Head Trip 2026:
An Experience Report
STORY BY ALEJANDRO PEREZ
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEJANDRO PEREZ
OCT 16, 2026
From the first note as Ben Sterling and Seth Troxler took the main stage to Swedish House Mafia closing out the weekend with “Happiness Is So Sad,” nothing could have prepared anyone for the incredible weekend Head Trip had in store. The production quality was incredible, and in a crowd of 90,000 people, there wasn’t a bad place to be.
Peggy Gou B2B Four Tet got the crowd warmed up, but when Under Construction took over the stage, everything changed. The energy shifted, the crowd tightened, and everyone understood we were in for something special. If it hadn’t been for the storm, they would have been contenders for the best set of the weekend.
Morale was low after Hurricane Rachel tore through the camp, but hearing that the festival would go on and Calvin Harris would still perform was exactly the news everyone needed. Sunday’s weather was nearly perfect, and you could feel the energy in the air. Unfortunately, The Blessed Madonna was unable to make her set, but Peggy Gou didn’t let us down. Her solo set was incredible and set the tone for the rest of the day.
The energy didn’t let up from that point forward. Dom Dolla and Kettama played next and didn’t let up for a single second. Hit after hit, they kept the crowd moving the entire time.
And then came the big three: Skrillex. Calvin Harris. Swedish House Mafia. All playing back-to-back-to-back. It still doesn’t feel real.
