Bonanza Campout 2018 is coming up quick, and as someone who’s never been to a festival of any kind, I couldn’t be more stoked. I will be surrounded by hundreds, even thousands of people, hanging out and listening to music together. With acts such as Wiz Khalifa and Halsey, Bonanza is sure to bring together a good amount of people excited to jam out and have fun.

What fifteen-year-old me is so excited about:

I can see myself back in sophomore year of high school; sitting at my desk in my room, procrastinating on my homework, and indulging myself in synth-packed, indie music remixed by the likes of artists such as Snakehips and Hippie Sabotage. In fact, I distinctly remember binge-listening to Snakehips’ remix of BANKS’ “Warm Water“ while I was playing obscure Steam games instead of doing homework. Those kinds of memories I have with songs from Snakehips, Hippie Sabotage, and Oh Wonder that are really making me excited to experience Bonanza.

However nostalgia aside, I have broadened my musical palette since my SoundCloud phase where I discovered those artists. This really makes me appreciate the chill, crisp beats paired with the multitude of different synth sounds and production techniques that I loved so much years ago. Not only that, I’ve also noticed that revisiting artists after not having listened to them for a while is generally a different kind of experience. This only makes me more excited for the live sets.

What thirteen-year-old me is so excited about:

I generally try not to talk about middle school, and I’m sure everyone can relate to some extent. But I do remember that Wiz Khalifa was poppin’ back then. And I would ALWAYS hear people bumping Black and Yellow during lunch. Or at those awkward middle school dances.

I used to listen to O.N.I.F.C. and Blacc Hollywood a lot after having been exposed to Black and Yellow, and while I’m pretty sure I haven’t listened to him since then, it’ll definitely be fun to hear what could be the pop culture anthem of the early 2010s, Young, Wild, & Free.

What regular old me is so excited about:

Here’s where I make a big confession: I don’t listen to any of these artists in the lineup now. So you’re probably asking why I’m even going, and I totally get that. Just hear me out.

Music festivals offer more than just being able to see so many of your favorite artists within the span of a couple of days. Of course, that’s a great aspect of it, but no one there knows all of the artists performing. One of the major things about these festivals is exposure. Being able to discover artists at the capacity a festival allows for is a huge aspect for the artists and the audience, and that’s what I’m really excited about. This is an opportunity for so many people to potentially discover their new obsession, and that’s a special feeling that I love to experience. On top of that, festivals are a place to let loose and have fun. If anything, that alone is a pretty good reason, but don’t get me wrong, I’m pumped to be in that crowd when Phantogram comes on, they’re pretty sick.