From hard techno and trance to house heavyweights and rare B2B moments, CRSSD Festival Fall 2026 brings another stacked weekend to San Diego’s Waterfront Park.
With more than 50 artists scheduled across the weekend, building a festival itinerary will inevitably require some difficult decisions. These are seven sets that deserve a spot on your CRSSD itinerary.
Adam Sellouk
Adam Sellouk continues to rise through the darker and more melodic side of electronic music with a sound that blends progressive elements, melodic techno, and club-focused energy. His productions often balance atmosphere with heavier moments, allowing his sets to gradually build without losing their edge. Recent releases such as ‘Activate’ with OMRI. and Nevve add to a growing catalog that should fit naturally within the darker surroundings of City Steps Saturday night.
Layton Giordani
Layton Giordani has continued expanding beyond his techno roots, incorporating more house, vocals, and festival-ready moments into his increasingly versatile sets. Releases including ‘Destiny,’ ‘Tonight,’ and ‘The Realm’ have helped showcase that evolution throughout 2026. His ability to move between driving grooves and more accessible dance-floor moments should make his Saturday appearance at The Palms especially worth catching.
I Hate Models
Few artists move between hard techno, trance, acid, industrial sounds, and emotional melodies as unpredictably as I Hate Models. His sets can shift from relentless percussion into euphoric trance or melodic moments without much warning, creating an experience that rarely settles into one lane for long. That unpredictability should make his City Steps appearance one of Saturday’s strongest options for anyone searching for something fast, intense, and constantly evolving.
Marlon Hoffstadt
Marlon Hoffstadt brings a completely different type of energy to City Steps. Through his DJ Daddy Trance project, the German artist has built a reputation around euphoric trance, hard dance, recognizable vocals, and nostalgic rave influences. His sets are fast, playful, and designed around crowd participation, making him an interesting contrast to some of the darker sounds that will take over City Steps throughout the weekend.
Chris Lake B2B Disclosure
Such two artists joining forces should be one of the biggest moments of the entire weekend. Chris Lake’s rolling house grooves will meet Disclosure’s deep catalog of house, garage, and UK dance music in a pairing that leaves plenty of room for unexpected selections and genre shifts. With both artists bringing years of festival and club experience behind the decks, their rare B2B at Ocean View feels like one of Sunday’s easiest sets to prioritize.
Prospa
Prospa arrive at CRSSD following the release of their debut album, Free Your Mind, which further explores the duo’s blend of house, breakbeats, rave, and classic UK dance influences. Their music regularly moves between euphoric melodies and heavier club-focused moments while maintaining the unmistakable energy of old-school rave culture. That range should feel right at home at The Palms on Sunday.
Mathame
Mathame offer a more cinematic side of techno, combining expansive melodies, dramatic builds, emotional vocals, and club-driven production. Their sets often develop gradually, creating an atmosphere that feels just as important as the eventual payoff. Their recent single ‘Follow’ with Bonn captures that approach well, and City Steps should provide an ideal setting for one of Sunday’s more emotional and atmospheric performances.
Weekend and Sunday passes are sold out, but limited Saturday tickets are still available to purchase via CRSSD’s website. Looking to keep the party going? Tickets to the multiple CRSSD After Dark afterparties are available here. Visit the CRSSD Festival’s Instagram for updates.
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