The Two-Festival Strategy: DnB x Dubstep Districts

Festival producers around the world are experimenting with multi-genre festivals that unite diverse music communities under one umbrella. An innovative approach is the “two-festival strategy,” which essentially creates two distinct festival districts side by side – one dedicated to the high-octane breaks of Drum & Bass (DnB) and the other to the deep wubs of Dubstep. Each district has its own entrance portal, colour scheme, and even MCs setting the tone for that genre’s fans. Yet, they are linked by a shared middle ground – a “bridge” stage for collaborative performances. This strategy allows an event to celebrate each genre’s unique culture while fostering crossover moments that can double the event’s appeal. Major festivals have touched on this concept; for example, the UK’s Boomtown Fair splits into nine themed areas covering every music style (www.summerfestivalguide.co.uk), and Belgium’s Rampage Open Air (one of the world’s largest bass music festivals) featured multiple stages spanning dubstep, drum & bass and more, giving fans “a new world to explore” at each turn (www.dubstepfbi.com). By treating DnB and Dubstep as two interlinked worlds, a festival can offer the best of both – but careful planning is essential. From venue layout and sound logistics to marketing, budgeting, ticketing, and team management, here’s a detailed guide to making the two-festival strategy a success.

Designing Distinct Drum & Bass and Dubstep Districts

Creating distinct neighborhoods for DnB and Dubstep is the cornerstone of this strategy. Each district should feel like its own festival with a clear identity:

• Theming and Portals: Give each genre area a unique look and entrance. For instance, a DnB district might resemble an urban jungle – think graffiti art, warehouse-style décor, and an entry gate that looks like a subway tunnel – while the Dubstep district could have a futuristic or primal theme with neon visuals or even dinosaur motifs (a nod to dubstep’s heavy “prehistoric” bass vibe). Install large, colourful portal arches or signage at the entry of each zone so attendees immediately sense they’re entering a new realm. This not only excites fans but also helps them navigate the site.
• Colour and Visual Identity: Establish a colour code or visual motif for each district and apply it to lighting, flags, staff clothing, and wristbands. For example, you might use red and gold for the DnB side and electric green and purple for the Dubstep side. Consistent colour cues reinforce the separation and make the experience immersive. At night, light each area in its signature hues. This way, even from afar, attendees can tell where the drum & bass ends and the dubstep begins.
• Curating MCs and Atmosphere: Match the MC tone and hosting style to the culture of each genre. Drum & bass shows (especially in the UK and Europe) often feature fast-chatting MCs hyping the crowd on the mic – which is deeply ingrained in DnB culture (ukbassmusic.com). In that district, book respected DnB MCs (with the right accent and slang for the scene) to host the stage, energize the dancefloor, and call for rewinds on big drops. In contrast, dubstep events (particularly in North America) may use minimal MCing – many dubstep fans focus on the DJ and the bass drops. So for the Dubstep side, you might opt for a different approach: perhaps a hype person who appears only to introduce headliners or a host DJ who speaks occasionally. Tailoring the MC presence ensures each crowd feels “at home.” It’s like having two different narrators for two stories under one festival.
• Genre-Specific Amenities and Decor: Consider providing amenities that resonate with each community. A drum & bass area could include graffiti walls where aerosol artists paint live, nodding to the genre’s urban roots. A dubstep zone might feature interactive LED installations or even a headbanger’s “rail” (a reinforced front barrier) for hardcore fans to headbang safely. Even the food and drink can reflect the vibe – e.g., a Caribbean jerk chicken stand on the DnB side (a wink to jungle/DnB’s reggae influences) and a futuristic neon snack bar on the dubstep side. These touches deepen the distinct atmosphere of each district.
• Branding and Marketing Each District: When promoting the event, highlight the dual experience. Give each district an identity or nickname (without creating two separate event names). For example, the flyer could advertise “Bass City Festival: featuring the DnB District ‘Jungle Junction’ and the Dubstep District ‘Wobble World’.” Use targeted marketing: promote the DnB lineup to drum & bass forums and communities, and the dubstep lineup to their respective fan groups. Make sure both styles are well-represented in the overall branding so neither fanbase feels like an afterthought. This two-in-one concept can actually be a selling point – you’re offering two festival experiences for the price of one ticket.

