How to Find LA Raves by the Lineup, Not the Flyer

By Pwr Serg, founder of Entropy LA

Real talk, the flyer is the least important part of a rave.

I've seen sick flyers for nights that were mid. And I've seen flyers that looked like somebody made them on their phone in five minutes for nights that ended up being straight fire.

The flyer tells you who's playing. It doesn't tell you what the night's gonna sound like. That part's on you, and honestly it's half the fun.

This is how I pick my nights.

Figure out what you're feeling

Before I even start scrolling events, I ask myself what I want that night. Drum and bass? Dark techno that just hypnotizes you? House that keeps you grooving till close?

Don't trust genre tags too much. Two DJs can both say "techno" and give you two totally different nights. Go for the vibe, not the label.

Actually listen to the lineup

Almost every DJ has mixes up somewhere. Mixcloud, SoundCloud, radio shows. Look them up. You don't gotta sit through two hours either. Jump around, check the middle, check toward the end. If it grabs you, let it ride.

What I'm listening for is pretty simple. Are they playing tracks I want more of? Are the blends smooth or are they killing the vibe? Does the set actually go somewhere or does it just sit there?

And please don't only check the headliner. The openers are half your night. Showing up early is how you find DJs before everybody else does.

Also peep how the lineup fits together. Sometimes it's all one sound. Sometimes it jumps from house to bass to techno, and that switch-up can be the best part of the night. Just make sure it's a ride you wanna be on.

Stuff the flyer won't tell you

The order on the flyer isn't the set times. Wait till set times drop before you plan your whole night around one DJ.

Two names next to each other might be a b2b. Might not. Read the description.

Bigger events have multiple rooms, so know where your people are playing.

And lineups change. If you're going for one artist, check the latest posts to make sure they're still on.

Get the info from the source

Screenshots, reposts, the group chat... that's how old info spreads. Get the date, age limit, tickets and location from the promoter's page or their official socials.

If the address gets shared privately, keep it private. Don't post it. That's how spots get shut down.

How I use Entropy LA for this

I started Entropy LA because I wanted a spot where DJs get a real shot no matter how many followers they have, and where people can find artists they'd never hear otherwise. Now it's a whole community of ravers, DJs, artists, photographers and promoters.

This is how I use it to find my next night:

Put the radio on. We're streaming 24/7. Catch Rhythm Renegade, Bass Discovery, The Remedy and TQA, from our DJs and their special guests DJ. Schedule's is always Pacific time.
Run back sets on Mixcloud. Every show goes up with the DJ tagged, so if somebody's set hits, go follow them.
Check Rave Radar. Electronic events from all over the world, and promoters and member’s can post theirs for free. Find a lineup you like, then confirm with the promoter.
Ask the fam. Don't just ask "who's good?" Tell people what set you liked and ask who sounds like that. You'll get way better recs.

Quick ones

How many DJs should I check out before I grab a ticket?

If it's a stacked lineup, hit the headliner plus two of the support acts. You'll get a way better feel for the whole night.

Will a DJ play the same stuff live as in their mixes?

Nah, not really. Good DJs read the crowd. A mix shows you their taste, not their setlist.

Do I have to live in LA to be part of Entropy LA?

Nope. We're rooted in LA, but everyone from all over the world is welcomed. Tune in from wherever you're at.

Last thing

Next time you're picking a night, go listen to the DJ you've never heard of. You already know the headliner. The name you don't know is where the surprises are.

Join Entropy LA free at entropyla.live and use code JOINELA when you sign up.