CRSSD Festival returns to San Diego’s Waterfront Park this weekend, March 1-2, celebrating a monumental decade of curating cutting-edge house and techno.CRSSD has been a staple music festival in San Diego for quite some time and is highly anticipated by locals and those who travel to the Golden State just for the music-filled weekend.
While excitement bustles before the big weekend, seasoned ravers know the energy doesn’t fade when the festival ends—it only shifts after dark. CRSSD Festival’s official afterparty series, CRSSD After Dark, takes over San Diego’s top clubs, headlined and highlighted by lineup artists, to keep the party going long after the festival gates close.
Ultimately, the after-hours experience is in the hands of each attendee, with a lineup of late-night sets offering something for every taste. To help navigate the options, EDM Maniac has curated a guide highlighting key performances and hidden details that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Venue Insight
Spin: A beacon of neon-lit energy, this centrally located San Diego nightclub—just minutes from the airport—serves as a hub for underground electronic talent. Known for its immersive laser displays and eclectic programming, the venue hosts everything from cutting-edge house and techno to themed nights celebrating goth culture and Burning Man’s free-spirited ethos.
EQ: A cornerstone of Hillcrest’s electronic music scene, this premier venue is renowned for its vibrant, inclusive atmosphere that welcomes music lovers of all kinds. Its distinctive honeycomb ceiling design and a festival-like energy offer an immersive club experience that feels both intimate and electrifying.
Rich’s: Situated in the heart of Hillcrest, Rich’s is San Diego’s largest and most celebrated gay nightclub, offering a dynamic nightlife experience. With two expansive dance floors, two fully stocked bars, and vibrant décor featuring rainbow, disco, and floral accents, the venue sets the stage for a flamboyant night out.
Music Box: Upscale, multi-level, multi-genre music venue just a few minutes from Waterfront Park. Premier destination for electronic music, steps away from the festival grounds.
Oxford: Swanky, affluent boutique nightclub offering carefully curated cocktails alongside eclectic music from national and local DJs. Note that Oxford does require a dress code that does not include athletic wear, jerseys, sandals, tank tops, baggy jeans, or baseball caps.
The Rail: Since its opening in the 1960s, The Rail has become one of San Diego’s longest-standing gay clubs. Steeped in the charm of its post-Prohibition origins, the venue features a cozy lounge with wood and brick accents. It offers a nostalgic yet vibrant atmosphere while hosting electronic music events, karaoke nights, and drag shows.
Picking The After For You
One of the standout features of the CRSSD Festival is its prime location at Waterfront Park, nestled just minutes from downtown San Diego. Locals will tell you that within a 15-minute drive, you can reach nearly anywhere in the city, making the afterparties an irresistible and convenient option. With a lineup of unforgettable events, choosing which legendary afterparty to attend is the only challenge you’ll face.
Kicking off the weekend, Friday night offers two distinct events, each with its unique vibe. Spin will bring together Taiki Nulight, Villager, and MoMA Ready, three artists known for their richly textured electronica steeped in UK influences and heavy synths. This high-energy set promises to get CRSSD attendees amped for the weekend ahead, blending deep house and intricate dance music sounds that are rare in today’s electronic scene.
Alternatively, Horse Meat Disco will take over EQ, joined by the iconic promoter and party host Glitterbox, effortlessly easing fans into the weekend with an irresistible groove. Known as the queen of funk, Glitterbox has become a global nightlife phenomenon dedicated to spreading joy and celebrating the timeless legacy of house and disco at world-renowned venues. This pre-party promises to be brimming with good vibrations and pulsating beats, delivering a truly one-of-a-kind set that won’t be forgotten.
The Saturday and Sunday afterparties are packed with some of the hottest names from the CRSSD lineup. They offer a chance to catch artists you might have missed due to set conflicts during the festival and ensure the energy stays electric well into the early hours of the morning. Deciding which afterparty to attend ultimately comes down to which artists you’re most excited to see, but there are a few standout aspects of the lineup that are worth considering when choosing.
First and foremost, the aftershowcase includes some prominent names that aren’t on the main festival lineup. This allows festivalgoers to discover fresh talent and avoid repeats throughout the weekend. Exclusive to the afterparties, MCR-T—the co-producer of the hit track My Barn My Rules alongside horsegiirL, which over 26 million listeners have streamed—will join the legendary Nicole Moudaber and Anfisa Letyago, delivering an unforgettable set for those in the know.
Other after-dark exclusives include fka.m4a opening for SPECIAL REQUEST, Loods playing with Flight Facilities, Ky William, and MUTO joining Hayden James on Sunday. These special edition shows are sure to be the cherry on top of a house and techno-filled weekend.
Additionally, several artists will showcase exclusive DJ sets throughout the afterparty weekend, creating a dynamic atmosphere where headlining DJs can perform their renowned sets during the festival and showcase a different skill set in the club. Poolside, Flight Facilities, and Monolink will bring their unique sounds to the afters, offering fans an exciting and multifaceted experience that can’t be found on the main stage.
Notably, Saturday night’s show at Rich’s will donate $1 from every ticket sold to Femme House, a non-profit organization co-founded by LP Giobbi and Lauren Spalding (Hermixalot), to foster more equitable opportunity for women and gender-expansive individuals in the technical and behind-the-scenes areas of music. Femme House develops future producers, mixers, engineers, artists, DJs, and executives through education, scholarships, and free workshops while tearing down industry barriers and increasing visual representation for women, gender-expansive, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ creatives. Not only will this after-show be the party of the weekend, but your ticket will help shape the future of electronic music and foster lasting change in the industry
This CRSSD weekend will surely be one for the books, and no matter what afters you choose, there will be plenty of opportunities to keep the energy going deep into the night.
Featured image courtesy of CRSSD Facebook
