Courtesy of PROPER NYE/NYD // Miguel Flores
Killer sets, huge crowds, and pure spectacle ignited the New Year at PETCO Park
PROPER NYE/NYD helped ring in the New Year in San Diego in rowdy fashion, with acts like Dom Dolla, Charlotte De Witte, Kaskade, and more transforming PETCO Park into an EDM extravaganza packed with killer sets, huge crowds, and pure sensory overload.
New Year’s crowds tend to be the most turned-up of any holiday rave crowd, and this time was no different. Fans absolutely packed out every square inch of PETCO Park and had the energy dialed up to 11 from start-to-finish. If you were seeking a more chilled-out vibe akin to your typical CRSSD-style event, then PROPER was certainly not it. But that’s not what New Year’s is for, right?
Most notably, SoCal promoter FNGRS CRSSD threw the kitchen sink at the production budget, as a towering orchestra of lasers, fireworks, and massive LED screens brought out another dimension to the DJ sets on display. Whereas their flagship biannual festival CRSSD tends to be fairly stripped-back visually compared to most EDM events, PROPER was a total feast for the eyes, and PETCO Park was barely recognizable.
Of course, the amenities that PETCO provides – the diverse selection of craft beer stations, the food vendors, the many permanent bathrooms – were most welcome. However, the event was not without some logistical hiccups. Clearly it was oversold, leading to long entry lines and bottlenecking at certain areas of the venue. Just a couple hours in, the FIELD stage hit capacity, forcing the majority of fans to catch the action from the stands. Sure, that’s somewhat expected at a large event like this. However, reportedly the FIELD lacked enough entry and exit points, causing anxious bottlenecks getting in and out and leading some festivalgoers to hop the barriers, resulting in a number of awkward encounters with security. Ultimately, the move was to catch the sets from the comfort of the bleachers, which we were happy to do. But a few less tickets sold and better crowd traffic flow would’ve alleviated some headaches.
But other than that, the event was a rousing success, delivering high octane EDM scattered across four stages – each with their own totally unique vibe. The curation of the musical lineup was top tier as always for FNGRS CRSSD, and a perfect way to usher in a new year and a new spiritual slate. Feel free to check out our analysis of each stage, as well as the photo evidence, below.
FIELD
The FIELD delivered the most dazzling display of big room EDM sounds throughout the two days of PROPER. Visually, all the bells and whistles were there: fog machines, LED screens, lasers, fireworks, strobe lights, etc. So too were some of the biggest names in the scene: Dom Dolla, John Summit, Kaskade, Lane 8, Mau P, and more. The tech house of Dom Dolla closed things out with massive aplomb, while his Everything Always cohort John Summit induced mass hysteria and pandemonium with his early evening set on day 1. Those two alone have hit the scene like a crater, and they’ll continue to be headlining staples for years to come.
Kaskade, meanwhile, continues to age like fine wine. From our vantage point of the padded seats of the Lexus Lounge, the legend masterfully blended his old school progressive house stylings with modern techno impulses, holding the crowd in the palm of his hand from beginning to end. FIELD was the place for big-room spectacle, and Kaskade delivered better than anyone else. As it is with so many legends like him, the cream always rises to the top.
LOT
The LOT was truly the most immersive stage of the entire festival. Situated outside the ballpark itself – across the street in a parking lot adjacent to the trolley center – the LOT conjured a spookier and more industrial aura that played nicely to the more pulverizing techno acts who played there. On day 1, Eli Brown unleashed heavy, puncturing hard techno. On day 2, Eric Prydz brought his Cirez D moniker out and fastened hypnotic, stripped-down beats and breaks. Rawness was the name of the game at this venue.
Of course, the main attraction for me was Belgian techno queen Charlotte De Witte, one of the best of the newly anointed superstars. Donning a custom Padres jersey, Charlotte mixed dark techno, acid techno, trance, and everything in between with a deft surgical touch. A number of unreleased tracks were played, in addition to her signature hits like “Overdrive” and “Roar.” Just what the doctor ordered. Once again, another masterclass from Charlotte.
PARK
I didn’t spend nearly enough time at the PARK, but it was undoubtedly the most spacious and positive space of the entire festival. Of course, it helps that Gallagher Square is an actual music venue when it’s not being used for Padres games – so of course, the logistics and general flow were as good as it gets. But then so too was the musical curation, featuring more of the all-encompassing house DJs and live acts that tend to be more central to the CRSSD brand. At PARK, PROPER started and ended with a bang.
Veteran house staple Green Velvet, a legend of both the underground and mainstream sects of EDM, opened up the festivities with a dynamic two hour set that we’ve come to rely on from him. Just pure taste and technical precision through and through. Closing the weekend out, meanwhile, was salute, the up-and-coming Austrian DJ-producer experiencing something of a breakthrough moment. Their funky, grandiose, heady mixture of tracks bookended the weekend with a touch of class. We can’t wait to see how their career unfolds.
WALL
From a musical standpoint, the WALL stage provided the most unique and singular experience of PROPER. Situated in a tight, intimate space at the bottom of the entry steps near the waterfall, the WALL felt like an underground warehouse rave come to life. One of the most cultured DJ-producers in the game, Sofia Kourtesis, put on an effortless, old school display for an hour and a half that felt like you were looking through a prism into both the future and the past.
Of course, the Anjunadeep takeover was a blast for the more dedicated rave fan, with acts like Le Youth, Romain, Luttrell, and more holding it down. Shoutout to the visual artist who created a simple yet mesmerizing venue design. Ultimately, the musical curation at each stage was the true feather in the cap for PROPER and FNGRS CRSSD. May they continue to cook.
