Featured photo by Alex Perez
If you asked me a year ago what I thought I’d be doing in August 2024, my last guess would be covering HARD Summer music festival. As a classically-trained musician, electronic music is probably the genre in which I feel most out of my comfort zone. Even though I’m a musicology major going into my senior year, I felt like my musical background meant I had no business covering this festival – and yet, here I was, in an effort to challenge my limits and broaden my musical horizons. Thus, I present to you: a noob’s take on HARD Summer.
Day 1
Interplanetary Criminal
The day started off slow. After collecting our press credentials from a separate location, a street scuffle between our Uber driver and the driver behind him, and long walks between the festival entrance and the box office due to scanner issues, we finally made it onto the festival grounds. Already exhausted from merely trying to get into the venue, I was worried that the music and crowds would be too much and further burn me out. I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised by the first act we saw, Interplanetary Criminal. Cool, calm, and collected, the producer and DJ – aka Zach Bruce – has likely graced your Instagram and TikTok hundreds of times, thanks to his viral hit with Eliza Rose, “B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All).” Hearing the song in a festival setting (i.e. vibrating through my entire body) made me view it through a very different lens; what once seemed like a laid-back track was transformed into an energizing head-banger. Paying homage to his heritage from Manchester, UK, Bruce effortlessly re-envisioned hits like will.i.am’s “I Got It From My Mama” and Technotronic’s “Pump Up The Jam” into sparkly, slick UK garage tracks. As a fellow UK-native, I felt a surprising sense of comfort in Bruce’s set, making it the perfect introduction to the festival.
Channel Tres
Was it a blessing or a curse that my favorite set of the whole festival was the second performance we saw? You decide. Regardless, after this set, I felt incredibly silly for not having been a fan of Channel Tres earlier. A mesmerizing performer who exudes swagger and flair with every movement, Channel Tres’ appeal comes not only from his seductive, gravelly tone and addictive beats, but his flawless dance moves. The use of backup dancers further elevated this, synchronizing with his movements as if extensions of his body. The whole package worked together seamlessly, creating a performance that was impossible to take your eyes off – an impressive feat in a festival setting where peoples’ attention spans easily waned. Rolling out all his hits, such as “I’ve Been In Love,” “Topdown,” and “Cactus Water,” Tres had the crowd wrapped around his finger as we were bathed in the glow of sunset. As Tres said at the beginning of the set: “One rule at my show: have a good time!” I was having such a good time, that when a woman came up to me pointing at a sign that said “Flash a titty” – asking, “Would you do it?” – I wasn’t phased at all, I just continued the conversation. My only regret was having to leave early to catch SIDEPIECE, but don’t worry, Channel Tres. I’ll be back for you soon.
SIDEPIECE
Taking place at the “Harder” Stage, SIDEPIECE’s set was larger than life. Attracting a massive crowd, it wasn’t hard to see why they were so popular as they dished out endless euphoric beat drops. Each song was distinct in atmosphere and genre, keeping our palates fresh — an important factor to me in a festival where much of the music can get repetitive. Instead of having one big center screen and two peripheral screens like the other stages, the Harder Stage featured numerous smaller screens thay were spread across the stage, allowing for more experimental visual effects, which SIDEPIECE took full advantage of. Their graphics changed style for every song, from red flames, to hypnotic swirls, to rainbow-puke geometric patterns. They were relatively simple, but extremely effective. All this being said, SIDEPIECE simply wasn’t my style, as I found it to be reminiscent of a stroll down frat row on a Thursday night. I commend SIDEPIECE for their energy as performers, but their artistry didn’t stand out to me as much as I’d hoped.
