Kaskade returns to Downtown Los Angeles for HARD Summer time’s fifteenth anniversary – Orange County Register

To an outsider, it could appear to be Los Angeles-based DJ and famous document producer Kaskade has completed all of it.

A few of his most up-to-date milestones embrace opening and promoting out the model new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood in 2021. Final yr, he teamed up with fellow DJ, Deadmau5, for the Kx5 undertaking, which broke a document for the biggest single-day occasion headlined by an digital music act in North America when the duo performed the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in December.  In response to Billboard, it was the largest ticketed international headliner dance occasion of 2022.

This flurry of exercise was “a wild but pleasant breeze,” as he described it throughout a current interview. Although he’s acquired quite a few accolades, topped the music charts and headlined main festivals around the globe, he stated there may be one factor he nonetheless hasn’t completed.

Kaskade has by no means headlined Insomniac’s HARD Summer time Music Competition.

He’ll be there this yr, topping the invoice on the primary night of the two-day occasion, which is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary on Aug. 5-6. HARD Summer time will happen in a number of venues and throughout a number of phases arrange on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park and BMO Stadium (previously Banc of California Stadium) in Downtown Los Angeles. Kaskade can even be sharing the stage by doing a B2B set and splitting the decks with fellow DJ John Summit.

“In case you can consider it, that is truly the primary time I’m taking part in HARD Summer time, which is loopy as a result of I really feel like I’ve performed at each large occasion in California that exists,” he stated with amusing. “I’ve all the time checked out HARD because the ‘cool man,’ so I’m pleased to be invited. They’ve all the time been tremendous progressive in who they booked, and it’s the right platform for me to lastly play a cool back-to-back.”

The favored Southern California EDM fest is returning to Los Angeles for the primary time since 2010 and also will function a part of the LA Coliseum’s centennial anniversary celebration. Skrillex will likely be doing a B2B set with 4 Tet to shut out the occasion on Sunday, Aug. 6. Different performers embrace 21 Savage, Black Espresso, Oliver Tree, Dillon Francis, Jungle, Kayzo, Diplo B2B Blond:ish, Fats Joe, Two Ft, Ludacris, Deorro, Yellow Claw B2B Flosstradamus and extra.

Kaskade, who was born in Chicago, is stoked to share his highlight with Summit, one other Chicago native, and he stated it’s the right alternative to have just a little extra enjoyable, fiddle with the set and actually work together with the gang.

“Actually nothing has been deliberate or plotted out for this set but,” he stated. “It seems like we’re winging it, however in one of the simplest ways potential. (Summit) is coming over per week earlier than the pageant so at that time, I feel that’s once we’ll determine what the hell we’re doing, as a result of we don’t truly know. However we all the time determine it out. We all know it needs to be epic, so so long as we bought that down, have been in good condition.”

Although Kaskade, 52, and Summit, 28, have two completely different generations of audiences, there’s quite a lot of crossover and Kaskade stated they share a love for the DIY Chicago home music scenes and for the digital music that’s allowed them each to attach with tens of millions of followers. It was at Lollapalooza Chicago that Summit was launched to Kaskade’s music for the primary time as his 2008 music “I Bear in mind” erupted by way of the audio system throughout Deadmau5’s set. That second impressed Summit to start out producing music at simply 16-years-old. Kaskade discovered the younger DJ on-line six years later and that led to occasional meetups, exchanging music through textual content chains and an impromptu New Yr’s Eve B2B set at Invoice Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco to ring in 2023.

With Summit round, Kaskade stated he seems like he’s taking a look at a youthful, extra energetic model of himself.

“Effectively let’s see, I really feel like John is me, however a very long time in the past,” he stated. “When I discovered him, he was at first phases of getting buzz and I used to be intrigued with what he was doing. He’s simply this new child from Chicago and that was me as soon as upon a time. He’s on the identical path that I took method again within the day and I simply wished to assist this dude out in any method potential. So, I’ve been about him for some time now, so it does really feel full circle.”

For Kaskade, the LA Coliseum is beginning to really feel like a second residence. Except for the record-breaking present final yr, he performed night units at Insomniac’s Electrical Daisy Carnival on the venue in 2009 and 2010. His ties with Insomniac Occasions are robust, as he notes he’s grown alongside the occasion firm’s founder and CEO, Pasquale Rotella, who has been instrumental within the EDM pageant circuit. He reminisced on when the 2 began out and had no clue what the longer term would maintain besides the potential of birthing a brand new neighborhood.

“Earlier than this EDM increase the world is experiencing now, we have been simply doing it for the love of it,” Kaskade stated. “I’ve recognized Pasquale for over 25 years and we have been in it earlier than there was any cash or fame, so it means loads for individuals who have been round. We didn’t do it to purchase massive homes or for the glamour, we did this as a result of we love what we do. I’ve a lot respect for Insomniac, they only maintain persevering with to push ahead and yearly they proceed to up the vitality and it blows my thoughts. It’s like what are they going to do subsequent yr? Have me on a floating stage? I’m undecided the place the tip is, however that’s the cool half.”

As Kaskade gears up for his HARD Summer time debut, he is aware of the stakes at hand, contemplating how the neighborhood has flourished in recent times. Certain, he’s performed nearly in every single place, however there’s nothing like coming residence to an Insomniac crowd, a neighborhood that gave him the wings to fly within the first place.

“I’ve performed everywhere in the world and traveled to just about in every single place and performed nearly each pageant and I can say for sure that is one of the best neighborhood on this music across the globe, and Southern California is part of that, so anytime I get to play right here, it’s a deal with,” he stated. “There’s all the time some large second right here in Los Angeles that I construct my yr round and I really feel lucky sufficient to say that.”

HARD Summer time Music Competition

When: 2 p.m.-11 p.m. Aug. 5-6

The place: LA Memorial Coliseum, Exposition Park and BMO Stadium, 3911 S. Figueroa Avenue, Los Angeles.

Tickets: Two-day normal admission tickets begin at $229; VIP two-day tickets begin at $409. Followers may also put down deposits on tickets beginning at $19.95. For extra data on the pageant and tickets, go to hardsummer.com.