We loved CRSSD Festival 2016 man buns, charging stations and all.
CRSSD could be the ‘perfect’ festival. If anything it's definitely the perfect way to start festival season. CRSSD takes place in San Diego’s ultra-photogenic Waterfront Park, sandwiched between a harbor dotted with sailboats and a downtown Mondrian cityscape. Its smaller size (compared to spectacles like Coachella or Hard) creates a high-energy yet intimate vibe. It's easy to find your degenerate friends between the three stages. You’re never without phone service, and there's no clusterfuck shuttle situation clogging up the entryways. This kills all the whining we've learned to put up with as festival attendees.
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Oceanview, the main stage offered a view of the harbor, the perfect place to be to enjoy a sunset set. The San Diego airport is a stone's throw away, planes cruised by appearing the size of children’s toys above the tented DJ decks a la Ibiza's DC10. Meanwhile, the Palms stage was revamped with actual palm trees creating a lush tropical scene. City Steps was the middle stage that packed the most heat with their DJ sets (in our opinion). In short, CRSSD Festival is less catwalk, more music.
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Fairies were cooling down while Oliver Heldens makes his first debut as his dark techno-based alter ego HI-LO.
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CRSSD heavily discouraged rave-attire. This meant the rave staples popular at Ultra, EDC—multicolored fuzzy boots, fishnets, kandi-bracelets made of cheap plastic beads, light-up gloves, pasty sticker only tops, glow-sticks—were all remarkably absent from the festival (sadly). We still loved the accessories that people flouted anyway.
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This beautiful MCM backpack reminded me of my #mcm (man crush Monday) Gesaffelstein who played Saturday night in the rain. Although, this would have deterred a lot of festival goers, the ones who toughed it out, witnessed a Gothic trope in real life -- the ominous mist complimenting his dark techno.
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We love spicy but we were a little underwhelmed by the pie.
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STYLE MVP -- This is our pick of best dressed at CRSSD. We like the 2001, all-denim, Britney Spears vibe -- an iconic look.
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TREND REPORT: Manbuns are unfortunately declining in number but luckily we found this rogue one.
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TREND REPORT: Although manbuns are in decline, the scrunchie is having a moment.
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You can't spell banal without Bacchanalia. Also, ample phone charging stations.
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We caught "Venus as a boy" and Green Velvet's Sunset set at City Steps.
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Along with Tycho's before nightfall at Oceanview.
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Hot Since 82 seen between the ferns on the Palms Stage.
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Loco Dice lays down tropicalia beats on the City Steps stage.
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Chet Faker casually dives into the crowd, hops back over the front stage fence, runs into the dark, and reappears on stage with a new shirt. This made an impressive intermission before closing the show with his first hit, "Talk is Cheap."
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The Boss of Dirtybird and making cakes.
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We were running back and forth in between Claude VonStroke and Maceo Plex but ended the festival with the real MVP of CRSSD for his last minute DJ set (subbed for Tale of Us). You are the one, Eric.
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