Nelly Furtado
Having grown up on Nelly Furtado, and not exactly associating her singer-songwriter style with the electronic scene, I knew I had to catch her set to see what she’d come up with for HARD. After running over from SIDEPIECE’s set, we arrived as she was performing what I later found out was dance track “Eat Your Man” by Dom Dolla and Furtado. It was both similar to and nothing like I’d heard from Furtado before — her sultry-sweet vocal delivery felt familiar, but took on a completely different character when soundtracked by a choppy dance beat. It was a welcome surprise; watching her strut across the Hard Stage in a bejeweled catsuit, easily commanding a sea of electronic fans, I realized Furtado had a completely different side to her artistry I’d failed to recognize until now. As if her success as one of the queens of 2000s pop wasn’t enough, she continues to evolve and find new ground in the music scene. Not everybody can pivot genres successfully, but Furtado’s doing a pretty great job. After closing out her set with dance remixes of “Give It To Me” and “Promiscuous,” Furtado bid us farewell, leaving the crowd both nostalgic and energized. It was as if she had woven her past with the present, bridging the gap between the Nelly Furtado we all grew up with and her current, more experimental incarnation.
Rezzmau5
With REZZMAU5 (i.e. Rezz and deadmau5) and Disclosure being the simultaneous final acts of the night, I had posted a poll to @uclaradio’s Instagram story earlier in the day: REZZMAU5 or Disclosure? The result was overwhelmingly in favor of Disclosure (what else would I have expected from the kind of people who follow UCLA Radio?). Nevertheless, I still felt an obligation to catch at least the first part of REZZMAU5, as I wasn’t here just for pleasure — I was here on business. It would be a missed opportunity, as press, to not witness two of the most established names in the EDM scene (Rezz as a leader in space bass and deadmau5 as a leader in progressive house), so we booked it from the Hard Stage back over to the Harder Stage. Once there, the experience caused me so much sensory overload, I had to steady myself to actually process the music. Warped bass dominated the air, lasers flailed and flashed rapidly in all directions, flames flew up from the stage with every beat drop, and (what I can only describe as cyber-nightmaresque) animations of deadmau5’ and Rezz’ respective personas roamed the screens, their heads and eyes rotating as if scanning the crowd. In all honesty, this was not the scene for me, probably because I’m neurodivergent and the sensory overload was just too much. Listening back to the recordings on my phone, the music itself wasn’t that overwhelming, and was well-executed musically, but the sheer amplitude it was played at made it feel all-consuming, coupled with the nightmare-inducing graphics. The whole time, I felt like I had to concentrate on not getting stressed out, which made me laugh at myself, as I could tell everyone else around was having a great time. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but it was an experience like I’d never had before, and I could say that my musical limits had definitely been pushed that night. deadmau5 and Rezz both seemed to be relaxed and enjoying themselves, too, taking off their iconic glasses and mouse helmet respectively to greet the crowd from time to time. REZZMAU5, you weren’t for me, but I’m glad you could make the crowd happy.
Disclosure
Still reeling from REZZMAU5, which may or may not have taken at least a few days off my life, we rushed back over to the Hard Stage to catch the end of Disclosure’s set. Uplifting, danceable, and a little jazzy – featuring a sax solo and sousaphone – Disclosure’s set was the perfect ending to the first day, and an ideal antidote to REZZMAU5. Hearing them thank the crowd after their final song, “You & Me (feat. Eliza Doolittle),” I registered their British accents, and was amused at the fact that even though I was in the US, my day at HARD had been bookended by British artists. It was interesting to reflect on, as the community I grew up with in London didn’t have the cultural and musical richness reflected in the music I’d seen from British artists that day. It made me wonder if I’d been born in a different part of Britain, I might have been like them instead of a classical musician. But I digress. As we watched Disclosure play their final song, I noticed how excited they seemed about it, even though they had likely played it hundreds of times, being veterans of the electronic scene. It reflects a certain kind of true passion: even if you have to perform a song a thousand times, you find different ways to fall in love with it every time. This pertains especially to electronic music, where the nuances of each performance can vary widely depending on the crowd, the energy, and even the subtle adjustments made by the artist in the moment. Electronic music thrives on this spontaneity, with live sets often feeling like a conversation between the artist and the audience. Disclosure’s enthusiasm was infectious, and it reminded me that the magic of live music lies in these moments of connection, where both the performers and the crowd feed off each other’s energy. It’s this synergy that turns a great set into an unforgettable experience, one that stays with you long after the final beat drops.
