Insomniac Delivers But Once more with HARD Summer season 2022
HARD Summer season returned to the NOS Occasions Heart in San Bernardino this previous weekend for its 14th(!) version and its first ever foray as a 3-day pageant. Boasting a stacked lineup that includes a number of the greatest names in dance music and hip-hop, this yr’s HARD was one for the ages. The phases have been epic, the format was pleasant and handy, the vibes and vitality of the group have been off the charts. Regardless of the sweltering warmth and humidity over the weekend, Insomniac made certain that every one it’s headliners have been hydrated and shaded as they partied into the evening.
First off, let’s discuss a number of the logistical modifications that Insomniac made to the format of the pageant. The very first thing I seen from an aesthetic standpoint was the transformed phases. Clearly, NOS hosts a number of Insomniac festivals over the course of the yr, and more often than not, the phases are enclosed in a mega-structure. For final yr’s HARD, the crew made the attention-grabbing selection of eradicating nearly all the roofs of the mega-structures, however in any other case leaving the phases intact.
This yr, the mega-structure roofs have been utterly completed away with, permitting the HARD and HARDer phases to light up the evening sky. The HARD stage featured the acquainted trapezoid design that has featured on earlier HARD phases and in addition evokes the Mayan temple from HARD Day of the Useless. The HARDer stage underwent and much more drastic evolution. Transformed into one thing of a smaller Coachella stage, the HARDer stage featured large video panels adorning the whole stage. The crowds there have been handled to insane colours and visuals in addition to up shut appears of their favourite performers on stage.
One other large change that alleviated site visitors was the tunnel that went from the HARD to the HARDer stage. Final yr, there was an enormous wall between the 2 phases and one needed to stroll all the way in which round and again to journey between the 2 locations. This yr, the tunnel provided a faster different, in addition to a detour to the Pink Tent, and allowed for extra breathability going between phases. The truth is, in case you went into the tunnel, you have been handled to shade and misters that have been far more prevalent this yr. The climate might have sucked, however Insomniac did their half to assist alleviate the warmth.
HARD has all the time featured an eclectic lineup that’s barely left of heart. Whereas in fact there have been artists on the lineup who match that description and are HARD mainstays like Porter Robinson, Madeon, Alison Wonderland and Jai Wolf; Home music was giant and in cost this yr with artists starting from Chris Lake, Classic Tradition, Wax Motif, James Hype, Anabel Englund and Matroda all gracing the HARD stage. This yr’s hip-hop lineup additionally provided up one thing for everybody. Zoomers acquired Lil Uzi Vert and Denzel Curry. Millennials acquired Three 6 Mafia (Juicy J and Venture Pat are nonetheless going laborious!). Everybody in between acquired Megan Thee Stallion and 21 Savage. Whether or not you needed to get hype or get in your feels, this yr’s HARD Summer season acquired you.
It was a late arriving crowd on Friday’ it’s all the time brutal driving into San Bernardino from Los Angeles at the moment of day. I loved the shade and mist of the VIP space as Anabel Englund had no matter small quantity of headliners have been there vibing out to her set. James Hype was a particular spotlight along with his insane mixing abilities and great mashups of g-house and 2000s rap and hip-hop classics. Griz was one other enormous spotlight as he has not carried out at HARD Summer season since 2015 again when the occasion was on the Pomona Fairplex. He had his full reside band, psychedelic visuals, and naturally, that horny sax. I left all of it out on the dancefloor for Griz’s efficiency. Right here’s hoping we don’t have to attend one other seven years to see him again at HARD.
Saturday undoubtedly noticed extra headliners descend upon the NOS Occasions Heart. I began the time without work on the HARD stage the place Matroda was throwing down the home vibes. I finally made my method over to HARDer stage for a few of LP Giobbi’s set and he or she continues to impress along with her distinctive model of groovy home in addition to distinctive visuals. As soon as the solar went down, Three 6 Mafia took the stage, and the group began getting hype because the legendary Memphis duo threw down hit after hit from “Bin Laden,” “Aspect 2 Aspect” and “Poppin My Collar.” 2000’s Mark was very glad throughout this set as have been loads of millennials to make sure.
After transient stops at Dimension and Alison Wonderland, I made it again over to HARDer for the spotlight of the evening. Madeon performing Good Religion Endlessly reside. Other than a few DJ units, I had not seen Madeon carry out solo reside since Coachella in 2015. He did carry out with Porter Robinson at Coachella 2017, however once more, it’d been awhile since I’d seen Madeon solo, and it was nicely well worth the wait. Unleashing a number of the most mind-blowing visuals I’ve ever seen, the French singer/songwriter/producer wowed the group with reside renditions of his Good Religion tracks in addition to up to date variations of his previous progressive classics like “Imperium” and “You’re On.”
It was one other full day on Sunday, as I acquired in early to take a look at slightly little bit of Area Wizard on the Inexperienced Stage earlier than heading over to the HARDer stage for Rossy. The up and coming producer and DJ threw down an appropriately HARD set of oldschool entice that definitely acquired your blood flowing if the warmth was getting you down.
Highlights of the day needed to be Sidepiece and Tchami. With the solar down and the ultimate evening afoot, the duo of Nitti Gritti and Get together Favor didn’t disappoint as they expertly blended home grooves with 90s and 2000s classics that had the dance ground vibing. Aspect notice, in case you discovered that open space to the correct of the HARDer stage you lucked out, you had area to bounce all evening lengthy. And, so we did as Tchami took the stage. The famend French producer/DJ dropped a banger of a set that includes all forms of home genres.
Porter Robinson closed out the evening on the HARD stage, and followers needed to be delighted by his mix of recent tracks like “Have a look at the Sky” and “One thing Comforting” in addition to new re-imaginings of his basic Worlds tracks like “Simple” and “Unhappy Machine.” HARD perhaps an digital music fest, however the musicality of EDM itself is all the time on show at HARD Summer season.
Whereas there was little question that HARD Summer season was an absolute vibe, and there are undoubtedly performances that may stick with me for a very long time. The one query I’ve for HARD going ahead is, is three days actually mandatory? This time of the yr is brutal, and it definitely felt like the group was fairly mild at sure instances. Insomniac additionally often pronounces subsequent yr’s version of the pageant instantly. We didn’t get that announcement for HARD Summer season 2023. One must assume it’ll return to NOS, nevertheless, perhaps will probably be scaled again a day. Both method, this yr’s HARD Summer season was an absolute blast, and I hope that it will probably return in such an epic type subsequent yr.