The Journey Starts with Twisted

Festivals are often told as stand alone stories. The build up, the lights, the music, the madness. But what happens after? What sticks with you?

We all know that “It's not about the destination, it's about the journey”, but anyone that has been to Twisted knows it’s more like: The journey starts with Twisted.

We spoke to a couple of festival-goers to see where their journey continues, where the rhythms of Twisted keep flowing, even once the speakers turn off.

The Road After Twisted — Cassia’s Story

We count our lucky stars every day knowing that after our festivities we get to emerge out of the valley into Te Tau Ihu. Many Twisted goers see this as an opportunity to keep the experience rolling - whether that’s another week of camping, swimming in clear rivers, impersonating lizards on sun-warmed rocks, or hiking through misty ranges.

Cassia shared her story of how Twisted unfolded.

“I hadn’t planned to go to Twisted that year. I’d just moved back to Wellington from Auckland and didn’t have the same friend group. Then, serendipitously, I did a shoot for a skate magazine and met a couple of people who were going. They told me to come and camp with them. I thought, fuck it, I don’t really know these people but I’m going to go.”

With no return plan, but an open mind, Cassia booked her ferry ticket.

“Over the course of that Twisted, I met people who would become some of my greatest friends. The beautiful thing about the festival is that people are very open, and the setting - in the middle of a beautiful valley without cell reception - really allows for you to connect with people.”

After the festival, her new friends invited her to Nelson.

“The friend that had told me to come asked, ‘what are your plans?’ and I told her I was going to go on a solo hike. She said ‘what? by yourself?’ then – ‘who wants to go on a hike with Cassia tomorrow!’. An American voice emerged from the darkness and said ‘hey yeah, I’ll go!’ and then a girls voice said ‘I don’t have walking gear, but I’ll come!’. Without being able to really see who they were, we arranged to meet at where they were staying the following morning and convoy to the hiking spot.

Rose and Jasper. Jasper was a Californian surfer/skater who was travelling in his van around New Zealand. Rose was a Wellington skater who was a part of the crew I had become friends with. They met at the festival and became quick friends. “

How was the hike?

“It was foggy, rainy, and you couldn’t see shit. But we did not care. We walked and talked and got to know each other.”

Jaspar invited us to Westport with him, we both said yes.

“Over the next few days we topped and tailed, sleeping in Jasper’s van, and got to know his friends. We surfed, skated, pub-hopped, went op-shopping, had a bonfire on the beach, did fire-spinning, and got to see little wild penguins. We really had the greatest time together.”

Do you think you could've planned any of this?

“Not at all. To this date, the greatest experiences in my life have always been unplanned. I want to allow myself to be open to people and the opportunities that come with that.”

Cassia’s story reminds us that Twisted doesn’t really end when you leave the valley - it continues through the chance encounters, and the friendships that grow.

The Frequency Within — Honor’s Story

While Cassia’s story unfolded through a spontaneous road trip, Honor’s began on the dance floor.

“It’s safe to say that over the years this festival has played a massive influence, not only in shaping my outlook on life, but the way I integrate into a dance floor. I am a huge advocate for rave and dance culture to be an expression of release, not escape. Our mind and body hold so much tension, but through dance and community, it can be utilised as a tool for self-expression and connection..”

“I remember pausing on the dance floor during Triforce’s set and seeing the crowd throbbing like a heartbeat. Everywhere I looked, glowing bodies morphed into one organism — vibrating and synchronising in harmony. Like a murmuration of birds, one twist or turn and the rest followed suit. I had only seen a crowd move this way once before, at my first Twisted in 2021/22 when Grouch was playing at around 6pm. It was a mind-boggling movement I had never seen before - Unreal.”

Before Twisted, Honor wasn’t into Psytrance at all.

“My DJ mate who raved about the festival, suggested I listen to this genre I had never heard of called “Psytrance”. I absolutely HATED the alien, outer galactic and robotic war sounds. When my partner and I finally pulled up to the festival we got straight into it. Around catching our mates DJing at the stages throughout the festival, we became glued to the main stage losing our marbles to Psytrance, till sunrise, every morning for the next five days - how ironic. That same mate was cracking up when he found us at 6am, pumping away to the PsyCore, wide eyed and bushy tailed.”

Final words?

“He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. Nothing could have prepared me more for the people I would meet. The connections you create on and off the dance floor, the cats you stumble into, and suddenly four years goes by and you have grown so much aroha for one another or you become a part of a crew with such like-minded people. Music is the universal language and Twisted Frequency fosters just that.

I can’t thank the creators, and those involved, enough for the world they have created for all to experience and call, in many ways, a home. The valley is sacred and she will always pull the heart strings when I return or dream of her."

After the Valley

Some people plan their journey after Twisted. Others don’t. Both are right.

Because whether you’re tracing rivers through Te Tau Ihu, camping with new friends, or dancing long after the speakers stop - the festival doesn’t really end when you leave.

Maybe the real beauty of Twisted is that it lives on through us — in the people we meet, the songs we share, the way we move together even after the music stops. It’s not something you leave behind in the valley; it’s a kaupapa you carry forward.

The journey doesn’t end with Twisted. It begins there.