Day 2
Matroda
Day 2 kicked off with bass house artist Matroda, whose Latin-infused rhythms and instrumentals created the ideal groove to ease us back into the scene. Their graphics were somewhat lacking compared to other artists (when you have a giant screen behind you, why not make the most of it?) but the music was good nevertheless. It was a tad monotonous, though — a judgment that I was trying to decide whether or not to validate as I was new to the electronic scene. Of course, repetition can be a good thing. Sometimes, however, repetition can make four different songs sound like one long song, making the atmosphere stale. Maybe that’s just my opinion, though, as there was a sizable crowd gathered for Matroda who seemed to be having a good time. That includes a guy who came up to us, saying, “I have something for you,” and handed us two literal middle fingers.
Levity
A surprising personal highlight of the festival, DJ trio Levity has enough charisma to power the world, and then some — and they’re new on the block. Brimming with euphoric melodies and energizing hip-hop rhythms, Levity’s infectious joy was accurately reflected in their graphic display, which was bursting with kaleidoscopic colors. If I could sum up their character in one word, it would be playful — quite literally reflected in one of their songs whose hook includes, “touch it,” “flip it,” “grab it,” like an 18+ version of the Bop-It game. Their remixes, including an amped-up remix of Britney Spears’ “Toxic,” inject the kind of youthful fun into music that makes you feel as if they’re just a group of kids you’d stumble across in your dorm hallway. Having their first headline tour coming up, Levity are still relatively new to the mainstream, and you could feel their excitement at being on that stage, sharing their music with a rapidly growing audience. As the crowd danced and shouted along, it felt like we were all witnessing the beginning of something special — like we were in on a secret that the rest of the world was about to discover. If their performance was any indication, Levity is a name we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the years to come.
Sofi Tukker
Having first stumbled across Sofi Tukker’s music quite a few years back in an ad (that I promptly Shazamed), it was surreal to be seeing them live (stay tuned for our upcoming interview with them on their forthcoming album, “BREAD”!). Markedly different from the rest of HARD’s lineup, Sofi Tukker’s carnavalesque sound (heavily inspired, of course, by Brazil, where Sofi lived) attracts a much wider demographic outside your typical electronic artist. Their lively, colorful aesthetic translates well in a festival setting, with the duo dressed in bright yellow and green along with their backup dancers. Their unique melange of Brazilian influences with dance, techno, jazz, and more were a welcome breath of fresh air within the harder, edgier beats of HARD’s other acts, transporting the crowd to a tropical soundscape that felt like a vibrant celebration of life itself. If you closed your eyes, you might just have been able to imagine that you were part of a massive, sun-soaked street party in Rio de Janeiro. In the mechanical intensity of HARD summer, Sofi Tukker’s universal sound taps into something very human in all of us – a desire to connect, to dance, and to celebrate the moment. Their performance felt like a joyous escape, a brief journey to a place where music and movement are the only languages that matter. Sofi Tukker’s set was a reminder of the diversity within electronic music, showing that it doesn’t always have to be intense and heavy – it can be light, playful, and full of warmth.
