After returning to Hollywood Park for its second year in Inglewood, HARD Summer solidified its reputation in LA’s EDM scene. From immersive stage setups to standout sets by Dom Dolla, It’s Murph, and Marlon Hoffstadt, the festival continued to raise the bar. It seemingly brought in even more fans than last year, packing out stages with energy, pyrotechnics, and a lineup that balanced techno, house, and high-octane bass.
The weekend kicked off with Pluko on the HARDER Stage, whose high-energy set blended fan favorites into his original sound. Following up was Bolo, also on the HARDER Stage, whose bass drops and transitions drew one of the biggest early-day turnouts. From the start, festival-goers brought high energy, dancing, exchanging kandi, and settling into the weekend’s rhythm.
By mid-afternoon, it became clear that this year’s edition was noticeably more packed than 2024. Crowds grew steadily into the evening, and even VIP restrooms started seeing longer-than-expected lines. Still, the energy remained high as people flowed between stages and settled in for the night’s big acts.
One of the clear highlights came from Marlon Hoffstadt, who hit the HARD Stage just before sunset. His euphoric remix of “Walking on a Dream” sent the crowd into a collective bounce, his set building perfectly with the fading sun. His control over both pacing and mood made his time slot feel like a headline moment, even before the official headliners took the stage.
Closing out Day 1, Kaytranada and Feid brought two very different but equally strong performances to the main stage. Feid, who brought in a massive wave of fans dressed in his signature green, had the crowd singing along from start to finish. His presence was a clear reminder of the festival’s growing embrace of Latin music. Kaytranada, meanwhile, delivered a carefully crafted mix of house, hip-hop, and groove-heavy beats that had the crowd locked in from start to finish. It was a steady, confident set that let the music speak for itself.
Day 2 maintained the momentum from the night before. Over on the Green Stage, Otta took the decks, delivering a pulsing set of heavy techno that felt like a warm-up for the chaos to come. At the same time, D.O.D lit up the HARDER Stage with a high-energy performance that brought in waves of fans dancing under the late afternoon sun.
It’s Murph took over the HARDER Stage with a set that quickly became a crowd favorite. Playing well-known tracks like “Food for the Soul”, he kept the energy consistent and the crowd engaged throughout. It was a solid performance that stood out as one of the weekend’s highlights.
The only downside to the festival’s growing popularity was the impact on crowd flow. As attendance swelled throughout the day, navigating between stages became more challenging, particularly around the Green Stage area where walkways grew congested. Attendees reported bottlenecks and some VIPs were temporarily stopped from entering or exiting areas, particularly during the I Hate Models set.
Dom Dolla closed out the weekend on the HARD Stage with a clean, high-impact set that felt like a victory lap. Playing favorites like “Saving Up” and “San Francisco,” he brought together the thousands in front of him. The sound carried perfectly across the entire area, ensuring that even people at the back could feel every beat and hear all the details in his tracks. The visuals were sharp, the laser lighting was amazing, and even with a huge crowd, the space never felt suffocating.
HARD Summer 2025 proved, once again, that the spirit of EDM is alive and thriving in Los Angeles. With each new edition, the festival continues to grow in energy and excitement, promising even bigger things to come.
