Beyond Existence 2023 is going to be one for the books. In just a few short days, we’ll all be gathered on Carson Creek Ranch down in Austin, Texas! Are you ready?
Year after year, Beyond delivers an impressive lineup, a plethora of activities, and some of the best visual artists. We took a trip down memory lane with Rowdy Banner, one of BE’s founders, on how this festival grew to be the success it is now.
“The philosophy that the Beyond Existence team subscribes to is that failure is not an option.”
How it all began…
The very first Beyond Existence was a one-day event in May of 2018. It began as two best friends simply wanting to create their own community of good music and good vibes.
In 2018, I contacted one of my best friends, (Phil Foltyn) because I really wanted to host an outdoor event for all of our friends. Phil was part of an older crowd and was a very popular person. He had just graduated from business school, and I thought he would be a perfect partner to help me grow a legit business and promote it to a different age group. Beyond Existence 2018 was the first event that either of us had ever hosted – over 200 people showed up, and we had the best night of our lives! We realized we had to keep going, and the rest is history!
– R.B.
So, what sparked this idea of creating something as awesome as Beyond Existence?
Phil and I both had so many amazing friends in our lives, and we were rolling up to shows 30-50 people deep at times. I realized it was the perfect opportunity to create our own culture and community. We had no idea where this road would lead.
– R.B.
Fast forward to now, and BE has grown exponentially! It went from a single day to three, including multiple stages and sound systems. Not only that but there will also be tons of workshops throughout the weekend! For example, drum circles, yoga/meditation, Mario Kart, and even one where you can practice magic. Of course, every festival has unique qualities; however, what makes Beyond Existence special?
From my perspective, Beyond Existence is defined by the community that keeps it alive. Our community’s shared interest in mindfulness is what sets us apart. We are all trying our hardest to ensure the people around us are having the best possible experience at all times – that goes for myself, Phil, our other team members, and every single attendee.
– R.B.
Additionally, Beyond Existence will have an overabundance of food, vendors, and live painters!
BE will have everything we need: art, music, community, and sunshine!
Texas has been home to Beyond Existence ever since the beginning. Specifically, it resides on the beautiful Carson Creek Ranch in Austin.
Carson Creek was home to “Euphoria” when it was still a real music festival. Everyone was a big fan and still talks about it to this day. We brought Beyond to Carson Creek because the people of Austin spoke very fondly of the venue. We wanted to keep the camping-fest vibes alive in our own way.
– R.B.
After all these years, the ranch holds a multitude of memories! We asked Rowdy what his favorite memory is so far.
In 2021, during Supertask’s set, I looked around and realized that Beyond Existence had officially turned into something that was beyond my wildest dreams – the crowd size, the art, the vibe. Everything was more than I could’ve ever hoped for. From that moment, I knew we had to aim much higher, and it was time to set new goals!
– R.B.
Supertask returns to Beyond Existence this year, along with many other heavy-hitters. Artists like Manic Focus, Zen Selekta, kLL sMTH b2b VCTRE, and Rafeeki will be gracing the River Amphitheater. Meanwhile, The Grove will be hosted by A.M. Trip, Jush, $1 Vinyl, and others. That’s not all! Go on an adventure to the Tribal Roots stage to see Subdocta, Yoko, CLB, or Barooka. Then, once the late night hits, the best of the underground will be spinning at the silent disco!
The Manifest Gang Takeover has been a plan for the past five years; I’m very happy to finally be bringing that to Texas. Also, we have booked Thought Process, Pheel, and Parkbreezy independently. [This year] we booked ‘Morning Coffee’ (Pheel x Parkbreezy), and now we get to bring the whole gang together for a ‘Groovsauce’ set – it is going to be magical!
– R.B.
It’s certainly a legendary lineup for a magical year. What else will make this weekend so exciting? The reunion of nationwide friends and the making of new ones.
Beyond Existence is like one big family reunion; I am always most looking forward to seeing my chosen family at Beyond. Also, there are multiple artists on this lineup that we have never worked with before, and it’s always fun and exciting to create new relationships with people from out of state. It feels like our community indoctrinates these traveling artists year after year.
– R.B.
By now, you must be convinced to snag those tickets! If it’ll be your first time at Beyond, don’t fret because Rowdy has some advice.
The best advice I could give anyone would be to take it as easy as possible, stay grounded, and interact with as many people as you can!
– R.B.
Grab those last-minute tickets to Beyond Existence here!
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