Article by: Gunnar Bartsch
Insomniac Events recently hosted its 3rd annual Day Trip Music Festival in Long Beach, California. This two-day house music festival featured some of the best house artists, including Dombresky, Duke Dumont, James Hype, CID, and Dom Dolla to name a few. Our team at Moon Lvnding had an unforgettable time, and we’re breaking down the festival in three exciting categories – production, music, and venue.
Production: ★★★★
The venue layout was well-designed, consisting of three stages spread along the shoreline, with two larger stages positioned at each end, and a smaller stage centrally located. This allowed for a variety of musical experiences, as well as plenty of room for people to move around and dance.
Deep End
The Deep End stage transported us far into the tropics with a jungle-esque vibe. It had a great sound system and ample space to dance, even when crowded. Impressive visuals that utilized many screens and lights gave DJs everything necessary to bring each night alive. The space was used to compose different vibes for different sets, depending on the time of day. For example, the stage felt more relaxed during the day with lots of natural light and greenery. However, it transformed into a full-on party at night with lasers and fog machines that went outright feral.
High Tide
The High Tide stage was a personal favorite. Situated next to the massive Queen Mary and adorned with disco balls — this stage heeded the calling from any patron wanting to move their feet. The crowd’s impressive energy made it feel like the main artists did not want their sets to end and instead just wanted to collab with the next. The VIP section occupied an area right next to the DJs, allowing for an intimate feel. The party was constant, but those looking to dance had to be prepared to boogie in close proximity to their neighbors. Incredible vibes at High Tide that persisted throughout the festival, coupled with crisp 70-degree ocean weather, stunning views, and thoughtful ambiance, set the bar for other California festivals that one could expect from a coastal event environment.
Shoreline
The Shoreline stage delivered a nice change of pace from the main stages. Smaller and more close-knit, it offered sanctuary for those looking to escape the more densely populated crowds. This stage contained a smaller back screen, giving fans an unobstructed view of the beautiful Long Beach shoreline — a prime spot for pictures. The stage area contained beautiful triangular designs overhead, overlaying pink sunset skies and that LA city atmosphere everyone came to see. Despite being between the other two more prominent stages, Shoreline’s sound system still packed a punch and provided space to groove and shuffle without overbearing the main stages. The stage offered an excellent centrally located meetup point and even a nice place to catch a little break.
Music: ★★★★★
This festival was a house music lover’s dream, with a stacked lineup of incredible talent. Every artist delivered high-energy sets, bringing their best music to the crowd. The energy was electric, and we couldn’t help but notice everyone having the time of their life. Day Trip did a phenomenal job establishing vibes each day among the stages — high-energy house artists at High Tide, and what felt a slightly more relaxed house vibe on the Deep End stage. Like many other ravers, I often complain about set times and artist conflicts, but this year, I found that Insomniac planned and executed quite well.
Last year’s lineup could have been more balanced, with more renowned names playing on the second day. However, they fixed that this year by enlisting a much larger mix of artists to cover both days. Saturday and Sunday sold out during May, which speaks loudly to the popularity of this year’s lineup.
The Sunday High Tide lineup featured household names we’ve all come to love such as CID, Dom Dolla, Lupe Fuentes, Friendly Fire, Noizu, Walker & Royce, and the quintessential Sidepiece B2B Lee Foss. Saturday included some of the best music I have heard all month, with favorites such as Dombresky, Duke Dumont, James Hype, Jask, J. Worra, Low Steppa, Majestic, and finally, some Tita Lau that made me want to stay at the High Tide stage for the entire night. These name brand artists brought the “California Love” to any outsiders of California with their songs and mixes, making us feel like we were right in the heart of the Golden State!
Venue: ★★★★
Day Trip 2023 took place at the Queen Mary Waterfront at the same location as the previous year, which again proved a prime festival site for an unforgettable time. The High Tide stage was a sight to behold — positioned directly adjacent to the Queen Mary ship, an iconic landmark in Long Beach. The venue was surrounded by the Long Beach skyline and waterfront, which made for some breathtaking views, especially while the sun began to descend behind the horizon each evening. The event contained numerous places to purchase food and drink, and the lines were consistently short, so we could get back to the stages quickly and didn’t need to worry about missing a beat.
Walking from one stage to the next took about 5-10 minutes as the festival was decently spread out. While not a significant issue, getting from one stage to another could take time and a small amount of planning if set times were close. The restrooms were generally easy to access, with the busiest times near the High Tide stage being an exception. There were fewer restrooms near the end of the venue, and High Tide often had a majority of the leading artists playing at it.
One inconvenience was the lack of parking in the area. Parking is not available to attendees near the venue, so everyone was expected to commute to a parking garage in downtown Long Beach and then shuttle or walk from there to the venue. To Insomniac’s credit, however, Day Trip provided an excellent shuttle service that did not keep people waiting long.
The biggest issue, however, was the absence of shade during the day. The festival occurred during the hottest part of the day, and the few shaded areas became quickly occupied. Investing in more shaded areas would go a long way for the festival and reduce some of the risks associated with summer events such as this that occur while the sun is out. Luckily, attendees came prepared with hats, sunscreen, and fans to keep cool, which one can also find on our website.
Overall: ★★★★ ½
Day Trip Festival was an unforgettable experience. The lineup was stacked with incredible talent, the production was top-notch, and the venue was stunning. Watching the sun set over the Long Beach skyline while listening to some of the best names house music offers was nothing shy of spiritual. Other ravers were incredibly friendly and always willing to share their water, fans, and good vibes. The only downsides were the distances between stages, the high prices of drinks, and the need to shuttle to offsite parking. However, these items were minor compared to the overall extraordinary experience Day Trip 2023 delivered.
It is important to note that this review is subjective to my personal experience, as different people will have had varying experiences. This event has a ton of potential, and with minor tweaks to the layout, it can continue to get even better in the upcoming years! I am beyond excited to see what the future holds for Day Trip and what changes are in store for next year. Be sure to follow Moon Lvnding on social media to see more festival event reviews and other music coverage that is out of this world!
