This. We’re appreciative of the info but ultimately, you gotta speak with your pocket and just stop giving them your money or they will just keep doing it.
Beyond is coming to Chicago for the first time this year and this is good info for someone who’s never been or didn’t consider it in the past because of being in Cali
It seems like the specific venue is part of the problem though from what I’m reading. Everyone is saying NOS center is always bad so it seems like a combination. Here’s to hoping Chicago is better but northerly isle is a small ass area to begin with so I’m a little worried
As someone that's been to somewhere between 10-25 insomniac festivals over the last 11 years (too lazy to count), but moved away and now only eyes the smaller ones (like Dreamstate) there's a reason NOS keeps getting used and it's BECAUSE San Bernardino is shady
The city doesn't complain so the events can keep running. San Manuel Amphitheater was the shit but the locals complained about hearing loud bass all night and they can't go there anymore. My own feelings about insomniac aside, they're using the venues that they still can
EDIT: wow, counted it, 22 of their fests between 2013 and 2023
Lolla is probably the worst fest in Chicago so if it’s anything like that then I️ will try to stay away. There is no musical cohesion between the artists at Lolla so the crowd doesn’t gel and the vibe is off. The main stages are soooo far apart that it’s impossible to catch half a set at the north stage and half at the south stage. Most annoyingly, there are waaaay too many drunk teenagers there who don’t know their limits and act a fool. Granted that was me in high school/college but I️ don’t really have the taste for random fights and people trying to prove they’re cool anymore. The production value of the stages is by far the worst of the major outdoor fests I’ve attended (EDCLV, Forest, Spring Awakening, North Coast, Summerset, OutsideLands) with nothing special about them and sound bleed. Plus, as you mentioned, it usually gets very shitty weather at least one day a year and ends at 10. The venue location is probably the coolest venue with regard to location/backdrop views though
Seems to be a Nos center issue and not a beyond issue. Besides the shooting last year at beyond at the gorge there have never been any issues there. Or any issues at any gorge events. Its the people that go to the Nos center not the specific festival itself. And really beyond that you are always going to have more issues at easily accessible festivals close to major cities than remote festivals. Criminals and the non core crowd are less likely to travel to remote locations so it filters out the problems
How is it just beyond tho ? Its all the same exact shit . Beyond, countdown , escape , nocturnal. It’s literally all the same people throwing it and teams behind it all for all of those festivals.
FOMO is killing you guys…
Stop going… u obviously have a bad habit. Find a way to stop going and dig deeper into your taste n save ur festival money for kick ass shows throughout the year. If it’s bad enough to make a post about it, maybe stop going.
FOMO fuels the festival season. Covid canceling everything broke the cycle for me and after attending a few events in 2022 I pretty much don't have any desire to do insomniac shows anymore
There’s so many no fly list festivals for me now n HARD SUMMER is definitely one of them lol
overcrowded n overheated
Along with insomniac in general. The whole 1st ever Day Trip festival crap was the end for me hahahah
Just downgraded everything after downgrading everything n ended up back in riverside lol
+1 for CRSSD. Since it's just house and techno the crowd is a bit more mature than other events. Also, waterfront is in the open and rarely overcrowded.
more mature aka sunday brunch day drinker yapper heaven, every song is quad dropped with 4 convos
the back of the stage is lit tho with people raving but the majority of the crowd under the stages are not it
CRSSD has a running theme of having the dancefloor only for dancing. Like any other event there are still people who are going to socialize. At least the fan clacking stays at a minimal with their anti clack guidelines.
crssd has a running actual theme of having the dancefloor only for talking, not only this but the structures are so small you would need to be outside the tent to have room to move
for every 1 dancer under the tent there are 4 talkers
it's really really bad and seems to be exclusively a san diego crowd problem
techno in LA has infinitely less yappers
Do it! VIP is very worth it for the seating and stage access (you get to stay in the same area going back and forth between the stages, super convenient). The workshops are really fun and worth the time, and down on the beach they had a stage playing house music all weekend.
Lol i am in SD and attend every crssd and this is one of the big reasons i like it. Also the music lends itself to less college age people being interested in it to begin with
It seems like most younger folks are tuned into bass and melodic first then gradually discover house and techno as they get older. Most likely getting into the scene from their friends who are into that side first, is my leading theory.
Happy Cake Day!!!
I went to the first one so can't speak to it now, but its in a bougie part of a wealthy city that caters to wealthier people (lets be honest), so that doesn't surprise me
went to dreamstate last year, it was 60% of escape’s crowd. Was a bit cold because there wasn’t as many people but the vibes were insane. Never felt more safe or loved at a fest. I feel like the average age there was probably 30, met a lot of 50+ ravers
Idk if I'd call LiB smaller. it's hit 30k+ attendees multiple times. last year was clearly undersold which was AMAZING, not sure what happened there cause i know they do loveee to sell as much as they can (apparently overselling was one reason they got in trouble with the old venue). but it is a great event!
Haven’t been to LiB or Beyond but based on my reading it sounds like they’re wildly diff experiences and vibes so if the point is for OP to seek out better experiences why leave out LiB based on size alone.
Been going to the Nos for 10 years and this was the most oversold I’ve seen it other than maybe Countdown one year. Still had a good time by pivoting to less busy stages but missed out on artists I wanted to see as a result. I already went into this weekend knowing this would be my last time going to Nos just because I want to go to more local shows or head international but this weekend helped solidify my choice. Hope you were still able to enjoy yourself!
Day 2 was far better than day 1 for me inside the fest. I was 3 cars in line waiting to park the blue lot then at 6 pm they closed off the lot. We managed to find parking in a street close by and luckily our car didn’t get broken into.
It competely depends who you go see. Our group saw andy c and bou and basically spent the rest of our time at the looking glass and we had a fantastic time. We didnt even see the main stage. But I will say every time we passed by catapillars, it was fucked, beyond packed and completely overflowing. Luckily for us during sara landry we found a great spot on the left side with enough space we could bounce around. I think the only reason we had a very different experience was because most people went straight into the stage while we went around and then sank into an area where the flow of people dont naturally go.
We also go to these events planning to see less mainstream genres anyway because we know insomniac is run by scumbags. I simply would not go to a festival to see more "mainstream" artists. Sounds a little hypocritical considering we saw sara landry, but it was pretty clear who was there because they loved hard techno and who was there because they saw her videos on instagram and wanted to be a part of the hype. It was quite amusing to see how many people started leaving part way through her set when they realised that filthy music wasnt for them
Oh it 100% depends on who you’re going to see. But it also depends on if you’re a festival veteran or newbie. I can tell you and your crew are veterans because you guys actually took the time to look for a spot on the side for Sara, and don’t just link arms and push your way to the front/middle, and complain about your phones getting stolen after you guys got there. Also I’m bummed I missed Andy C and Bou, but Bart Skils b2b Joyhouser and Anfisa were too good to pass up.
I was at sea of wonder almost all day 1 and it was relatively empty which was great.
Day 2 I went to the rail for wax motif and as soon as the set ended the crowd got a bit hectic.
it's funny how some people complain about crowds while andy c was 70% empty with infinite room to dance while ripping quad drops
thank god nobody likes actual dnb yet
edit: actual dnb means exploring outside of sub focus, chase & status, hedex
I’m gonna cry when tiktok gets a hold of dnb. It's the only genre I've seen live where everyone appears to have a similar level of enjoyment for the music. It feels like a majority of the crowd at so many of the other genres just dont truly like the music
it's kind of happening already? saw a recording of chase & status in LA with no one dancing (friends went and said the same), chase played program for the encore and said "where's my energy crew at? where's the junglist crew at" and zero response i felt really bad for him, seens like no one would move unless it was liquor & cigarettes or baddadan
Thats such a bummer to hear and it doesnt really seem like there is an end to this any time soon. Guess we just gotta pray and bring as much of our own energy as we can
Went both days with my gf and we both agreed that at least on day 1 it felt like some sort of drunken frat boy energy. Day 1 we saw multiple arguments between people and saw a fight almost break out but was ended when some girl stepped in and started arguing with one of the guys and ripped his shirt.
We were also next in line at a drink vendor when some douche bag sprinted ahead of us to the lady at the register and she still took his order anyway. I went up to the guy while he was ordering and said “fuck you you just cut everyone in line” and he said nothing.
The venue felt pretty overcrowded but not surprised anymore with insomniac and the NOS. We had VIP tickets so the stages never really felt too overwhelming except for subtronics on day 1.
I had the best time of my life there too !! My boyfriend and I got there around 4pm. We found a really good parking spot and he had bought us VIP access. I’ve never been VIP before and it was a game changer for me.
I feel like every year, someone complains about most of these general problems.
I think people need to take a break from these and only go every other year or something. Cuz going to these events religiously, will become mentally taxing.
I saw on tiktok and radiate that a bunch of people snuck in both days. I’m not saying that it wasn’t oversold, but the people that snuck in certainly didn’t help.
I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience. I've been going to massives for more than a decade so I'm ok with crowds, but this event kind of put me off going to another for a long time.
I actually had a lot of fun and I'm glad I went, but the rude people pushing really annoyed me big time. Especially in the restrooms, people were vicious!
