Last weekend, I played my first-ever festival set—and not just any festival, but the final Konnexion Music Festival in Horseshoe Bend. Ten years strong, this was their last one… and my very first. Wild timing. Even wilder memories.
Thursday – Arrival & Setup
The festival ran June 27–29, 2025, with early arrival on Thursday. My wife, my sister, and my brother joined me, and we camped up at the lookout spot on the mountain. If you’ve never been to Konnexion, know this: it’s held on the side of a mountain. You hike—a lot. From camp to the Grove Stage and main stage, it’s a leg workout.
Our camping spot ended up being a blessing. While some of the crew got roasted in full sun with porta potty fumes blowing uphill, we were shaded, sheltered, and had cool breeze the whole weekend. Sometimes getting steered away from the group turns out better than expected.
The artists and performers for the first day were all really good, but the award for the absolute best set of the first night was headliners Pineo & Loeb. They smashed it and had the dance floor cooking.
Friday – Dancing, Dirt, and DJ Love
Friday was hands-down my favorite day.
I dressed like some kind of hippie cowboy (jury’s out), hit the dance floor hard, and stayed posted near the stages with the best house vibes. Huge shoutout to Sensei the Beast—his 12:30 PM main stage set was 🔥. Always love supporting my fellow East Idaho DJs.
That day was all about house, groove, and good people. I got filthy, danced until I couldn’t feel my legs, and welcomed my sister Tara to her first festival experience. My brother Brad joined too. Night fell, the vibes deepened, and I stayed out until the early morning hours, riding that perfect festival high.
The absolute BEST SET of the entire festival, in my opinion, was Deuce Parks on Grove Stage Friday night. Texas + cowboy hat + laser vest + melodic/deep/progressive house = Best set at Konnexion, hands down.
Saturday – Game Time on the Grove Stage
I opened the Grove Stage at noon on Saturday.
That stage? Unreal. It looks like a giant treehouse. It’s got Void Acoustics sound system and next-level vibes—especially at night when the lasers and projection-mapped visuals hit the trees. I didn’t get that full effect during my daytime set, but the energy was still amazing.
I kicked things off with an unreleased remix, played “6 Feet and Counting”, and closed with “Time Slips Away.” My only slip-up came between the first and second track—nerves + unfamiliar gear = a slightly clunky transition. I hit the platter by accident and had to recover fast. Pretty sure only my wife noticed.
Even so, the feedback was incredible. A bunch of people hit me up on Instagram saying they saw my set and loved it. That meant the world.
The Rest of the Weekend
Beyond the music, the entire weekend delivered.
- Food prices were fair (unheard of at festivals).
- I had a killer chicken sandwich and fries.
- Picked up a t-shirt and caught the fire poi crew doing their thing.
- Reconnected with old friends and met new ones.
Final Thoughts
Was it perfect? No.
Was it magical? Absolutely.
My first festival set at the final Konnexion gets a great 9/10. Sam and the Konnexion crew put so much love into this event, and it showed. I’m honored to have been part of it.
Huge love to everyone who made the weekend what it was—
Christy, Tara, Brad, Kenny, Tasha, Ian, Cameron, Ariah, David, Michelle, Eddie, McKenzie, Lance, Brooklyn, Randall, Tammie, Robbie, Cassie, Sarah… and anyone else I may have seen but forgot to mention. If you were there, if you showed up, if you said hi, or danced, or supported in any way—thank you.
There is one special shout out that I have to make – Forust Lor. This guy is a fucking legend. He makes it to my shows regularly and his support online is legendary. Dude, you made my weekend extra special. THANK YOU!
I’ve got more to come.
Another festival booking is already locked in. The announcement’s coming soon—and I’m ready.
Let’s keep going.