Insomniac Outdoes Itself for the Biggest and Best Escape Halloween to Date [Event Review]

It’s been per week since Escape Halloween took over the NOS Events Center for its twelfth version, and like most issues Insomniac, the competition simply obtained greater and higher. Featuring mind-blowing manufacturing, sick attention-to-detail, immersive Halloween experiences, blistering units, immaculate vibes, and loads of house to transfer and groove to; Insomniac pulled out all the stops for the largest Halloween competition on the continent.

It was our first time again at the NOS Events Center since final yr’s Countdown and our first Escape since 2019! One of the issues that undoubtedly stood out is how extensive open and simply accessible the whole lot was. Insomniac has undoubtedly taken steps to make it simpler to entry all of the huge NOS Events Center the place their occasions happen. At no level in any respect did I cope with bottlenecks or crowd congestion.

The different factor that, after all, stands out upon getting into the Escape competition grounds is simply how immersive it’s. With the exception of EDC, (the flagship competition) Escape has indisputably the highest manufacturing values, the most performers, the most Easter Eggs to discover for. Escape is just huge, and, if you happen to ask me, is the better of Insomniac’s Southern California festivals. It actually didn’t damage that the climate was completely good for the weekend too.

I’m not flawed after I say that this was the largest Escape to date, they really added a fifth stage inside the Citrus constructing, Wicked Woods. Crazy Town, which ostensibly serves as Downtown Escape, is an ideal assembly spot. Its location is definitely accessible from all levels, and its landmarks are unmistakable. The hearth organ is a sight to behold and at all times has a efficiency popping off, it’s the good place to sit and absorb the splendor of the competition grounds. The Crazy Town fountain can also be an ideal spot to reunite together with your crew and work out the subsequent transfer. Oh, and after all, they’re all nice photograph ops too.

As far as the levels go, they have been all prime notch. The foremost stage is, after all, The Grimm, an enormous cloaked skeleton with its two fingers stretched out clutching two spherical stones. Again, exterior of EDC, this has to be the greatest Insomniac stage round. The lasers obtained main reinforcements and the large video panels lining the ceiling of the mega-structure helped to create an much more immersive expertise. Even if you happen to have been seated on the faux grass or at the tables exterior of the mega-structure, you continue to felt such as you have been immersed in the stage. Sound and video manufacturing have been A+ this weekend.

The second stage was Feeding Grounds, additionally inside a mega-structure. This stage’s theme was an enormous spider net. White canvas adorned the ceiling of the mega construction and as an alternative of a disco ball, there was an enormous black widow spider hanging above the stage as a substitute. The third stage was Sanitarium, a barely smaller mega-structure, its rectangular video panels would play macabre and disturbing photographs of a mad surgeon conducting unsound experiments.

The stage that most likely obtained the greatest remedy of all although was Sewer District, the Factory 93 stage. When I went to Escape in the previous this was not a stage I gave a lot thought to. I figured let the techno snobs hold in the again. Well, techno has now permeated the mainstream and I used to be eager to take a look at a set at Sewer District. Insomniac absolutely leaned into delivery trailers and an underground warehouse kind of vibe. The gentle panels have been excellent and the sound was pitch good. I talked to a number of headliners who stated that Sewer District had a few of the greatest units of the weekend.

Speaking of the units, let me let you know about them. Every single DJ completely introduced it this weekend. Everyone’s obtained to go a little bit bit deeper, a little bit bit darker, particularly the closers, to match that Halloween vibe, and that’s precisely what we obtained. Friday night time actually didn’t get going till I watched AFROJACK’s set at the Grimm. The Dutch legend didn’t disappoint, dropping an enormous set that ignited the crowd. This was the set that actually set the night time off as AFROJACK took full benefit of the Grimm’s manufacturing capabilities.

After that I caught a little bit hardstyle over at Sanitarium, then headed again to the Grimm for Above & Beyond. Much like AFROJACK’s set, the crowd packed in the stage to overflow capability. Jono & Paavo threw down a charming set that had the crowd enraptured. Above & Beyond at all times strives for “moments like these” and they actually achieved it at Escape.

After A&B, I headed over to Feeding Grounds, which was hosted by Bassrush for the night time, to have my face simply melted off. ATLiens have been properly into their set of wonky dubstep, rap mashups and lure beats. It’s at all times good to see the completely different vibes at completely different levels, however other than the Grimm, the Basscon stage was bringing higher vibes than the Bassrush stage. Zomboy adopted up ATLiens and additionally proceeded to ignite the crowd.

I proceeded again over to the Grimm, however I made a rapid cease at the new stage, Wicked Woods. I’m at all times a sucker for an indoor stage, and Insomniac made the most of the house they got. Setting up a mini forest behind the DJ sales space in addition to a round video board, Wicked Woods was an enormous come up if you happen to occurred upon it. Not too crowded, however nonetheless stellar manufacturing. I watched a little bit little bit of Okay?d’s Throwback Set and I want I had caught extra.

Finally again to the Grimm, Kaskade closed the night time with an unbelievable set that noticed him lean into the REDUX sound and flip the Escape mainstage into an underground membership. The lasers and stage manufacturing couldn’t have been extra on level.

We obtained there good and early on Sunday. As I discussed earlier than I began issues out at Sewer District and caught Charles D. Despite the early time slot and smaller crowd, the vibes have been on level for Sewer District. I used to be now ready for techno on Halloween weekend. I flitted between levels and units testing TOBEHONEST at Sanitarium, Ship Wrek at the Grimm, who drew an enormous and rowdy crowd for such an early time slot, and Rossy at Feeding Grounds, who killed it together with her mix of bass home and lure.

After that, it was again to the Grimm for Matroda’s huge home set. Along with the permeation of techno into the mainstream, the re-eruption of home music has to be famous too. My god, individuals completely love home music. I didn’t acknowledge a single music Matroda dropped, however it was nonetheless a dope set and the vibes have been unmatched. Tchami got here on subsequent and dropped a set for the ages. Opening with the AC Slater x Chris Lorenzo (Fly With Us) observe “Seismic”, Tchami’s mixture of French home was completely good. The lasers and pyro additionally began taking up.

DJ Snake took the stage subsequent and turned the Grimm into an absolute lure home. The beats have been coming onerous and quick with DJ Snake, and the packed crowd was greater than prepared for all of his hits. “Southside”, “Trust Nobody”, “Lean On” and he even dropped Knock2’s “dashstar”. A memorable set certainly.

Zedd was up subsequent and he thrilled the crowd by opening along with his “Where You Are” remix. The packed out crowd was chanting together with the lyrics. Zedd was additionally considered one of the few DJs to costume up for Halloween as he sported a Super Saiyan outfit (from Dragonball Z). Zedd dropped a masterful set consisting of his hits like “I Want You to Know” and “Stay the Night” on prime of his energetic stay edits and some EDM classics like Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me”.

Finally, Armin van Buuren closed out the weekend. Armin completely blended trance and techno for the greatest Halloween set possible. Armin maintained his signature sound whereas seamlessly mixing in some darkish techno beats that have been good for the spooky season.

It was an absolute pleasure to be again at Escape after three full years away, the longest drought we’ve had between Insomniac festivals. The Pandemic denied headliners festivals in 2020. I didn’t get to Escape in 2021 as a result of there was the Fall Edition of EDC per week earlier than. I might have gone in 2022, however I didn’t. I’m elated to have made it again in 2023. Although no announcement has been made, I might anticipate Escape to return for its spookiest thirteenth version subsequent yr.