High Tide Festival brings its high energy atmosphere back to Riverfront Park in North Charleston June 3 for the second year in a row with a day of electronic dance music from a diverse lineup of DJs.
The unique music festival combines chic vibes of a Miami beach experience with laid-back Cali surf culture and drops it right into the Holy City. In addition to an array of artists on the turntables, a food and beverage garden and fashion-forward city market, the day festival offers several options to indulge in wellness and self-care, offering yoga and spins classes as well as sound baths and ice baths.
“Our motto is ‘Good Vibes Clean Tides,’” said High Tide Festival founder Edward Holt. “The ‘Good Vibes’ is about our music. Our lineup is curated to be upbeat and happy solely to set the tone for the day. Even if you are unfamiliar with the names on the lineup you will undeniably have a good time while you experience everything else High Tide has to offer.”
The 2023 lineup headlined by England-based Duke Dumont also features Hayden James, Disco Lines, Charly Jordan, Bexxie, Diskull and DOMii.
High Tide Festival puts a heavy emphasis on wellness and overall attendee well-being, Holt said.
“High Tide has always struck a chord with the work-hard, play-hard crowd and neither one of those things are possible if you do not prioritize your health,” he said.
Sustainability is a key focus of the High Tide Festival. Festival organizers last year composted all food waste and used compostable cutlery, diverting more than 5,000 pounds of garbage from the local landfill. The fest will bring that same level of meticulous attention to reducing waste again this year, Holt said.
“Every decision we make at High Tide goes through an internal sustainability filter to try and make sure everything onsite is plastic-free and either reusable, compostable and at-minimum, recyclable,” Holt said.
“Growing up surfing and enjoying our waterways naturally led me to being more conscious about sustainability. The ocean has always been my escape, and I always want to do everything in my power to keep it beautiful.”
High Tide Festival is especially novel for Charlestonians since it exclusively spotlights DJs, while the other big festivals in town such as High Water Festival and Riverfront Revival showcase ensembles from the realm of folk, Americana, country and rock ‘n’ roll.
“People need to go with their gut, take more risks and build the things they want to see in the world — or at least in Charleston,” Hold said. “I knew this would be an uphill battle, but the local support has made it worth fighting for. Overall, there was a huge gap in the market and anything remotely similar is pretty far away. Charleston and South Carolina are extremely friendly to small businesses compared to the bigger markets which has made it easy to keep High Tide here.
“People thought we were crazy to host a DJ-centered festival in Charleston.”
Get ready for a day that celebrates not only what Charleston has to offer, but the community of music lovers it connects.
“Charleston is a special place,” Holt said. “It’s next to impossible to explain this place to people who have never been. It’s fun, it’s beautiful, but most importantly it has the best people.”
Get to know featured artist DOMii from Charlotte
City Paper: Tell me a bit about your sound and which music acts have most influenced your style.
Domii: I take influence from many areas. To give you an idea, I lived in Romania for six years and have had a love for house and electronic dance music since. I also lived in London and was able to experience immersive DJ culture (house / garage / DNB) in full force at the clubs and events there. During my time in the U.S., I was near Baltimore and attended LGBTQ+ events there that catered to a diverse dance/hip-hop crowd.
Both my parents are Puerto Rican as well, so I grew with a love for Latin music and dance. Latin culture is unique because of its diversity and high energy music. But I’m a sponge and love to take things I hear to create special moments for everyone when I DJ. Diverse genres like house bring that uplifting energy that lends itself to my style, but I always keep my ears open to new and underground sounds.
CP: What are you looking forward to at High Tide Festival this year? Is it your first time playing?
Domii: This is my first time! I’m most looking forward to playing alongside one of my best friends from Charlotte, Diskull. Our chemistry is unmatched because we always have fun together and know each other well. He makes awesome house music and we inspire each other consistently.
CP: Do you have any ties to Charleston or look forward to anything in particular during your visit to the Holy City?
Domii: Over the course of my DJ career, I have played in Charleston many times! I love visiting because the city is undeniably beautiful and rich with culture. I’m sure everyone knows this but the food and restaurant culture is thriving. I fell in love with Southern food in the Holy City.
CP: What song is stuck in your head today?
Domii: “If Love is a Skill” by LP Giobbi
CP: Last album you bought?
Domii: Renaissance by Beyoncé
CP: Recent musical discovery?
Domii: Coco & Breezy. Must listen. All their music is vibey awesome.
CP: What’s your favorite go-to T-shirt?
Domii: Best quality T-shirts seem to be the ones I get at festivals. I’m always wearing a black festival T-shirt.
CP: Your hangover cure is…?
Domii: A nice Bloody Mary does the trick! Then water. Lots of water.
CP: Last show you went to?
Domii: A Boiler Room show in Atlanta. It was awesome.
CP: What band/music act have you been meaning to listen to/see live?
Domii: Kaytranada — probably my favorite producer. I haven’t seen him live yet. But I will! Also Aluna George.
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