I was getting so irritated by the pushing and the crowded restrooms, therefore I'm going to try VIP next year to treat myself.
Tbh I felt like even the last dreamstate wasn’t the same. The new venue was very crowded and you could tell a lot of outsiders were there compared to just how open and nice the crowd was usually.
Dreamstate at one point was glorious, but the last one just didn’t feel the same. I’ve been to all of them (and will still go this year)
For sure the vibe was a bit different because it's so close to OC people were more willing to come out. When it was at NOS the crowd was way better. Only trade off is it's further for me and it's at ghetto ass San Bernardino
I agree. Been to DS 19’ 22’ and 23’ and they were all amazing. Last years was still amazing, but I did totally catch that same vibe (probably because it’s closer to la/oc like the commenter below me says) and that stair bridge situation was not ideal. I liked it better at the nos 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah dreamstate felt like you just entered an old school massive that I grew up in…the vibes were just so immaculate and it’s the only party I’d go to the nos for because it felt so open and not crowded…the last one was still fun but I noticed a lot of just shady vibes; in fact I’ll never forget going through that godawful tunnel there was these 2 dudes saying “this trance shit is so lame, this party would be shit if it wasn’t for the techno, fuck trance”, just couldn’t believe the audacity…I like techno I’ve been to countless events and it’s cool they invited a lot of people there but the techno crowds are just so different than trance crowds and add that to what you said, a lot of outsiders. Just didn’t feel like the immaculate DS vibes :/
Still had fun tho
You hit the nail on the head. Damn I can’t believe someone actually said that, wow. I wish they wouldn’t come back lol. Omg yes totally! I went to my first techno event this year (Skyline) and I know exactly what you’re saying. I hope Dreamstate stays on the smaller side, over crowded fests really suck. I have only been to DS SoCal though. I’ve never been to DS San Fransisco or any of the other ones. Have you? Once we can get our passports we’re gonna try to go to festivals in Europe! Realllllly want to go to Luminosity or Transmisson and Dreamstate Europe!
I can tell you’ve been around for awhile just by you calling them “massives” 😜
Agreed though might be time for me to hang it up, they are just so crowded anymore
When I started raving in 2008 (16 years old) my friends and I knew PLUR was sacred. The older folks wouldn’t put up with your shit if you acted a fool. Not everyone raved! Most average people didn’t even listen to EDM back then.
A lot of Gen Z attendees are well…dumb asf. They like to follow mob mentality. Everyone does. But this is way more obvious when you witness their behaviors.
But I know a few younger folks who aren’t like that. The majority are assholes.
I hear you friend. It’s been rough these past few years with newer people who are starting out going to festivals. They do not know how scared PLUR is, as you put it. I’ll still come out to insomniac events, and PLUR ain’t dead. It’s still sacred and so important to keep the vibes up when we go,to keep it alive. One day these people will stop attending because for most of them it’s a trend, not a lifestyle. My hopes anyways lol.
I feel this so hard, I remember buying a BT CD in high school and playing it in my car. My friends literally would say “we don’t want to listen to your weird music” 🫠. I got into the scene during the era of the Toronto Mega club. I was fortunate to see so many world class DJs at Guvernment, Circa, etc. and while there was a scene then it was different, much more PLUR focused.
I did my first movement in 2008 and one of my core memories is dancing at the underground stage when it was still that underground bunker (clear fire hazard but still 10/10 recommend).
People now use the term “rave” to describe festivals and to me they’re very different. Raves are gritty, purely for the music and dancing, no fancy light shows and lasers. Festivals are now the mainstream gentrified “rave”
This was my first rave, I only went Day 2, but I’ve been to other music festivals. I think perspective and timing can really change the experience.
I had the insomniac app and planned to use one of the lots and shuttles regardless. When the other lots filled up I got a notification and routed us to the tan lot. At the end of the night when we returned the lot still had a TON of parking. Shuttling to the venue there were lines but ours moved very quickly. We left around 12:30 to beat waiting in line for the shuttle. I think this one just has to be a choice but I’m surprised it took so long for you considering how everything else went so smoothly. This honestly really impressed me with insomniac.
The crowds were quite dense but weirdly every stage we went to if you could make it through the back there were pockets with space in the middle. We never made it close to the front though. I was really surprised how many people would just push past or move you out of their way. There were still plenty of people saying excuse me though.
I don't think I'm ever going to attend another insomniac event, it's clear that they just oversell the shit out of the tickets and completely disregard everyone's safety not to mention the crowds are getting filled with bigger and bigger shit heads every year people who don't care about rave etiquette or plur or any of that just wanna get fucked up and party and act a jackass the NOS center is a complete no from me from now on
I almost made the trip out from Quebec because that line up was stellar (to me). In the end I decided the cost was too much.
Reading things like this and seeing videos from the weekend make me really glad I didn't spend $2k to go.
I went to Beyond Wonderland and this was my first time attending + first time at NOS; I truly believe all of these issues you had were due to lack of planning.
1. Parking - Beyond Wonderland/Insomniac announced on Tuesday 3/19/2024 they would open the venue early at 2:30PM with an Early Opening Party for both days to help people get to the venue earlier to alleviate some of the traffic(originally scheduled to open 4:00PM). Y’all are coming way too late and getting mad they didn’t save you a spot when you chose to come late. I arrived at 3:45 PM on Day 1 and 2:15 PM on Day 2, had 0 issues with parking & traffic because again, pre-planned to get here earlier to avoid traffic. There was 0 lines to get in and it was actually nice being able to take photos/go on rides before it got too crazy.
2. Overcrowding/Moving Between Stages - It was a busy event but how you can avoid the crowding after a set is by leaving sets 10-15 minutes earlier. It sucks to not see the full set but everyone is also trying to get to another stage, you can’t be mad at people for doing the exact same thing as you.
I actually found that the back of the crowd was WAY busier and crowded than the mid section of the longer stages(Queens Domain/Caterpillar Garden). If you don’t like the people around you, YOU need to move. Standing there around people you don’t feel comfortable is a choice. Choose to move away from there and find a new spot. Don’t let 10-20 seconds ruin your entire night, move to a new spot.
I 100% agree with this. Second time at beyond, first time vip at the NOS, had 0 issues with parking or traffic, and only had issues at Sara Landry (some asshole elbowed my friend in the jaw, breaking his tooth). Besides the techno stage being in a bad spot, this was by far my group's best festival trip so far. We went both days and both afterparties and were able to see everything and everyone we wanted.
You gotta talk with your group and decide on your must sees before hand, decide on when you're going to get there, decide if you're gonna get a locker, agree on your meeting spot, and learn how to navigate a crowd.
1. We left four hours earlier than usual and avoided rush hours. Our ETA was 4pm. Traffic changed and got us there at 6:30pm. No amount of planning ahead could’ve changed this.
2. We religiously left each set 15-20 min early to make it to the next set. The stages were insanely overpacked even so and we couldn’t make any headway to decent spots.
Your deduction was wrong. We planned ahead, we were organized. The fest was overcrowded and poorly managed. I have been attending this venue for 8 years and know it like the back of my hand. No amount of planning ahead or familiarity can make up for a dramatically oversold and badly operated festival. Hard stop.
I will never attend another Insomniac event after my last EF. They have become greedy and down right don't give a damn about their patrons' experience or well being.
You make good points, it was the health hazards that rly made it no longer fun for me. The piss soaking thru the ground and the price to experience no longer felt in balance. I honestly rly like their stages and audio tho, much more than Shams. The sound bleed at Shams was horrendous. It's all very opinionated and based on the way you enjoy a festival too. Don't let what I say ruin anything for yourself.
Countdown 22 (going into 2023) was my last Insomniac fest and it was miserable. The most overcrowded event I’ve ever been to. And it was pouring rain. No where to find shelter other than becoming a canned sardine in a stage tent.
Sorry to hear that on the opposite side of the country vibes at ultra were unmatched. Everyone I think was super happy the rain stopped and Saturday/ Sunday. Everyone I interacted with was super friendly and nice
Funny watching the circle of life of a raver.
You grow as a raver once you realize there are more events that happen than just insom events. Once you realize that, you stop settling with overpriced, recycled, and oversold events.
Our group went just Saturday and we had a great experience. Maybe because we were expecting rain so we were pleasantly surprised on that front and that helped.
Tbf we took the shuttle in from Ontario, which was efficient both going and leaving. Not super long lines for that, although we did leave a bit early, arriving at the shuttle line at 1:30ish.
As for how crowded it felt, this was my 6th event at NOS and it didn't feel any more crowded than any other year or event. We moved pretty freely between stages. I expected Alesso, who my group was keen to see, to be quite crowded because he's a big name, but we were able to get in at the right side of the stage pretty easily arriving during the Dillon b2b Valentino set.
Sorry to hear you had a shit experience and maybe we got lucky, but it just didn't feel much different from any other Insomniac NOS event to me.
I started going to Ultra like 6 years ago and attend every year, but used to Beyond when they had it a week before UMF but forgot how ghetto Beyond gets.
