Tahoe Live Turned a Snowless Weekend Into a Bass-Fueled Win [Review]

Nestled sweetly in the Sierra Mountains near Tahoe, bassheads and winter sports aficionados travel from all over the world to enjoy the picturesque scenery, breathtaking wubs, and (of course) the internationally known ski and snowboarding of Tahoe Live. Held at the widely acclaimed Palisades Resort, where the 1960 Olympics was hosted, the fest is probably the closest comparison to counterparts held amidst Europe’s iconic ski scene. This year was exceptionally special though and not simply for the killer lineup with banger makers like Zeds Dead, Alison Wonderland, LSDREAM (LSD and CloZee), Porter Robinson, and DJ Diesel – who’s better known as NBA Hall of Famer, Shaquille O’Neil. This year, the music took center stage.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The snow season arrived later than usual for the area, so Skiing and Snowboarding were all but off the table. Obviously, that means this year the draw of winter sports took a backseat to the music and those that would’ve come just to shred were either disappointed by the lack of shredding opportunities or simply chose not to come. As a result, glorious views be damned, the music was the biggest reason to make it out to the event. Thankfully, there wasn’t any shortage of killer jams to revel in so despite the lack of snow the cozy mountain festival  maxed out venue capacity, which went completely feral at one point in a big badass mosh pit – courtesy of DJ Diesel. That fact alone proves that Tahoe Live thrives on choice bookings, and the exceptional skiing and snowboarding opportunities that so many enjoy at the fest are simply icing on an already sweet cake.

HOW DID THE VENUE INFLUENCE ARTISTS ONSTAGE?

To learn how this serene place influences the selectors onstage, Beatportal spoke to five of Tahoe Live’s most creative headliners. 

Here’s what they had to say.

PEEKABOO

After the success of his debut album, Eyes Wide Open, bass music maven Peekaboo wanted to take the time to ensure his next body of work built on the momentum. That’s why over the last two years he has been locked away in the studio crafting his second album, which will be whimsically titled Are We Dreaming. Now nearly complete, it’s currently slated for release on January 23 and planned to be a centerpiece in upcoming performances on the road. Fans at Tahoe Live got a small preview, but those who want to hear it in the wild can experience it fully in his much anticipated 2026 tour.

On Tahoe Live, Peekaboo said:

 “This is the coolest spot for a show. I mean, it’s fucking beautiful.”

SIPPY

Australian-born and an avid snowboarder, Sippy released her debut album Scars in Stereo via Deadbeats back in October. At first glance, that body of work strikes notes of self-reflection and raw, heart-shattering emotion, like a diary in song, but when Sippy takes the stage, her tracks transmute those feelings into unifying resilience. Then joy. For those who resonate with the vibes she curates in her work, Sippy’s both a promise that there are still relatable real ones out there and a source of danceable anthems that make fighting your way to the rail in a crowd worth it. In our talk, she told Beatportal to stay tuned for a number of upcoming track releases too.

On Tahoe Live, Sippy said:

“Flying in here and driving up through the trees. Like, I don’t see that everyday. You can see all the mountains and the snow, well there wasn’t much snow, but you can see the snow in between, and then you see the stage and it just doesn’t really look real. And, I’m spending the weekend up here and that gives me so much energy… I want to do this all the time.”

SAN HOLO

As a walking bridge between the experimental melodic and the magnetic heavy, San Holo’s onstage vibes hit like a velvet hammer. Now on the heels of his 10 year anniversary celebration, the Dutch born multihyphenate is currently on what he thoughtfully calls “a wholesome riddim grind”. With a blend of unexpected genres and live instruments in his music he’s definitely one of those artists whose sets will leave your dancing shoes dirty. 

On Tahoe Live, San Holo said:

“I’m overwhelmed by the beauty and I can’t believe people live here. Sometimes I wonder what kind of music I would make if I was born here. You know? Because I’m sure it would be different.”

JESSICA AUDIFFRED

Known in Latin America widely as a mother to the Bass and Dubstep scene, Jessica Audiffred is a legend on the continent next door. She started the first Bass festival in Mexico, called Madhouse Festival, with 200 attendees in its first year. Today it's the largest of its kind in Latin America, with its most recent edition tallying over 7000 attendees. When we asked how she plans to continue forward as a sonic trendsetter, she mentioned a few possibly forthcoming secret collabs with Steve Aoki in addition to a fresh experimental evolution of her sound, which is almost ready to share with fans both at home and abroad. 

On Tahoe Live, Jessica said:

“Coming here, I realized that I’m super sensitive when I’m traveling. Whenever I go to this venue I get super inspired by everything.”

HAIRITAGE

Hairitage's spring release, House of Hair Volume 1, was a mix compilation that could rightly be called a full course meal for your earholes. The meal combined spicy ingredients of '90 hip hop and rock, sprinkled in some chopped up drum and bass with hints of trap, wrapped it all in beefy dubstep, and sauced it up with almost as much attitude as Hairitage keeps in his beard. In the upcoming sequel, House of Hairier Volume 2, Hairitage plans a more concentrated flavor profile, and a totally different array of bold spices. 

On Tahoe Live, Hairitage said:

“Being in a place like this is innately an inspiration. There’s always something in any experience to take [as inspiration, but] coming through the mountainscapes and seeing the sun hitting it perfectly before it goes below the horizon… It’s like it’s just meant to be enjoyed.”

HOW DID THE VENUE STRENGTHEN THOSE SWEET, SWEET VIBES FOR FANS? 

Due to the circular format of the venue, making friends was naturally smooth, even easy, because attendees cross paths frequently. Seeing increasingly familiar faces with growing delight throughout the weekend led to many “hey, it’s you again.” moments. Also, if you imagine the venue to be a roundabout catwalk, the fashion sensibility presented in many insulating layers worn by attendees connected them to each other. Much like the fellowship found in comparable European events, Tahoe Live’s fun-loving winter drip became a cultural source of ongoing amusement. In fact, apart from the love of feral bass music, the fans’ stylish adornments were one of the key sources of magnetism drawing them together. Fur coats, onesies, and other colorful adornments coalesced into a rainbow of cozy kinship. And with compliments, smiles and fist bumps abound strangers on Friday became recognizable acquaintances. By Sunday’s end those acquaintances were friends. 

The lone stage within the fest eliminated distractions and ‘FOMO’ so when fans left, no one headed home with that all-to-common sensation that somewhere else, at some other stage, there was a better time to be had. This effect was further accentuated by the natural amphitheater of the Sierra’s. In addition to being majestic in daylight, the backdrop became an even more alluring at night, when it was incorporated into the lighting and lasers of the stage with projection mapping across the mountainscape. With only one stage and a consolidation of attendees all driven to one space, fans eventually found the warmest and most enjoyable way to dodge the cold was on a dance floor, huddled together like a waddle of wide-eyed raving penguins.

Artists onstage didn’t have as many people around them to block the chilling winds but they still seemed to draw warmth from the crowd. In fact, when they braved it and mentioned the cold onstage they were met with cheers. At one point San Holo called out “Playing guitar with cold fingers is really fucking hard” as musicians and fans nodded in knowing grins. Later that night, Diesel even tailored a hook between bass drops, shouting “Damn, it’s cold” which was received with a ripple of laughs across the dance floor. 

In the end, despite the windchill and the powder-less mountains, Tahoe Live showed that when the bookings are right and the crowd is locked in, nothing else really matters.

Photos by: Reilly Cann