Breakaway Arizona returned to Sloan Park Festival Grounds for its second edition commencing the local upcoming festival season this 2026. This year’s musical beauty blossomed in a dubstep heaven during Effin’s performance, fireworks at Marshmello, and a tribute to Avicii from Kygo. Festival season’s awakening rebirth was fully revived and breathing in this spring musical picnic at the park.
A Remix of Fireworks, Favorite Songs, and Live Vocals
Courtesy of Mary Mason (@olddirtyleather & @festivalfitphotos)
International and local talent curated a soundscape of lively remixes and surprise live vocals from singers incorporated into performances Arizona didn’t expect. On day one, Xandra remixed “Alive” by Empire of the Sun, Kesha’s “Take It Off”, and Beyoncé’s “Crazy In Love” into a bass house fusion to start the weekend on a strong musical note in the sweltering sun at the main stage.
MPH later remixed “Turn Off the Lights” by Chris Lake while Truth remixed Alice Deejay’s “Better Off Alone” at The L.A.B Stage. As the night grew, Arizona was expecting pyrotechnics and fireworks to set the scene. Loud Luxury performed a track with lyrics: “good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to ASU” with visuals of the ASU sun devil on the LED walls and fire emitting from the front of the stage.
Mersiv remixed Flume’s “Never Be Like You” and Deftones’ “Change (In the House of Flies) before mosh pits and fire swarmed the main stage during ISOxo. ISOxo’s “Fuck the Speakers Up” created an intense frenzy for moshpits to swallow the crowds energy into unruly chaos. Grabbitz commenced the weekend of live vocals with singing to his collaborative track with Subtronics “Into Pieces” before playing an unreleased track with Wooli.
Courtesy of Breakaway Arizona
Closing night one was Marshmello remixing Icona Pop’s “I Love It” and Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” with fireworks bursting with stage flames happening at the same time. This performance felt like a proper kick-off to Arizona’s festival season.
On day two, Angrybaby started the party remixing Ciara’s “Goodies” and “Baby” by Justin Bieber at the main stage. Habstrakt and James Hype swooned Arizona with playful, highly-personalized house music to inspire movement. Heating up the L.A.B was the one and only Dr. Fresch featuring a new unreleased track with Liquid Stranger and asked the crowd to take a stretch and a breath because they were going to need it with his “whole family of Freschs” on the stage with him.
Kygo closed the festival weekend on night two with an emotional and heartfelt performance. He commenced his performance with “Born To Be Yours” before introducing Justin Jesso to the stage to sing “Stargazing” live. Kygo then featured his collaborative song with his girlfriend, Victoria Nadine “Can’t Get Enough”. The crowd danced slow and fast in intervals with this high-energy yet heart-opening set.
Studio 54 Revived at Disco Dom’s Set
Courtesy of Mary Mason (@olddirtyleather & @festivalfitphotos)
Dombresky put the disco in Disco Dom and provided Breakaway Arizona a glimpse into what Studio 54 was like in 1977. Disco Dom wore a purple dress shirt and pants, two thick silver cuban link chains and watch, a sparkly silver hat with a purple feather hanging on the side with blue square sunglasses. His outfit screamed, “It’s time for disco, baby!” and featured his remix of Cloonee’s “Stephanie” as if it originated from a discotheque.
Dressed so groovy to match remixes of well-loved hits from the 70s, his background dancers wore gold and silver costumes and followed every beat on stage. Disco Dom continued his highly-anticipated set with Empire of the Sun’s, “Walking On a Dream” while a white, red, yellow, and blue beach ball was passed across different parts of the crowd. Spring was in full bloom in the April air.
A performance thriving off of peace, love, and good vibes, he then mixed Michael Jackson’s, “Rock With You”, “Believe” by Cher, and ended his nostalgic performance with Earth, Wind, And Fire’s “September”. Attendees danced in happiness and harmony the entire time feeling the positivity of the music lighten their movements.
A Renewal of Spring (Breakaway) Fashion: Power Rangers and Human Ramen Cups
Courtesy of Mary Mason (@olddirtyleather & @festivalfitphotos)
Breakaway Arizona’s fashion was nothing less of colorful, bohemian, quirky, and eclectic. This year’s bold fashion didn’t play it safe with comfortable basics. A rave family strolled between stages in Power Ranger costumes while an eye-catching girl gang showed up wearing Futurama t-shirts.
One raver dressed up in a ramen cup costume because we all know noodles are the best late night festival snack! Some ravers wore fiery red wigs and different textiles such as yarn bell bottoms in flashing bright colors like a pinata. A service dog’s tail was dyed purple as his owner’s matching outfit was also purple. Keep it weird and funky, Arizona!
A Sandwich-Shaped Disco Ball at the Silent Disco
Courtesy of Mary Mason (@olddirtyleather & @festivalfitphotos)
In between The Main Stage and The L.A.B (Leave It All Behind) Stage, there lies the Silent Disco Club Sandwich Stage presented by Jimmy John’s. This silent disco showcased three DJs at the same time playing deep and tech house, riddim, as well as experimental bass emitting through sound-proof headphones. Like every silent disco, multiple channels make it easy for everyone to tune in and channel surf to enjoy a variety of well-crafted music.
Silent Disco Explorers were thankful for Jimmy John’s as there were bags of kettle cooked chips in flavors salt and vinegar, jalapeno, and original on both sides of the stage. The golden bags of chips were headlined by signs labeled, “Don’t dance hangry”, and “No one can hear you crunch when you’ve got headphones on”.
Above listeners heads was a sandwich-shaped disco ball glistening from the sun and a limelight at night. It’s safe to say no one went hangry on that dance floor and some took extra bags of chips for the road to the afterparty. Who doesn’t love a good snack on the dance floor?
Celebrating BIJOU’s Birthday at Cake Nightclub
Courtesy of Cake Nightclub
The festival ended on night two, but the afterparties still lived on. Disco Dom was DJing at Maya Nightclub while Dr. Fresch was throwing down at the hottest club in Scottsdale, Cake Nightclub. Dr. Fresch featured heavy bass, bass house, and intense remixes while two lyra performers hung from the ceiling on both sides of the stage. Just what the doctor ordered were remixes of “Days” by Chrystal, “Tell Me When to Go” by E-40, and Creed’s “One Last Breath”.
To keep it Fresch with his best friend, BIJOU, Dr. Fresch gave him a birthday shoutout before bottle servers approached the stage with a sign plastered, “Happy B-Day, BIJOU!”. Fresch played their collaborative track “Kung Fu” before transitioning into A-Trak’s “Heads Will Roll”. The nightclub’s dance floor and tables stayed full to the brim until the end of the last track.
Until next year, Breakaway Arizona! Want to follow this international powerhouse festival across the U.S.? Check out the official Breakaway Festival website. iHeartRaves will refresh your rave closet before summer in their hottest new trending arrivals seen on the dance floor.
AUTHOR: MARY MASON
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