Designing distinct districts does require extra effort and budget – essentially you are crafting two themed environments. Plan accordingly: allocate resources for two sets of stage designs and decor teams. However, you can still share some infrastructure (entry gates, fences, general facilities) and reuse materials creatively. For instance, a row of LED panels might display different colour content in each zone but run off the same tech system. The investment pays off by attracting a broader audience and giving attendees a richer experience. As seen in festivals like Boomtown, having multiple themed areas makes the event feel like a small “city” of music (www.summerfestivalguide.co.uk), encouraging attendees to explore and discover – which keeps them engaged longer and increases overall satisfaction.

Tip: Even smaller boutique festivals can apply this concept on a modest scale. If you only have one main stage, you could still create two visual zones in front of it or decorate one side of the venue in one style and the opposite side in another. Alternatively, consider splitting days or time slots by genre (e.g. Day 1 = DnB theme, Day 2 = Dubstep theme) and re-theme the stage overnight. The key is to clearly signal the change in atmosphere so attendees get the feeling of two distinct experiences. Just ensure the transitions are smooth and communicated, so the crowd knows what to expect and when.

The “Bridge” Stage for Crossover Acts and Collabs

A central element of the two-festival layout is the bridge stage – a dedicated stage or performance area positioned between the two districts. This stage acts as a literal and symbolic bridge between DnB and Dubstep worlds. Its purpose is to host crossover acts, collaborative sets, and anything that blends the two scenes. Here’s how to make it effective:

• Strategic Location: Place the bridge stage at the midpoint between the DnB and Dubstep areas, ideally in a spot where pathways from both districts meet. It could be slightly offset or in a neutral zone (for example, near shared facilities like food courts or chill-out areas) so that it naturally becomes a meeting ground for both crowds. Make it visible and inviting from both sides – you might use 360-degree sound or a round stage so people can gather all around. The goal is that a drum & bass fan wandering out of their zone and a dubstep fan from the other side can both easily stumble upon the bridge performance and enjoy it together.
• Programming Crossover Artists: Book acts that intentionally mix elements of both genres or appeal strongly to both fanbases. This might include back-to-back DJ sets (B2Bs) featuring one DnB artist and one Dubstep artist collaborating live. For example, a special drum & bass vs dubstep showdown set can draw massive interest. Festivals have done this creatively – at Rampage in Belgium, the lineup included unique pairings like Dirtyphonics b2b Modestep, merging a drum & bass act with a dubstep act on stage (www.dubstepfbi.com). Such collaborations give fans a one-of-a-kind experience they can’t get at single-genre events. Also seek out producers known to straddle both worlds (many modern bass artists produce multiple styles). An artist like Skrillex, who has made both dubstep and drum & bass tracks, or Chase & Status, whose catalog spans DnB, dubstep, and other bass music, would be perfect for a bridge stage headline set because they naturally attract both camps.
• Cross-genre Performances: Encourage fun mashups that highlight each genre’s strengths. For instance, schedule a segment called “Tempo Swap” where a dubstep DJ remixes a DnB anthem at 140 BPM, and a DnB DJ flips a dubstep banger at 174 BPM – a playful way to introduce each audience to the other style. Live collaborations are golden too: perhaps a live drummer from a DnB band jamming along with a dubstep producer’s set, or vocalists/MCs trading off in different tempo beats. The bridge stage is a place to get creative and celebrate innovation born from the meeting of two scenes.
• Scheduling for Maximum Impact: Plan the bridge stage timetable to avoid direct conflicts with the biggest headliners on the main stages. One strategy is to use the bridge stage for opening ceremonies, intermissions, or late-night finales. For example, when the DnB stage is changing over between acts or taking a short break, slot a must-see collab on the bridge stage so DnB fans wander over. Similarly, after the dubstep headliner ends, have an encore collaboration at the bridge to keep everyone on-site a bit longer together. You might even open the festival at the bridge stage with a welcome set that features one artist from each genre teaming up to set a communal tone from the start.
• Unified Production Elements: Give the bridge stage its own identity that’s a mix of both worlds. Visually, it could literally combine the colour schemes of the two districts (e.g., incorporate red, gold, green, purple all together). Sonically, use top-notch production since this stage has to satisfy audiophiles from both sides. And make sure the sound system is tuned for a full-frequency bass experience – it should hit as hard as the main stages, because you want fans to regard it as a third pillar of the festival, not a side stage.

