Amidst the many celebrations in downtown San Diego on New Year’s Eve, you would be lucky to find yourself at Bang Bang for the Hatched New Year 2016 party presented by FNGRS CRSSD x Dirtybird Records. Outside the club, downtown San Diego is a crowded and bustling place, but when walking through the tunneled entrance of Bang Bang and up the distinctive white-tiled stairs, one physically and mentally leaves the pandemonium of the street behind to find a true clubber’s oasis.
Behind the decks stood Ardalan and Sacha Robotti; both of whom kept the signature Dirtybird sound consisting of deep house and techno beats, going throughout the night. Instead of playing long individual sets they went back to back (B2B) the entire night, Ardalan with both hands constantly on the mixer while Sacha going between dancing in the booth and taking the decks on his own. It was a delight to see the dynamic of the two as their set unfolded on the fly, as well as their excitement to connect with Dirtybird fans in San Diego.
Beneath the giant disco, it was clear that the infamous NYE vibe perculating throughout the venue as people filled the dance floor, enjoying each other’s company while getting down to the music. Meanwhile on the projection screens above, the countdown to midnight ticked away.
A plus about Bang Bang was if the dance floor got too crowded, a separate bar and seating area was made for those to retreat to momentarily. Here, speakers lined the ceiling amid dozens of paper lanterns, allowing attendees to continue to hear the music from the stage clearly. The area also sported a dim, mood-setting lighting that aided to ease of having conversations in what would be a loud club setting. The restrooms were also a trip, with themed stalls like Godzilla and Ultraman in the men’s room, while the women’s room has Ryan Gosling and Hello Kitty.
The midnight hour drew closer and closer until the music briefly toned down as everyone counted down to 2016. When the count reached zero and everyone began to cheer for the New Year, the beats slowly began to creep back up. After the hardcore celebration at the top of the hour wore off, Ardalan and Sacha Robotti continued to rock the house until close.
By the time the curtains drew closed in front of the DJ booth, most of the crowd were still dancing and chanting for more. For long-time Dirtybird veterans and new fans alike, the overall performance during Hatched New Year 2016 was much more than anyone could ask for to ring in the New Year.