Festival Recap: Re:SET Concert Series in Dallas, Texas

June 14, 2023

FESTIVAL RECAP: RE:SET CONCERT SERIES IN DALLAS

Texas Trust CU Theatre Grounds in (Dallas) Grand Prairie, TX — June 9th-11th, 2023

Re:SET’s inaugural emergence into the music realm was the perfect way to kick off the summer. The novelty of the concept behind the Re:SET concert series is so intriguing and exciting, and we knew we’d be in for a special treat with this one. The three day installment kicked off with a huge bang at Grand Prairie’s Texas Trust Theatre, on the grounds just adjacent to the stadium. As to be expected with north Texas weather, it was a scorcher of a weekend, but attendees still showed up in droves to see their favorite artists grace the stage.

On Day 1, we were introduced to some fun acts who revved up the weekend with fresh sounds. Experimental indie-artist Bartees Strange started things off by announcing that he spent quite a bit of time in his past years in the city of Plano, Texas, a relatable nod in the direction of local attendees that immediately created a connection. Fans warmly welcomed musician/producer Dijon next with much anticipation, with large written posters expressing their affection, and even gave him a blue cowboy hat, as he was also celebrating his birthday that day. Next was Clairo, whose ethereal nature caused fans to marvel in awe as she harmonized through her set, strumming her guitar.

As this was a tour stop for the group, it was clear that a large margin of attendees were there to see boygenious. Many excited fans dressed up representing the band, sporting white collared button down shirts (yes, IN the Texas heat) and ties. Their set was vivacious and lively, and played multiple songs that they’ve recorded with one another, as well as some of their solo numbers.

In true Texas fashion, Day 2 proved to be just as akin to a furnace as the previous, but concert goers refused to let that deter them from experiencing the fun. The second volume of the series started off with a fiery performance by Foushee, who swirled around the stage, whirling her bright blonde hair and playing handheld instruments, as well as a keyboard. Toro y Moi followed next, captivating listeners with hits like “Girl Like You”. There was a slight delay before James Blake’s set, as he expressed having some difficulty with travels before arriving. This didn’t stop the crowd from swooning and hanging on to his every word, especially during numbers such as “Mile High,” a record he shares with Travis Scott, and “Coming Back,” a standout track with SZA from his most recent album, Friends Who Break Your Heart. As the evening encroached and things began to cool off, the crowd began to swell as more fans arrived for the final act of the evening. Steve Lacy’s made his triumphant return back to Dallas. His set started off with a moody atmosphere, dimly lit and background singers dressed in all black, form fitting hooded attire. During Lacy’s performance, Foushee returned to the stage to join him during, “Sunshine” sending the crowd into a frenzy. The much anticipated performance of Lacy’s beloved ballad “Bad Habit”, caused a a resounding response of glee from the crowd as they excitedly swayed and bellowed every word.

Sadly, on Day 3 of the series, the unpredictability of Texas reared its ugly head. With names like Idles and Jamie XX on the docket for the day, everything appeared off to a promising start. Big Freedia opened the day, kicking things off with lots of fun dancing and radiant energy. Fans were blown away by the exuberant energy from IDLE’s, until lightning was detected in the Dallas area around 15 minutes their set, and things were forced to end prematurely.

Though LCD Soundsystem was anticipated as the headliner to close Dallas weekend out, and with Jamie XX still left the perform, inclement weather began to creep its way towards the grounds. It was clear that the weather was shifting towards the tumult, and subsequently, concert goers were instructed to take shelter in the Texas Trust stadium for their safety. Ultimately, this was for the greater good, and everyone was able to safely evacuate.

Overall, the concept of Re:SET is indeed a refreshing, new way to cultivate an experience for music lovers. The idea of twelve unique artists being well spread out over the duration of a weekend, is a great answer to the usual hustle and bustle experienced at large-scale festivals. In the opposing scenario, many festival goers are left deprived of the enjoyments of the festival due to oscillating between stages, which almost guarantees they would miss some of their favorites. Alternatively, the shorter form festival format of Re:SET, also allows for a fully fledged out, true concert experience, allowing artists to be more intentional with unhurried approaches to their sets. Re:SET has named itself as “an artist and fan-friendly alternative to the standard summer concert experience,” and it’s managed to do exactly that, in a way we’ve never seen before. Of course, no one can predict the weather (especially in Texas), and though this did cause hiccups the final day, we’re excited to see this concert series flourish over the years to come.