Los Angeles Goes Hard for HARD Summer 2023

One of the world’s biggest music festivals, HARD Summer 2023, returned to Los Angeles for the first time in a decade to a revamped layout and new arenas over the August 5-6 weekend. HARD Summer 2023 featured some of the biggest names in dance music, with major players like Skrillex, Kid Cudi, Diplo, and more making an appearance. This year’s 15th edition of the festival returned to a totally different series of venues, incorporating five stages within the Exposition Park grounds, the LA Memorial Coliseum, and BMO Stadium, all within easy walking distance.

Tickets for the main event and all pre- or afterparties sold out quickly, with general admission tickets for the two-day event starting at a reasonable $329. If you want to catch the next edition of HARD, make sure to buy yours early as they sell out quickly!  HARD Summer is more than just a rave, it’s a full-on weekend experience with afterparties, events, and many other attractions bringing attendees from all over the world to Los Angeles for the weekend.

Top Artists at HARD Summer 2023

Arguably the biggest draw for the crowds was Skrillex, whose collaborations with Four Tet and Fred Again have taken the electronica world by storm. Skrillex and Four Tet took the stage to massive recognition from the crowd, dropping a typically fast-paced and energetic set featuring hits like Skrillex and Missy Elliot’s song “RATATA” mixed up with Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall”.

Fred Again made a surprise appearance over the big screen, interacting with the crowd from his bed over livestream to laughter, applause, and cheers. Dance music’s most beloved trio is still making a splash and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. However, there were many other top artists dropping hits and bringing the crowd to its feet, like a b2b set featuring Kaskade and John Summit, Diplo’s b2b set with Blond:ish, Ludacris, Dillon Francis, Boys Noize, Sullivan King, 21 Savage, and more.

Of course, besides the star-studded lineup taking over the main stages, HARD is legendary for giving up-and-coming artists a shot as well. Newer artists like Blossom, Black Coffee, ISOxo, Fat Joe, and Yung Bae all delivered some extremely popular sets, showing off their prowess at bringing the crowd to their feet. Insomniac’s dedication to showcasing the rising tide of new sounds and young, fresh artists is part of the reason their festivals are so popular with fans, artists, and those within the industry alike.

HARD Summer has what it takes to satisfy the most hardcore dance music, rap, R&B, techno, or dubstep fans, offering a wide variety of artists, sounds, and songs. For the die-hard lovers of the scene, there’s no better or more authentic festival than HARD and its incredible lineup of heavy hitters and superstars.

Afterparties, Events, and More

HARD Summer took place over five stages, the Green Stage (Memorial Coliseum), the Purple Stage (BMO Stadium), the Pink Stage, the Harder Stage, and the Hard Stage (main stage). Attendees were able to move freely between the different venues within Exposition Park to find the sounds and artists they were most attracted to. Of course, like all of Insomiac’s events, there was plenty of merchandise, food, drinks, vendors, and other booths or attractions throughout the park to keep guests hydrated, refreshed, and entertained.

Even besides the five stages and two days of pure music, HARD had many afterparties on offer. Fair warning – these sell out extremely quickly, so if you want to attend one next year make sure to get your afterparty tickets early!

Friday night featured a hot and heavy afterparty at the 930 Mateo Street Warehouse, harkening back to the old-school abandoned warehouse days of raving and dance music. Boyz Noize and Nikki Nair dropped some of their more eclectic, boiler room-style sounds at an intimate and exciting party that lasted throughout the night.

Saturday featured the musical conglomerate Nitti and Friends at a popular downtown LA venue called 1720. Part of the “HARD Weekender” experience, these afterparties allow those with the energy remaining to keep the fun going all night. Besides these two afterparties, there were numerous other events, such as Sullivan King at Exchange LA and John Summit at Academy LA, both rounding off the night after HARD wrapped up for the day.

With some of the biggest names in the scene on stage, a sold-out crowd, and iconic venues like the Coliseum, HARD is more than just a music festival. It’s a multifaceted entertainment experience like no other directly in the beating heart of the music industry, Los Angeles, offering a way to experience the best artists of 2023 at their peak.

Insomniac is dedicated to making all of their events as inclusive and exciting as possible, immersing you in a world of dance music, light shows, making connections with strangers, and of course that ultimate rave ethos: peace, love, unity, and respect. Don’t miss it next year when HARD Summer returns!