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Top 3 Raves In SoCal: Halloween Edition

Tanaya Ghosh |
October 24, 2012 | 12:00 a.m. PDT

Associate Arts & Culture Editor

Fall is the season for massives in Southern California, perhaps because Halloween is the best excuse to dress more eccentrically than any other time of the year.

Attendees can expect the theatrical productions of each of these upcoming events to be a full-scale show with lights, sound and special effects of quality that surpasses previous years.

The fact that there are three massives in the span of one week and with similar themes creates fierce competition among the different production companies. This is good news for attendees, as it means that a various tricks and treats are in store for new and seasoned ravers to enjoy, no matter which event they choose to attend.

In deciding among the seasonal massives, price is often not a factor as each rave doesn't vary too much for a general admission ticket (ranging from around $60-85, including fees and shipping), and since many EDM fans are willing to spend some serious cash if the lineup is worth it.

Due to the increased popularity over the past few years in the EDM scene, event prices have gone up. Additionally, as each event is different and has its own following of sorts in terms of the types of artists and the reputation it carries, the deciding factor for those without strong opinions or niche genres often decide based on the actual lineup once it is released.

The top 3 Southern California fall electronic music massives of 2012, in no particular order, are:

Escape from Wonderland

Held on Saturday, October 27th at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, this is the most widely popular massive. Insomniac Events has consistently delivered over the years, and has built up a positive reputation in the EDM scene. Because of this, it is the surest bet when considering all things minus the lineup and the location (because yes, it is unreasonably far for most people who live in the Los Angeles region). For people who haven't attended Escape in the past, the lineup is interesting and diverse; for those who have been in previous years, most would agree that it looks similar to last year's sold out show, with a few new additions. Armin van Buuren, recently named DJ Mag's #1 DJ of 2012, has been added to the lineup as of October 19th. Artists such as Martin Solveig, Laidback Luke, Bingo Players and Thomas Gold are also set to play. Escape also boasts mazes, art installations and 3 haunted houses that will add spooky elements to the 5-stage show.

Monster Massive

Held on the same day as Escape comes Monster Massive, Insomniac's competitor that often goes head-to-head with the giant during Halloween. However, unlike Insomniac's tried and true reliability, Monster Massive has faced controversy in the past, such as last year's Armin-only debacle which led to the cancellation of the entire event with less than 2 weeks until what should have been showtime. This left many concert goers with a bad taste in their mouths, although people got their tickets refunded. This year, it has taken a quieter approach with a lower-risk lineup, although the venue this year, L.A. Center Studios, has generated its share of letdowns by allegedly breaching contracts and thus botching shows such as Winterfresh back in 2010.

HARD Haunted Mansion's Day of the Dead

Although not technically a Halloween rave, the theme of Day of the Dead has a similar theme and is to be held November 3rd, which is the Saturday after Halloween. As the name suggests, the lineup includes exciting headliners such as Justice, Knife Party, Major Lazer, Zeds Dead, Diplo, Tommy Trash, and MVP of the MPC, AraabMUZIK. It was also recently announced that there will be a new Moombahton stage. The event gets props for stepping out of the box and highlighting different genres and sub-genres, and going with the flow of the ever-evolving EDM scene. It may be a hit or miss in terms of the Day of the Dead theme, as it's something different from the more common yet tried-and-true Halloween theme.

Since most people go massives for the music, experience and atmosphere, it will be interesting to see how each of these events play out. Only time will tell, but as of now it doesn't seem as though there is any shortage of highly entertaining and captivating massives to attend. For excited ravers, now is the time to get working on the wild costumes and dance moves, because it will be showtime for all three events in less than 2 weeks.

Reach Associate Arts & Culture Editor Tanaya Ghosh here. Follow her on Twitter.



 

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