Here's my honest take on Boo! Seattle: from the sound and stage setups to my favorite sets, amenities, and, of course, the crowd.
Stick around to the end to get our staff final ratings!
(Customer looks at Mysic Chili Bunny Ears under the glow of the "Raverie Hearrings" LED sign. Photo by @raveheadtim)
The Music
The most important part of any festival is the quality of the sound, stages, and sets. While Seattle has a renowned music scene, I find it lacks quality large venues, Wamu included. As an event center rather than a dedicated music venue, Wamu struggles with sound quality and a wary ambiance; the vaulted cement ceilings cause the music to bounce awkwardly throughout the space. Hence, I’d never been to Boo!, and I found myself pleasantly surprised when I arrived on Friday afternoon.
Insomniac is known for its transportive decorations, and Boo! did not disappoint.
They fully opened the space up, even using the parking garage. The spooky decor and warm lighting made Wamu almost unrecognizable.
The sound quality also exceeded expectations. The volume was slightly below Wamu’s usual max, which worked in Boo!’s favor. Each stage was well-balanced, and there was no interference between them. Being indoors, I was still glad to have my 18db Hearrings to protect my ears for the long haul.
The Headliners
Friday night’s headliner, Slander, surprised with a set that blended melodic bass and heavy remixes, a departure from his usual, bass-heavy PNW vibe. On Saturday, Rezz and Illenium stuck with their classic sounds; Illenium, in particular, brought out his signature fire and laser effects—a great first-time experience for me!
The Stages
(Lighthouse stage at Boo! 2024)
Boo! had three stages: The Dark Forest (main stage), Den of Darkness and The Lighthouse. My favorite stage was the Lighthouse in the upstairs parking garage. Gravedgr’s hardstyle set was sick;
Boo! had three stages: The Dark Forest (main stage), Den of Darkness and The Lighthouse. My favorite stage was the Lighthouse in the upstairs parking garage. Gravedgr’s hardstyle set was sick;
the space felt like an underground renegade in the best way, with the floor bouncing as we jumped.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the sound quality, and the sets exceeded my expectations.
The Venue
(Attendees crowd in the Raverie Booth showing off their costumes. Take a peak in the back of the photo to see the size of the crowd in the “picnic table” section of the festival. Photo by @raveheadtim)
While 2023 saw complaints about overcrowding, this year’s smaller crowd helped. Friday felt spacious, while Saturday had some end-of-night congestion in the stairwells, but nothing unmanageable.
While 2023 saw complaints about overcrowding, this year’s smaller crowd helped. Friday felt spacious, while Saturday had some end-of-night congestion in the stairwells, but nothing unmanageable.
The biggest issue was the lack of bathrooms. To avoid a 20-minute line, I went upstairs where Wamu opened a section of Lumen Field’s bathroom, which always had the shortest lines.
Food options were also limited. With no outside vendors and only Wamu’s pricey menu, there were few choices for those with dietary restrictions.
Overall, Insomniac delivered on amenities. Having rides at an indoor event was unique and a blast! I loved being able to hear and see the main stage while waiting in line. I also appreciated the ample space at the back of each stage, giving me room to use my LED Dragon and try out my new Flowing Fidget. There was a great community of flow-ers at each stage, as is usual at PNW events.
Overall, Insomniac delivered on amenities. Having rides at an indoor event was unique and a blast! I loved being able to hear and see the main stage while waiting in line. I also appreciated the ample space at the back of each stage, giving me room to use my LED Dragon and try out my new Flowing Fidget. There was a great community of flow-ers at each stage, as is usual at PNW events.
The People
(Friends love to visit the Raverie staff at the booth. Here were two of our favorite costumes of the weekend)
Finally, let’s talk about the crowd—the heart of the festival. Many veteran ravers worry that the scene is becoming too mainstream, losing some of its underground spirit. Thankfully, those roots were very much alive at Boo! I saw many familiar faces—wooks and OGs who have been in the scene for years. All the newcomers I met were kind and eager to learn about PLURR culture.
Finally, let’s talk about the crowd—the heart of the festival. Many veteran ravers worry that the scene is becoming too mainstream, losing some of its underground spirit. Thankfully, those roots were very much alive at Boo! I saw many familiar faces—wooks and OGs who have been in the scene for years. All the newcomers I met were kind and eager to learn about PLURR culture.
With so much PLURR educational content out there, I’m optimistic that we can continue making this space warm and safe.
What was not very PLURR, however, was how many people weren’t dressed up. Come on, guys, it’s Halloween! At least wear a themed hat, headband, or ears! Those who did dress up had fantastic costumes, with tons of handmade pieces. By far, the most popular themes were childhood cartoons, video games, and Pokémon characters—I think our generation might suffer from nostalgia (myself included).
And that’s a wrap on Boo! Halloween. What a great way to celebrate my favorite holiday! It’s always a blast to vend with Raverie and headbang with you ravers.
And that’s a wrap on Boo! Halloween. What a great way to celebrate my favorite holiday! It’s always a blast to vend with Raverie and headbang with you ravers.
Raverie Staff Reviews
Let’s see our Raverie Staff final ratings of the event:
Nat R: 7/10 “fantastic artistic element and PLURR community vibes.”
Nat L: 8.5/10 “everyone was so festive! I loved overhearing that this was many’s first rave and I hope we could make it special for them. Deducted 1 point for the mid, unseason stadium chicken tenders.”
Lin S: 9/10 “obsessed with all the creative costumes!”
Kyle M: 8/10 “the rides were so very fun, and Rezz’s set was crazy. I loved the intimacy of the silent disco when I wanted to get away from the giant festival vibes.”
Nat R: 7/10 “fantastic artistic element and PLURR community vibes.”
Nat L: 8.5/10 “everyone was so festive! I loved overhearing that this was many’s first rave and I hope we could make it special for them. Deducted 1 point for the mid, unseason stadium chicken tenders.”
Lin S: 9/10 “obsessed with all the creative costumes!”
Kyle M: 8/10 “the rides were so very fun, and Rezz’s set was crazy. I loved the intimacy of the silent disco when I wanted to get away from the giant festival vibes.”
(Raverie staff who worked Boo! 2024. From left to right: Lin, Kyle, Nat L, Nat R. Photo by @raveheadtim)
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