American Canyon is officially an EDM hotspot – for now
The faint thrum of bass echoed around American Canyon as thousands of electronic dance music (EDM) fans flocked to a surprising venue on Sunday: The Ruins, a cement factory built in 1903 and since abandoned. Ravers came from as far as Nevada and as near as Donaldson Way to revel in the massive, overgrown complex of concrete structures.
The Oct. 5 open-air party was The Ruin’s second run as a music venue, with EDM producer Kaskade christening the space on Sept. 13 at a sold-out event that drew 2,000 people. Sunday’s event was also a hit, bringing an equally impressive crowd to dance to drum and bass beats by artists from around the world.
DJs set up shop in a central arena-like space with an ample dance floor and surprisingly good soundproofing. Artists included local bass producer Vyhara, the Netherlands’ Buunshin, producers Ekko and Sidetrack from Australia, and UK DJs Sub Focus and Natty Lou. The Bay still managed to take its place in the spotlight with art from Bay Area graffiti legends lining the walls.
Plenty of American Canyon residents made their way to the rave alongside commuters. Some got the local pass thanks to one anonymous worker who let them in free of charge; some paid the full $60-plus entry fee. Most had memories of the space before the fence went up around it.
One man said he used to walk his dogs and bike through the grounds; another remembered fishing for bass in the pond by the line of port-o-potties. That connection doubled the joy of seeing world-famous artists play the small city’s stage.
“It’s crazy that we can just walk to our venue,” said Keith Jocson, a neighbor and EDM fan.
Mark Diamond, a Fairfield native and urban climber, drove out to the show from Las Vegas with his girlfriend. “It’s crazy to see that this thing is legal now,” he said. “We used to hop the fence and party.” There is drone footage of Diamond climbing the structure in 2020.
In between bouts of dancing to heavy EDM beats, partiers roamed around the concrete structures, sipping beers and eating from two food trucks parked at the venue’s edge. Among them was Buunchin, the night’s headliner. It was his first tour in America, and he was waiting in line to try the local favorite, a burrito.
“The first thing that stood out to me was how the light is hitting the concrete. I feel it brings something really natural as opposed to something that is really constructed,” Buunchin told the Current.
“If nature is left on its own, it becomes a lot of chaos. I feel like this is a healthy amount of unruliness. And that’s what raving is about.”
Ken Tesler, the festival impresario who opened Blue Note Napa, likened The Ruins to a pop-up venue, of sorts.
“We’re experimenting with this. We’ll see where it goes,” he told the Current. “EDM seems to fit well with The Ruins’ vibe.”
The experiment spans five EDM parties, all scheduled for the short few months before winter weather comes. The next rave is on Halloween — but good luck finding much information on it. Tesler is keeping the series relatively quiet, letting most of the promotion stay within the EDM community. To do it right, he said, Blue Note teamed up with Los Angeles entertainment heavyweights Brownies and Lemonade, a trusted figure in the EDM scene.
According to Tesler, Terrence McGrath, The Ruins’ owner, had been asking around for a local outfit to test run a venue at the space. Blue Note came in first.
“There’s a reason why he went with us,” said Tesler. “We’re not playing around. We brought all the power in; all the infrastructure is ours.”
Ensuring the space was ready to host hundreds of people required months of work: hauling in dirt, leveling ground, filling holes, safety-proofing some areas and closing off others.
“We’re trying to be very cognizant of the neighbors nearby,” Tesler said. “We have a phone number to call if they have issues with anything.”
McGrath, the founder of McGrath Properties, is the real estate developer responsible for all the housing that’s sprung up around The Ruins in the past few years. Although the company could not be reached for comment, plans posted to the American Canyon government site show a vision that signals big changes for The Ruins in the years to come.
McGrath’s proposal outlines plans for a brewery, shops, restaurants, a wedding chapel and, of course, a little less graffiti. All these sites and more will comprise what they call a “town center.”
Throughout the day of the rave, nearby residents strolled along the border of the old factory, peeking in.
Kam Dhaliwal, a neighbor, stood by the entrance, curious about the event. She explained that her husband grew up close by.
“As long as they keep it classy and safe, it’s good,” she said, eyeing the attire of a few ravers lined up to go in. “We’re known to be a family-oriented place. I’m all about community.”
