CRSSD Festival Fall 2024 successfully brought together house and techno fans at San Diego’s Waterfront Park for a weekend bursting with exceptional performances and unforgettable moments.
The CRSSD Festival made its Fall 2024 return on September 28-29, turning the breathtaking Waterfront Park in San Diego into a hub for house and techno enthusiasts. Nestled against the backdrop of the downtown skyline and the shimmering Pacific Ocean, FNGRS CRSSD’s premier festival delivered an extraordinary experience featuring stunning views, innovative production, and a stellar lineup including house, techno, and electronica icons like Disclosure, Gorgon City, 999999999, BICEP, Miss Monique, Tinlicker, Biscits, Skream, and many others.
Once again, CRSSD Festival showcased its unique combination of intimacy and high-energy excitement in its Fall 2024 edition. The open-air venue, adorned with vibrant lawns and palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, embodied a relaxed California atmosphere throughout the weekend. With three stages—The Palms, City Steps, and Ocean View—the festival perfectly fused waterfront relaxation with exhilarating performances. It was a captivating blend, offering attendees a genuinely unforgettable experience. Here’s what stood out about the CRSSD Festival Fall 2024!
In good company ⚡️ #CRSSDfest pic.twitter.com/VaNFTuiLKn
— CRSSD Festival (@crssdfest) September 28, 2024
The CRSSD Festival Experience
The intimate layout of Waterfront Park made it easy for attendees to move between stages, effortlessly transitioning from the melodic sounds at The Palms to the harder techno beats at City Steps, all while enjoying ocean vistas and craft cocktail bars. The diverse food and beverage offerings were equally commendable, featuring an exciting selection of gourmet options—from Baja shrimp tacos to vegan delights—paired with craft beers and expertly mixed cocktails that kept the energy alive throughout the day.
With its lush greenery, waving palm trees, and stunning oceanfront views, the venue served as the ideal backdrop for both the music and attendees. Whether relaxing in the sun with a cocktail or navigating between stages, festivalgoers were continually immersed in San Diego’s natural beauty, contributing to an atmosphere that was visually captivating and sonically immersive.
However, unlike previous years, the park’s iconic fountains were drained this time. Typically a playful feature of the CRSSD experience, the fountains allowed festivalgoers to cool off and relax between performances. While their absence was felt, it didn’t detract from the vibrant atmosphere. The crowd’s energy remained high as attendees embraced the music and lovely weather, focusing on the other remarkable aspects of the festival. Equally a fashion event as much as a music festival, CRSSD attracted a stylish crowd that transformed the waterfront into an electrifying runway. Attendees expressed their individuality through vibrant, creative outfits, enhancing the festival’s dynamic energy.
The weekend was blessed with San Diego’s renowned sunshine, enhancing the relaxed vibe. With clear blue skies and temperatures in the high 70s, it was quintessential Southern California weather, perfect for festivalgoers to bask in the sun. The sunny weather made for stunning festival photos and heightened the experience of relaxing by the fountain steps or enjoying sets under the gentle sway of palm trees. Ultimately, it was a weekend where music, fashion, and the beauty of San Diego harmoniously converged.
Saturday Highlights
As the festival kicked off on Saturday, Azzecca’s set at The Palms stage established the vibe for the day. Her captivating performance had the early crowd dancing beneath the bright San Diego sun, surrounded by swaying palm trees and festivalgoers dressed in their best attire. The sunset performance by Nora En Pure at the Ocean View stage emerged as a festival highlight. With a gentle ocean breeze and a stunning sky painted in shades of pink and gold, her deep house tracks provided the perfect backdrop to the moment.
For those drawn to a darker, more industrial sound, Klangkuenstler’s techno performance at City Steps was the place to be. As the evening cooled, his pulsating beats elevated the crowd’s energy to new heights. The festival’s fashion showcased a more underground style, with attendees sporting oversized black t-shirts, combat boots, and striking monochrome outfits, all reflecting the raw sound of the music. HI-LO, the techno alias of Oliver Heldens, wrapped up Saturday night at City Steps, delivering bass-heavy tracks like ‘My Fantasy’ with Maddix and ‘DIZZY’, igniting the crowd’s fervor. As the minimal lights flickered against the night sky, fans danced ceaselessly, embodying the energy and style that defined the first day of CRSSD Fall 2024. HI-LO’s set made for a perfect conclusion to the day, with the brisk night air and festival lights amplifying the excitement.
Sunday Highlights
Sunday began just as beautifully as Saturday, with perfect blue skies and warm sunshine welcoming festivalgoers. Belgian DJ Jerro opened City Steps with a soft, melodic set, ideal for easing into the day. Progressing into the afternoon, Chris Avantgarde’s deeper, experimental sound captivated the crowd. The German artist’s set took attendees on an intense journey through techno, featuring fan-favorites such as ‘Eternity,’ with Anyma, ‘Killa’ with Kevin de Vries, and ‘Perception.’ The contrast between the gritty urban sound and the sun-drenched park created a unique, exciting atmosphere that filled City Steps. Mathame’s cinematic techno set at City Steps offered a melodic journey, pairing grandiose soundscapes with driving beats that resonated with the crowd, who swayed in harmony with the rhythm.
Meanwhile, Four Tet delivered a genre-defying set at The Palms stage that had the crowd mesmerized. The sunny and tropical vibes of the stage were harmonized with Four Tet’s detailed soundscapes, inviting festivalgoers to engage in joyous dancing. Idris Elba maintained the high energy at The Palms with a set that seamlessly blended afrobeat, house, and techno. The actor/DJ’s undeniable charisma lit up the crowd, who responded with enthusiastic cheers and dancing.
As night fell, Drumcode label head Adam Beyer cranked the energy up at City Steps with a commanding techno set. The crowd showed no signs of fatigue, dancing relentlessly to the pounding kicks. French DJ I Hate Models followed, mixing raw emotion with hard-hitting techno, creating a dramatic contrast to San Diego’s laid-back vibe. The weekend concluded with Gesaffelstein, who showcased his signature style of dark, brooding midtempo and techno soundscapes at Ocean View. The combination of powerful visuals and San Diego’s ideal weather culminated in a dynamic and memorable finale for CRSSD Festival Fall 2024.
If you are a fan of house and techno music, CRSSD Festival should be on your must-visit list for future editions. For more information on upcoming CRSSD events, check out their website here. Can’t wait for Spring 2025? FNGRS CRSSD’s PROPER NYE/NYD at Petco Park is just around the corner! Click here for ticket details and more.
Fresh additions to #ProperNYE 🧬
We welcome @kaskade, @GreenVelvet_, @JWorra, @foreverannicka, X-Coast & @weareparisi ✨
TICKETS >>> https://t.co/VlgeJIvogB pic.twitter.com/vZd8gLbr5z
— Proper NYE (@ProperNYE) September 17, 2024
