It’s been every week since Escape Halloween took over the NOS Occasions Middle for its twelfth version, and like most issues Insomniac, the pageant simply acquired greater and higher. That includes mind-blowing manufacturing, sick attention-to-detail, immersive Halloween experiences, blistering units, immaculate vibes, and loads of area to maneuver and groove to; Insomniac pulled out all of the stops for the biggest Halloween pageant on the continent.
It was our first time again on the NOS Occasions Middle since final yr’s Countdown and our first Escape since 2019! One of many issues that undoubtedly stood out is how extensive open and simply accessible every little thing was. Insomniac has undoubtedly taken steps to make it simpler to entry all the huge NOS Occasions Middle the place their occasions happen. At no level in any respect did I take care of bottlenecks or crowd congestion.
The opposite factor that, in fact, stands out upon getting into the Escape pageant grounds is simply how immersive it’s. Excluding EDC, (the flagship pageant) Escape has no doubt the best manufacturing values, probably the most performers, probably the most Easter Eggs to probe for. Escape is just large, and, in case you ask me, is the most effective of Insomniac’s Southern California festivals. It actually didn’t harm that the climate was completely good for the weekend too.
I’m not improper after I say that this was the largest Escape up to now, they really added a fifth stage contained in the Citrus constructing, Depraved Woods. Loopy City, which ostensibly serves as Downtown Escape, is an ideal assembly spot. Its location is well accessible from all phases, and its landmarks are unmistakable. The hearth organ is a sight to behold and all the time has a efficiency popping off, it’s the right place to sit down and take within the splendor of the pageant grounds. The Loopy City fountain can be an ideal spot to reunite together with your crew and work out the following transfer. Oh, and naturally, they’re all nice photograph ops too.
So far as the phases go, they have been all high notch. The principle stage is, in fact, The Grimm, a large cloaked skeleton with its two fingers stretched out clutching two spherical stones. Once more, exterior of EDC, this needs to be the most effective Insomniac stage round. The lasers acquired main reinforcements and the massive video panels lining the ceiling of the mega-structure helped to create an much more immersive expertise. Even in case you have been seated on the pretend grass or on the tables exterior of the mega-structure, you continue to felt such as you have been immersed within the stage. Sound and video manufacturing have been A+ this weekend.
The second stage was Feeding Grounds, additionally inside a mega-structure. This stage’s theme was a large spider net. White canvas adorned the ceiling of the mega construction and as an alternative of a disco ball, there was a large black widow spider hanging above the stage as a substitute. The third stage was Sanitarium, a barely smaller mega-structure, its rectangular video panels would play macabre and disturbing photos of a mad surgeon conducting unsound experiments.
The stage that in all probability acquired the most effective therapy of all although was Sewer District, the Manufacturing facility 93 stage. Once I went to Escape previously this was not a stage I gave a lot thought to. I figured let the techno snobs cling within the again. Properly, techno has now permeated the mainstream and I used to be eager to take a look at a set at Sewer District. Insomniac absolutely leaned into transport trailers and an underground warehouse kind of vibe. The sunshine panels have been good and the sound was pitch good. I talked to a number of headliners who stated that Sewer District had among the finest units of the weekend.
Talking of the units, let me let you know about them. Each single DJ completely introduced it this weekend. Everybody’s acquired to go a little bit bit deeper, a little bit bit darker, particularly the closers, to match that Halloween vibe, and that’s precisely what we acquired. Friday evening actually didn’t get going till I watched AFROJACK’s set on the Grimm. The Dutch legend didn’t disappoint, dropping a large set that ignited the gang. This was the set that actually set the evening off as AFROJACK took full benefit of the Grimm’s manufacturing capabilities.
After that I caught a little bit hardstyle over at Sanitarium, then headed again to the Grimm for Above & Past. Very like AFROJACK’s set, the gang packed within the stage to overflow capability. Jono & Paavo threw down a fascinating set that had the gang enraptured. Above & Past all the time strives for “moments like these” they usually actually achieved it at Escape.
After A&B, I headed over to Feeding Grounds, which was hosted by Bassrush for the evening, to have my face simply melted off. ATLiens have been nicely into their set of wonky dubstep, rap mashups and entice beats. It’s all the time good to see the totally different vibes at totally different phases, however other than the Grimm, the Basscon stage was bringing higher vibes than the Bassrush stage. Zomboy adopted up ATLiens and in addition proceeded to ignite the gang.
I proceeded again over to the Grimm, however I made a fast cease on the new stage, Depraved Woods. I’m all the time a sucker for an indoor stage, and Insomniac made the a lot of the area they got. Organising a mini forest behind the DJ sales space in addition to a round video board, Depraved Woods was an enormous come up in case you occurred upon it. Not too crowded, however nonetheless stellar manufacturing. I watched a little bit little bit of Okay?d’s Throwback Set and I want I had caught extra.
Lastly again to the Grimm, Kaskade closed the evening with an unbelievable set that noticed him lean into the REDUX sound and switch the Escape mainstage into an underground membership. The lasers and stage manufacturing couldn’t have been extra on level.
We acquired there good and early on Sunday. As I discussed earlier than I began issues out at Sewer District and caught Charles D. Regardless of the early time slot and smaller crowd, the vibes have been on level for Sewer District. I used to be now ready for techno on Halloween weekend. I flitted between phases and units trying out TOBEHONEST at Sanitarium, Ship Wrek on the Grimm, who drew a large and rowdy crowd for such an early time slot, and Rossy at Feeding Grounds, who killed it together with her mix of bass home and entice.
After that, it was again to the Grimm for Matroda’s large home set. Together with the permeation of techno into the mainstream, the re-eruption of home music needs to be famous too. My god, folks completely love home music. I didn’t acknowledge a single music Matroda dropped, nevertheless it was nonetheless a dope set and the vibes have been unmatched. Tchami got here on subsequent and dropped a set for the ages. Opening with the AC Slater x Chris Lorenzo (Fly With Us) monitor “Seismic”, Tchami’s mixture of French home was completely good. The lasers and pyro additionally began taking up.
DJ Snake took the stage subsequent and turned the Grimm into an absolute entice home. The beats have been coming arduous and quick with DJ Snake, and the packed crowd was greater than prepared for all of his hits. “Southside”, “Belief No person”, “Lean On” and he even dropped Knock2’s “dashstar”. A memorable set certainly.
Zedd was up subsequent and he thrilled the gang by opening along with his “The place You Are” remix. The packed out crowd was chanting together with the lyrics. Zedd was additionally one of many few DJs to decorate up for Halloween as he sported a Tremendous Saiyan outfit (from Dragonball Z). Zedd dropped a masterful set consisting of his hits like “I Need You to Know” and “Keep the Night time” on high of his energetic reside edits and a few EDM classics like Eric Prydz’s “Name on Me”.
Lastly, Armin van Buuren closed out the weekend. Armin completely blended trance and techno for the most effective Halloween set possible. Armin maintained his signature sound whereas seamlessly mixing in some darkish techno beats that have been good for the spooky season.
It was an absolute pleasure to be again at Escape after three full years away, the longest drought we’ve had between Insomniac festivals. The Pandemic denied headliners festivals in 2020. I didn’t get to Escape in 2021 as a result of there was the Fall Version of EDC every week earlier than. I might have gone in 2022, however I didn’t. I’m elated to have made it again in 2023. Though no announcement has been made, I’d count on Escape to return for its spookiest thirteenth version subsequent yr.
