It’s not every day I find myself two-stepping in the exact spot where Russell Crowe was attacked by a tiger in The Gladiator – but here I am, doing exactly that at Oasis: Into the Wild, an electronic music festival set inside the world’s largest film studios located within the so-called door to the desert: Ouarzazate, Morocco.
A four-hour drive south from Marrakech, Ouarzazate is a balmy city with pink-hued brick buildings and orange skies. Think of any ancient Egyptian epic you’ve seen, like say, The Mummy or Lawrence of Arabia, and chances are it was filmed here at Atlas Studios.
There are three stages at Oasis: Agrabah, an ancient Egyptian courtyard of sorts; Cleopatra, the largest stage with colossal stone steps and ancient columns straight out of The Mummy; and Kasbah, a stunning, open-air medieval-style village where psychedelic visuals are projected on the walls of the surrounding buildings. As a UK festivalgoer myself, I am accustomed to wading through inches of mud, or worse, to get from A to B – but at Oasis, I weave between tiny stone corridors and beneath replica ancient archways. On the way, I find cinematic treasures: fake Egyptian temples, Tibetan monasteries, and reconstructed biblical towns. By the portaloos is a Back to the Future mural.
The Agrabah stage— (Eddy Hubble for Here & Now )
On Saturday night, the festival is an unabashed techno affair. German producer DJ KOZE blasts bassy, polyrhythmic beats throughout the Cleopatra stage, while local DJ AMVN cruises from chilled, understated Ibiza-style house music to harsher breakbeats and trip-hop. Sunday ups the ante further, with UK-based DJ Jyoty’s set effortlessly traversing hip-hop, baile funk, UK funk, and garage. To the delight of the crowd, she delivers club bangers with a twist. There are Punjabi-inspired remixes of an R&B classic and a Jersey Club flip of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Thot S***”.
Fresh from playing the opening DJ set on the London leg of Madonna’s world tour, American DJ Honey Dijon wraps things up on Sunday night. Dijon, known for her work as a producer on Beyoncé’s dance-inflected Renaissance album, serves up a crunchy, percussive, warehouse style techno-house set, closing the festival on a euphoric high.
The Cleopatra stage at Dusk— (Khris Cowley for Here & Now)
Oasis is not all about the music, though. Away from the stages, you’ll find Moroccan herbal tea at Mbari House, as well as an array of wellness activities like yoga, breathwork classes and an “intuitive dance experience”. Tangy tagines are reguarly dished up in the Moroccan square – a chilled hangout room adorned with technicoloured rugs and plush floor seating. Meanwhile, art-inclined festivalgoers can explore the various film screenings, art talks and a photo exhibition by contemporary Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj.
Oasis has a track record for hopping across Morocco; since its first event in 2015, the organisers have never settled at any one location. This year, though, feels different. With its eclectic line-up and eccentric location, it feels as though this one-of-a-kind festival has finally found a home.
Oasis: Into The Wild will be back in 2024. Stay updated here.
