FVDED 2026 Review: Still Dancing Through the Next Era

By Ryan Hayes

A New Era, A Different Perspective

When the lineup was initially announced, we declared FVDED 2026 the beginning of a bold new era for the festival. Having now experienced the weekend in full, I can confidently say it delivered. It was a stronger, more evenly curated festival experience, with exciting artists and memorable moments scattered throughout the depth of the lineup.

But experiencing a festival at this stage of life comes with a different set of considerations. The excitement remains unchanged, the curiosity perhaps even stronger, but the body keeps a very different score.

All photos by Ryan Hayes

After pushing through more than fourteen hours of music, one of the biggest adjustments this year was the additional 3,000 attendees. Raising the daily capacity to 27,000 made the mainstage onslaught feel untenable after 7 p.m. Maybe it’s my old knees, the fading energy of youth long past—but I stood in the thick of Kx5 in 2024 and Subtronics in 2025, and the sea of bodies never felt quite this crushing.

From that perspective, VIP has become a necessity for any aging raver looking to attend FVDED’s annual Neverland experience. Escaping the doldrums of responsibility comes at a cost, and VIP is the gatekeeper to a successful weekend.

Not only does it grant access to a palatial raised viewing platform overlooking the mainstage, complete with dedicated food trucks and washrooms, but the VIP areas at both the Forest Stage and Northwest Tent are functionally on stage, providing a priceless vantage point where you truly feel immersed in the music and energy alongside the artists.

The Forest Stage: FVDED’s Hidden Crown Jewel

While the mainstage was timestamped with an expiration and the Northwest Tent frequently overflowed into a zone where bass from multiple stages blended together, the Forest Stage remained resolute. Over the last two years it has emerged as the king of the festival, boasting the most dialed-in programming, immaculate artist flow, stellar atmosphere, and the most welcoming—least cramped—crowds.

Champion (photo by Ryan Hayes)

The day one run of Champion, OMNOM, and MPH was the festival’s finest stretch of cohesive, wildly talented programming. Champion drew a crowd early for his first Vancouver appearance, with high spirits and infectious energy from the outset. OMNOM followed with a groove-first set built on chunky, low-slung basslines that prized rhythm above all else. MPH then brought it all home, cranking up the BPM and emphasizing relentless propulsion as he delivered his take on UK garage.

Day One: Legacy Meets the Next Wave

Outside of the Forest Stage, the mainstage still offered two major standouts on day one. After a two-year hiatus, GRiZ returned with an assertive sense of confidence, perfectly blending bass and soul. If his summer 2026 festival run was meant to serve as both a proving ground and springboard into the next era of his career, he absolutely crushed it. The set was wild, charismatic, and just funky enough to distinguish itself from the rest of the bass scene. On a personal note, I’ll always have a lingering preference for the more laid-back, funk-forward, jam-heavy version of GRiZ—but I understand there’s a time and place for both.

FISHER closed out night one, and heading into the set he was working from a deficit. I was exhausted, sore from hours of wandering the grounds, and honestly ready to call it a night. The personal hype just wasn’t there. I told myself I’d give him fifteen minutes—I stayed for the entire set.

In the four years since I last saw FISHER, he has fully honed the raw personality and relentlessly playful energy that make him a true festival headliner. After FVDED, I’m convinced he has become the face of modern festival house. By stripping the genre down to its most infectious ingredients—swaggering basslines, cheeky vocal hooks, and perfectly timed drops—he has mastered crowd phycology and distilled it into a signature blueprint that transforms a field of strangers into one massive communal celebration. It was just fun, and for an hour and a half I completely forgot I was coming unglued.

Day Two: Discovery Pays the Biggest Dividends

Breaking the seal on day two seemed, frankly, impossible…but that’s the unspoken contract of festival weekends: your body may be begging for mercy, but the music doesn’t care. Take the Advil, consume the caffeine, hydrate aggressively, refuel, and dive back into the depths of wobbles and synths with the reckless optimism of someone convinced they can absolutely do this again.

It may seem like the obvious choice, but the battle was real, and in hindsight—always worth it. Day two was less even keeled than day one but it brought higher individual moments, including my favourite set of the weekend.

Effin took my number one spot this year. Front to back, no notes. Slow waves of bass washed over the Forest Stage as he guided us on a carefully constructed journey through the heavier side of electronic music. A collision of heavy drops and intricate production, his set was one-part modern bass, one-part dreamy cerebral whimsy. The sun was out, my energy was at its peak, and Effin effortlessly punched a hole through the monotony that can creep into bass music’s sound design.