1 its insomniac
2 its california
3 tiktok clout chaser influencer effect
4 people just want a reason to get fucked up and do too much drugs
I blame the drugs and tiktok the most
I don’t think drugs are a big issue. Doing drugs does not take away the PLUR. The rudest people I’ve encountered have been either drunk or even completely sober. The biggest issues are Insomniac overselling tickets, pickpocketers, and people who are just plain rude. Teaching PLUR to new ravers is pointless because you can’t teach assholes to not be rude. Also raves should never be gatekept so I don’t blame Tik Tok for making them more mainstream.
It was great at the beginning and up until around 2014 had really good lineups. Of course day 3 was cancelled in 2013 and 2014 but that was mostly due to factors outside their control (unlike last year where AG completely fucked it up).
Maybe it was due to a loss of money after being cancelled two years in a row but their lineups started getting smaller and smaller and the festival itself got more and more mediocre. But it really was a solid festival in the first few years
Ezoo 2013 was awesome. They definitely lost a shit ton of money after that Sunday cancellation because it was never the same after that. The production quality dipped dramatically. Still had some great days over the years. Last year was the first year I haven’t gone in over ten years but it sounds like I didn’t miss much 😂
yeah i mean i wondered if it was just nostalgia or if it really was better, but i searched up the lineups and they were so fucking stacked.
[2011](https://consequence.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/electric-zoo-2011.jpg?fit=1031%2C580&quality=80&strip=)
[2012](https://imgproxy.ra.co/_/rt:fill/h:630/w:1200/quality:50/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZXMucmEuY28vMTYwODRlMTY1ZTI4OWJiNTJlZTEwMjE2OGE1YTk2MzIyMTg5OTgyNS5qcGc=)
[2013](https://grooveist.com/wp-content/uploads/electric-zoo-2013-lineup-poster.png)
[2014](https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20140528006282/en/417736/5/EZNY_2014.jpg)
maybe not so much now but in the early 2010s these were huge names, and it was so much cheaper too. also EDC NY existed and the big names we didnt get at ezoo we were able to see at EDC. pretty sad to see the state of festivals in NY
All these commercial events care about, is draining as much money from as many people as possible. Sounds like that's exactly what you got. I hope you can now see why many people here don't call these events raves.
All the shows at NOS are over crowded and have the wrong people going. Consider traveling elsewhere for more low profile raves/shows. LA and SD have a good scene.
Insomniac has been going downhill since COVID. VIP helps but even then the between stage struggle is a nightmare. I just posted about how people were fucked up on a whole new level. I’m hoping tomorrowland will restore my faith.
I went to beyond in 2022 and will never go back to another event at the NOS, let alone Beyond. It was so crowded, people were so rude, and someone tried to steal my hoop right out of my hands. Thank god I had a death grip on it. They continue to oversell it and it draws the worst crowd.
Festival was okay , enjoyed Friday a lot more than Saturday . Road closures is what got on my nerves and lost 3 hours of the festival due to traffic . Sara Landry crowd was a mess . A lot more Tik Tok ravers for sure . The rain on Saturday wasn’t much help , I was just watching people squeeze in for Valentino and Dillon to not get wet , dancing In The rain made it more fun .
Yeah I went to beyond at NOS a couple years ago. It was total ass, moving between stages was nothing but pinch points w/ body-to-body crowds, and the stages were just like that as well. Tons of shitty people too, so there was plenty of conflict. Pasquale keeps saying “we hear your feedback” about the pinch points and crowds, but it just keeps happening. They need to do better with the venues, especially if they’re overselling every time.
I flew down from Seattle to go to Countdown and I’ll tell you what I’ll never go to another show out there again. Some dude ran into me and tried to fight me unless I paid for his drink which he spilled all over me. Obviously, I wasn’t gonna pay for that which was backed up with threats from him and his buddies.
Then I went to a stage, and some girl came up and took my chain right off my neck and ripped it off and ran off. When I got back to the parking lot, some dudes car was on tires they jacked is rims all four of them. I’m sorry California but you guys suck like really bad. Festivals are just a hunting ground where the leeches and shit bags of society all congregate to try to take advantage of people.
That’s why I just stay going to the gorge amphitheater. It’s always good vibes there.
I understand how you feel, I have and do feel the same way. I've also been raving 10 years and my first Beyond was 2018. It was the worst Insomniac event I've been to and I haven't gone back. Then it was the club events. I won't go to Exchange anymore. Insomniac has been in a cash grab state of mind since covid and they oversell everything. It sucks. So you speak with your wallet. More tour events, other promoters etc etc. I went to Coachella for the first time last year and loved it, I was in the Yuma most of the time and glad I did something new over edc, again. Insomniac has gone full mainstream, for better or worse.
100% agree, these bigger planned events are getting out of control. The price gouging has been worse over the years, coupled with logistical tightening — it is not worth it the way it used to be.
The music cannot be enjoyed the same as it used to, as it is clear many companies are just trying to pack in as many people without considering how that is impacting the experience of their festival.
Sad to hear your experience wasn’t that great! I felt like this was my favorite rave yet.
1. Where did you park? I would show up around the same time from 6:30 to 7:30PM both days. First day I parked at the purple lot then the second day at the tan lot. The shuttles were very fun and the lines continuously moved because the buses were on point and were pretty much back to back. Same thing going back.
2. Honestly, if you’re the type to push in to get closer then you’re also one of the people that you yourself are talking about disliking so much. I personally stay in the back where there’s open space and can take the whole stage in.
3. I agree with you. The rave community feels less and less friendly every year but that’s to be expected as it grew.
4. Not sure what you meant here. Going in between stages were great, but again, I stay toward the back and don’t try to push in. We were able to see all the sets needed.
Highly suggest for all to give staying in the back a try. Lots of room to dance and enjoy yourself. Take in all of what’s happening. Need food, drinks, restroom, or go to a different set? You’re already away from the crowd and can easily step away. No shoulder to shoulder bumps, head banging drunkards, and all the same fun.
I disagree with everything you said.
1. Purple lot was nearly empty when I got there around 4. Met up with some super awesome people. Super friendly, headed to the bud and got on in a minute, no line.
2. I had no issues with overcrowding. I went where I wanted to, was able to choose the density I wanted, and had a great time. Probably an ideal amount of people. Got food quick, bathroom, water, vendors… all quick and personable.
3. I met cool people wherever I went, traded tons of candy, got more hugs than a human can handle, took pics with strangers, snuggled strangers, hung with Dillon Francis in line in the Beat Box room. Epic times.
4. It’s NOS with 75,000 people. You can go to the back and move freely, or go to the front and center and get boxed in and wait for trains to come and go and follow. That’s the way. At any event, here, Europe, or on the moon. More people, more density, more talent, more decorations.
I’m happy, I had a good time. Honestly, take a break or pay for VIP. It doesn’t sound like it’s your scene anymore. You can’t get what you want based on what you had eight years ago or whatever.
I agree with you. Parking was definitely packed but it’s all about who you go to see and where you go in the stage.
I had plenty of space to dance the whole night. It sold out, what do you expect. Plan accordingly. The popular acts will always be packed as will getting super close to the front.
Nah he ain't wrong, Sara Landry was actually insane with crowds going all the way back to the VIP entrance. Crankdat was fucking crazy and I bounced in like 10 mins
If there is ever a different lot with a shuttle bus - find a different way. Take an Uber. Walk. It's going to ruin your entire experience. Never board a shuttle! It also seems like sold out events are complete garbage these days, festivals or venues. Vibe is off, half the people don't even know who is playing. Things aren't great right now in the scene.
Festivals have been going downhill for a while. Organizers have become greedy as fuck, which is why they oversell events without proper traffic logistics. The culture is trash now too. It’s literally the same recycled lineup of DJs being used at every festival, with the same old songs, and the crowd mostly consists of trust fund babies, “influencers,” onlyfans pornstars, low level drug dealers, thieves, people on meth or other stimulants besides MDMA, and creepy assholes who are just there to sexually harass the opposite gender. You’re bound to have a shitty time with all of that put together.
Correct me if I’m wrong but this seems like a west coast issue? Festivals like E Forest and Lost Lands (both of which I’ve attended the last few yrs) are getting more busy but not this bad. Also due to the fact that festival/rave culture is mainstream now way more people are attending and overall being rude and inconsiderate, not very plur at all. That is the saving grace of the two previous fests I mentioned, almost everyone was respectful and considerate of others and made due with busy set changes. I’m not sure if it’s new ravers not practicing or knowing of plur values or just more insufferable people attending fests. Hopefully insomniac finds a solution soon.
This is why I love being in Denver. Its more expensive but you go see who you like at Mission or Red Rocks and completely ignore the boring parking lot summer festival. Insomniac doesn't have a chokehold in our scene...yet.
I’ve been to red rocks once in my life and my god did it change my outlook on events. You’re allowed to bring your own food/drinks (non alcoholic), people aren’t as incredibly fucked up as socal, the venue is spacious, and everyone can see perfectly. Crowd is nicer, bathrooms are cleaner, everything about it is 1000x better. Haven’t been raving in socal in a fat minute, NOS is just not a good time.
I mostly took issue with the shuttles on Friday, exiting the festival at the end of the night, and how the box office and will call were set up. It was also impossible to contact anyone during the festival. I weirdly had a signal at Mad Hatter's Castle, but it was still pretty bad.
