📷: Keiki-Lani Knudse
LOS ANGELES, CA – Escape Halloween has announced its day-by-day lineups, the addition of a brand-new fifth stage, and after parties ahead of its 2023 edition. Set to mark its 12th year, Escape Halloween returns to the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, CA on October 27 and October 28. With Insomniac at the helm, the festival promises to showcase a monstrous genre-spanning curation of over 95 artists to lead attendees on a thrilling musical journey across five immersive and fright-filled stages.
On day one, trance favorites Above & Beyond, melodic bass pioneers SLANDER, and storied mainstage icon Kaskade lead the lineup at The Grimm, Escape’s alter to the undead. Fans can creep through the cobwebs of the arachnid world at the Feeding Grounds with dubstep heavyweights Svdden Death and Zomboy. In the mad world of the Sanitarium, Basscon — Insomniac’s legendary purveyors of hard dance — host the blistering beats of Ben Nicky presents Xtreme and a hardstyle set from DJ Isaac b2b SAYMYNAME. Insomniac’s leading underground techno brand Factory 93 soundtracks the subterranean Sewer District, featuring house heroes Hot Since 82 and Jamie Jones.
📷: Ivan Meneses
Day two brings more spine-chilling beats, starting with Grammy Award-winning Zedd and tech house phenom Matroda taking hold of The Grimm. French balaclava-clad house maestro Malaa and HypnoVision label head REZZ are set to hold down the Feeding Grounds, while Emo Nite will also add a thrilling hour of everyone’s favorite 00’s pop-punk mashups on full display. In the Sanitarium, it’s all about house music, with highlights including legendary Detroit super producer MK, Spanish export Wade, and a party-starting B3B from Hugel, Westend, and CID. In the Sewer District, rising German-born techno talent Lilly Palmer, Trick Music head honcho Patrick Topping, and Filth on Acid’s Reinier Zonneveld (Live) lead a fierce curation of international talent.
Escape will showcase an all-new stage concept this year, dubbed Wicked Woods. Details on the design are locked in the crypt for now, however, the experience promises the same elements of immersive design, larger-than-life production, and state-of-the-art world-building that Escape has become known for.
📷: Ivan Meneses
On day one, Insomniac’s melodically-charged imprint and festival brand Lost In Dreams will take control of Wicked Woods with appearances by Kaivon, HARD Recs’ k?d, and singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist JVNA among the highlights. On day two, the OG Drum & Bass stalwarts Bassrush thump the subs with a devilish takeover featuring Culture Shock, award-winning UK artist Calyx, and a Virus Recordings 25th anniversary set from pioneers of the genre Ed Rush and Optical.
Wicked Woods will also host the official Escape After Parties on both nights of the event from the haunting hours of 2am to 6am. Night one features the techno-flavored SLANDER Presents: Before Dawn alongside Charles D and Shmitty. Night two is soundtracked by house heavyweights Malaa, Matroda, and TOBEHONEST.
Since its inception in 2011 as Escape From Wonderland, Escape Halloween has immersed thousands of costumed festival goers in a twisted world of horror and macabre delights. At the festival’s blackened cold heart lies Crazy Town, a mysterious place inhabited by ghoulish costumed performers. Towering above, a host of enchanted storefronts and cursed art installations. Attendees can also get lost perusing the magical Poison Ivy shop, warm themselves at the sight of the monstrous Fire Organ, or walk through the gates of Crazy Town’s cemetery.
For the latest festival news and information, be sure to follow Escape Halloween on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
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