Paul van Dyk brings Acid to Dreamstate SoCal

Paul van Dyk is preparing to unveil a new live concept dedicated to one of electronic music’s most iconic sounds. Titled The Essence of Acid, the show will make its worldwide debut on November 21, 2026, at Dreamstate SoCal, taking place at the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California.

This will be more than a conventional DJ set. Built around the sound, machines and visual identity of acid, the production will see Paul van Dyk perform using a live electronic setup alongside the hardware shaping the sound of the show.

The project will combine exclusive new material, acid-focused compositions and live reinterpretations of selected tracks from his catalogue. Familiar records will also be rebuilt specifically for the concept.

The visual production will be closely connected to the music. The show draws inspiration from machines that helped shape the history of electronic music, including the Roland TB-303, TR-808 and TR-909. Circuitry, oscilloscopes and waveforms will form part of the visual language, while lighting, screens, lasers and stage elements will evolve alongside the music throughout the performance.

Dreamstate SoCal is a fitting location for the worldwide premiere. Insomniac’s trance-focused festival has long celebrated the history, evolution and future of trance and electronic music. Paul van Dyk’s connection with Dreamstate also goes back to 2015, when he performed at the inaugural edition of Dreamstate SoCal.

Acid is already an established part of Paul van Dyk’s musical catalogue. Over the years, he has explored the sound through tracks including “Acid,” created with DJ Pierre, the Godfather of Acid House, as well as “ACID TRAXXX” and his solo release “Filthy Acid.”

With The Essence of Acid, that connection now becomes a project specifically designed for the live stage. Its debut at Dreamstate SoCal will mark the first appearance of the concept worldwide and will launch a forthcoming international tour.

More than three decades into his career, Paul van Dyk continues to explore new forms of performance while reconnecting with the sounds and machines that helped define the history of electronic music.