Niteharts Turned Into Rainharts in its Unforgettable Second Year

Tropical Storm Rachel crashed the party at Niteharts, but sets from ISOxo, Knock2, Porter Robinson, and RL Grime made it worth getting soaked.

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Niteharts has wrapped up its second official year, taking over the parking lots at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California. ISOxo, Knock2, and many of their friends in the trap and hyperpop genres treated fans to raucous DJ sets from October 9-11.

Many of last year’s Niteharts attendees reported a rocky experience, which comes with the territory for a first-time festival. Expectations were high heading into this year around aspects like merch lines, food wait times, and how the lineup would play out. As a longtime fan of ISOKNOCK and Porter Robinson, I was counting down the days to when I’d finally catch them in a festival setting rather than the club shows I’d seen before.

Forecasts indicated Sunday morning would be the heaviest day for rain, but Tropical Storm Rachel clearly had other plans. The storm slammed into the gathering as one of the weekend’s biggest sets was about to start.

It was a competitive weekend for festivals, with Head Trip, EDC Columbia, and Seven Stars all on the same weekend. But if you love trap, hardstyle, or bass house, it was worth braving the storm in San Diego. The rain became part of the story, but the music and festival improvements made it a memorable weekend regardless of the weather.

Photo Credit: Alex Matthews for Snapdragon Stadium

Making the trek from the rideshare drop-off tested your patience before the music even started.

The festival layout was simple, with the event held across two large parking lots adjacent to Snapdragon Stadium. The VIP entrance sat at the southernmost point, which meant more walking for anyone arriving by rideshare. GA ticket holders got lucky since it was a shorter walk.

The proximity of the VIP entrance to the trolley station proved useful for getting home at an affordable price. At one point, rideshare waits ranged from 30 to 60 minutes in a muddy lot north of the stadium.

Parking still had its fees, with one lot charging $45. A few people tried to save money by parking at the IKEA next door but were ultimately towed.

The VIP perks helped a lot once inside the festival, with a variety of amenities to keep things as comfortable as possible.

Once I made it past the strict security checkpoint, VIP merch was conveniently located right next to the entrance. Most of the exclusive merch sold out on the first day, and there were long lines even if you wanted to knock it out early.

But the Niteharts team did their due diligence by opening up post-event pre-orders after the festival, giving fans another chance to get the merch they wanted.

VIP also came with its own arcade along with tattoo and massage stations. The food areas were also nearby, offering a variety of foods like udon, birria, burgers, poke, and sushi burritos starting at $20.

VIP attendees also had the luxury of seating options, ranging from comfy couches to picnic tables farther away from the action. This ended up being one of my favorite spots because you could still see the stage and stay comfortable. Friday was hot and humid, while Saturday was rainy and gray. Either way, the seating made a difference than being exposed to the elements in the venue.

Drink options included alcohol, Red Bull, Pocari Sweat drinks, and free water. Compared to last year, water stations were more abundant, which reduced wait times.

One of the best amenities was the VIP bathroom trailers. Each had about four stalls and stayed relatively clean despite how many people cycled through them.

Photo Credit: Alex Matthews for Snapdragon Stadium

The festival’s production held up beautifully despite the rain, with a new stage to check out this year.

Niteharts offered two stage options this year. The mainstage up front kept its lasers and the iconic glowing Niteharts logo, which changed color depending on who was playing. There were also lasers, fire, and fireworks that lit up the sky during bigger sets. 

The new Valorant Stage up the hill from the main area also drew a packed crowd. This stage featured trap, bass house, and heavy dubstep from artists like Rad Cat and Yojas. I never made it up there myself, but most attendees reported they enjoyed having more ground to cover between sets.

The distance to the Valorant Stage ended up being a positive, as they sat far enough apart that sound bleed wasn’t an issue. The sound quality at Niteharts impressed me throughout the weekend. I’ve left other outdoor festivals with ringing ears, but I had no issues even when I decided to pull my earplugs out at points.

Photo Credit: Minh Huynh

Tropical Storm Rachel brought downpours on Saturday night, turning ISOKNOCK’s stormy set into a core festival memory.

Everyone expected Sunday to get hit the hardest with the rain from Tropical Storm Rachel. Instead, the heavy downpour got especially heavy during 2Hollis’ set on Saturday evening. It didn’t let up when ISOKNOCK took the stage, an experience that I’ll never forget. 

The lasers made the rain look ethereal, like glitter falling over the crowd. Everyone around me at the rail was soaked, since ponchos also ran out quickly during the downpour. Though most of the crowd was exposed to the elements, that didn’t stop anyone from getting in the pit.

