Festival 411: Ubbi Dubbi 'Saves The Rave' In Texas

Courtesy of Ubbi Dubbi and Oh Dag Yo – Ubbi Dubbi 2021
Disco Donnie Presents’ Ubbi Dubbi Festival in Ennis, Texas, was reduced capacity but still a major event April 24-25, 2021.

It’s seemed like eons to get here, but the first major, legal and sanctioned music festival has taken place on American soil in the COVID era.

Disco Donnie Presents’ Ubbi Dubbi Festival welcomed an estimated 30,000 fans per day to the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas, about 40 miles from Dallas, April 24-25 with a lineup of top EDM talent including Illenium, Kaskade, Destructo, Joyryde and others. Capacity was reduced to 50%, with masks required and provided for attendees.

With the United States vaccine rollout picking up steam and various governments easing restrictions to various degrees across the country, it was only a matter of time before a major festival was able to take place not only logistically but financially feasible.

Enter Disco Donnie – otherwise known as James Estopinal Jr., a veteran concert promoter in the electronic music space – who said in a speech after the event: “I just want to say thanks to all of you guys. I want to say thanks to the city of Ennis. The Texas Motorplex, they’ve been great partners to host us this year. I want to say thanks to the whole staff. They didn’t have to work. They chose to work. I want to give special thanks to the artists. It took a lot of courage to play this show. It wasn’t easy…..”

Although attendees on social media complained about parking and critics commented on a perceived lack of mask-wearing by the EDM fans in attendance, the event seemed to be mostly free of incident, and most onsite social media content came from ravers elated to be back in person enjoying the thumping bass, warm weather and camping environment afforded by Ubbi Dubbi.

Courtesy of Ubbi Dubbi and Tyler Church – Ubbi Dubbi
Fans get into it at Ubbi Dubbi, the first major (and sanctioned) U.S. festival to take place during the pandemic, with masks required and provided to fans in attendance.

Disco Donnie’s speech continues: “This one’s gonna be hard….. I wanna thank my team. I told them 7 weeks ago that we’re fucking doin it. They put all this shit together. I was a terrible boss. A really bad boss. 6am, midnight…. They put this shit together for you guys. And now I will talk about my favorite subject, myself. I’ve done over 16,000 shows over 27 years.

“This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It wasn’t for me, it was for all of us…. For our mental health…. We needed this, we really needed this. What I want you to do is tell your grandkids that you went to the first festival back. You saved the rave. We fuckin did it.”

Few will be surprised if they do it again, with another major event on the calendar for the end of May. Sunset Music Festival takes place Memorial Day Weekend in Tampa, Fla., at Raymond James Stadium’s North Lot, featuring AC Slater, Destructo, Lizzy Jane, 12th Planet, LSDream and more.