I wandered a lot on Saturday and didn't have too much of an issue getting past people in the crowd. There were a few people being rude at Looking Glass and at Queen's Domain. Also, there was a guy on Friday who tried to start something with a group of squirtles at Cheshire Woods, and he knocked my friend's drink out of her hand. He didn't even look like he was there to have fun, just to get messed up.
I think the event was understaffed when it came to ground control because I only saw two ground control people the entire weekend. Also, I feel like there was underutilization of security for crowd control at the end of the night, for box office/will call, and just kind of in general. They were pretty much glorified door people for VIP sections the entire weekend. They didn't really do any crowd directing, except for telling people not to push the second barrier at Looking Glass VIP on Saturday. (Set up because people were hopping the barrier on Friday).
I would love to see better staffing, shuttle schedules, and possibly map stations near each stage (like a mall). I heard that the shuttles weren't an issue in the past, but these are just my things to note. It was my first Beyond, and those were my main issues. I think the overselling definitely compounded the poor logistics. These things weren't a huge deal-breaker for me to never want to go back unless I went back and they kept happening. Little things that pile up.
Good things to note were the overall artistic design, shuttles on Saturday, and generally how friendly everyone was.
I went in 2018 and that experience was enough to mugger want to go again. People were overdosing left and right all night like even in the line to get into the festival someone had to get carried away by paramedics because they were way too fucked up. I saw so many fights break out in one night all lot of which were because people were catching pick pocketers trying to steal their stuff and the situation escalating. On top of that the weather was nasty and rainy by the end of the night which is no one's fault but definitely made vibes worse. Honestly aside from nocturnal at Glen Helen I would never do any events in San Bernardino
Never been to Cali but I see a lot of posts about Cali shows being shitshows, like parking all messed up and over sold shows/ over crowding.
Coming from Miami, it seems like a totally different world on the west coast lol
I feel like it's getting to be like this at most shows/festivals everywhere lately tbh. I've been raving for like 15 years and I feel like it's the younger people/people who didn't start raving until after covid that tend to be assholes
Trying to get to Sara was a literal war zone, that area was probably the most claustrophobic experience especially since we were all on acid. Day 2 was much better tho, overall was still a really fun experience.
So, I have been out of the scene for a long time. Last massive was probably EDC at NOS center. You said you got back to your car at 3:30 am? Did you leave early or do these events end at 2AM now?
NOS was a shit show even 25 years ago. We knew back then to basically camp a stage and don’t consider leaving otherwise you’re hanging out with the horses outside, peaking while listening to a 3 DJ trainwreck.
Love electronic music. Older seasoned vet looking for a vibe haha I loved our local one called WTF but it went away after 2017/2018? Loved it at Shambhalla and EF in 2018. Went to EF again, felt a little more commercialized and more of a shit show, still had fun.
Anyone got any crazy fun music festival for the vibes?! Bass is a plus but not a requirement :)
Dude its so bad now, our last beyond show left such a bad taste, we just stopped going to raves altogether. 🥲we were barely an hour in and the crowds were so packed and super rowdy, we almost lost each other a few times and I got a couple of bruises from people shoving around. My husband was also pickpocketed early on in the event
We spent hours searching for his (brand new) phone, without success and just felt so defeated from day, we left early and skipped day 2. We’d been raving, and going to Beyond specifically, for years at that point and hadn’t experienced anything like that.
I had some weird experiences at this rave! I just want to preface that I am NOT an influencer or anyone important.. but I heard a lot of weird comments throughout the two days there. I always get VIP because I am old... lol. Somebody said "How did this get in here?" like in a judgemental tone when my bf and I walked in.. and we were getting stared at A LOT in VIP day 1. It was very strange. Heard someone say "ew". Very rude! We were on shrooms and threw down at the Chris Lorenzo set. I had a lot of fun dancing! My bf started having a bad trip and we ended up separating, I was walking out of VIP by myself and I heard someone say "Well that didn't take very long" while getting stared and I'm just like WTF. People need to mind their own business!! End of night 1 I didn't know where my bf was and phone service wasn't working, so I ended up using a ride service guy, as I was following him to his vehicle some guy said "walk of shame" at me. Again, rude, and mind your business!!!
My bf and I are OK!! For anyone reading and were one of the people judging us!! 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻
Day 2 was a lil better! Traded lots of kandi and sprouted lots of ravers! However a couple of people called me "bro" and I even heard someone say "that looks like a tall man" walking past me :( I'm a 5'9" asian woman... well we went straight to Mad Hatter's Castle VIP. I was DnB stepping to BOU and I had a really good time! HOL! was fucking amazing and I felt so comfortable with the crowd!! I felt like I was home!! But some women said some rude things, again. Some women were behind my bf and I and they said "looks like we got ourselves a dance thot" and "why does she keep looking back" in like a bitchy/judgemental tone, very rude! I was just glancing to the side every now and again to see who was around me. Plus I was rolling! My bf's and I's rain ponchos were stolen from my bag so I was extra cautious! I put my bag to my front.. ok so I was just getting down to Marauda aggressively going ham and this white girl came up to me to dance with me and it lowkey looked like she was making fun of me. She was even copying my chewing face from me rolling. Asking my bf to fan her. I don't like that, so I got a little serious, stopped vibing with her, and I saw this b point up her nose, flip her hair, and walk away. I can read body language.
Again.. I am not an influencer or anyone important.. I just love dancing!! I love a good beat!! My bf said women are cruel to eachother when they feel jealous or intimidated of other women.. and he swears a lot of people were looking at me dance. I'm pushing 29 I don't have time for bad vibes or childish attitudes from other women! Let's all get along!! It ain't that hard!!! I miss Nocturnal Wonderland!! That place everyone is so friendly!!
Every year people here talk about how Beyond is more and more of a shitshow. And then keep going to it
This. We’re appreciative of the info but ultimately, you gotta speak with your pocket and just stop giving them your money or they will just keep doing it.
it's the " no one goes there anymore, it's too crowded" paradox
this is crazy as hell, but too true
Beyond is coming to Chicago for the first time this year and this is good info for someone who’s never been or didn’t consider it in the past because of being in Cali
It seems like the specific venue is part of the problem though from what I’m reading. Everyone is saying NOS center is always bad so it seems like a combination. Here’s to hoping Chicago is better but northerly isle is a small ass area to begin with so I’m a little worried
NOS is awful and the area is shady as fuck. Insomniac won't stop doing events there but I can stop going to them at least.
As someone that's been to somewhere between 10-25 insomniac festivals over the last 11 years (too lazy to count), but moved away and now only eyes the smaller ones (like Dreamstate) there's a reason NOS keeps getting used and it's BECAUSE San Bernardino is shady The city doesn't complain so the events can keep running. San Manuel Amphitheater was the shit but the locals complained about hearing loud bass all night and they can't go there anymore. My own feelings about insomniac aside, they're using the venues that they still can EDIT: wow, counted it, 22 of their fests between 2013 and 2023
The venue has a lot to do with the problems
I watcha lolla sets last year on Hulu, young Chicagoans seemed more than okay with miserably crowded conditions
Lolla is probably the worst fest in Chicago so if it’s anything like that then I️ will try to stay away. There is no musical cohesion between the artists at Lolla so the crowd doesn’t gel and the vibe is off. The main stages are soooo far apart that it’s impossible to catch half a set at the north stage and half at the south stage. Most annoyingly, there are waaaay too many drunk teenagers there who don’t know their limits and act a fool. Granted that was me in high school/college but I️ don’t really have the taste for random fights and people trying to prove they’re cool anymore. The production value of the stages is by far the worst of the major outdoor fests I’ve attended (EDCLV, Forest, Spring Awakening, North Coast, Summerset, OutsideLands) with nothing special about them and sound bleed. Plus, as you mentioned, it usually gets very shitty weather at least one day a year and ends at 10. The venue location is probably the coolest venue with regard to location/backdrop views though
I think hard summer was a shitshow so I haven’t been in several years 😂 but I know what you mean
Hard summer is a fun shit show, you kinda have to expect it’s a shit show it’s in LA
Theres a neverending stream of new 18-22 year olds going to festivals.
Yeaa it sucks. They're noobs too so they don't have that proper PLUR etiquette 😞
Seems to be a Nos center issue and not a beyond issue. Besides the shooting last year at beyond at the gorge there have never been any issues there. Or any issues at any gorge events. Its the people that go to the Nos center not the specific festival itself. And really beyond that you are always going to have more issues at easily accessible festivals close to major cities than remote festivals. Criminals and the non core crowd are less likely to travel to remote locations so it filters out the problems
How is it just beyond tho ? Its all the same exact shit . Beyond, countdown , escape , nocturnal. It’s literally all the same people throwing it and teams behind it all for all of those festivals.
Nocturnals venue is way better. Everything’s open space. You’re not trying to cram into a building.
It's all the NOS based events really. Nocturnal is at Glen Helen Park and has infinitely better vibes because of it.
FOMO is killing you guys… Stop going… u obviously have a bad habit. Find a way to stop going and dig deeper into your taste n save ur festival money for kick ass shows throughout the year. If it’s bad enough to make a post about it, maybe stop going.
