FEB 21 2025
by Aleisha Flores
Neon forests, real-life Space Invaders games, and rooms that look like products of your wildest acid trip are just a few of the features of Otherworld Philadelphia. The venue is unassuming from the outside, nestled in a strip mall in the city’s outskirts, but when you walk in, you’re transported into a completely different dimension. Some may already know Otherworld for its 40+ Instagrammable art installations and explorable spaces through secret passages and tunnels. But on January 18, Otherworld introduced live music for the first time with the help of Filipino-American EDM legend Mr. Carmack to its reality-bending experiences.
The pathways within each room all came together at what is known as “The Willow Tree,” a bright, color-changing tree made up of neon lights that leads guests into the concert space. According to Chris Fitzpatrick, Otherworld Philadelphia’s General Manager, this wasn’t by design, but the result of alterations to the space to accommodate larger crowds. The stage itself was designed to look like a mythical temple, complete with custom LED lighting.
Although Carmack wasn’t scheduled to go on until midnight, attendees were able to immerse themselves in Otherworld’s exhibits to the tune of opening DJs Boutta, FREQ and JamL. Guests were encouraged to grab a drink or a snack from one of the venue’s accessible bars and create their own adventure in Otherworld’s rooms. Despite the hour-long sets, the schedules weren’t suffocating – guests were welcome to chill at the venue’s foyer and watch the livestreamed sets, hang at the gift shop, or revisit the details of each room. Speakers set up in each exhibit meant that nothing was missed. At one point, this author took a break from the concert space to cool down on a bench in the pop-up skull art room designed by local artist Sue Moerder.
Throughout the night, attendees were able to hear a little bit of everything, from dubstep, bass, to house. Once Carmack hit the stage, guests were treated to chilled-out trap remixes of songs like “Lost” by Frank Ocean and “Por el Memento” by Nicky Jam. With a little bit of classic hip-hop, island beats and Latin flair, Carmack warmed up a chilly January night and had the audience moving and flowing in time with the music.
Fans of all genres can keep up with Otherworld Philadelphia’s upcoming live music events and installations on Instagram. According to Fitzpatrick, there’s more to come for Otherworld Philly and so much potential to intersect music and art.
“There are tons of blank spaces and future expansion within the facility that we’d love to engage in the larger arts community of Philadelphia,” Fitzpatrick told Your Name Magazine. “There’s a ton of opportunity at staying relevant with temporary rooms inspired by the performing artists in particular. Concerts are just the start of what this space can be.”
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