Electronic music icon Paul van Dyk is preparing to unveil an entirely new live performance concept at Dreamstate SoCal 2026, with The Essence of Acid set to make its worldwide debut on Saturday, November 21, at the historic Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California.
Created as a dedicated exploration of acid’s influence on trance and electronic music, The Essence of Acid will see van Dyk step beyond a traditional DJ performance and into a hardware-driven live environment. The show will combine exclusive new material, acid-focused productions, live reinterpretations of selected tracks from his catalogue, and familiar records rebuilt specifically for the concept.
At the center of the performance is the unmistakable sound of the Roland TB-303, the machine that helped define acid house and went on to influence generations of trance, techno and electronic music. Van Dyk will perform alongside a live electronic setup incorporating hardware inspired by some of dance music’s most influential machines, including the TB-303, TR-808 and TR-909, alongside synthesizers, drum machines, sequencers and effects.
The production will extend well beyond the music itself. Visuals inspired by analog circuitry, oscilloscopes, waveforms and electronic hardware will accompany the performance, while lighting, screens, lasers and other stage elements evolve alongside the music. The result is designed as a fully integrated audiovisual experience rather than simply a themed DJ set.
For van Dyk, the concept builds upon a connection with acid that has already appeared throughout his catalogue. Previous explorations include “Acid” with Chicago house pioneer DJ Pierre, along with “ACID TRAXXX” and his solo release “Filthy Acid.” The Essence of Acid takes those influences further, transforming them into a dedicated live show centered around the raw, unmistakable character of acid.
The worldwide premiere also brings van Dyk back to a festival with which he shares a long history. He performed at the inaugural Dreamstate SoCal in 2015, helping establish an event that has since grown into North America’s largest trance-focused festival.
More than a decade later, Dreamstate provides a fitting setting for the debut. The festival has built its identity around both the foundations and continuing evolution of trance, bringing together established icons, contemporary leaders and emerging artists from across the genre’s spectrum.
For Dreamstate, The Essence of Acid also represents an opportunity to look deeper into one of the sounds that helped shape modern electronic music. The TB-303’s distinctive squelching sequences emerged as a defining element of acid house before spreading throughout techno, trance and countless other electronic styles. Van Dyk’s new production aims to explore that lineage while presenting the sound through a modern live-performance format.
With a career spanning more than three decades, Paul van Dyk remains one of electronic music’s most influential figures. From landmark productions and global tours to his continued experimentation with technology and live performance, the German artist has maintained a presence across multiple generations of dance music.
The Essence of Acid now adds another chapter to that career, reconnecting some of electronic music’s most iconic analog sounds with the scale and technology of a contemporary festival production.
Dreamstate SoCal 2026 takes place Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21, at the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California. Paul van Dyk will debut The Essence of Acid on Saturday.
