28 Oct 2nd-Oct 8th, 2025 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Wake and Shake Phoenix gets doses of EDM in the morning with Club Lumen’s events. BY SHI BRADLEY E DM fan Zoë Bibbes, founder and organizer of Club Lumen, had been out of the scene for nearly a decade when those magnetic beats pulled her back in. It happened after attending her first Electric Daisy Carnival, better known as EDC, one of the largest EDM festivals in the world. An experience she describes “shook her body clean,” Bibbes knew she needed to bring a taste of that energy back to her home in the Valley. So inspired, Bibbes launched Club Lumen (known until recently as The Freq Club). Club Lumen is an EDM organization responsible for curating what she hopes to trademark as The Morning Rave, a tech- house and coffee party experience. Inside the Morning Rave, people dance, shuffle and bounce to the groovy, bassy sounds of tech-house. Some people come decked out in kandi jewelry or bucket hats covered in sprouts. Others bring along hula hoops or flow toys, while the rest of the crowd takes advantage of fans and tasseled toys that organizers hand out. People are friendly and gracious, greeting you with a smile and making sure you have room to dance. “The people make it a community,” Bibbes said. “Watching all the people just get excited, that’s what’s making it breathe life.” Club Lumen has so far had three itera- tions of its Morning Rave. Its most recent event — which sold around 170 tickets — went down at Dialog, a downtown coffee shop that emphasizes its zero-proof mock- tails and trendy and elegant communal spaces. A new Mexican restaurant, Revolución, serves tacos and margaritas in the same space. Bibbes strives to place these events in amply sized, well-curated venues. Club Lumen’s second event was hosted at Dig It Gardens, a plant and coffee shop, and made a debut at Provision Coffee, another modern space with multiple areas to dance and socialize. Club Lumen also tries to get local busi- nesses involved as well as local DJs. Previous DJs have included AJA Cruz, Celine Fatale, and Jack Efron. Meanwhile, vendors such as Alis Volat Jewelry, Off Vintage Ave, Regarding You and Wett Skincare all had tables at the most recent event. “I want to make sure it’s all done with integrity and genuine interest from people,” Bibbes said. “I have a genuine interest in helping everybody else grow too. Together we can all rise and grow this together.” The Morning Rave was launched to give lovers of house music — or really anyone who enjoys dancing — a place to vibe out on a Saturday morning. Sober-leaning and curious folks can enjoy a lively vibe paired with non-alcoholic beverages like lattes and mocktails. “I don’t really like to drink,” Bibbes said. “I would rather just go (out) sober and talk to people and be present.” While alcohol often acts as a social lubricant for people, especially in rave and nightlife settings, more and more sober or sober-leaning events are emerging nation- ally and even across the state. One such group, Brew & House, based originally in Colorado and California, is launching its first event in Arizona at the start of next month. And Case Study Coffee Lounge and Fair Trade Cafe have broken ground in the night coffee party scene. Bibbes prides herself on being one of the first of these events and putting love of music and community at the forefront. “I’ve seen this in LA, Denver, and Miami, and I’m really glad I got to bring this experience here,” Bibbes said. “It’s been really organically fun and people genuinely love it.” Families can bring their teens and older children, aspiring music industry folks use the events to networking event, and would-be ravers who can’t stay out till 3 a.m. anymore get their essential dose of beats. Once people push through the disorientation of a morning dance party, they make new friends in a flash. “I’m blending all these different worlds and people on purpose — the rave commu- nity, the wellness community,” Bibbes said. “It’s entrepreneurs. It’s whoever.” While Bibbes acknowledges that the day party aspect can be daunting for some and that many events can start with a degree of social awkwardness, she feels the event has so far drawn in open-minded, creative people and house music in general creates a welcoming environment. “You’re gonna meet friends,” Bibbes said. “I’m trying to keep it very open in the community.” Follow their events at instagram.com/ clublumen.az/. It’s never too early for EDM. (Ryan Autumn) Zoe Bibbes curates EDM events around the Valley. (Ryan Autumn) ▼ Music
