A Surreal Playground for Self-Expression
We are rarely invited to pursue real self-expression. Even when offered, the invitation usually comes with fine print.
But for one weekend in Lake Perris, no mask was needed. Same Same But Different made space for people to be just that.
Spun from a handshake between childlike wonder and adult ingenuity, Lake Perris was transformed into a bountiful, imaginative playground. A hot air balloon drifted over the water. Festivalgoers mounted a large dragon and a UFO. A dresser door opened to reveal two clowns in a secret room. Nearby, birds made of drones gathered in the back of an abandoned school bus. Most bizarre of all? An old-timey TV aired videos of shirtless people shucking and buttering corn, in a small shack littered with popcorn and Playboy magazines called “The Corn Hub.”
The expansive scope of SSBD’s environments underscores its creed: there are no barriers or boundaries to creative self-expression. The night brings fire dancers and people surfing on a mobile LED couch. Mounted guitars, drums, and pianos implore strangers to jam together. Raised platforms on the Coconut Cove dancefloor let guests showcase their moves and become part of the show.
It’s difficult to distinguish performers from attendees. That’s the point. The festival is a collaborative project, where you’re encouraged to run wild together in collective creativity. There’s an intentionality to everything SSBD does. It’s a sandbox, a giant playground for adults and families, but one carefully curated to support imagination.
SSBD’s holistic philosophy and commitment to quantity over quality are most plainly presented through its set times. So many festivals drive ticket sales by cramming big names on a poster, inevitably cornering guests with conflicting schedules and tough choices.
SSBD does not abide by such tropes. The two primary stages, appropriately named “Same Stage” and “Different Stage,” never clash. Instead, artists alternate between the two. It’s a refreshing approach that benefits the rave ecosystem. Performers are treated to the biggest audience available, crowds are exposed to musicians they’d otherwise miss, and the only thing left behind is FOMO.
SSBD formed a quality lineup, an impressive feat considering its status as a relatively new independent festival. Zeds Dead, LSZEE, and Dr. Fresch headlined this year’s show with support from Know Good, Opiou, and EDM.com Class of 2025 artist ALLEYCVT.
In an era where memes run rampant through electronic music, Zeds Dead reminded us that idiosyncrasies mustn’t come at the expense of the music. They are longtime purveyors of weaving pop culture into a musical fever dream, and they still do it better than anyone else. Every piece of their set was a cohesive experience, from their “Real Slim Shady”-inspired intro to the emotional high notes of “One Of These Mornings.”
LSZEE deserve a standing ovation for the weight they bore over the weekend. The collaborative duo of LSDREAM and CloZee, best friends who will split at the year’s end to resume their solo endeavors, performed their penultimate set as LSZEE.
If emotions weren’t high enough, CloZee also performed her first solo set of the year, a stunning sunrise set against the Lake Perris backdrop. LSDREAM surprised everyone with an unannounced funk set on Thursday, then spiritually healed them with a LIGHTCODES sound bath.
Maybe it shouldn’t be surprising how involved LSDREAM was with SSBD. Tangibly, they seek to accomplish the same goals. When discussing his musical projects, he touched on many of the same beliefs that guide the festival.
“It’s about creating a container for the audience to feel free,” LSDREAM told EDM.com. “To feel like it’s safe to be themselves and to enter into a hard space. To express themselves and connect with like-minded people. It’s a container for that higher vibration, love, and energy.”
Elsewhere, Know Good’s profile continues to explode in 2025. Those familiar with what the cousins offer were rewarded for their awareness. The uninitiated were blown away by a live set featuring experimental bass bangers infused with live guitar, drums, violins, and vocals.
ALLEYCVT set herself apart from her contemporaries this year, highlighted by her frenetic pace and aptitude for song selection. She’s had nothing but standout sets all year. If there’s one small amendment she could make, it’s letting big moments breathe. Her transition from M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” to Wooli’s “Next Episode” flip had every jaw on the floor, but there wasn’t enough time to soak it in.
SSBD has expanded remarkably from a couple of hundred attendees in 2018 to a capped 7,500 this year. As the festival welcomes more dreamers, its infrastructure must keep pace. Not to spoil the magic, but to preserve it. SSBD’s biggest areas for future improvements are logistics, and after all, growth brings growing pains.
Safety was never a concern, but organizers can increase security measures to ensure it stays true. The community was warm, and the crowd rarely felt claustrophobic. However, one bad actor can ruin that. Strict security at the concert gates may not be essential, since the festival is exclusive to three-day campers. To protect the magic as the festival scales, it’ll benefit SSBD to have more robust security measures when cars arrive at camp, the first point of entry.
The car camping was immaculate. There are ample bathrooms and showers in the state park, making it easy to stay clean and comfortable through the hot days. The festival grounds could use more tender love and care. Sinks running out of water and porta-potties without toilet paper were a common occurrence. Fortunately, these are easy fixes and minute in the grand scheme.
Same Same But Different is a treasure trove. To have such a visually spectacular and spiritually empowering space just a stone’s throw from San Diego is mind-boggling. For many with whom we spoke, SSBD fell into one of two categories: their non-negotiable annual stop or the first day of the rest of their lives.
To that end, the festival is more a co-creation. Every attendee is part architect, part artwork, especially during the paint party. It sounds lofty, but walk through a to-scale recreation of a grandmother’s home or share a sunrise with strangers-turned-family, and it clicks.
The world outside asks us to dim ourselves. SSBD hands you a spotlight. What you do with it is entirely, wonderfully, up to you.
You can find out more about SSBD and purchase tickets to the 2026 fest here.
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