Explore the layout, set times, and YouTube DJ sets to get you pumped up

PROPER New Year’s Eve/Day is quickly becoming a staple of San Diego’s fast-rising electronic music scene. Thanks to the powers that organize and promote CRSSD – the biannual EDM event held at Waterfront Park in the spring and fall – fans of rave have been also enjoying the spoils of a top-tier New Year’s event that goes down each year at PETCO Park, and which features some of the most dazzling concert production out there. This will be my first time attending PROPER, and I’m extremely curious to witness how a large-scale, multi-stage festival at PETCO will go down.

The set times for PROPER were released earlier this month, and it’s a well-balanced, diverse, nicely flowing program that should give fans an opportunity to see every DJ and live act they wish – with minimal conflicts.

The event includes four stages scattered around the stadium, with stage bringing its own unique sonic vibe and atmospheric flavor. The main FIELD stage is where all the big-name, big-room EDM acts will shine, including rising superstars like John Summit, Dom Dolla, Mau P, and Lane 8 in addition to veteran names like Eric Prydz and Kaskade.

The PARK, situated on the stage behind the FIELD and in Petco Park’s spacious Gallagher Square, contains a lot of those buzzy, up-and-coming house DJ stars in the making, from Patrick Topping and DJ Tennis on New Year’s Eve, to Elderbrook and Salute on New Year’s Day. Veteran house act Green Velvet will kick off that stage on Day 1 with a two hour set.

Meanwhile, The LOT stage is situated just outside of PETCO Park itself, in the Lexus Premier parking lot. That stage takes a more techno and hardstyle approach with its programming, with hard techno superstars like Eli Brown and Charlotte De Witte headlining on Day 1 and Day 2 respectively. That stage also features reliable stalwarts in Boys Noize, Enrico Sangiuliano, and Cirez D (Eric Prydz’ techno altar ego) holding it down throughout the days.

Finally, a much smaller and intimate stage known as WALL will be situated on the outside concourse of the stadium by the entrance, and will feature a more underground-oriented lineup, with more warehouse and renegade-friendly names like Sofia Kourtesis and Luttrell populating the program. All in all, there really is a little something for everyone on this festival’s four unique stages.

In order to give you some research to hype you up, I’m previewing ten artists to check out as well as a DJ set from each that you can watch. Hopefully, this last-minute guide will help usher in those concert butterflies so that you can end your 2024 on an epic high note. From Green Velvet to Charlotte De Witte, these are the sets you CAN’T MISS at this edition of PROPER NYE/NYD.

New Year’s Eve

Green Velvet (4-6 @ Park)

The veteran house staple is becoming the reliable elder statesman of the scene, and his set earlier this year at Club Space Miami demonstrates all the tricks and tools he’s got in his shed.

John Summit (6:30-7:30 @ Field)

In a quick two-year span, John Summit went from buzzy up-and-comer to one of the biggest names in all of EDM, a titanic rise that only his friend and collaborator Dom Dolla (also performing) has achieved. Check out his legendary Madison Square Garden performance that has elevated him to headliner status.

Boys Noize (8:45-10 @ Lot)

The ever-reliable and ever-present German DJ-producer practically perfected the art of an EDM festival set. Brining electro house, progressive house, breabeat, tech-house, and anything else that the occasion calls for, his Boiler Room Amsterdam set from earlier this year is a keeper.

Eli Brown (10:00-12 @ Lot)

Having risen to the highest rungs of the hard techno scene, Eli Brown is one of the most anticipated sets of our weekend, and his Beatport/Creamfields set from earlier this year has been in my constant rotation ever since.

Eric Pryz (11:30-12:30 @ Field)

What more can we say about Eric Prydz, the legendary progressive house DJ-producer who continues to blow minds with his epic sounds and visuals? While its not the most visually dazzling set we’ve seen from hijm, his Creamfields set from this year is indispensable and a good representation of what we’ll see at PROPER.

New Year’s Day

Enrico Sangiuliano (5:45-7 @ Lot)

The KNTXT label head (and Charlotte De Witte’s husband) has held it down in techno sphere for a long time now, and is a king at giving fans exactly what they want. His Ultra Music Festival set from 2023 is perhaps slightly more big room than what he typically delivers, but it has us excited to see what he does at PROPER nonetheless.

Sofia Kourtesis (6:15-7:30 @ Wall)

One of the great underground crossover success stories of the last few years has been that of veteran Peruvian DJ-producer Sofia Kourtesis. Her Boiler Room: Stockholm set is pure magic from start-to-finish, giving fans all the bubbly, effervescent sounds that we hope to hear at the WALL stage on Day 2.

Cirez D (7-8:30 @ Lot)

PROPER will see a double dose of Eric Prydz as his more minimal, ominous techno alter ego Cirez D takes to the LOT stage on NYD. For a good idea of what Cirez D sets are like, take a gander at his Hï Ibiza set from this past summer.

Kaskade (7:30-8:45 @ Field)

One of the biggest and most legendary DJs of all time, Kaskade, brings his classic and progressive tech house REDUX set to the main FIELD stage on Day 1 for what will most certainly be a nostalgic, eye-popping live set. For a better idea of what to expect, check out this outstanding set at New York’s Central Park from earlier this year.

Charlotte De Witte (8:30-10 @ Lot)

Earlier this year, Charlotte De Witte blew my mind with her Overdrive set at Coachella’s Mojave Tent, leading me to conclude that she is the world’s next huge EDM superstar. She continues to level up to stratospheric heights and will close out the festival with her dark, heavy, emphatic blend of techno and trance at the LOT stage on New Year’s Day. Here’s her mesmerizing recent Tomorrowland Brazil set to tied you over.