From there, it was off to the Northwest Tent, which was wildly overflowing for both Odd Mob and BUNT. While I’d always appreciated the occasional Odd Mob production, FVDED solidified him as a force to be reckoned with. His set was fluid, blurring the line between multiple genres—refreshingly unpredictable, and always groove-forward.

BUNT. took over the tent immediately afterward, and to say his charisma could hold down an arena would be an understatement. His stage presence was beyond infectious, oozing pure joy and an unmistakable zest for life. It was impossible not to get caught up in his set. Along with Effin, BUNT. is my biggest permanent playlist addition after this year’s festival.

The Next Generation Takes the Stage

As with day one, the mainstage was my least frequented, with Oppidan and Dom Dolla being the only artists I truly experienced there. Oppidan’s consummate mixing and track selection were second to none, reinforcing one of my biggest takeaways from the weekend: come early. I didn’t get to see enough of her set—the aforementioned near failure to launch—but the extra space at the mainstage and the greater opportunity for discovery make arriving early essential.

Dom Dolla closed the festival and delivered a proper house thrashing. No gimmicks, no unnecessary theatrics—just expertly paced dancefloor energy, and relentless grooves from start to finish. Unfortunately his set also came with my biggest festival regret: not seeing more of Levity B2B Wooli. But the fact that I never seriously considered leaving is a testament to the quality of what Dom was building.

More than anything, he seemed genuinely taken aback by the size and energy of the crowd. It didn't feel rehearsed or obligatory—it felt authentic. That connection translated directly into the performance. Armed with an arsenal of originals and remixes now stretching back nearly a decade, Dom Dolla has firmly stepped into the role of modern EDM headliner. He's emblematic of a new generation finally taking the mantle, ensuring dance music continues to evolve without losing sight of what makes thousands of strangers want to move together in the first place.

Still Dancing

For a festival built around the idea of a new era, that might have been the most fitting conclusion. The names may change, the sound may evolve, and the knees may get a little worse—but the feeling remains exactly the same. FVDED 2026 wasn’t about recreating a golden age; it was about proving one might still be unfolding. Trust the curation, embrace discovery, and let the next wave prove why they belong.

No Looking Back: How FVDED 2026 Signals a New Era for Blueprint

By Ryan Hayes

A Festival Leaning Into Momentum

After returning for two years, FVDED’s 2026 lineup feels less like a course correction designed to secure the festival’s future and more like a confident affirmation of what it was always meant to be. In hindsight, the signs were already there—2025 began nudging in this direction—but the progress was necessarily incremental after a dazzling, mainstream-heavy 2024. With 2026, Blueprint finally puts all its cards on the table.

“Fisher and Dom Dolla are, by far, the safest and most bankable bets on the poster”

— Ryan Hayes

Next year’s lineup is built around momentum—dominated by artists actively shaping the current moment rather than living off past peaks. Blueprint’s booking philosophy is clear: the dance floor comes first, and artists with viral, grassroots-grown fandoms eclipse the importance of traditional commercial success. 2026 is unapologetically tuned to what’s moving diehard EDM fans right now—the kind who book flights for thoughtfully curated events. It’s a reaffirmation that Blueprint is once again dialed in to where EDM’s true fanbase has always lived—on the outskirts of mainstream culture.

The lineup marks a shift back towards Blueprint’s historic highs, when their bookings were consistently ahead of the curve instead of chasing it. It’s a clear message to the public: FVDED is now established enough, after a two-year rebirth, that it no longer needs to pander to commercial legacy. To some, 2026 may read as a year with less obvious star power—but it’s one of the most accurate reflections of the current scene the festival has presented in at least a decade. You may not recognize every name on the poster yet, but trust FVDED. Trust Blueprint. Buy tickets. Explore the breadth of the roster. Prepare over the six months leading into the weekend. This lineup is it.

The Headliners: A Statement of Intent

While Fisher and Dom Dolla are, by far, the safest and most bankable bets on the poster—and that’s not a criticism—their combined 22.7M monthly Spotify listeners stand in sharp contrast to last year’s top two billings, which totaled 50.2M, more than double the global reach. That said, Fisher and Dom are perfect representations of modern house at its most accessible, recognizable, and festival-ready. They may cast a narrower net than past headliners, but their fanbases are more active—and far more likely to show up. A higher level of commercial recognition no longer guarantees higher ticket sales, just as radio hits no longer make or break an artist. The landscape has shifted, and these headliners reflect that shift—the next generation of headliners will ensure FVDED remains commercially viable without feeling regressive.