By thoughtfully programming the bridge stage, you create shared moments that unite the crowd. These are the memories attendees will talk about: “Remember when the dubstep and DnB DJs went B2B and dropped that insane crossover track?!” Those moments justify the whole concept. They also might convert some fans – a dubstep devotee might discover they love a DnB artist after seeing them in a collab, and vice versa. From a community-building perspective, the bridge stage can reduce any “us vs them” feeling and instead instil a sense that everyone is part of a larger bass music family. In terms of marketing, these unique collab sets are great selling points for the festival (use them in press releases and post-festival videos to show the magic of the two-festival approach). Make sure to record these sets, as they often generate online buzz and can attract new attendees for the next edition.

Acoustic Design: Landscaping and Speaker Orientation as Buffers

One of the toughest practical challenges in running simultaneous DnB and Dubstep districts is sound management. Both genres are bass-heavy and loud, so without smart planning their stages will bleed into each other, causing a muddled boom instead of clean music. Preventing this “cacophony of competing sound-waves” (www.onstagerentals.com)is crucial for audience enjoyment. Here are strategies to acoustically isolate each zone using layout, landscaping, and speaker setup:

• Spatial Separation: Maximise the distance between the DnB and Dubstep main stages. In an ideal venue (like a large field or park), place the two stages at opposite ends of the site or on separate sides of a natural barrier. The more space between them, the less sound interference. Use your site map to its fullest extent – if there’s a hill, forest, or even rows of buildings, position the stages so that these features lie between them as sound blockers. For example, a festival in a valley could put one stage on the north side and the other on the south side of a hill in between. Many large festivals intentionally space stages far apart to avoid overlap, even if it means attendees walk longer. It’s worth it for sound quality.
• Speaker Orientation: Work closely with your sound engineers to aim the speaker arrays in directions that minimise bleed. Generally, you want to point each stage’s main speakers away from the other district. If the stages are back-to-back at opposite ends, aim one stage’s sound to the north and the other to the south, so the sound fields project outward rather than toward each other. Modern line-array speaker systems are quite directional – take advantage of that by “steering” audio toward the ground and crowd areas and away from empty zones or the other stage. Also consider using cardioid subwoofer setups, which are arrangements of subwoofer speakers that cancel bass frequencies behind the stack. This can significantly reduce how much low-end thump travels backward into the other genre’s territory.
• Landscaping and Physical Barriers: If the venue doesn’t have natural dividers, create your own. Strategic landscaping can dampen sound transmission. For instance, erecting large berms (earth mounds) or walls of hay bales between the two districts can absorb and block sound. You could also use rows of vendors, food trucks, or portable toilets as an impromptu sound barrier corridor. Even non-audio features like art installations or banners can break up the direct path of sound waves (though their effect is limited). At ultra-large events, organizers have even positioned “buffer zones” like funfair rides or market streets between stages – attendees see it as part of the festival experience, but it’s also serving an acoustic purpose. Trees and dense foliage are excellent natural buffers, so if your site has a treeline, put it to use. In summary: think of the site in 3D, using any structures or terrain to your advantage for sound containment.
• Stage Orientation & Scheduling Tricks: Align stage orientations back-to-back if possible (so that each stage’s rear side faces the other, with hopefully some distance or barrier in between). This way, the loudest sound from each (which projects forward) is pointing away. Additionally, consider staggering schedules if necessary. For example, if the stages are relatively close, avoid having both headline acts on at the exact same time – you might start one headliner 15 minutes earlier so their climax moments don’t directly overlap. You can also coordinate set times such that when one stage has a quieter act (say a liquid DnB set or a dubstep artist playing a more chill intro), the other stage might have a louder act, and later they swap intensity. This kind of micro-scheduling is complex but can help reduce perceived clash.
• Sound Checks and Monitoring: Perform thorough sound checks from both districts. During setup, have audio techs walk the distance between stages and stand in one zone while the other stage does a test run. Identify spots where bleed is still an issue and adjust volumes or EQ (e.g., cut some overwhelming bass frequencies on one stage if they travel too far). During the festival, continue to monitor noise levels at the edges of each district. If attendees in the DnB area start hearing a dubstep bassline under the DnB, or vice versa, it’s time to tweak levels or ask one stage to dial back certain frequencies. Real-time communication via radios between the audio crews of each stage is vital so they can collaboratively manage the overall sound environment.

