Ten years ago, CRSSD Festival began as a modest experiment — a two-day showcase for house and techno. A decade later, it’s evolved into one of the most recognizable and respected boutique festivals in North America.
Photo Credits: Felicia Garcia / Keiki Knudsen / Daniela Bercerra / Miguel Flores / Rachael Polack
This Fall 2025 edition, marking CRSSD’s ten-year milestone, felt like a full-circle moment. As the California sun spilled across Waterfront Park, San Diego once again became a playground for rhythm, community, and connection — a scene defined as much by its curators as by its crowd.
The event’s strength has always been its curation — a lineup that flows from sunrise grooves to after-dark intensity. This edition proved no exception.
At the Ocean View stage, Empire of the Sun brought Saturday to a cinematic close, their kaleidoscopic visuals and synths reminding everyone why live electronic music still stirs the soul. Earlier in the day, Ben Böhmer (live) delivered a lush and emotive melodic journey, including all his mesmerizing hits.
Elderbrook, armed with his hybrid of vocals and deep house rhythm, delivered one of the weekend’s most human moments — a reminder that electronic music, at its core, is about feeling.
Meanwhile, John Summit’s Sunday night takeover was pure energy — blending his signature house euphoria with moments of heartfelt connection.
Over The Palms, Jamie Jones b2b Adam Ten brought their defining beats with a quality house and indie dance set, while Cloonee’s midday session had the crowd dancing non-stop.
Chris Stussy continued his meteoric rise, layering silky minimal textures that built from chill to hypnotic, while Claude VonStroke proved why he remains one of the most respected figures in house — blending humor, grit, and irresistible rhythm into an expert performance.
For those who ventured to City Steps, Brutalismus 3000 played a set that was part punk, part techno — unrelenting, raw, and fiercely sounds. Boys Noize followed with a masterclass in industrial precision, welding distorted electro with his trademark swagger.
Amelie Lens closed the day spinning hard techno that vibrated through the park’s foundations. And earlier in the day, Kobosil’s dark, muscular energy set the tone for the stage — a reminder that CRSSD isn’t afraid to get heavy when the sun goes down.
Between the stages, thousands of fans supported different artists such as TSHA and LP Giobbi, each delivering their own brand of dancefloor alchemy. TSHA’s organic house textures glowed beneath the palms, while LP Giobbi’s blend of piano and positivity radiated joy.
At its heart, CRSSD remains what it’s always been: a festival built not on spectacle, but on taste. It’s curated for the music lovers — the ones who care about a perfect session, a new discovery, or a moment of collective rhythm that outlasts the weekend.
As the final track of Empire of the Sun’s ‘Walking on a Dream’ echoed across the bay, the crowd lingered. No fireworks, no overstatement — just the soft shimmer of city lights on the water and the sense that something meaningful had just ended.
A decade in, CRSSD Fall Festival isn’t chasing trends. It’s setting them — quietly, confidently, and always to the beat of its own drum.