FVDED’s new philosophy continues with Mau P, Knock2, and Disco Lines—all artists who have risen to prominence in the 2020s. Whether it’s Mau P’s groove, Knock2’s chaotic, bass-driven enthusiasm, or Disco Lines’ unforgettable hooks, these bookings point directly to where younger audiences are gravitating. They represent true crossover—digital discovery that translates seamlessly into physical turnout—and it’s exactly what modern festivals need to survive.

“Big shoutout to Nia Archives, who—until FVDED’s lineup dropped—had eluded my knowledge but now stands out as a particularly bold booking.”

— Ryan Hayes

Then there’s GRiZ—a personal favourite and perhaps the biggest headliner gamble. It may be a stretch, but for a loyal group of diehards, he’s the emotional anchor of the entire lineup. Returning after a two-year hiatus, his presence carries a surprising amount of weight. There’s been a clear push to reintroduce him to the scene, acting as a soft rebrand that positions him as a universal headliner. With releases dating back fifteen years—longer than anyone else on the 2026 roster—he now occupies the legacy slot. But that stature is new for GRiZ, and he bends the norms of a classic golden-age headliner. Sonically, he blends bass music with soul, funk, and genuine charismatic warmth. He brings heart, and a deeply dedicated fanbase. He may not carry the same sway as names that have historically topped a FVDED poster, but he has the talent—and you’ll undoubtedly walk away a fan.

The New Wave: What the Rest of the Lineup Says

Beyond the headliners is where FVDED 2026 truly comes into focus. The depth of the lineup is proof of a mission statement rooted in cultural relevance, and this is where Blueprint’s future-thinking approach crystalizes.

Artists like Marlon Hoffstadt, Odd Mob, OMNOM, Notion, & Linska represent the festival’s bracket of rising house and techno stars—the talent is global, the soundscape is diverse, and each artist has cut their teeth and proven they’re built to handle dense crowds at high-energy stages.

Nia Archives, Hedex, MPH, and Oppidan stand out as Blueprint’s deliberate embrace of UK-influenced bass and genre-bending artists. If you aren’t already familiar with their work, dive in and dig around—it will surely reward your curiosity. These bookings push beyond bland, North America–centric festival norms. Big shoutout to Nia Archives, who—until FVDED’s lineup dropped—had eluded my knowledge but now stands out as a particularly bold booking. She’s described her sound as a blend of chaotic, intense jungle with deep emotion; it didn’t exactly clear anything up for me, but it feels perfectly apt—and her vocals add a soulful layer to every production.

Levity B2B Wooli is a big swing and a calculated risk. The acts stand on the opposite ends of the bass music spectrum, and their set is sure to prove a collision of thick dubstep basslines, distorted growling drops, and melodic bass bounce. Purposeful chaos designed to accentuate the interplay between tension and euphoria.

TroyBoi stands out as a wildcard, having made his FVDED debut a decade ago in 2016. His style has continued to evolve, proving him to be an artist who refuses to be boxed in. He may be a legacy act at this point, but one content to operate on the fringe—constantly exploring sonic variation.

A Different Bet — FVDED vs the rest

When viewed alongside the only other major Canadian EDM festival to have fully announced its 2026 lineup—VELD—FVDED’s strategy stands in sharp contrast. VELD leans on proven star power and legacy bookings to cast the widest possible net—the standard festival formula. FVDED, by comparison, is making a more deliberate, future-facing bet on momentum, relevance, and fan trust—though it remains to be seen whether the broader festival-going audience is ready for that shift.

This isn’t a knock on VELD; it’s simply a different philosophy. Much like Shambhala, which routinely sells out without relying on top-heavy star power, FVDED is solidifying its boutique identity and betting that vibe, curation, and community loyalty matter more than instant name recognition. By prioritizing artists with active, invested fanbases and a lineup that rewards exploration, FVDED isn’t just protecting its legacy—it’s ensuring it evolves with the scene. VELD may be the more bankable play today, but FVDED’s 2026 is clearly attempting to build the kind of trust that can sustain a festival for the next decade.

What This Lineup Says About FVDED’s Future

Everyone talks about the “golden age” of EDM, but the fixation, propelled by aging fans missing the good old days, dilutes the current scene. FVDED 2026 isn’t chasing nostalgia, it’s staking a forward-facing claim that it understands where electronic music is going with the wide-eyed hope that the “golden age” lives.

Dominated by a diverse array of house, sprinkled with poignant bass acts, and amplified by UK and European club culture influences. This is a lineup designed for movement, for crowds that want to dance, not just film drops.

FVDED separates itself from the pack—not by playing it safe, but by betting on the future. This is a new wave of curation that returns Blueprint to its heights, and a clear signal of where the brand is headed next.

2026 isn’t about who was the biggest ten years ago—it’s about who matters right now.

And that’s a very good place for FVDED to be.