SummerDaze and Desert Hearts Closed Its Summer Season With a 15 Hour Techno Marathon

While most music festivals rely on water stations and shaded seating to keep their guests comfortable, Desert Hearts and SummerDaze took the unconventional approach. At the 15-hour techno marathon in the east end of Toronto, concertgoers could unwind with a massage from a woman simultaneously dressed as both Miss Piggy and Wonder Woman.

In her unusual costume, offering an equally unusual service, the masseuse at District 28, the compartmental all-white cafe bistro and event space, offered guests a new way to explore house and techno music.

"Guests will see an overwhelming amount of free expression and community," explains Marbs, a co-founder of the Desert Hearts gang. "If guests want to explore new areas at the event or meet new people, then let loose. You will not be restricted from experiencing anything."

Inspired by the experimental nature of the renowned Burning Man festival in Black Rock Desert Nevada, Desert Hearts is a house and techno music crew founded by four quirkily named Californians—Marbs, Deep Jesus, Mikey Lion, and Lee Reynolds. For the final stop of their City Hearts Summer of Love Tour, they joined forces with SummerDaze, an Ibiza-inspired Toronto-based daytime party series.

"When we heard about the SummerDaze parties and what they're all about, everything completely clicked and we knew we had to collaborate on the party with them," says Lion. "They were so incredibly amazing to work with and you can tell they come from a similar place in their intentions behind their parties. It was the perfect fit and the perfect introduction between the beautiful people of Toronto and our Desert Hearts message of love."

Temporarily invading District 28, the event housed a plentitude of spirited day-into-night performances from both local and international techno gurus. True to SummerDaze fashion, homegrown talent such as Tyrone Soloman, DJ Dirty Dale, and Nature of Music encouraged fans to indulge in both sound and sun, taking the afternoon shift as they performed in a refreshingly makeshift space outside of the building. With bicycle-powered cell phone charging stations; a cartoonish "Aloha Shave Ice" drink stand; and a climbable two-storey stage design, SummerDaze invited partygoers to join them on a playful, techno-driven escape.

Yet, the soothing vacay did not last. With their carefully crafted visuals and lively lineup of game changing musicians, Desert Hearts' arrival was the catalyst for a highly anticipated sensory overload. The explosion of lights; captivating props and artwork; and energetic performances from both the colourfully decorated Desert Hearts crew, and Italian tech house duo NiCe7 was a wildly captivating celebration of art and culture. However, what truly distinguished SummerDaze and Desert Hearts' from other techno-driven events, was its outstanding sense of community.

"Desert Hearts makes it a priority to make everyone at our events feel equal. Each and every person at the event plays a huge role in the overall experience," Marbs states. "We have no VIP areas, if guests want to go backstage and dance by the DJ, or watch the action up close and personal, then go for it. There will be no bouncer or red rope separating you from anyone. Separation is what divides us and Desert Hearts doesn't believe in that, we believe in being one and we believe in love."

With the sixth and final stop on their first ever tour across North America behind them, Desert Hearts' mantra of "House, Techno, and Love," will only continue to spread as the crew prepares for their three year anniversary event—a 100 hour techno marathon taking place at the Los Coyotes Indian Reservation in Southern California, from November fifth to ninth.

"[Expect] a lot of love and good vibes, 100 hours straight of the what we consider the best house and techno in the world," says Reynolds. "[There will be] beautiful people expressing themselves in amazing ways. Crazy outfits, more artists, more art installations, more sound. We're really putting our hearts and souls into our three year anniversary to make it the best Desert Hearts yet. [We want] to create a place of love where people can really be themselves. There will be a lot of surprises that you'll just have to be there to experience."

While there are currently no other Canadian dates in the works for Desert Hearts, techno lovers can still get their fix of techno, art, and culture, when SummerDaze returns for its 2016 season.

Desert Hearts is on Facebook // Twitter // SoundCloud
SummerDaze is on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

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