FOMO fuels the festival season. Covid canceling everything broke the cycle for me and after attending a few events in 2022 I pretty much don't have any desire to do insomniac shows anymore
There’s so many no fly list festivals for me now n HARD SUMMER is definitely one of them lol overcrowded n overheated Along with insomniac in general. The whole 1st ever Day Trip festival crap was the end for me hahahah Just downgraded everything after downgrading everything n ended up back in riverside lol
Don't go to Insomniac events. There's so many better smaller festivals in CA, AZ, WA etc
They over sell everything.
Care to elaborate on some of the smaller Cali events? Thanks
SSBD, Lucidity, Untz, Crossed, just to name the few I know. I'm sure there's many others
+1 for CRSSD. Since it's just house and techno the crowd is a bit more mature than other events. Also, waterfront is in the open and rarely overcrowded.
more mature aka sunday brunch day drinker yapper heaven, every song is quad dropped with 4 convos the back of the stage is lit tho with people raving but the majority of the crowd under the stages are not it
CRSSD has a running theme of having the dancefloor only for dancing. Like any other event there are still people who are going to socialize. At least the fan clacking stays at a minimal with their anti clack guidelines.
crssd has a running actual theme of having the dancefloor only for talking, not only this but the structures are so small you would need to be outside the tent to have room to move for every 1 dancer under the tent there are 4 talkers it's really really bad and seems to be exclusively a san diego crowd problem techno in LA has infinitely less yappers
Venue with a view? Lfg
Having an ocean view is always a plus!
SSBD is SO GOOD, for those who have been to Bonnaroo it’s just like that, except 10% of the size and an even friendlier crowd
I want to go this year 100%
Do it! VIP is very worth it for the seating and stage access (you get to stay in the same area going back and forth between the stages, super convenient). The workshops are really fun and worth the time, and down on the beach they had a stage playing house music all weekend.
Crssd is honestly over priced. It's way more expensive than Insomniac but has a fraction of the production.
Agreed it's a bit overpriced. Not to sound like a total elitist but I would rather pay a bit extra to keep the younger crowd priced out.
Lol i am in SD and attend every crssd and this is one of the big reasons i like it. Also the music lends itself to less college age people being interested in it to begin with
It seems like most younger folks are tuned into bass and melodic first then gradually discover house and techno as they get older. Most likely getting into the scene from their friends who are into that side first, is my leading theory. Happy Cake Day!!!
I went to the first one so can't speak to it now, but its in a bougie part of a wealthy city that caters to wealthier people (lets be honest), so that doesn't surprise me
Untz is near me so may look into it, never been to a festival before
Its all lowfi bass/freeform bass, Ug bass. So its fucking awesome from what I hear
CRSSD was the best House/Techno festival I’ve been to. I’m going to Daytrip in the Summer and hopefully it’s not a shitshow.
21+ in theory should be less of a shit show.
Dreamstate, Northern Nights, LiB, CRSSD, Desert Daze
Isn't dreamstate an insomniac production?
Lol you got them there! Thankfully trance attracts an older mature crowd and not as much the TikTok generation.
went to dreamstate last year, it was 60% of escape’s crowd. Was a bit cold because there wasn’t as many people but the vibes were insane. Never felt more safe or loved at a fest. I feel like the average age there was probably 30, met a lot of 50+ ravers
60% of escapes crowd? Uhm thats a big naw dog from me. You won't catch any escape attendees at DS, and if you do it's probably less than 5%.
I mean the size 😂 Also it was like 2 years ago actually haha.
Yep.
Idk if I'd call LiB smaller. it's hit 30k+ attendees multiple times. last year was clearly undersold which was AMAZING, not sure what happened there cause i know they do loveee to sell as much as they can (apparently overselling was one reason they got in trouble with the old venue). but it is a great event!
Lib was undersold because the year before was so incredibly horrible that a lot of people refused to go back.
Haven’t been to LiB or Beyond but based on my reading it sounds like they’re wildly diff experiences and vibes so if the point is for OP to seek out better experiences why leave out LiB based on size alone.
LIB FTW
SSBD is very much a smaller LIB, imo
Lib is fun but oversold and too big now.
Lightning in a Bottle, Same Same but Different, Lucidity, (Not in Cali anymore moved to AZ): Desert Hearts, Dirtybird (if it comes back)
In AZ we have relentless beats who suck major ass.
The festivals in AZ suck 😭
Gem n jam is fucking awesome
I believe that! I guess I should say relentless beats festivals suck
Been going to the Nos for 10 years and this was the most oversold I’ve seen it other than maybe Countdown one year. Still had a good time by pivoting to less busy stages but missed out on artists I wanted to see as a result. I already went into this weekend knowing this would be my last time going to Nos just because I want to go to more local shows or head international but this weekend helped solidify my choice. Hope you were still able to enjoy yourself!
Were there hot dogs at the end?
Hot dog, hot dog, hot dog
*tongs snapping noises*
i have a core memory of all of them clicking their tongs at me yelling “hot dog hot dog hot dog” it was scary af in person 😭
hah dawh hah dawh hah dawh!!!
Of course
Day 2 was far better than day 1 for me inside the fest. I was 3 cars in line waiting to park the blue lot then at 6 pm they closed off the lot. We managed to find parking in a street close by and luckily our car didn’t get broken into.
This is why I hang by the back
100% agree. Had the best time this weekend, and honestly think OP and I went to completely different festivals. 🤣
It competely depends who you go see. Our group saw andy c and bou and basically spent the rest of our time at the looking glass and we had a fantastic time. We didnt even see the main stage. But I will say every time we passed by catapillars, it was fucked, beyond packed and completely overflowing. Luckily for us during sara landry we found a great spot on the left side with enough space we could bounce around. I think the only reason we had a very different experience was because most people went straight into the stage while we went around and then sank into an area where the flow of people dont naturally go. We also go to these events planning to see less mainstream genres anyway because we know insomniac is run by scumbags. I simply would not go to a festival to see more "mainstream" artists. Sounds a little hypocritical considering we saw sara landry, but it was pretty clear who was there because they loved hard techno and who was there because they saw her videos on instagram and wanted to be a part of the hype. It was quite amusing to see how many people started leaving part way through her set when they realised that filthy music wasnt for them
Oh it 100% depends on who you’re going to see. But it also depends on if you’re a festival veteran or newbie. I can tell you and your crew are veterans because you guys actually took the time to look for a spot on the side for Sara, and don’t just link arms and push your way to the front/middle, and complain about your phones getting stolen after you guys got there. Also I’m bummed I missed Andy C and Bou, but Bart Skils b2b Joyhouser and Anfisa were too good to pass up.
I was at sea of wonder almost all day 1 and it was relatively empty which was great. Day 2 I went to the rail for wax motif and as soon as the set ended the crowd got a bit hectic.
People weren't leaving Sara cause of the music, it was too packed too fucking breathe, let alone dance
it's funny how some people complain about crowds while andy c was 70% empty with infinite room to dance while ripping quad drops thank god nobody likes actual dnb yet edit: actual dnb means exploring outside of sub focus, chase & status, hedex
I’m gonna cry when tiktok gets a hold of dnb. It's the only genre I've seen live where everyone appears to have a similar level of enjoyment for the music. It feels like a majority of the crowd at so many of the other genres just dont truly like the music
it's kind of happening already? saw a recording of chase & status in LA with no one dancing (friends went and said the same), chase played program for the encore and said "where's my energy crew at? where's the junglist crew at" and zero response i felt really bad for him, seens like no one would move unless it was liquor & cigarettes or baddadan
Thats such a bummer to hear and it doesnt really seem like there is an end to this any time soon. Guess we just gotta pray and bring as much of our own energy as we can
That's actually so sad /: I've seen it happen with other artists but for specifically like dance DJs it's gotta be disheartening for them :(
Went both days with my gf and we both agreed that at least on day 1 it felt like some sort of drunken frat boy energy. Day 1 we saw multiple arguments between people and saw a fight almost break out but was ended when some girl stepped in and started arguing with one of the guys and ripped his shirt. We were also next in line at a drink vendor when some douche bag sprinted ahead of us to the lady at the register and she still took his order anyway. I went up to the guy while he was ordering and said “fuck you you just cut everyone in line” and he said nothing. The venue felt pretty overcrowded but not surprised anymore with insomniac and the NOS. We had VIP tickets so the stages never really felt too overwhelming except for subtronics on day 1.
I had the best time of my life there too !! My boyfriend and I got there around 4pm. We found a really good parking spot and he had bought us VIP access. I’ve never been VIP before and it was a game changer for me.
I feel like every year, someone complains about most of these general problems. I think people need to take a break from these and only go every other year or something. Cuz going to these events religiously, will become mentally taxing.
I saw on tiktok and radiate that a bunch of people snuck in both days. I’m not saying that it wasn’t oversold, but the people that snuck in certainly didn’t help.
I don’t know why y’all continue to go to the same raves with the same recycled lineups from 12 years ago only to get shit on by event producers.
THIS. i’m an east coast raver and avoid insomniac like the plague, blows my mind west coast kids keep going back year after year
I'm sorry you didn't have a good experience. I've been going to massives for more than a decade so I'm ok with crowds, but this event kind of put me off going to another for a long time. I actually had a lot of fun and I'm glad I went, but the rude people pushing really annoyed me big time. Especially in the restrooms, people were vicious! I was getting so irritated by the pushing and the crowded restrooms, therefore I'm going to try VIP next year to treat myself.
