Breakaway is back with its second iteration of its Massachusetts edition at the Palladium in Worcester. Starting in Columbus, Ohio, in 2013, Breakaway is a traveling music festival with events nationwide. Across the two days, fans can expect everything from headbanging bass to bouncy disco house grooves. The 2024 Mass edition has dance music legends headlining, such as Deadmau5, Tiesto, and Illenium. In addition to those icons, you also have up-and-coming luminaries such as Disco Lines, ARMNHMR, and Noizu.
It was a windy but sunny weekend, and getting through security was a breeze. Shein even had a “fast lane” for its Shein Club members to cut the GA line. Once inside, the energy was electric. Everyone was smiling and having the time of their lives everywhere you looked. I even caught a service dog smiling at me.
Known colloquially as “the parking lot,” the Palladium Outdoors was a new venue for this year’s Breakaway. It offered a different experience compared to last year, including a second full-size stage, but presented new issues with stage visibility and crowding. Around 7:30 pm each night, the smaller space became more apparent, and it became tough to maneuver around even the back of the GA crowd. The Launch Pad was crowded the entire weekend, so the fest stopped letting guests in the venue for Noizu and Malaa on Saturday. However, the attendees did not seem phased at all, unwilling to let the less-than-ample space stop them from enjoying what was in front of them.
One of the things I love most about Breakaway is how they strive to highlight local talent through their incredible Silent Disco. The Silent Disco lineup consisted entirely of local DJs and producers, and they reserved the opening main stage slot each day for a local artist. This year AndThenJuan and Cowson were chosen to open the main stage, and they killed it. Cowson seemed to have a remarkable following; everywhere we looked all weekend, we saw inflatable cows, which was a nice bit of whimsy. The Silent Disco also proved to be a nice respite from the crowds. With three DJs playing at once, there’s something for everyone. I even heard one of my favorite tunes, Cbat, in 2024, no less (shoutout to DJ STiN for that one)!
There are plenty of activations and vendors to check out in between sets, too. Celsius Energy drinks was a sponsor this year, and they had an activation where you can go in and sit down for a bit, take some photos, and get a free Celcius! I tried the mandarin marshmallow, which tasted like an elevated creamsicle. It is highly recommended. NÜTRL and Beatbox were also sponsors this year and provided free samples to attendees over 21 every day while also providing spaces to make friendship bracelets to trade with others. Across from the Beatbox booth was Boston Trolley Dogs; they serve enormous, handmade hot dogs with as many toppings as you could think of. Loose Lucy’s is a vendor specializing in tie-dye fashion, but it also has many other fun festival things like fans and pashminas.
On Friday, some set festival highlights were J. Worra, Disco Lines, and Deadmau5. J. Worra was energetic to kick off the weekend and a perfect segue into Disco Lines. When she jumped on top of the decks as the sun went down, it was invigorating and excited me for what was to come. Disco Lines proved why he’s been gaining so much momentum this year and is truly a ca n’t-miss festival for me now. Deadmau5 took us on a career-spanning journey through all his hits, and he looked like he was having a great time himself, chain-smoking and finishing several Coronas. He put on the mouse head for his last song and drank a beer through it, and I felt like I had satisfied my inner child.
Saturday highlights were Noizu and Illenium. I had a very Noizu-heavy summer, so I went in with high expectations, and he crushed them all. This was my first Illenium set, so I didn’t know what to expect. But as I made my way up to the rail, I noticed just how happy and in the moment everyone around me was. How much they loved him. The energy in this set was so wholesome and loving, even if the music itself was a bit heavier than I expected. Illenium ended his set with Good Things Fall Apart, which was a beautiful moment for everyone.
As busy and crowded as this festival was, I didn’t wait in line all weekend. Not to get in, not to use the bathroom, not to get a drink, not to get food. All the porta-potties I used all weekend were as clean as possible. Everyone I interacted with all weekend was super kind and happy to be there. I’m interested in seeing the future of this festival. Breakaway Mass is a great way to end summer in New England, and I look forward to next year!
Thanks for tuning in. Watch for more festival content on my social media pages to get hyped up for upcoming events! A big thank you to Breakaway Music Festival, Zach Zephir, Liam Cogliano, and Kursza for the photos utilized above in this write-up.
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