For multi-genre festivals, noise control isn’t just about audience experience, it’s also often a permit requirement (especially if the venue is near residential areas). By using landscaping and speaker orientation cleverly, you not only keep attendees happy with clear sound, but also reduce the chances of noise complaints off-site. Remember that bass frequencies travel the farthest, so pay extra attention to sub-bass management. It might be wise to put a slightly lower cap on subwoofer levels than you would if it were a single-stage event, purely to prevent rumble overlap. In practice, good stage design plus careful on-site testing can almost eliminate sound bleed issues, allowing each genre to rage at full power without fighting the other. Investing in quality sound equipment and acoustic consultation is worth every penny here. A crisp, isolated audio experience in each district will leave both crowds praising the production, rather than complaining that “the other stage ruined the sound.”

Staffing & Stewarding Both Cultures

Staffing a dual-identity festival means your team needs to be fluent in both dialects of the culture – essentially, understanding the norms, slang, and expectations of drum & bass fans and dubstep fans. The goal is to make attendees from each community feel welcome and understood throughout the event, and to ensure smooth communication and conflict resolution if any issues arise. Consider these steps for effective bi-cultural staffing:

• Hire Diverse Staff and Volunteers: When assembling your crew, bring in people who hail from each scene. For example, have some festival stewards, greeters, or stage hands who are long-time DnB ravers, and some who come from the dubstep world. Their insider knowledge can be invaluable. A drum & bass aficionado on staff will know, for instance, how important it is to let an MC do their call-and-response with the crowd without interruption, or they’ll recognize when a DnB fan is asking for a “rewind” (to restart the track) rather than causing trouble. A dubstep-savvy staff member will understand the concept of a “railbreaker” (intense headbanger at the front) and not mistake enthusiastic moshing for a fight. By having representatives of each subculture on the team, you essentially get built-in translators and ambassadors for both audiences.
• Cultural Sensitivity Training: Educate your entire event staff on key differences and commonalities between the two genres’ crowds. You can hold a brief training session or distribute a fun cheat-sheet before the festival. Cover basics like slang (e.g., explain that “junglists” means DnB lovers, “brostep” refers to a style of dubstep), dance styles (ravers skanking vs. headbanging), and even fashion cues (someone in a Hospital Records T-shirt is probably a DnB head; someone with a Never Say Die cap is likely a dubstep fan). The aim isn’t to stereotype attendees, but to equip staff to engage in friendly rapport. Even simple greetings like a security guard telling a DnB fan “Big up!” or a info booth volunteer complimenting a dubstep fan’s PK Sound T-shirt can make attendees smile and feel at home.
• Specialised Roles – “Bass Ambassadors”: It can help to assign a few roaming staff or volunteers the role of Bridge Ambassadors or Bass Guides. These individuals should be well-versed in both genres and outgoing in personality. Their job is to float between the two districts, assist attendees who may be venturing out of their comfort zone, and encourage cross-pollination. For example, an ambassador in the DnB zone might chat with attendees, “Hey, if you’re loving the energy here, you should check out the collab set on the bridge stage at 9 – it’s got a great dubstep MC joining a DnB DJ, you might dig it!” Conversely, in the dubstep area they might reassure someone, “Heading over to the jungle stage? You’ll love it, the tempo’s higher but the vibe is amazing – I can show you the way if you like.” These little nudges and guidance can help hesitant attendees explore the whole festival.
• Communication and Crisis Management: Ensure your security and medical teams understand the behavioral differences that might occur in each zone, so they don’t overreact to normal scene behavior. For example, drum & bass crowds in some countries like the UK might form a friendly circle for a dance-off or respond passionately if an MC calls for a reload – security should recognize it’s part of the culture, not a sign of unrest. Dubstep crowds might have more crowd-surfers or mosh pits when a heavy drop hits – staff should be prepared to manage that safely (perhaps even station a few extra spotters at the front during known heavy sets) rather than trying to quash it completely. Brief first-aid personnel that DnB ravers might be prone to exhaustion from fast dancing (so lots of water and rest areas needed), whereas dubstep fans might get some neck strain or bumps from headbanging and shoving in the pit (so maybe have ice packs on hand). Tailoring your health and safety approach to the nuances of each audience shows professionalism and care.
• MCs and Hosts as Cultural Liaisons: Your stage MCs or hosts can also play a role in setting a welcoming tone. In the DnB district, let the MC occasionally shout out the dubstep crew on the other side (“We see the dubstep massive in the house too – respect!”) and vice versa have the dubstep stage host give a nod to the drum & bass side. This cross-recognition from figures the crowd respects helps break down any tribal boundaries. It subtly tells attendees that it’s cool to appreciate both. If an artist from one genre is about to perform on the other genre’s stage (perhaps a dubstep producer playing a one-off DnB set on the bridge), have the MC hype it as something special: e.g., “Make some noise for [Artist], stepping into our world from the dubstep side tonight!” This prepares the crowd and frames the crossover in a positive light.