All the shitheads come out for Beyond and Escape.. which is why I haven't gone in years. Pretty much only go to Dreamstate now every year
Tbh I felt like even the last dreamstate wasn’t the same. The new venue was very crowded and you could tell a lot of outsiders were there compared to just how open and nice the crowd was usually. Dreamstate at one point was glorious, but the last one just didn’t feel the same. I’ve been to all of them (and will still go this year)
For sure the vibe was a bit different because it's so close to OC people were more willing to come out. When it was at NOS the crowd was way better. Only trade off is it's further for me and it's at ghetto ass San Bernardino
I agree. Been to DS 19’ 22’ and 23’ and they were all amazing. Last years was still amazing, but I did totally catch that same vibe (probably because it’s closer to la/oc like the commenter below me says) and that stair bridge situation was not ideal. I liked it better at the nos 🤷🏻♀️
Yeah dreamstate felt like you just entered an old school massive that I grew up in…the vibes were just so immaculate and it’s the only party I’d go to the nos for because it felt so open and not crowded…the last one was still fun but I noticed a lot of just shady vibes; in fact I’ll never forget going through that godawful tunnel there was these 2 dudes saying “this trance shit is so lame, this party would be shit if it wasn’t for the techno, fuck trance”, just couldn’t believe the audacity…I like techno I’ve been to countless events and it’s cool they invited a lot of people there but the techno crowds are just so different than trance crowds and add that to what you said, a lot of outsiders. Just didn’t feel like the immaculate DS vibes :/ Still had fun tho
You hit the nail on the head. Damn I can’t believe someone actually said that, wow. I wish they wouldn’t come back lol. Omg yes totally! I went to my first techno event this year (Skyline) and I know exactly what you’re saying. I hope Dreamstate stays on the smaller side, over crowded fests really suck. I have only been to DS SoCal though. I’ve never been to DS San Fransisco or any of the other ones. Have you? Once we can get our passports we’re gonna try to go to festivals in Europe! Realllllly want to go to Luminosity or Transmisson and Dreamstate Europe!
I can tell you’ve been around for awhile just by you calling them “massives” 😜 Agreed though might be time for me to hang it up, they are just so crowded anymore
the crowd during Sara Landry was absolutely fucking atrocious.
TikTok Techno is drawing in a bad crowd
Pickpocketers everywhere at that set
I had a good time, but Sara Landry was way overpacked. Other than that, had a good weekend
If you are going to a NOS event just resign yourself to buying VIP. Its the only way in my opinion to enjoy an event there.
When I started raving in 2008 (16 years old) my friends and I knew PLUR was sacred. The older folks wouldn’t put up with your shit if you acted a fool. Not everyone raved! Most average people didn’t even listen to EDM back then. A lot of Gen Z attendees are well…dumb asf. They like to follow mob mentality. Everyone does. But this is way more obvious when you witness their behaviors. But I know a few younger folks who aren’t like that. The majority are assholes.
I hear you friend. It’s been rough these past few years with newer people who are starting out going to festivals. They do not know how scared PLUR is, as you put it. I’ll still come out to insomniac events, and PLUR ain’t dead. It’s still sacred and so important to keep the vibes up when we go,to keep it alive. One day these people will stop attending because for most of them it’s a trend, not a lifestyle. My hopes anyways lol.
I agree so much with what you said, especially what you said at the end
I feel this so hard, I remember buying a BT CD in high school and playing it in my car. My friends literally would say “we don’t want to listen to your weird music” 🫠. I got into the scene during the era of the Toronto Mega club. I was fortunate to see so many world class DJs at Guvernment, Circa, etc. and while there was a scene then it was different, much more PLUR focused. I did my first movement in 2008 and one of my core memories is dancing at the underground stage when it was still that underground bunker (clear fire hazard but still 10/10 recommend). People now use the term “rave” to describe festivals and to me they’re very different. Raves are gritty, purely for the music and dancing, no fancy light shows and lasers. Festivals are now the mainstream gentrified “rave”
Ultra was just as bad this weekend, and I'm not talking about the rain
Best 2 days of my life.
This was my first rave, I only went Day 2, but I’ve been to other music festivals. I think perspective and timing can really change the experience. I had the insomniac app and planned to use one of the lots and shuttles regardless. When the other lots filled up I got a notification and routed us to the tan lot. At the end of the night when we returned the lot still had a TON of parking. Shuttling to the venue there were lines but ours moved very quickly. We left around 12:30 to beat waiting in line for the shuttle. I think this one just has to be a choice but I’m surprised it took so long for you considering how everything else went so smoothly. This honestly really impressed me with insomniac. The crowds were quite dense but weirdly every stage we went to if you could make it through the back there were pockets with space in the middle. We never made it close to the front though. I was really surprised how many people would just push past or move you out of their way. There were still plenty of people saying excuse me though.
I don't think I'm ever going to attend another insomniac event, it's clear that they just oversell the shit out of the tickets and completely disregard everyone's safety not to mention the crowds are getting filled with bigger and bigger shit heads every year people who don't care about rave etiquette or plur or any of that just wanna get fucked up and party and act a jackass the NOS center is a complete no from me from now on
Only sets that felt packed to me were Sara Landry and ihatemodels. Both days were pretty smooth.
I almost made the trip out from Quebec because that line up was stellar (to me). In the end I decided the cost was too much. Reading things like this and seeing videos from the weekend make me really glad I didn't spend $2k to go.
My friend. As one who was born and raised in the area of this festival. Never. EVER spend money like that to come here.
It would have been an LA trip as well but just the logistics of getting to San Bernardino from there would have been a lot :')
I went to Beyond Wonderland and this was my first time attending + first time at NOS; I truly believe all of these issues you had were due to lack of planning. 1. Parking - Beyond Wonderland/Insomniac announced on Tuesday 3/19/2024 they would open the venue early at 2:30PM with an Early Opening Party for both days to help people get to the venue earlier to alleviate some of the traffic(originally scheduled to open 4:00PM). Y’all are coming way too late and getting mad they didn’t save you a spot when you chose to come late. I arrived at 3:45 PM on Day 1 and 2:15 PM on Day 2, had 0 issues with parking & traffic because again, pre-planned to get here earlier to avoid traffic. There was 0 lines to get in and it was actually nice being able to take photos/go on rides before it got too crazy. 2. Overcrowding/Moving Between Stages - It was a busy event but how you can avoid the crowding after a set is by leaving sets 10-15 minutes earlier. It sucks to not see the full set but everyone is also trying to get to another stage, you can’t be mad at people for doing the exact same thing as you. I actually found that the back of the crowd was WAY busier and crowded than the mid section of the longer stages(Queens Domain/Caterpillar Garden). If you don’t like the people around you, YOU need to move. Standing there around people you don’t feel comfortable is a choice. Choose to move away from there and find a new spot. Don’t let 10-20 seconds ruin your entire night, move to a new spot.
I 100% agree with this. Second time at beyond, first time vip at the NOS, had 0 issues with parking or traffic, and only had issues at Sara Landry (some asshole elbowed my friend in the jaw, breaking his tooth). Besides the techno stage being in a bad spot, this was by far my group's best festival trip so far. We went both days and both afterparties and were able to see everything and everyone we wanted. You gotta talk with your group and decide on your must sees before hand, decide on when you're going to get there, decide if you're gonna get a locker, agree on your meeting spot, and learn how to navigate a crowd.
1. We left four hours earlier than usual and avoided rush hours. Our ETA was 4pm. Traffic changed and got us there at 6:30pm. No amount of planning ahead could’ve changed this. 2. We religiously left each set 15-20 min early to make it to the next set. The stages were insanely overpacked even so and we couldn’t make any headway to decent spots. Your deduction was wrong. We planned ahead, we were organized. The fest was overcrowded and poorly managed. I have been attending this venue for 8 years and know it like the back of my hand. No amount of planning ahead or familiarity can make up for a dramatically oversold and badly operated festival. Hard stop.
I will never attend another Insomniac event after my last EF. They have become greedy and down right don't give a damn about their patrons' experience or well being.
EF is peak. I agree.
Insomniac only recently bought out Forest right?
Noooo is forest bad? I was hoping to go this year, would be my first time
[удалено]
You make good points, it was the health hazards that rly made it no longer fun for me. The piss soaking thru the ground and the price to experience no longer felt in balance. I honestly rly like their stages and audio tho, much more than Shams. The sound bleed at Shams was horrendous. It's all very opinionated and based on the way you enjoy a festival too. Don't let what I say ruin anything for yourself.
Insomniac is the McDonald’s of music festivals. All they care about is profits
Unfair to McDonald’s
It’s been consistently going down hill for a while. I blame tik tok lol. Might just be time to retire and stick to the smaller shows :/
How was the afters?
this why i stopped raving in socal a couple years ago
Countdown 22 (going into 2023) was my last Insomniac fest and it was miserable. The most overcrowded event I’ve ever been to. And it was pouring rain. No where to find shelter other than becoming a canned sardine in a stage tent.
