In what has become an annual tradition for our extraterrestrial brethren, the city of San Bernardino once again became ground zero for an alien rave takeover. Like clockwork, the grounds of the NOS Events Center were overrun by robots and other space beings in conjunction with the human celebrations known as Countdown New Year's Eve.
Orhun Uygur/Insomniac Events
Powered by Insomniac Events, the two-day festival was attended by thousands of revelers (and a few space party crashers) eager to ring in the new year alongside some of the most in-demand electronic tastemakers. Spanning five distinct stages, the 2023 edition included acts from most genres within the EDM umbrella, catering to a multitude of pallets.
Every square inch of the venue was turned upside down by Martian explorers who, contrary to popular belief, seemed to use the festival space to party alongside human ravers. The alien species had their own dedicated spaces in areas like the Alien Landing Zone, Alien Red Light District, and the Restricted Area, however, they could also be found mingling with Earthlings, particularly on the dancefloor.
Jake West/Insomniac Events
The main area of alien sightings was on The Mothership stage, where the majority of human ravers gathered to dance. This hotbed of activity played host to big names like Tiësto, Oliver Heldens, Fisher, Deadmau5, The Chainsmokers, SOFI TUKKER and Alison Wonderland.
Orhun Uygur/Insomniac Events
Across the way at the Area 51 stage, the sounds got a little bit more jarring. Hosted by Bassrush, the heavier bass productions were carried out by the likes of Zeke Beats, Riot Ten, Borgore, G Jones, NGHTMRE and Ray Volpe b2b Crankdat.
A more varied roster of artists was showcased at the Nebula stage. It was here where acts like Seven Lions, Kayzo, Nero, Bonnie X Clyde, Slushii, Audien and Valentino Kahn could be found.
Inside the Twilight Zone, the underground house and techno beats reigned supreme throughout the indoor stage. Hosted by Factory93 and Insomniac Records, the walls of the warehouse reverberated to the beats of Eli Brown, Adam Beyer, Patrick Topping, Nicole Moudaber, Black V Neck, Layton Giordani and Noizu b2b Joshwa.
Ivan Meneses/Insomniac Events
Finally, at the Galactik Gate, the newer sounds of dance music filled the air. The Saturday Space Yacht takeover included acts like Mary Droppinz, Moksi, ALRT, Gentlemens Club and EDM.com Class of 2023 star Blossom. On Sunday, the space was hosted by Lost In Dreams with sets from Audien, Klaxx, Pauline Herr and yetep.
Ivan Meneses/Insomniac Events
Overall, the alien invasion seemed to be a jovial one, with no abductions or hostile city takeovers. With this being the latest in a string of New Year's Eve extraterrestrial visitations, it's safe to say we will likely see our space friends partying with Insomniac again next year as we countdown into 2025.
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