By Katrina Cameron & Billy Bruce
Some of our Trancension crew made the trek up to the Bay Area last weekend to witness the long-awaited return of Dreamstate San Francisco—this time at the iconic Cow Palace, a venue with deep roots in trance history. Once home to legendary raves in the 2010s, the Cow Palace proved it still has the magic to host a proper trance revival.
Dreamstate SF 2025 brought two nights of euphoric beats, impressive stage production, and unforgettable dancefloor moments. The venue’s layout made it easy to bounce between the two stages—The Dream and The Vision. Mainstage, the Dream, featured upper-level seating, offering fans a stunning view of the light shows and laser-filled stage production. Meanwhile, the Vision Stage pulsed with underground energy all weekend long. And of course, we were stoked to host San Diego Trance Family meetups at the Vision both nights!
Friday: Pryda’s Mind-Bending Production & Trance Wax’s DS Debut
Friday night popped the cork on a new Dreamstate experience in the Bay Area.
The Dream’s huge stage that throughout the night opened a massive trance destination portal only more and more as the night continued. The Dream hosted amazing sets from legendary Darren Tate and rising star Amy Wiles, before diving into deep and progressive sets from Cristoph, Yotto, and Argy.
Eric Prydz delivered an out-of-this-world performance celebrating 20 years of Pryda with a mind-bending set full of classic sounds and cinematic production. Making their Dreamstate and U.S. debut, Trance Wax closed the mainstage with a dreamy, emotionally charged set that had us floating out the doors.
Over at the Vision Stage, SF trance veteran Blurr opened the weekend with local love, leading into powerful sets from Xijaro & Pitch, Ciaran McAuley, Nifra, and Simon Patterson. As the night ramped up, trance titans Giuseppe Ottaviani, Mauro Picotto, and Jordan Suckley took the reins, delivering a closing sermon that had the crowd raving until close.
Saturday: Underground Energy & Trance Legends Collide
Saturday brought more of everything: more lasers, more energy, and even more heat.
Our crew arrived early to catch SoCal’s own Vangar, whose high-energy tech-trance set the tone at the Dream Stage. From there, Marie Vaunt, Hannah Laing, Billy Gillies, and Ben Hemsley kept the energy at a fever pitch. Armin’s return to San Francisco felt slightly nostalgic, followed by a darker, edgier set from Maddix, and a closing journey led by the one and only Markus Schulz.
Meanwhile, the Vision Stage was transformed into an underground warehouse rave. Bay Area legend Sony Jacob kicked off the night, followed by dynamic sets from trance stars Miyuki, Taylor Torrence, and Sean Tyas, whose hard-hitting set shook the dancefloor. Solarstone brought the feels, Yoji Biomehanika delivered untamed energy, and Ilan Bluestone served up a blend of progressive and Anjuna nostalgia. Lostly closed the stage with one of the most powerful sets of the weekend—proving the Vision crowd was in it for the long haul.
From the epic soundscapes to the SD trance family vibes on the dancefloor, Dreamstate SF reminded us why trance is so much more than a genre—it’s a feeling.
Want to experience live trance right here in San Diego? Don’t miss our upcoming show with Levels San Diego on Friday, April 25 featuring Vangar with support from our Trancension resident artists Kailey Grace and Nico Hartt, as well as Em Yujin, Ken Lin, and Matis. Get your tickets here.