Electronic music icon Paul van Dyk is bringing something new to the Dreamstate stage this November. At Dreamstate SoCal 2026, the legendary trance artist will unveil The Essence of Acid, an entirely new live performance concept making its worldwide debut on Saturday, November 21, at the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California.
Rather than a conventional DJ set, The Essence of Acid is designed as a live electronic experience that puts the machinery behind the music firmly in the spotlight. Van Dyk will perform alongside hardware instruments, using synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers and effects to create a performance centered around the distinctive sound of acid.
The show will feature previously unreleased material and new acid-driven compositions, while also giving fans a fresh take on some of Van Dyk’s existing music. Familiar tracks from his catalogue will be reworked specifically for the performance, creating a set that bridges his history with a new, hardware-focused direction.
The concept goes beyond the music itself. The equipment used to create the performance will also influence its visual identity where Paul will incorporate the Boutique Series, inspired by legendary Roland machines including the TB-303, TR-808 and TR-909, into the show’s visual world. Audiences can expect a production built around circuitry, oscilloscopes, waveforms and other imagery associated with analog electronic music.
Lighting, lasers, screens and stage design will work alongside the music rather than simply providing a backdrop, with the visual elements evolving throughout the performance as the sound develops.
As Insomniac’s dedicated trance festival brand, Dreamstate has consistently placed the genre’s roots, evolution and future at the center of its identity. Acid music has played an important role in the development of electronic music, and The Essence of Acid gives Van Dyk an opportunity to explore that influence through a contemporary live format.
The Roland TB-303 sits at the heart of the acid sound, and Van Dyk’s performance will build around that signature character while incorporating a broader collection of modern and classic electronic hardware.
Paul’s relationship with Dreamstate goes back to the festival’s very beginning when he performed at the inaugural Dreamstate SoCal in 2015, making him part of the event’s history from its first edition. More than a decade later, his return with a completely new live concept gives that connection another chapter.
Acid isn’t unfamiliar territory for the German electronic music pioneer, his previous work includes “Acid” with Chicago house legend DJ Pierre, “ACID TRAXXX,” and his solo track “Filthy Acid.” With The Essence of Acid, he is taking that creative thread further, moving the acid sound from individual studio releases into an immersive live show.
Dreamstate SoCal 2026 will take place across November 20 and 21, 2026, at the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California with Paul van Dyk’s – The Essence of Acid worldwide debut on Saturday, November 21, Ticket sales are flying make sure to grab yours here.
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