Most phones took a beating from all the water coming down. One attendee told me he had to buy an entirely new one on Sunday morning because of the water damage his sustained while he was trying to record. My own phone wouldn’t charge again for two hours after water got into the port, despite my best efforts to protect it.

The rain amplified the music miles past the festival, apparently to the disdain of some San Diego residents. FOX 5 San Diego reported that many people in La Mesa (around seven miles away) complained of sleepless nights due to the bass from the mainstage at night. The sound was amplified since the rain and humidity helped it travel farther than it would have normally.

It wasn’t universal, though. Some residents just three miles away in Kensington Park told me they didn’t hear anything and had no idea the festival was even happening. It’s hard to blame them for wanting to sleep — but it’s also hard to imagine someone not appreciating the festival’s breathtaking fireworks from afar.

It’s interesting to look at how things played out in comparison for Head Trip. That festival was evacuated on the first day due to lightning, while ravers at Niteharts were determined to push through the rain instead.

Many attendees, including me, were initially torn between the two festivals, but most were relieved to have gotten their money’s worth by choosing Niteharts. Braving the storm at the barricade wasn’t the only option, either, since VIP had the options of seating and some covered areas for anyone who wanted to stay dry and still catch the music.

Photo Credit: Minh Huynh Photo Credit: Minh Huynh Photo Credit: Minh Huynh

Hardstyle and bass headliners at night drew the biggest crowds, but hyperpop still had moments throughout the weekend.

Friday opened with Knock2, the bass house heavyweight behind the festival itself, taking the stage at 4pm. Porter Robinson’s set later that night made my mind levitate with melodic hits like “WannaCry,” “Sad Machine,” and “Language.”

But he still delivered plenty of hardstyle remixes in this set, compared to previous ones. It warmed up the crowd for ISOxo’s set that came next, featuring a pink military tank on stage.

ISOxo’s new album, Hardcore Diva, had just dropped that same day, and it was a treat to see him bring hardstyle rapper Rocket Rese on stage for “Hammer.” I was surprised by how many people in the crowd already knew the lyrics to songs that had been out for barely a day.

Saturday kicked off with ISOxo at 3 pm to start day two off strong. Hyperpop artist 2Hollis was a favorite among many attendees; he exuded rock star energy as he walked down the runway while singing “Poster Boy” and other hits. But the highlight of the night was when ISOxo and Knock2 pulled the masses in to close out Saturday night with their ISOKNOCK set.

The duo brought out Ken Carson and Frost Children as surprise guests to treat the soaked crowd to unreleased tracks. The long-awaited reunion of these two best friends from San Diego was the best moment of the festival, no doubt.

Sunday opened with ISOKNOCK for those who missed out on their set the previous night. Underscores sang with a contrasting energy to the heavy-hitting bass of the other artists throughout the weekend.

Things then picked back up as the sun set thanks to the musical talents of dubstep producer Hamdi and trap powerhouse RL Grime. These sets kept the energy high and the crowds moshing.

The festival closed with a back-to-back set from DJ Snake and Knock2. It felt like we time traveled back and forth from 2026 to 2016 again with songs like “F*ck the Speakers Up,” “Dashstar,” and a remix of “Let Me Love You.”

The two faked out the crowd when the music cut out in the middle of “Turn Down for What,” only to drop straight into “Crazy in Love.” I thought nothing could top Knock2’s b2b set with Zedd from Niteharts last year, but I certainly will have many sets to rewatch once I start to miss the festival.

Ravers pushed through the rain without complaint, but a strict security policy on unsealed items was the one thing that soured the weekend for almost everyone.

Despite the beauty of Niteharts, most festivalgoers all shared one gripe about the experience: the security policy on unsealed items. My own deodorant and perfume were thrown out for not being sealed.

Plenty of other attendees didn’t realize the stipulations and reported losing items like chapstick, eye drops, and even a sealed case of contact lenses the same way. A security officer told me the stringent policy was standard for them to rule out tampering.

Despite the rain and security issues, I walked away from my first Niteharts with nothing but treasured memories. Paying for VIP as a first-time attendee felt like the right call, especially given the weather. The PLUR in the crowd was real, at least in my experience. I never expected to cross paths with so many other people from Vegas, while also meeting new friends from all over the West Coast. I left full of connections to new mutuals I’m already hoping to see next year.

Everyone I talked to agreed that the festival was worth weathering a storm. After all, rain is temporary, but ISOKNOCK is “4EVR.”

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