Ultimately, staffing for two distinct but allied communities comes down to empathy and knowledge. Festival organizers should foster an internal culture among the crew of unity and respect for both genres. If your team embodies that, it will naturally spread to the attendees. Also encourage staff feedback after the event – they might have observed interesting interactions or issues between the two groups that you, as a coordinator, didn’t see. Learn from your crew’s on-the-ground perspective to improve the cultural harmony next time. By staffing wisely, you ensure that whether an attendee is a die-hard junglist or a devoted dubstepper, every touchpoint – from the entrance security to the lost & found desk – feels aware of and tuned into their scene. This kind of culturally competent customer service leaves a powerful impression and builds loyalty for future festivals.

Tracking Crossover Movement & Finding What Connects

One of the advantages of running a dual-genre festival is the opportunity to learn about how the two audiences interact. By tracking attendee movement and engagement across the DnB and Dubstep districts, you can gather data that informs future programming, marketing, and even the business strategy of your event. In essence, you want to find out what truly connects the two communities and what might still be holding them apart. Here’s how to approach it:

• Use Technology to Monitor Traffic Flows: Deploy tools like RFID wristbands, QR code check-ins, or even dedicated festival mobile apps that log stage check-ins. Many modern festivals use RFID for cashless payments and access control – that same system can be configured to track when people move through key points (for instance, the entrances to each district or the bridge stage). Ticketing platforms such as Ticket Fairy offer integrations for RFID and real-time analytics, enabling organisers to see heatmaps of crowd distribution. By reviewing this data, you could determine, for example, that 60% of attendees who entered the DnB district at some point also spent time in the Dubstep area, and vice versa. If that number is low, it might indicate the two groups largely kept to themselves, whereas a high crossover rate would validate that your bridge strategy worked.
• Observation and Manual Counts: In addition to high-tech methods, old-fashioned observation is valuable. Assign some staff or volunteers to head-count and note crowd size at different times on each stage, especially during transitional periods. Did a surge of people leave the dubstep stage and head to the bridge for a certain collab act? Did the DnB area empty out noticeably when a particular dubstep headliner was on (meaning a lot of DnB fans crossed over to watch)? Taking notes on these patterns during the event gives immediate insight. You can also leverage your security camera footage or drone shots if available to retrospectively see crowd movements.
• Surveys and Social Media Engagement: After the festival (or even via the app during it), conduct attendee surveys asking about their experience. For instance, ask: “Which stages/areas did you spend time at? (Select all that apply)” and “Did you discover a new artist or genre you liked that you wouldn’t have heard otherwise?” Provide an incentive like a discount on next year’s ticket or some festival merch to encourage responses. The feedback might reveal trends, like a lot of dubstep fans mention they wandered over to see a specific DnB act that had a lot of buzz, or some drum & bass fans might say the only dubstep they liked was on the bridge stage when it was mixed with DnB elements. Look for common threads in responses – those are your connectors. Also monitor social media chatter: are people from one scene talking positively about artists from the other? Which moments are getting shared the most on Instagram or TikTok? Often the crossover moments (a special collab, a surprise appearance) will generate the biggest talk – that’s evidence of success.
• Identify Successful Hybrids (and Flops): Once you have data, pinpoint what worked best and what didn’t. Maybe you find that a certain subgenre like jump-up DnB attracted a lot of dubstep fans due to its bouncy, heavy bass that isn’t far from dubstep’s feel. That could guide you to book more jump-up artists or even add a dedicated stage for that common ground style in the future. Or you might learn that an attempted fusion (say a very experimental halftime set on the bridge) didn’t retain the crowd – perhaps it was too slow for the DnB crowd and too unfamiliar for the dubstep crowd. That’s a lesson to tweak that idea or placement next time. Treat each edition of the festival as an experiment in community mixing, from which you’re gathering R&D.
• Adapting Marketing and Programming: Use the insights to refine your approach. If tracking shows high crossover interest in certain acts or times, emphasize those in marketing: e.g., “Last year’s highlight was when X and Y united on stage – we’re bringing it back bigger!” If instead you notice a lot of people only stuck to one side all day, perhaps your next marketing campaign needs to work on piquing curiosity for the other genre (“Not usually into drum & bass? Here’s why its fans are some of the most passionate in the world – come experience the energy!”). On the programming side, the data might encourage you to book more multi-genre acts, or schedule more “bridge” moments if you see they boost overall satisfaction.
• Continuous Improvement and Risk Management: From a risk perspective, tracking movement can also inform crowd management. If you saw a huge spike of movement at 10 PM when both districts emptied toward the exit, maybe next time stagger the end times of stages or have an encore at one side to avoid bottlenecks. If one side was consistently overcrowded while the other had space, you might need to balance the lineups or stage sizes better. Data helps you proactively adjust these logistical aspects for safety and comfort.

