Making its debut at Hollywood Park, the infamous HARD Summer Music Festival returned yet again to SoCal for an incredible, jam-packed weekend from August 3-4, 2024. Electronic powerhouses like Zeds Dead, Subtronics, FISHER, Chris Lake, Levity and Disclosure joined local up-and-coming artists to unfold a masterful lineup.
Prior to the event, rumors swirled around Los Angeles about what to expect from the 16th edition of the event due to the new venue and past experiences. Worries of heat exhaustion, rude crowds, and a concrete jungle venue ran rampant.
Once we stepped foot inside the venue, our expectations were flipped upside down. Upbeat attitudes and free-flowing fun swept us off our feet. Read EDM Maniac’s full report on Hard Summer 2024 below.
Vibes: B+
Going into the weekend, the atmosphere at HARD Summer was challenging to predict. The festival has a reputation for attracting a diverse crowd and being located in the heart of Los Angeles; it doesn’t immediately evoke the typical PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect) vibes associated with other festivals. We couldn’t have been more mistaken — in the best way possible.
The festival vibes were great, with a palpable sense of joy and excitement throughout the crowd. There were plenty of smiles and dancing throughout the weekend, and festival-goers fully embraced the themes of HARD Summer. Many wore pink, green, or purple to show their allegiance to their favorite stages or music genres. This visual expression added a vibrant and cohesive element to the event, enhancing the overall experience.
Production: B-
The LA-based festival showcased the potential for enhancement in its production, particularly in stage design and laser effects, which didn’t fully align with the sophistication typically experienced at most EDM festivals. However, considering the festival’s location in a large city, several challenges must be acknowledged, particularly regarding production. For instance, proximity to LAX airport likely introduced stringent regulations that may have impacted the use of lasers. Additionally, the absence of grand fireworks during the finale events and intermittent sound quality issues over the weekend were noticeable.
The festival’s early closing times — 11 PM on Saturday and 10 PM on Sunday — contributed to a sense of brevity. Despite these constraints, HARD Summer demonstrated its commitment to festival-goers by organizing spectacular after-parties. These events featured some of the biggest names in electronic music, including Subtronics, Dimension, Hamdi, Matroda, and Tchami x MALAA.
Music: A
Since the lineup was released, music has been the calling card of HARD Summer 2024. Green stage showcased acts of bass and drum n bass from artists like Zeds Dead, Chase & Status, Sub Focus, ALLEYCVT, and HEDEX while Pink stage honed in on house from artists like Eli Brown, DJ HEARTSTRING, HoneyLuv B2B Bontan and Chris Stussy.
The Purple Stage, Hard Stage, and Harder Stage boasted impressive varieties of headliners like SOFI TUKKER, Disclosure, Rezzmau5, Wax Motif, Major Lazer, Jamie xx, TroyBoi, and Elderbrook.
Artists shared their high energy with attendees and didn’t hesitate to bring the heat. Special moments were boasted on stage, and there were surprise acts from artists of all realms. Levity brought explosive energy to Sunday afternoon’s set while inviting ALLEYCVT to perform their brand-new Tame Impala flip together. Wax Motif welcomed Ty Dolla $ign to debut an exclusive, unreleased track named ‘Make Me Better’, and Subtronics closed out the weekend Sunday night beside the love of his life, LEVEL UP.
One-of-a-kind performances were abundant all weekend, and special VIPs were sprinkled throughout the sets. Subtronics’ set was captivating and downright dirty—the best we’ve seen from him in a long time.
With music lasting roughly 8 hours each day, set times were forced to be short and sweet.
Venue: B
Hollywood Park, adjacent to SoFi Stadium, seemed like an odd spot to host a significant electronic festival. It has historically been held in late July or early August, and heat waves are always challenging for HARD Summer. Spicy temperatures and a concrete parking lot to host thousands of ravers seemed like a recipe for disaster.
The festival came more prepared than ever, impressively providing many opportunities to keep cool despite the conditions. Misting fans, free popsicles, and VIP pool parties were a few ways attendees beat the heat.
Throughout the weekend, attendees frequently commented on the distance between stages. While the extended walks between stages allowed for more spacious crowds during performances, navigating between them proved challenging. Traffic control could have been more effective, as the lack of clear direction led to congestion, particularly in narrower areas like bridges and walkways.
Regarding transportation, the absence of designated pickup and drop-off points for rideshares confused drivers and attendees. This resulted in longer wait times after the event, with many attendees returning to their accommodations by foot.
Hollywood Park offers a unique location near many Los Angeles attractions and right next to LAX airport, making travel and hotel accommodations convenient for those staying near the venue. However, post-festival events being located 20-40 minutes away posed a challenge for late-night plans.
The festival provided numerous areas for attendees to sit and relax, such as the Oasis and a wide variety of impressive food options, including oyster platters. We also enjoyed the smaller, Locals Only stage hosted by Jose Cuervo and the Boombox Art Car hosted by BeatBox.
The VIP experience was notably exceptional at HARD. With separate passageways behind the stages, attendees could easily access different areas without navigating crowds. The VIP viewing areas were spacious and offered an excellent vantage point, particularly at the Green Stage. Additional amenities, such as exclusive games like DDR, fresh food options, and posh pool parties, made the VIP experience highly enjoyable. However, the general admission (GA) area also had a great atmosphere.
Overall: B+
Overall, while there were no standout moments that completely exceeded our expectations at HARD Summer, there were also no major disappointments. If HARD Summer continues to showcase talent on par with this year’s lineup, it will certainly remain a must-visit event for us. The hot weather and the challenges with foot traffic were minor inconveniences compared to the incredible performances we enjoyed over the weekend.
We hope that future attendees continue to bring the positive and welcoming PLUR attitudes that were evident this year, enhancing the overall festival experience. We also look forward to seeing festival organizers address the logistical issues, particularly the transportation to and from the venue. HARD Summer has been a cornerstone of the electronic music scene in Los Angeles since its inception, and this year’s event was another memorable experience.
