When you first reach the location listed on the website, you might think you’d somehow ended up at the wrong place. Rows of warehouses jut into the sky and suspended power lines lay tangled overhead. On one side you see a parking lot for buses, and on the other some abandoned-looking buildings surrounded by barbed-wire fence.
But then you hear it, the distinctive thump-thump-thump of the bass echoing off the walls, like a light guiding a ship to shore. Turning a corner, you spot a nondescript entrance with a small crowd of people in line. A quick security check later and suddenly you find yourself inside Secret Project Festival.
Nighttime at Naud Street Stage, Stephan Bodzin taking us to church. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
Hosted by Insomniac’s sub-brand Factory 93, Secret Project is LA’s first large-scale, multi-stage underground electronic music festival in recent memory. Spanning two days in October and located at the northern end of Chinatown not too far from the Arts District, the festival combines the burgeoning arts and food scene in the neighborhood with the who’s-who of the house and techno scene in Europe.
When I first saw the lineup announced for Secret Project, I nearly fell out of my chair – it was just that good! Most of the producers and DJs on the bill had been on my wishlist for some time now but rarely made it out to the West Coast, let alone the U.S. I immediately changed my plans of attending Treasure Island Music Festival, which was happening that same weekend, snagged a GA admission ticket, and booked my flight to LA for that weekend.
In this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know about Secret Project Festival, including how to get there, what the venue’s like, and what to expect in terms of the music and activities. I’ll also share some of my own experiences and post-festival thoughts.
Getting There
I’ll confirm here again – 1756 Naud Street is the correct address, despite what the surroundings may lead you to believe! The easiest way to get there is to Lyft or Uber. Look for designated drop-off and pick-up signs on Wilhardt Street. There wasn’t too much traffic there so it’s also just easy to hop off wherever convenient in that general area.
The entrance to Secret Project was low-key and surrounded by warehouses. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
If you plan to drive there yourself, there’s a bunch of parking along the north side of Spring Street by Los Angeles State Historic Park. I didn’t see any fees when I walked by, but it could be a good idea to double check. There was also street parking on the south side of Spring Street, but keep in mind any restrictions noted on the parking signs.
And finally, the Metro Gold Line Chinatown Station is less than a mile walk to the festival. For an out of towner like me who happened to be staying in a city along the route, this was a no-brainer. If you’re close to any of the stations, this could be a great option as well.
Venue
The venue itself seemed to be carefully-designed to reflect the industrial vibe of the surrounding area. Although barebones, I’d say Insomniac did a pretty solid job. The festival grounds wasn’t very big. There were two stages on opposite ends, and the entire area was surrounded by train tracks, warehouses, and concrete bridges. Plenty of bars lined the edges and a small food truck area with some artwork provided the only seating area outside of the VIP spaces.
Secret Project map of the festival grounds
The stages consisted of stacked shipping containers and various metal pipes, continuing the industrial theme of the festival. But come nighttime, it’s clear just how much work Insomniac put into the stage design. The containers and pipes powered on to become elaborate light shows, and the fog machines start working their magic. The production overall was seriously impressive.
While I didn’t get the VIP tickets, from a quick peek it seemed the VIP area had more amenities, private restrooms, and some additional decorations. There were also VIP areas right behind or next to the stages, plus an exclusive dining and cocktail experience from Majordōmo and Apothéke.
Personally, I found the GA tickets more than sufficient. Most of the time, it was pretty easy to go right up to the front of the stage. The line to get in never took more than a few minutes when I arrived in the afternoon. And the two porta-potty areas had practically no wait the entire weekend and were pretty clean.
Music & Schedule
The music started each day at 2pm and ended at 10pm, with sets ranging from an hour up to a couple hours. Both stages played simultaneously and there was some sound bleeding near the back, but overall it was easy to fully get into the music at each stage. While the stated attendance was around 10,000 people across two nights, the crowds were much lighter throughout the afternoon until the late evening.
