Raleigh Maison is back—bigger, louder, and more electrifying than ever.

What started as a DIY basement rave has officially hit the next level. Raleigh Maison’s latest event at Portal HQ on January 25, 2025, was nothing short of legendary—an explosive, high-energy night that shattered expectations, left the organizers speechless, and solidified Raleigh Maison’s place as a defining force in the local underground scene.

For those unfamiliar, Raleigh Maison has always been a best-kept secret; a word-of-mouth, DM-for-address type of event that cultivated a close-knit community of music lovers. Until now. This was Maison’s first official venue event, marking a shift from house shows to something bigger, something more ambitious, yet still deeply rooted in the ethos of its basement origins.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

The choice of Portal HQ was fitting. A brand-new venue on Hillsborough Street, Portal HQ prides itself on being a hub for creativity and artistic expression. With its open-floor layout, recording booths, sewing studio, an undeniable DIY energy, it provided the perfect space for Raleigh Maison’s evolution. Unlike the free-entry raves of the past, this event introduced a new structure. Paid tickets. If there was any concern about whether people would actually pay to attend, that fear was obliterated when tickets sold out hours before showtime.

Organizing an event of this scale wasn’t easy, especially for those who had never run a formal venue show before. The lead-up was full of uncertainty. Logistics, coordination with venue staff, and the pressure of moving from a DIY space into a professional setting. Just a week before, only 90 tickets had been sold. But by the night of, it was a different story—packed to capacity, buzzing with an eager crowd. The nervousness that lingered behind the scenes only made the overwhelming success feel even greater. It was a testament to what happens when creatives fully commit to their vision, trusting that with the right energy and dedication, something incredible can be built from the ground up.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

The night kicked off with a brief but electric DJ set from Swumslum (Max), also one of the event’s key organizers. His selections set the tone opening with ‘Chancer’ by Dean Blunt & A$AP Rocky, then ‘Trauma’ by 2hollis, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Next up was Sleepy Opiate, an artist hailing from Charlotte, NC. Decked out in a white shirt and tie, performing in front of a stacked retro TV display flickering with chaotic visuals, Sleepy Opiate commanded the stage. His music, an edgy blend of genre-mixing pop-rap, was met with an uncontainable energy from the crowd. His standout track, ‘Pressure,’ was a moment—its infectious hook, “I’ll be your best kept secret,” turning into a full-room singalong.

“I just want people to lose themselves and dance,” Sleepy Opiate later told me. His performance was driven by a desire to create an atmosphere where the audience could completely forget themselves. His sound—a controlled chaos of layered textures and seriously catchy melodies, felt right at home within the high-energy crowd. The aesthetic of his set, from his fluid, uninhibited movement across the stage to the flickering TV screens displaying grainy visuals, only deepened the immersive experience.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

Then came the headliner: Somewhere Special. The duo, flown in from Alphabet City, NYC, brought an undeniable presence, reminiscent of Snow Strippers with their perfectly auto-tuned vocals and hard-hitting club beats. Bruno00, the producer, seamlessly transitioned from their original music into a DJ set, reading the crowd and dropping bangers like ‘BON BON’ by Fcuckers. It was the peak of the night.

Somewhere Special’s performance was hypnotic, the chemistry between producer Bruno and vocalist Simone elevating the experience beyond just a DJ set. Simone’s voice, drenched in autotune, danced over the beats with effortless charisma. She later reflected on their approach to performing: “People can act however they want without feeling weird. That’s the vibe.” The crowd latched onto that sentiment, moving with complete freedom, letting go of inhibitions.

Bruno’s sound has evolved significantly over the years, transitioning from underground rap production to a fully immersive electronic soundscape. “I take what I love and run with it,” he explained post-show. That genre-blending philosophy was evident throughout their set, effortlessly switching between dreamy electronic sequences and hard-hitting club tracks.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

A standout moment of their set was their performance of ‘Secret’, a high-energy electronic banger that sent both the crowd and the backstage crew into a frenzy. The track’s infectious beat and Simone’s commanding vocals made it impossible for anyone to stand still. It was the song that truly ignited the room, pushing the energy to its absolute peak and turning the entire venue into a full-on rave.

At a certain point in Somewhere Special’s set, the backstage crew was called up, turning what started as a casual moment into chaos (in the best way possible). The crowd followed. Within seconds, the stage was overrun—people moshing, dancing, losing themselves in the music. It was pure, unfiltered energy, something rarely seen in Raleigh’s music scene. Even the venue owner, rather than shutting it down, reassured the crew and was thankful that the stage he built was strong enough to contain the moment—which solidified Raleigh Maison’s move from underground secrecy to a full-fledged movement.

Photos by Isaiah Pate (@isaiahpate)

The success of the night was overwhelming. What started as a simple idea in a basement had transformed into a packed venue filled with people who truly wanted to be there. The transition wasn’t seamless, and the journey required trust—trust in the process, trust in the community, and trust in the vision that something great could be built from nothing.

Raleigh Maison is no longer just a rave—it’s a movement.