There was also a quieter beauty in the small moments—the LED art installations, the clusters of friends lying on the grass between sets, The food trucks and the endless exchanges of “I love your outfit!” echoing through the night.
My personal highlight (aside from hanging out with Whales and the dinosaur trinket moment) was the transition into Zeds Dead’s Rude Boy. The crowd’s energy peaked, and for a few minutes, everything felt suspended in time—bass, lights, and hearts all in perfect sync.
Closing Thoughts: The Future of Freaky
Get Freaky 2025 wasn’t just another Halloween rave—it was proof that Utah’s bass scene has matured into something powerful and self-sustaining. The production was tighter, the crowd more unified, and the energy more genuine than ever before. It also showed they can bring global talent, top-tier production and a committed local crowd all in one place. The bass-music scene here is alive, thriving, and ready for more.
As the final lights dimmed and the crowd drifted out under the Salt Lake skyline, I couldn’t help but smile. The music might fade, but the moments—the hugs, the friends, the little dinosaur—stay with you long after the bass stops.