In essence, treat the two-festival strategy as a dynamic project where you’re always measuring and learning. By understanding attendee behavior, you can iterate the concept to better serve your audience’s tastes and perhaps even help the two scenes grow closer. It’s quite possible that your festival could become a catalyst for new fusions of music styles – many genres evolve when communities intermingle. Who knows, you might help spark the next big subgenre or collaboration simply by providing the right environment for it. And from a business standpoint, proving that you can successfully unite two audiences can attract sponsors interested in one or both markets, and it sets your event apart from standard single-genre festivals.

Lastly, remember to respect privacy and transparency when tracking movement. Use aggregated data and make it clear to attendees (e.g., in your app’s terms or on signage) that any RFID tracking is for improving the event experience. When done right, data collection is a win-win: attendees get a festival that keeps getting better tailored to them, and organisers get factual input to make smart decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Distinct Districts & Identity: Designing separate “DnB” and “Dubstep” zones with unique entrances, colour schemes, and decor gives each fanbase a home turf. This dual atmosphere enhances immersion and celebrates each genre’s culture – just like having two festivals in one.
• Bridge Stage & Crossover Moments: Placing a shared stage between the two areas for collaborative sets and genre-blending acts encourages both crowds to come together. Memorable B2B performances and surprise mashups on this bridge stage can unite the audience and add huge excitement value to your event.
• Sound Management is Crucial: Use smart layout and speaker orientation to prevent sound bleed between stages. Maximise distance, face stages away from each other, and employ barriers (natural or artificial) to keep the drum & bass beats and dubstep drops from clashing. Clear, isolated sound in each zone is key to a quality experience (www.onstagerentals.com).
• Culturally Fluent Staffing: Hire and train staff who understand both scenes’ lingo and etiquette. Festival stewards who “speak bass music” can smoother interactions, whether it’s a security guard managing a mosh pit or an info desk helper guiding a junglist to the dubstep stage. A team that respects both subcultures will help attendees feel welcome and understood.
• Data-Driven Insights: Track how attendees move and respond to the dual-festival setup. Use tools (RFID, surveys, observations) to learn which crossover ideas worked and which didn’t. These insights will inform improvements in lineup curation, marketing strategy, and logistics for future editions.
• Broad Appeal with Careful Execution: A two-district festival can draw a larger, more diverse crowd – for example, bass events in Australia/NZ like Touch Bass thrive by featuring dubstep and DnB headliners together (ozedm.com). But success depends on planning details: budgeting for two themed areas, coordinating schedules, and maintaining a cohesive overall brand so attendees still feel it’s one unified festival.
• Innovation and Community Building: When done well, the DnB x Dubstep two-festival strategy not only boosts ticket sales but also fosters a cross-genre community. Attendees leave with broadened musical tastes and a sense of participating in something unique. Your festival can become known as a creative bass music hub where boundaries are broken and new ideas are born – a win for both the culture and your brand.