Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 Was a Blast

Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 occurred on the weekend of October 7-9. The setting of the festival was the Modesto Reservoir Campgrounds in Waterford, a small town in California’s Central Valley, a few hours away from San Francisco. The annual camping extravaganza is hosted by Claude VonStroke‘s Dirtybird Records label since 2015 and it even has an East Coast edition too. It has always been an event for electronic music fans worldwide who are big fans of techno, house, and/or if both at the same time, tech-house.

Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 provided great vibes like always

As the gates opened on Thursday, October 6, Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 began to bring out the same fun atmosphere that everyone have always known. New attendees and experienced returnees alike looked forward to dancing, mingling, and playing at the stages, campsites, and gamefields for the next four days. For those who are attending their first Campout, they would be in for countless memorable treats. Here is the review of Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022, a festival that surely guarantees a high return rate of attendees for next year’s festival.

Gates opened on October 6th

The first cars and RVs of Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 entered the Modesto Reservoir Campgrounds at 11 a.m. That was the time when the gates began to open up for Campout attendees, much to the delight of everyone who can’t wait for another year of great music, games, fashion, arts, and wholesome fun in general. While the first people began to set up camp where they parked their cars, RVs, and/or trailers, the first thing that opened was the anticipated Color Team Registration at 4 p.m. Like in past years, whoever wanted to participate in the Campout games get to choose whether if they want to be in the Red, Green, Purple, or Yellow teams.

Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 started amazingly

Around the same time, Ganja Garden (one of the stages at Campout), opened up and the stage is a hotspot for those who want to relax and unwind with music in the background while looking at the Reservoir and/or smoking a blunt, joint, or even vape at the same time. At 9.pm., Craftopia also opened up and it allows the Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 attendees to freely express their creative, artistic minds, starting off with Crafterhours, which is when those artistic minds shine best when the night is at its peak.

Then of course, the music at Campout began at another popular stage, Bass Lodge, where Claude VonStroke himself mixed from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and afterwards, Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, and DJ Sneak played b2b sets. Thursday night’s festivities ended with a Black Light Capture The Flag event at the Games Field and so far, Campout is off to an amazing start.

Friday, October 7th: the official start of Campout

For those who didn’t purchase the Thursday Arrival Pass, Friday, October 7th was the official start of Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022. For those who did (or arrived to Campout as media members, vendors, stage management, artist management, the artists themselves, and so on), October 7th was a great morning to wake up. That morning was meant to anticipate for high-quality house, techno, tech-house, and drum & bass from every talented artist on that day. The likes of MZ Worthy, Kevin Knapp, Joeski, and Green Velvet (who played a collaborative set with Claude as the team of “Get Real”) entertained the ever-popular main stage, Birdhouse.

Meanwhile, bass talents such as Barclay Crenshaw, Nikki Nair, and Eprom pumped up the volume at Bass Lodge. Ganja Garden, the location for everything that is involved with relaxation, hosted the likes of DJ Sneak, Deron Delgado, and ZOF in the mornings when the stage opened at 10 a.m. while nighttime saw Sickarelli, Justin Jay and Arnold & Lane, and more amplified the atmosphere. The same Ganja Garden in the middle of the day hosted fun activities relating to weed culture such as the “Blunt Rolling Contest”, “Dirtybird Pong Tournament”, and the “Puff Puff Pass Debate”.

Other fun activities to check out on October 7th

On the field, the color teams got to participate in archery, speedwalking, tug-o-war, and a Kendama Workshop, which was hosted by Eprom and Of The Trees. Regarding Craftopia, artistic minds converged to participate in tie-dye, paint resin eggs, create at “Camp Salon”, and have fun with “Hatching Magick” (and then of course, the always-fun Crafterhours at 9 p.m.

Additionally, attendees can rent a boat starting at 1 p.m. to paddle across the reservoir (one fun activity at the reservoir was the .5K race with VNSSA). Other fun activities were the Scavenger Hunt from 12 to 4 p.m., “Parachute People” from 6 to 7, and also “Claude’s Cabin”. Claude’s Cabin is an attraction where attendees bring out their thespian side and participate in exciting and hilarious events such as the Lovebirds Dating Show, Bozo Burlesque, and “Lap Dance 4 Your Life”.

