Subtronics Explains Why He's Taking His Time Building His Own Festivals

A Gradual Approach to Festival Production

Subtronics has played to massive festival crowds, but when it comes to producing his own events, he isn't rushing to build the next mega-festival. In an interview with Hit Parader, the dubstep producer discussed the work behind his growing slate of curated events and why he's choosing to expand cautiously.

His clearest example is Cyclops Cove, which returns this December to Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton, Florida. The festival takes place every other year, a cadence he attributed partly to the complexities of booking artists around competing regional events and radius restrictions.

Subtronics said his team intentionally keeps Cyclops Cove at a "manageable medium size" rather than taking on more than it can reliably execute. That translates, he explained, into a more comfortable experience for attendees without overwhelming restroom lines or the logistical pitfalls that come with larger events.

Lessons from GRIZTRONICS at the Gorge

The challenges have become apparent elsewhere in his growing portfolio of events. GRIZTRONICS at the Gorge, his collaborative festival with GRiZ, was marred by entry delays stemming from venue operations in May. Subtronics acknowledged the event's "bumps in the road" but said the experience provided valuable lessons for future productions.

He contrasted Cyclops Cove's laid-back atmosphere with the pressure of performing at Coachella, where he said his team was "an anxious mess." His philosophy toward festival production is similarly measured.

Building Experience Before Scaling Up

As artists like Excision and John Summit are building their own festival brands, Subtronics appears content to take the longer road, gaining experience before scaling his productions.

Cyclops Cove returns this December to Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton, Florida.