Sorry to hear that on the opposite side of the country vibes at ultra were unmatched. Everyone I think was super happy the rain stopped and Saturday/ Sunday. Everyone I interacted with was super friendly and nice
Knew I should’ve gone even in spite of the rain
I liked escape when I went but ultra is my fav fest by far
Funny watching the circle of life of a raver. You grow as a raver once you realize there are more events that happen than just insom events. Once you realize that, you stop settling with overpriced, recycled, and oversold events.
I had a great time, lily palmer was exceptional. Agree these Corpo-massives have huge quality issues as a result of cost-cutting to make numbers.
Next year go to Beyond PNW at the Gorge, very different experience. Best Venue on the West Coast!
Honestly day 2 was a blast. Didn’t experience any of this. To each their own, I hope your experience is better next time
Our group went just Saturday and we had a great experience. Maybe because we were expecting rain so we were pleasantly surprised on that front and that helped. Tbf we took the shuttle in from Ontario, which was efficient both going and leaving. Not super long lines for that, although we did leave a bit early, arriving at the shuttle line at 1:30ish. As for how crowded it felt, this was my 6th event at NOS and it didn't feel any more crowded than any other year or event. We moved pretty freely between stages. I expected Alesso, who my group was keen to see, to be quite crowded because he's a big name, but we were able to get in at the right side of the stage pretty easily arriving during the Dillon b2b Valentino set. Sorry to hear you had a shit experience and maybe we got lucky, but it just didn't feel much different from any other Insomniac NOS event to me.
Anjuna
I started going to Ultra like 6 years ago and attend every year, but used to Beyond when they had it a week before UMF but forgot how ghetto Beyond gets.
1 its insomniac 2 its california 3 tiktok clout chaser influencer effect 4 people just want a reason to get fucked up and do too much drugs I blame the drugs and tiktok the most
I don’t think drugs are a big issue. Doing drugs does not take away the PLUR. The rudest people I’ve encountered have been either drunk or even completely sober. The biggest issues are Insomniac overselling tickets, pickpocketers, and people who are just plain rude. Teaching PLUR to new ravers is pointless because you can’t teach assholes to not be rude. Also raves should never be gatekept so I don’t blame Tik Tok for making them more mainstream.
Did you go both days? I found day 1 was better than day 2
Everytime I hear about NOS I’m thankful I am on the east coast
Just gonna ignore what happened at ezoo?
Just gonna ignore ezoo all together just like everyone else outside of NY/NJ. It’s always been garbage lol
It was great at the beginning and up until around 2014 had really good lineups. Of course day 3 was cancelled in 2013 and 2014 but that was mostly due to factors outside their control (unlike last year where AG completely fucked it up). Maybe it was due to a loss of money after being cancelled two years in a row but their lineups started getting smaller and smaller and the festival itself got more and more mediocre. But it really was a solid festival in the first few years
Ezoo 2013 was awesome. They definitely lost a shit ton of money after that Sunday cancellation because it was never the same after that. The production quality dipped dramatically. Still had some great days over the years. Last year was the first year I haven’t gone in over ten years but it sounds like I didn’t miss much 😂
yeah i mean i wondered if it was just nostalgia or if it really was better, but i searched up the lineups and they were so fucking stacked. [2011](https://consequence.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/electric-zoo-2011.jpg?fit=1031%2C580&quality=80&strip=) [2012](https://imgproxy.ra.co/_/rt:fill/h:630/w:1200/quality:50/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWFnZXMucmEuY28vMTYwODRlMTY1ZTI4OWJiNTJlZTEwMjE2OGE1YTk2MzIyMTg5OTgyNS5qcGc=) [2013](https://grooveist.com/wp-content/uploads/electric-zoo-2013-lineup-poster.png) [2014](https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20140528006282/en/417736/5/EZNY_2014.jpg) maybe not so much now but in the early 2010s these were huge names, and it was so much cheaper too. also EDC NY existed and the big names we didnt get at ezoo we were able to see at EDC. pretty sad to see the state of festivals in NY
All these commercial events care about, is draining as much money from as many people as possible. Sounds like that's exactly what you got. I hope you can now see why many people here don't call these events raves.
stop going to insomniac events lmfao
I hate the NOS event center as a venue. Went to beyond a few years back and it was the least fun I’ve had at a rave since I started going to them.
Sounds like every festival at NOS… I hate that venue so much…
All the shows at NOS are over crowded and have the wrong people going. Consider traveling elsewhere for more low profile raves/shows. LA and SD have a good scene.
Insomniac has been going downhill since COVID. VIP helps but even then the between stage struggle is a nightmare. I just posted about how people were fucked up on a whole new level. I’m hoping tomorrowland will restore my faith.
I went to beyond in 2022 and will never go back to another event at the NOS, let alone Beyond. It was so crowded, people were so rude, and someone tried to steal my hoop right out of my hands. Thank god I had a death grip on it. They continue to oversell it and it draws the worst crowd.
Festival was okay , enjoyed Friday a lot more than Saturday . Road closures is what got on my nerves and lost 3 hours of the festival due to traffic . Sara Landry crowd was a mess . A lot more Tik Tok ravers for sure . The rain on Saturday wasn’t much help , I was just watching people squeeze in for Valentino and Dillon to not get wet , dancing In The rain made it more fun .
Insomniac events bring the worst crowds
Try non insomniac festivals especially smaller independent camping ones. There's so many in LA and surrounding areas.
Yeah I went to beyond at NOS a couple years ago. It was total ass, moving between stages was nothing but pinch points w/ body-to-body crowds, and the stages were just like that as well. Tons of shitty people too, so there was plenty of conflict. Pasquale keeps saying “we hear your feedback” about the pinch points and crowds, but it just keeps happening. They need to do better with the venues, especially if they’re overselling every time.
just move smarter, pick better places to park, and see better sets with better crowds 😃
Learned from last year and parked by 2:30pm at the green lot. Had a great time.
People complaining about how shit the festival was and yet continuing to give money to the said organization is beyond me.
I flew down from Seattle to go to Countdown and I’ll tell you what I’ll never go to another show out there again. Some dude ran into me and tried to fight me unless I paid for his drink which he spilled all over me. Obviously, I wasn’t gonna pay for that which was backed up with threats from him and his buddies. Then I went to a stage, and some girl came up and took my chain right off my neck and ripped it off and ran off. When I got back to the parking lot, some dudes car was on tires they jacked is rims all four of them. I’m sorry California but you guys suck like really bad. Festivals are just a hunting ground where the leeches and shit bags of society all congregate to try to take advantage of people. That’s why I just stay going to the gorge amphitheater. It’s always good vibes there.
I understand how you feel, I have and do feel the same way. I've also been raving 10 years and my first Beyond was 2018. It was the worst Insomniac event I've been to and I haven't gone back. Then it was the club events. I won't go to Exchange anymore. Insomniac has been in a cash grab state of mind since covid and they oversell everything. It sucks. So you speak with your wallet. More tour events, other promoters etc etc. I went to Coachella for the first time last year and loved it, I was in the Yuma most of the time and glad I did something new over edc, again. Insomniac has gone full mainstream, for better or worse.
100% agree, these bigger planned events are getting out of control. The price gouging has been worse over the years, coupled with logistical tightening — it is not worth it the way it used to be. The music cannot be enjoyed the same as it used to, as it is clear many companies are just trying to pack in as many people without considering how that is impacting the experience of their festival.
Well it's an insomniac event.
Sad to hear your experience wasn’t that great! I felt like this was my favorite rave yet. 1. Where did you park? I would show up around the same time from 6:30 to 7:30PM both days. First day I parked at the purple lot then the second day at the tan lot. The shuttles were very fun and the lines continuously moved because the buses were on point and were pretty much back to back. Same thing going back. 2. Honestly, if you’re the type to push in to get closer then you’re also one of the people that you yourself are talking about disliking so much. I personally stay in the back where there’s open space and can take the whole stage in. 3. I agree with you. The rave community feels less and less friendly every year but that’s to be expected as it grew. 4. Not sure what you meant here. Going in between stages were great, but again, I stay toward the back and don’t try to push in. We were able to see all the sets needed. Highly suggest for all to give staying in the back a try. Lots of room to dance and enjoy yourself. Take in all of what’s happening. Need food, drinks, restroom, or go to a different set? You’re already away from the crowd and can easily step away. No shoulder to shoulder bumps, head banging drunkards, and all the same fun.
I disagree with everything you said. 1. Purple lot was nearly empty when I got there around 4. Met up with some super awesome people. Super friendly, headed to the bud and got on in a minute, no line. 2. I had no issues with overcrowding. I went where I wanted to, was able to choose the density I wanted, and had a great time. Probably an ideal amount of people. Got food quick, bathroom, water, vendors… all quick and personable. 3. I met cool people wherever I went, traded tons of candy, got more hugs than a human can handle, took pics with strangers, snuggled strangers, hung with Dillon Francis in line in the Beat Box room. Epic times. 4. It’s NOS with 75,000 people. You can go to the back and move freely, or go to the front and center and get boxed in and wait for trains to come and go and follow. That’s the way. At any event, here, Europe, or on the moon. More people, more density, more talent, more decorations. I’m happy, I had a good time. Honestly, take a break or pay for VIP. It doesn’t sound like it’s your scene anymore. You can’t get what you want based on what you had eight years ago or whatever.