Kenny Beats
We could only stay for the first part of Sofi Tukker as we also had to catch Kenny Beats, whose set was on at the same time. Having first come across Kenny Beats in my freshman year at UCLA from his satirical collab song with Zack Fox, “Jesus Is The One (I Got Depression),” I was interested to see what the rest of Kenny’s sound was like. As we arrived, I noted that his transitions between songs were incredibly satisfying – arguably the best I’d heard thus far in the festival. It appeared that he was closing out the first section of his set, as he soon said, “Alright, should we play some rap sh*t now?” Kenny proceeded to dish out a flurry of rap hits, including “FE!N,” “All I Do Is Win,” “HUMBLE,” and “Good Morning,” prompting the most crowd engagement I’d seen in the last two days. The energy was indisputable – my only qualm was that Kenny wasn’t noticeably adding much of his own spin on the songs apart from some extra bass and hi-hats. While Kenny Beats is undeniably a master at reading the crowd and curating a set that keeps the energy high, I found myself wishing for more of his unique touch. Known for his creative production and ability to blend genres, I was expecting him to inject more of his signature style into the tracks he played. Instead, the set felt more like a high-energy DJ mix than a showcase of Kenny’s individual artistry. That being said, there’s no denying the impact he had on the audience. The crowd was fully engaged, rapping along and moving to every beat, proving that Kenny knows how to give the people what they want.
Tchami x Malaa
At the tail-end of the festival, I was looking for artists who would offer a change of pace or something new to what I’d experienced already. Tchami and Malaa’s deep, bass-heavy style was certainly atmospheric, but did not introduce any new or particularly unique sonic material. In my notes, I have written: “Slightly enhanced frat boy beats.” This isn’t to say that the music was bad by any measure – I would go as far as to say that frat boys have some taste in music – it was just rather samey. Tchami x Malaa’s seamless transitions and polished production were impressive, but the lack of distinctiveness between tracks left me feeling somewhat underwhelmed. The basslines were heavy and the beats were tight, but there was little in the way of surprises or moments that truly stood out. That said, their performance did cater well to the crowd, who were clearly enjoying the consistent rhythms that kept energy levels high as the sun went down.
Elderbrook
Elderbrook made a lasting impression on me, albeit perhaps for other reasons than he intended. Yet another British producer and DJ (at this point, I was really starting to feel at home), Elderbrook is well-known in the electronic scene for his upbeat, synth-led dance instrumentals and powerful on-stage vocals. His performance at HARD provided exactly that; however, his popularity seems to be more with millennials and Gen X rather than my generation. It’s hard to put your finger on, but his musical style and aesthetics are the kind that Gen Z might find a little corny. At first, I thought this opinion was a bit judgemental, but after glancing around the crowd, I noticed that we were the only people under thirty in the audience. The audience was mostly people old enough to be my parents, and they were having a great time. So, instead of raining on their parade, I decided to take my leave after about 15 minutes and let them enjoy the show without my critical lens. As I walked away, I couldn’t help but reflect on how generational preferences shape our experiences of music. Elderbrook’s performance, with its polished production and emotive vocals, clearly resonated with those who had likely grown up with a different era of electronic music — one where the focus was more on melody and lyricism than the bass-heavy drops and experimental sounds that dominate today’s scene. There was something endearing about the crowd’s enthusiasm, their joy evident in the way they danced, many of them with their significant others. It was a reminder that music has the power to connect people across different ages, even if the connections we feel are tied to different eras and styles.
Major Lazer
A highly-anticipated final act, Major Lazer (Jamaican-American electronic dance music and DJ trio, including record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire, and Ape Drums) pulled out all the stops to get the crowd going. EDM remixes of their biggest hits played as rows of backup dancers performed tightly choreographed routines. They got the crowd to jump, wave their belongings in the air, and even run from left to right (a terrible idea, which I was glad to see that most of the crowd didn’t try to actually do in full force). As the night began to draw to a close, one of them shouted “Focus on getting an uber… then when you get home, stream me as much as possible!” The cheeky comment drew laughter and cheers from the crowd, perfectly encapsulating the playful and high-spirited vibe of their set. Bowing out with a fitting conclusion to two days of music and nonstop dancing, Major Lazer had delivered exactly what they’re known for: a full-throttle party experience that sent everyone home with memories of an epic festival finale.
