No better way to end the year than being at one of SoCal’s biggest parties! A stacked lineup kept us stage hopping all night and experiencing the best dance music has to offer. Overall Insomniac demonstrated a near-perfect execution with Countdown NYE. Continue reading below for an in-depth review.

Logistics

I wanted to talk about logistics first because this is the area that looking back at the festival stands out to me the most. When I think back to the festival I feel like I glided through every line with ease. It’s important to note that we did have VIP passes but we did not always use the VIP areas. Walking into the festival we were met with long lines that never stopped moving, it felt as if we just walked right in. Anytime we needed another round of drinks the lines were short and easy. This speaks volumes to Insomniac’s signature experience that puts the attendees as the real headliners.

Attractions & Stages

A friend of mine who recently attended Rolling Loud at the same venue as Countdown could not believe how much more eye candy there was for Countdown. He was blown away that everywhere he looked there was bright colors and lights and his favorite was seeing the aliens walking around providing entertainment. As someone who has gotten used to this Insomniac treatment, it was great to hear these notes from someone else’s viewpoint.

The main stage was stacked with lights and lasers and gave you everything you wanted from a massive rave. Stages like the house & techno stage had smaller productions with a focus on vibe and energy which helped you transition from the spectacle of the main stage to slower phase music. We spent midnight for new years at mainstage with Porter Robinson and we were pretty close to the front. I was worried that being this close would get us crushed, especially with an artist like Porter. I kept giving my friends a heads up that as crowds came in we should take some steps back if we felt like it was getting too much but fortunately that time never came. The massive area for the stage kept us with plenty of room all night to enjoy ourselves and dance the night away.

Areas of Improvement

I have little to no notes for Insomniac but was disappointed by the vibes of the attendees. One of the things i love the most about going to festivals is being able to vibe and dance with everyone around you. I did not feel this energy at Countdown, felt like everyone around was focused on their own groups and took much more effort than usual to celebrate this event with everyone around. New years eve events tend to have many first timers who are not as familiar with the culture as others so I’m sure this will be improved at the next event. Could be very cool to see Insomniac have a rave culture booth at their events talking about the key pillars of the community. Insomniac’s history has gone hand in hand with rave culture for the past 30 years and i look forward to helping keep traditions alive for the next 30.

Instagram @countdownnye @insomniacevents

Twitter @countdown_nye @insomniacevents

Facebook @countdownnye @insomniacevents

TikTok @countdownnye @insomniacevents