Was LED x Black Palms an Affordable Alternative to HARD Summer?

For a small fraction of HARD Summer’s cost, dance music enthusiasts could enjoy a solid lineup of artists at LED x Black Palms, making it attractive to those on a budget.

As summer winds down to a close, dance music enthusiasts put on their best rave attire for Southern California’s iconic summer festival: HARD Summer. That gathering has been a staple for many, but for some music lovers who couldn’t bear the heat, the crowd that swelled to an estimated 70,000 people, or the steep ticket price, the allure of a new mini-fest in San Diego took precedence, LED x Black Palms.

Taking place on Sunday, August 4 at Waterfront Park in San Diego, LED x Black Palms featured a bass house-forward lineup and unbeatable cost that proved to be enticing for dance music enthusiasts. We set out to explore LED’s newest event to see for ourselves if it was comparable to HARD Summer.

LED Presents is undoubtedly a staple of San Diego’s dance music scene. From their once-annual editions of Tramps Like Us, OMFG! NYE and other curated events to their one-off shows at venues such as The Hard Rock, The Rady Shell, Gallagher Park, and Beach House; they undoubtedly have a foothold in the local community. Tickets for their mini-festival LED x Black Palms started (and ended) at $25 in stark contrast to HARD Summer’s pricing, which hovered around $200 for both days.

LED x Black Palms took place across half of Waterfront Park with just one stage and, as such, offered a more intimate experience than the sprawling HARD Summer. While the event did not feature the immersive experiences or art installations that one might expect from a larger festival, it did boast impressive production. Attendees could be seen swarming the stage, guided by the radiance of Color STRIKE M lighting fixtures and the alluring thump of bass-heavy beats.

Photo Credit: Felicia Garcia

LED x Black Palms featured notable names such as AC Slater, Taiki Nulight, Wenzday, SHDWS b2b Petey Clicks, and Hotfire.

AC Slater, a heavyweight in the bass house scene, headlined the event, drawing most of the crowd around 8pm. While the Night Bass-curated event was clearly aimed at bass house enthusiasts, half of the crowd appeared to be avid CRSSD Festival-goers who galavant around Waterfront Park twice a year for the event’s spring and fall installments.

While the crowd’s atmosphere remained friendly and energetic throughout the event, a handful of aggressive security staff incidents interrupted the vibe. On several occasions, five to ten police officers operated in groups to surround festival-goers suspected of smoking vapes, cigarettes, or joints. This heavy-handed approach was seen as an unnecessary measure to carry out the venue’s smoke-free policy and detracted from the overall experience.

The added amenities at the festival included food vendors and bars, with meal prices starting at $20 and drinks at $18. Unlike HARD Summer, there was no VIP area, which may have contributed to the more egalitarian atmosphere. The lack of extensive amenities was definitely noticeable, as lengthy lines formed around bars and bathrooms.

While the LED x Black Palms event wasn’t comparable to HARD Summer’s scale or attractions, it offered a viable daytime alternative for those seeking a more affordable, bass-house-heavy experience. For some, HARD Summer may have been, well, too hard.

Over time, this novel event could evolve into a more festival-like experience, but its debut was a good starting point for similar events to come from LED. I’m eager to see what their team does beyond the stage to engage the crowd and create a lasting impression.

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