Reggae Rise Up Vegas 2025 Recap
Vegas, you did it again.
This year’s Reggae Rise Up Las Vegas weekend hit all the right notes—from perfect weather and an unreal lineup to surprise moments that reminded us why we chase live music in the first place.
Pre-Festival Vibes
We rolled into town Thursday and kicked things off at The Punk Rock Museum—which, if you haven’t been yet, go. It’s way more expansive than you’d imagine.
Our tour guide was none other than DENM, who gave us the full punk-meets-reggae rundown. Near the end, we stepped into one of the practice rooms, and DENM picked up Pat Smear’s cherry-red Hagstrom guitar (yes, that one—played with Nirvana) and played “Badfish” by Sublime (check out the full video on our YouTube page here.) Absolute goosebumps. One of those moments where you realize you’re witnessing history in a tiny room.
The Weather & The Setup
After last year’s desert inferno, 2025 was a dream—mid-80s and sunny. The setup at Downtown Las Vegas Events Center stayed familiar: two stages, solid vendor row, and thankfully, a new water refill station (hallelujah).
The only bummer? The Vibe Stage VIP area lost its old seating platform, so no more chill spot there—but still great views.
The security was excellent; they were also pretty laxed. While the official website said chairs and blankets “Not Allowed”, we saw lots of blankets and pop-up chairs/stools. The bag policy wasn’t strictly enforced either. I like it when we’re treated as the responsible adults, that we are.
Food & Drinks
The concession scene was solid, though pricey (typical Vegas). We don’t drink, but folks told me that beers were going for about $20, and cocktails hit $30. Meals averaged $25–$30. Pro tip: split plates and save the extra cash for band merch or Rise Up Supply Co. gear (use code: PinkBear for a discount on leftover festival apparel).
The Music
Let’s get to the good stuff.
Friday:
We started at the Vibe Stage with Joe Samba, DENM, Skip Marley, and The Elovaters—all fire.
They all crushed it. We later caught Steel Pulse and SOJA on the main stage. SOJA played without frontman Jacob Hemphill, and his presence was definitely missed, but the band still brought solid vibes.
Saturday:
Bounced between stages—Tunnel Vision, Surfer Girl, and Ballyhoo! kept the day rolling. After a quick hotel break, we came back strong for Little Stranger, Public Enemy, and Dirty Heads—all epic.
Sunday:
Full send. We caught The Irie, Cydeways, Satsang, Bumpin Uglies, Artikal Sound System, and The Hip Abduction—every single set brought sunshine and smiles.
The night wrapped with Hirie, Iration (without Adam Taylor as he and his Mrs. are expecting a baby) and Slightly Stoopid on the main stage. Hands down one of the best Stoopid sets we’ve seen—tight, high-energy, and pure fun.
The encore brought a surprise jam session with members of Iration, Rome, Little Stranger, and Jared Watson from Dirty Heads all joining Stoopid to close out the weekend. Pure magic. The festival started on a good vibe and ended on a good vibe. Perfect way to celebrate our 5th year at Rise Up Vegas!
Until Next Time
Another unforgettable weekend under the Vegas sky. Huge love to the Reggae Rise Up and DLVEC crews for keeping the vibe alive.
Also, a shout out to Backstage Bar & Billiards, for hosting the Team Homer Made afterparties on Friday & Saturday night.
If you missed out—or just want to grab leftover merch or accessories—check out Rise Up Supply Co. (use code PinkBear at checkout).
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Next week, we’ll be gearing up for Mission BayFest, San Diego’s own reggae festival. Stay tuned!
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