The excitement enhanced furthermore on October 8th

Saturday was another glorious day at Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022. The showers were still running (though the lines were still long), the food and drinks were still ready for the hungry and thirsty attendees to consume, and of course, all the awesome music and activities were still for everyone to enjoy on another day at the festival. The reservoir were still filled with boats floating down, the Scavenger Hunt were still ongoing, and all the stages and attractions still had many people enjoying the fun. One of them was still Ganja Garden to wake up all the senses in the morning.

Ganja Garden’s music in the morning Benji Fink, Scavazza, and b2b sets produced by Arnold & Lane, Kevin Knapp, and Luke Andy. Nighttime sees the likes of Robot Love, Choopsie, Pezzner, and special set from Claude VonStroke at the Hideout spot near the Games Field. Shows such as “Steers and Queers”, the “Talent Show”, and the “Great Bingo Revival” lighted up Claude’s Cabin while Friendship Bracelets, totem crafting, and bird crafting entertained all at Craftopia. The Obstacle Course, Dodgeball, Archery (again), and the Water Balloon Toss (as well as Frick Frack Blackjack) uplifted everyone’s childhood memories at the Games Field.

Birdhouse and Bass Lodge on Saturday

Birdhouse saw the talented stars of Dillon Marinez, Nala, Ardalan, VNSSA, Claude himself (before the Hideout set at 4:30 AM), and other top-banging artists augmented the jams on Saturday. More and more people were feeling all the good vibes, even if they are with current friends, new friends, or just enjoying the mood by themselves and that is all right. Bass Lodge witnessed performers like Mary Poppinz, Ben UFO, and Goldie dropping that gnarly bass to enhance a beautiful Saturday night at Campout. The excellent feels and emotions almost got many people to forget that tomorrow would be the last day of the festival.

The last day of Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022

As the sun rose on Sunday, October 9th, many people knew that they got to end their amazing time at the festival with a bang. It was the last day for the Scavenger Hunt, there was going to be a bike race, and that it was the last chance for people to sign up to be on a team. Ganja Garden’s morning set had Tiana Terese, Zora Monico, and Da Casa. Ganja Garden also had a few other fun activities in the form of “Dealer Dating Game”, another fun tournament of Pong, and the “Bong Building Contest”. The Games Field also had “Battle Balloons”, Gymnastics, Potato Sack Race, more “Parachute People”, and the last rounds of Frick Frack Blackjack.

Craftopia witnessed Patch Trading, Screen Printing with Nala, Button Making, and more Hatching Magick, just so that the attendees can bring more memorable objects back home. Claude’s Cabin also hosted the Closing Ceremony, as well as many other farewell events such as Twerkaholicz, Queerleader Tryouts, and “Squawk Talk”. Everything there was so unforgettable that some people wished that Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 should be a week-long festival instead. Now, here is the music of Birdhouse and Bass Lodge that ended the festival fantastically.

The music of Sunday that will have more people wanting to return next year

Bass Lodge saw the amazing artists of Souls of Mischief, Honeycomb, Sevdaliza, and more dropping as much as bass (and flows) as possible before ending Campout. Birdhouse had Lubelski, Rebuke, Walker & Royce, and company to bring out more fantastic house and techno (and tech-house) for everyone to take in before they pack up and return home. One memorable moment was when someone was surfing on a table amongst the crowd and threw patches and cards with something that resembled a pail.

Before everything at the festival concluded, all of the artists who were still at the festival converged to perform a “Family Set”. This “Family Set” ensured the attendees that they will leave here with one last beautiful memory of an unforgettable weekend they made with their old friends and new friends alike. Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 was truly a festival that will have everyone return next year, particularly for those who just attended their first Campout.

Final Words

Dirtybird Campout West Coast 2022 is a camping festival that no one will ever forget. World-class music, fun games, cool creative activities, and funny shows really made this festival a top-notch event for all to participate in. As everyone packed up their belongings into their cars, RVs, and/or trailers, they bid goodbyes to their new friends while exchanging phone numbers and social media profiles, and also informing that they will see them again, especially whether at another festival or at the next Campout. Dirtybird Campout in 2023 will surely be just as memorable as past Campouts, most notably this 2022 edition.