When it was announced that All Day I Dream would be touching down in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park as part of their summer 2016 phase one dates, the dance world paused for a minute in appreciation of the synchronicity. What a fitting venue for such a charismatic event. The concept of ADID is one built upon all facets of a community and their collective shared experience. It’s so simple, but amidst a time of overstimulation it’s exactly what people crave.

Attracting largely the same crowd found at transformational festivals and gatherings such as Burning Man, Lightning in a Bottle, and Desert Hearts (to name a few), the events are quite literally a safe space for self expression. Standing directly in front of the speakers could be a middle aged man, dancing his heart out barefoot, in a button down and khaki slacks, or an early-twenties self-identified Burner wearing a helmet made out of the mirrored tiles of a disco ball. And then there’s Lee Burridge, radiating as he looks around and takes in the community he’s fostered. Coexisting, absorbing, and smiling — that’s how to best describe the state of attendees at ADID.

 

 

ADID in the park took place on a Sunday, but the looming notion of a full week ahead didn’t seem to factor in to anyone’s experience. The event kicked off in a truly special way, with a ‘Waking Hour’ put on by San Francisco based event and creative branding company, Culture Vulture. Arriving during this initial hour, attendees could take part in the opening ceremony which consisted of yoga and a sound healing meditation to the tune of Burridge’s introductory, ambient set. Following this yoga mats were rolled and the ornate wooden structure that is central to ADID productions was temporarily vacated. More people started to trickle in as resident dreamer, Hoj (who is notably one of the founder’s of Burning Man’s Opulent Temple) began weaving together a set with some of the lighter stokes of house and techno.

By the time Burridge went on, any fog in San Francisco had lifted and both the insides and outskirts of the structure, in addition to the standing room backstage, had filled up. As he neared the end of his rather dreamy and uplifting set, anticipation grew as to who the special guest would be. Ahead of the event a spot on the lineup had intentionally been left blank, and although most correctly predicted it to be Bob Moses, nothing was confirmed until they took the stage. The smooth, downtempo live set that followed acted as the nightcap to the event, proving the perfect soundscape to mull over on the walk out of the park.

 

The origins of All Day I Dream stemmed from a desire to invite warmth back into music, to get people to return to connecting rather than enjoying in solitude. Burridge has spent the better part of the past six years refining this vision, but it has all come about rather organically thanks to the fact that ADID has never tried to be something it’s not. There are no fireworks, no lasers, and no interruption in the stream of melodic house and techno pouring from behind the decks. There is, however, plenty of room to dream.

Read More:

Lee Burridge captures Burning Man vibes for his Essential Mix

Breaking down the magic behind All Day I Dream: Lee Burridge weighs in on his sacred space

Tags: All day I dream, Bob Moses, event review, HOJ, Lee Burridge, SF

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