GoldRush Festival 2025: A Western EDM Dream at Rawhide

Content & Article by: Anthony Cavale

This year’s Goldrush Festival made a big move — trading the massive open space of Phoenix Raceway for the rustic charm of Rawhide in Chandler. I’ll admit, I had my doubts going in. Phoenix Raceway is huge, and I wasn’t sure how Rawhide would compare. But let me tell you: it was a match made in heaven.

Walking into Rawhide felt like stepping through a time warp. The Western saloon town backdrop— with its wooden storefronts, rustic bars, and old-time saloon vibes — transformed the entire festival into something unique. It wasn’t just another EDM show. It was like an electronic rave dropped straight into the late 1800s. Picture cowboys, outlaws, and saloon girls meeting lasers, bass drops, and pyrotechnics. The vibe was unreal.

One of my favorite parts? The layout. You could move seamlessly from the high-energy chaos of the main stage — packed with EDM fans going all out — to the other side of the venue where things were more relaxed and chill. There was something for everyone. At one point, I stumbled into a small disco-cowboy dance floor inside one of the saloons, and it honestly felt like a secret gem of the festival.

And the music? The headliners brought everything you could ask for and more. Excision delivered a set that shook Rawhide to its core, unleashing the kind of heavy bass and jaw-dropping visuals that only he can. The crowd went wild with every drop, headbangers at the rail giving everything they had. Then came the long-awaited Illenium b2b Zeds Dead set, a dream pairing that balanced Illenium’s soaring, emotional melodies with Zeds Dead’s gritty, low-end punch. It was the best of both worlds, a rollercoaster of feels and energy that kept the crowd locked in from start to finish. Major Lazer Soundsystem turned the desert into a dancehall, blending global rhythms with EDM flair in a way that had everyone moving nonstop.

The vibes were pure fun, a reminder of how music can bring together so many different sounds and people under one roof. Crankdat followed with explosive edits and relentless hype, proving himself as a master of keeping the energy sky- high. And then there was Disco Lines, closing things out with the kind of carefree grooves that left the crowd smiling ear-to-ear. It was the perfect sendoff — lighthearted, playful, and unforgettable.

Goldrush at Rawhide exceeded my expectations in every way. What could’ve been a risky venue change ended up being pure gold. It’s not just a festival — it’s a time-traveling EDM adventure that I hope sticks around for years to come.