Dreamville day one delivers infectious energy

Fans flocked to Dorothea Dix Park on Saturday for day one of Dreamville, Raleigh’s highly anticipated R&B and hip-hop music festival. Conditions were perfect, and the energy was infectious with every show-stopping performance.

The day one performances kicked off with Domani and Luh Tyler. While Luh Tyler attracted a smaller, more relaxed crowd, the first few hours of Dreamville weren’t meant for crazy partying. Concertgoers spread out blankets and enjoyed the food, music and good vibes.

Eric James, who drove from Virginia for the festival, said attending Dreamville feels like a family reunion.

“I like coming here because I feel like everybody has the same attitude when it comes to these festivals,” James said. “There’s not really too much going on. People come with blankets and chill and just enjoy music. It’s almost like a big family every year.”

Amaarae’s set stood out among the smaller artists. Despite being relatively unknown, her highly infectious energy, combined with purple smoke effects and a DJ, made a lasting impact on the crowd. 

She built up anticipation with a slow synth intro, then released the tension with her electrifying dance hits “Angels in Tibet” and “Princess Going Digital.” With a killer vibe and incredible vocals, Amaarae is certainly one to watch.

Teezo Touchdown also had a memorable performance with a nail-studded football uniform, nails woven into his hair and a flower bouquet on his microphone. Despite his intimidating stage presence, he had some of the best energy of the entire festival, often engaging with concertgoers in between songs. 

His performances of “Modern Jam” and “Third Coast” cemented him as the next up-and-coming artist to keep your eye on.

As the day went on, however, Dreamville got bigger and bigger — in both attendees and the scale of the shows.

Fans flocked in for EARTHGANG and Sexxy Red, filling out the crowd and creating an electrifying atmosphere. Sexxy Red played her dance hits “SkeeYee,” “Shake Yo Dreads” and “Hellcats SRTs” complete with a giant, Trump-esque “Sexxy for President” hat behind her and bikini-clad dancers.

Kaleiha Jenkins from Raleigh said Sexxy Red’s performance was her favorite of the day.

“She did her thing on stage, I’m not gonna lie, and she had everyone hype,” Jenkins said. “So it was definitely the best performance to me so far.”

Lil Yachty further elevated the atmosphere, often stopping the music to encourage mosh pits. Six hours into the festival, retro hits like “iSpy” and “1 Night” gave concertgoers a second wind.

Fans lost steam for ScHoolboy Q, flocking to the many food stands and merch lines instead, but J.I.D.’s technicolor performance revitalized the crowd ahead of 50 Cent and SZA. With red lasers, flashing lights and bursts of steam, the sea of fans was ready to go crazy.

By the time 50 Cent came up, Dorothea Dix Park was packed to the brim. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation, and when he finally came on stage with “What’s Up Gangsta” it was like a rubber band at its breaking point — the crowd went wild. He played hit after hit with “P.I.M.P.,” “Candy Shop” and “Disco Inferno,” complete with cityscape projections and a crew of dancers.

He brought out surprise guest performer DaBaby, who pulled his daughter and nephew on stage to perform as backup dancers for hits like “Shake Sumn.” However, even DaBaby wasn’t enough to stop concertgoers from leaving early to get a good seat for the final show of the night.

SZA, the most anticipated performance of the night, brought the house down. Shipwreck features decorated the stage with an ocean visual behind her. 

She opened with “Seek & Destroy,” dancing for the crowd before unleashing her vocals. Despite technical difficulties throughout the show, rather than stopping the performance, she simply took out her earpiece and kept going without missing a single note. 

The energy continued with “Love Galore” and “Ghost in the Machine,” reaching a climax when she took to the air on a wrecking ball, Miley Cryus style, to sing “Low.” Lights flashed, steam shot through the air and fans screamed as SZA danced her way through the set, delivering a powerhouse performance with so much emotion it made people cry. 

SZA slowed it down with ballads like “Drew Barrymore” and “Normal Girl,” which she mashed up with “Special.” The slower songs showcased her incredible voice; the background vocals and music quieted to allow SZA freedom to roam. After she finished “Special,” she proclaimed the song was for her ex-fiance, and aptly followed up with “I Hate U.” 

She closed her set with “Good Days,” sitting down on a high-rise to allow the crowd to see and hear her at her best. Golden light flashed over the sea of fans, and with a final bow, Dreamville day one came to an end.