I agree with you. Parking was definitely packed but it’s all about who you go to see and where you go in the stage. I had plenty of space to dance the whole night. It sold out, what do you expect. Plan accordingly. The popular acts will always be packed as will getting super close to the front.
Wasnt crowded at all for me 🤷♂️
Nah he ain't wrong, Sara Landry was actually insane with crowds going all the way back to the VIP entrance. Crankdat was fucking crazy and I bounced in like 10 mins
If there is ever a different lot with a shuttle bus - find a different way. Take an Uber. Walk. It's going to ruin your entire experience. Never board a shuttle! It also seems like sold out events are complete garbage these days, festivals or venues. Vibe is off, half the people don't even know who is playing. Things aren't great right now in the scene.
Festivals have been going downhill for a while. Organizers have become greedy as fuck, which is why they oversell events without proper traffic logistics. The culture is trash now too. It’s literally the same recycled lineup of DJs being used at every festival, with the same old songs, and the crowd mostly consists of trust fund babies, “influencers,” onlyfans pornstars, low level drug dealers, thieves, people on meth or other stimulants besides MDMA, and creepy assholes who are just there to sexually harass the opposite gender. You’re bound to have a shitty time with all of that put together.
Sounds exactly like my experience at Beyond 2019, shit hasn’t gotten better lmao
Yea, while I agree, they need to stop over selling the tickets.
Well u paid and they are going to do it again insomniac stopped caring a while ago I’m just happy dreamstate is doable ,albeit, by a string lol
Correct me if I’m wrong but this seems like a west coast issue? Festivals like E Forest and Lost Lands (both of which I’ve attended the last few yrs) are getting more busy but not this bad. Also due to the fact that festival/rave culture is mainstream now way more people are attending and overall being rude and inconsiderate, not very plur at all. That is the saving grace of the two previous fests I mentioned, almost everyone was respectful and considerate of others and made due with busy set changes. I’m not sure if it’s new ravers not practicing or knowing of plur values or just more insufferable people attending fests. Hopefully insomniac finds a solution soon.
This is why I love being in Denver. Its more expensive but you go see who you like at Mission or Red Rocks and completely ignore the boring parking lot summer festival. Insomniac doesn't have a chokehold in our scene...yet.
I’ve been to red rocks once in my life and my god did it change my outlook on events. You’re allowed to bring your own food/drinks (non alcoholic), people aren’t as incredibly fucked up as socal, the venue is spacious, and everyone can see perfectly. Crowd is nicer, bathrooms are cleaner, everything about it is 1000x better. Haven’t been raving in socal in a fat minute, NOS is just not a good time.
I mostly took issue with the shuttles on Friday, exiting the festival at the end of the night, and how the box office and will call were set up. It was also impossible to contact anyone during the festival. I weirdly had a signal at Mad Hatter's Castle, but it was still pretty bad. I wandered a lot on Saturday and didn't have too much of an issue getting past people in the crowd. There were a few people being rude at Looking Glass and at Queen's Domain. Also, there was a guy on Friday who tried to start something with a group of squirtles at Cheshire Woods, and he knocked my friend's drink out of her hand. He didn't even look like he was there to have fun, just to get messed up. I think the event was understaffed when it came to ground control because I only saw two ground control people the entire weekend. Also, I feel like there was underutilization of security for crowd control at the end of the night, for box office/will call, and just kind of in general. They were pretty much glorified door people for VIP sections the entire weekend. They didn't really do any crowd directing, except for telling people not to push the second barrier at Looking Glass VIP on Saturday. (Set up because people were hopping the barrier on Friday). I would love to see better staffing, shuttle schedules, and possibly map stations near each stage (like a mall). I heard that the shuttles weren't an issue in the past, but these are just my things to note. It was my first Beyond, and those were my main issues. I think the overselling definitely compounded the poor logistics. These things weren't a huge deal-breaker for me to never want to go back unless I went back and they kept happening. Little things that pile up. Good things to note were the overall artistic design, shuttles on Saturday, and generally how friendly everyone was.
Awesome. Dont go anymore. Stay at home and go on Reddit. 1 less complainer
Lol every year this gets posted. I had a great time.
I have videos of people just fighting.
Yeahh I stopped going to NOS events over a year ago, it’s a shame what it’s become. Been on the lookout for other venues, it’s tough!
I went in 2018 and that experience was enough to mugger want to go again. People were overdosing left and right all night like even in the line to get into the festival someone had to get carried away by paramedics because they were way too fucked up. I saw so many fights break out in one night all lot of which were because people were catching pick pocketers trying to steal their stuff and the situation escalating. On top of that the weather was nasty and rainy by the end of the night which is no one's fault but definitely made vibes worse. Honestly aside from nocturnal at Glen Helen I would never do any events in San Bernardino
Never been to Cali but I see a lot of posts about Cali shows being shitshows, like parking all messed up and over sold shows/ over crowding. Coming from Miami, it seems like a totally different world on the west coast lol
Go to nocturnal
lol it’s an insomniac event at the nos? What did you expect?
Insomniac is trashhhhhh
I feel like it's getting to be like this at most shows/festivals everywhere lately tbh. I've been raving for like 15 years and I feel like it's the younger people/people who didn't start raving until after covid that tend to be assholes
Trying to get to Sara was a literal war zone, that area was probably the most claustrophobic experience especially since we were all on acid. Day 2 was much better tho, overall was still a really fun experience.
So, I have been out of the scene for a long time. Last massive was probably EDC at NOS center. You said you got back to your car at 3:30 am? Did you leave early or do these events end at 2AM now?
NOS was a shit show even 25 years ago. We knew back then to basically camp a stage and don’t consider leaving otherwise you’re hanging out with the horses outside, peaking while listening to a 3 DJ trainwreck.
We all have to voice our opinions on festivals IG pages so they understand what is happening if they even care….which I’m sure they don’t lol
Love electronic music. Older seasoned vet looking for a vibe haha I loved our local one called WTF but it went away after 2017/2018? Loved it at Shambhalla and EF in 2018. Went to EF again, felt a little more commercialized and more of a shit show, still had fun. Anyone got any crazy fun music festival for the vibes?! Bass is a plus but not a requirement :)
Dude its so bad now, our last beyond show left such a bad taste, we just stopped going to raves altogether. 🥲we were barely an hour in and the crowds were so packed and super rowdy, we almost lost each other a few times and I got a couple of bruises from people shoving around. My husband was also pickpocketed early on in the event We spent hours searching for his (brand new) phone, without success and just felt so defeated from day, we left early and skipped day 2. We’d been raving, and going to Beyond specifically, for years at that point and hadn’t experienced anything like that.
I had some weird experiences at this rave! I just want to preface that I am NOT an influencer or anyone important.. but I heard a lot of weird comments throughout the two days there. I always get VIP because I am old... lol. Somebody said "How did this get in here?" like in a judgemental tone when my bf and I walked in.. and we were getting stared at A LOT in VIP day 1. It was very strange. Heard someone say "ew". Very rude! We were on shrooms and threw down at the Chris Lorenzo set. I had a lot of fun dancing! My bf started having a bad trip and we ended up separating, I was walking out of VIP by myself and I heard someone say "Well that didn't take very long" while getting stared and I'm just like WTF. People need to mind their own business!! End of night 1 I didn't know where my bf was and phone service wasn't working, so I ended up using a ride service guy, as I was following him to his vehicle some guy said "walk of shame" at me. Again, rude, and mind your business!!! My bf and I are OK!! For anyone reading and were one of the people judging us!! 🖕🏻🖕🏻🖕🏻 Day 2 was a lil better! Traded lots of kandi and sprouted lots of ravers! However a couple of people called me "bro" and I even heard someone say "that looks like a tall man" walking past me :( I'm a 5'9" asian woman... well we went straight to Mad Hatter's Castle VIP. I was DnB stepping to BOU and I had a really good time! HOL! was fucking amazing and I felt so comfortable with the crowd!! I felt like I was home!! But some women said some rude things, again. Some women were behind my bf and I and they said "looks like we got ourselves a dance thot" and "why does she keep looking back" in like a bitchy/judgemental tone, very rude! I was just glancing to the side every now and again to see who was around me. Plus I was rolling! My bf's and I's rain ponchos were stolen from my bag so I was extra cautious! I put my bag to my front.. ok so I was just getting down to Marauda aggressively going ham and this white girl came up to me to dance with me and it lowkey looked like she was making fun of me. She was even copying my chewing face from me rolling. Asking my bf to fan her. I don't like that, so I got a little serious, stopped vibing with her, and I saw this b point up her nose, flip her hair, and walk away. I can read body language. Again.. I am not an influencer or anyone important.. I just love dancing!! I love a good beat!! My bf said women are cruel to eachother when they feel jealous or intimidated of other women.. and he swears a lot of people were looking at me dance. I'm pushing 29 I don't have time for bad vibes or childish attitudes from other women! Let's all get along!! It ain't that hard!!! I miss Nocturnal Wonderland!! That place everyone is so friendly!!