Secret Project focuses on the underground house and techno sound, which skews toward European producers and DJs. There was plenty of representation from Berlin, which is considered by many as one of the hotspots of underground electronic music. You’ll encounter producers such as Roman Flügel, Marcel Dettmann, Âme, Dixon, and Carl Cox, all legendary names in their respective scenes. If you’ve seen Boiler Room or Mixmag sets or gone to stateside festivals such as CRSSD or Dirtybird Campout, then you’ll feel right at home with the music.
Daytime at Naud Street Stage. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
If you’re familiar with any of Insomniac’s other events such as EDC or Hard and expecting similar music, it’s probably best to toss those expectations out the window. My suggestion if you’re new to underground house and techno is to come with an open mind and to go with the flow. The sound is definitely a different one – instead of the buildup to massive drops, it’s frequently a lot more understated, vibe-y, and repetitive (in a good way).
My Experience
On both days, I got to the festival in the mid-afternoon to enjoy some of the earlier sets and to check out the merch and artwork. Overall, the vibe was pretty relaxed. It never felt crowded and everything was well-organized and clean.
That first day, the highlight was catching Motor City Drum Ensemble’s early-evening, disco-heavy house set. Rain had threatened to fall the entire afternoon. As the clouds cleared up and the sounds of disco filled the air, you could almost sense the crowd collectively sigh in relief and wake up. There was finally more grooving and dancing to the music.
Nighttime shot of Spring Street Stage. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
On the second day, Stephan Bodzin took us to church with a live melodic techno set. I was standing near the front where the bass was so strong that several folks without earplugs had to leave. But wow did it feel good – I could sense the hairs on my arms moving and my entire body vibrating with the frequencies. Along with the building synths, each wave built on the last and the experience turned nearly transcendent. Not bad for a producer that someone in the crowd endearingly dubbed the “techno grandpa.”
My Thoughts on Secret Project
Having attended over 25 music festivals over the past 6 years, I’ve experienced the entire range of festivals, from near-perfect ones to not-so-great ones. For me, Secret Project Festival was a largely positive experience. I think it’s awesome that the underground scene is getting backing and investment from Insomniac, who made the right call in partnering with longtime local promoters for this festival.
Surrounded by train tracks, power lines, and factories. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
The music curation was incredible and I’m sure Insomniac utilized their brand name, connections, and funds to put together such a solid group of artists. And with Insomniac you know you’re getting top-notch production and sound, which was crisp, clear, and well-balanced with plenty of low-end bass the entire weekend. Once the stages lit up in the evening, it was hard not to appreciate the effort they put into Secret Project.
However, I did have some conflicting feelings on several aspects, specifically the cost and the crowd. I haven’t been to many Insomniac events, but I was pretty shocked there weren’t any water-refill stations and the only way to get water was to buy $7 bottles of Fiji at the bar. The drinks were also on the pricey side, with tallboy beers and cocktails starting in the $16 range and going up to almost $20. Over the weekend, I also had to seek out pockets of people dancing and enjoying the music, because many folks seemed to be there to socialize and be seen.
Live art at the dining area. Photo courtesy of Secret Project Facebook.
Still, the music was too good to have a bad time. And once I found an area with good vibes, the results were almost magical. I won’t forget the random kind dude who chatted with me at the food truck tables and gave me an Eastern medicine pulse reading (I was “very healthy” according to him). There were lots of shoutouts, hugs, and high fives whenever people saw my Desert Hearts t-shirt (many proceeded to show me their own DH pendants and gear). And a chill bartender and I swapped stories on some of the shows we’d gone to in our respective cities in the past (San Francisco for me, Boston for him).
Closing Thoughts
All in all, I’d definitely strongly consider attending the next Secret Project Festival. Despite some of the growing pains, the festival had incredible music all weekend in a well-run, well-produced package. I found Factory 93’s efforts at selecting the music and partnering with local promoters to be honest, and I’m rooting for continued success for the festival because any event that spreads musical goodness is a big plus for everyone involved.
Before You Go…
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