A little rain never hurt anybody, and it sure as hell wouldn’t stop an event as monstrous as BangOn!’s Elements Music & Arts Festival which, quite literally, took the Bronx’s New York Expo Center by storm on Saturday. Early attendees withstood the rain until it cleared up entirely, right around the time Sam Blacky started lighting up the Fire Stage with some seriously rockin’ house vibes.

Festival costumes were out in full form, looking almost as vibrant as the many interactive art installations stationed around the festival grounds. Unfortunately, Desert Dwellers had to cancel their set due to a weather-related flight cancellation, but Emancipator made up for their absence with a nothing-held-back set of gripping, ethereal soundscapes.

 

As the Oregon-based producer’s set ended, bassdrops and 808 jerseys began crowding the Earth Stage far and wide in anticipation of a dirt nasty show from Bassnectar. And the man definitely did not disappoint. From the get-go the low-end bass lord issued nothing but the grimiest mixes, each heavier than the last and calling for an all-out rage fest the closer you got to the stage. We’re talkin’ “TKO,” Metrik’s “Your World (VIP)” spilling right into “Ugly,” a bass heavy edit of Young Signorino’s “Mmh ha ha ha,” and most notably, the oh-so-funky “I Feel Good” Lil Wayne/James Brown Mashup. It was a party, for real.

After the adrenaline died down, Jade Cicada filled the Water Stage with his iconic drippy space bass, flaunting some fresh sounds off his new “Fish Juice” EP before Dirty Bird mainstays Sacha Robotti and Justin Jay rounded out the perfect evening at the Fire Stage.

If one thing is clear, with a team as hard-working as BangOn! and fans just as dedicated to the scene, not even the elements can stop a festival like Elements NYC!

What was your favorite part of Elements Music & Arts Festival 2018? Check out our pictures & be sure to let us know in the comments below!

© All Images by Shawn Russell Photography