Masterbeat New Year’s Los Angeles 2026
- 31 Dec 2025 – 1 Jan 2026
- Los Angeles, CA
Masterbeat New Year’s Los Angeles 2025
The Masterbeat brand has been creating epic circuit parties for nearly three decades, and its annual New Year’s festival in Los Angeles has become one of the world’s largest gay celebrations. Founded in 1996 to provide dance lovers with a place to hear cutting‑edge electronic music when many tracks existed only on vinyl, Masterbeat quickly grew into an international party brand【256388581059156†L214-L225】. Its New Year’s Eve series now attracts over 4,000 partygoers from around the world to Los Angeles for four nights of events【256388581059156†L214-L226】. The 2025 edition marks the festival’s twenty‑fifth anniversary and embraces a futuristic “Next Level” theme that fuses the worlds of artificial intelligence and virtual reality【867063977323909†L55-L61】. Each component of the festival brings a distinct atmosphere, but they all share Masterbeat’s signature production values—state‑of‑the‑art lights and lasers, dramatic staging, superstar DJ line‑ups, and a friendly, inclusive crowd.
### A four‑day festival that rings in 2025
The celebration begins on **Monday 30 December 2024** with **REPLAY**, a kick‑off party held at Hollywood’s multi‑level **Avalon** nightclub. Masterbeat describes the event as a nostalgic journey through its past; DJ **Calagna** delivers a special extended set that revisits twenty‑five years of Masterbeat music【867063977323909†L81-L89】. Guests are encouraged to dress as their favourite video‑game characters, adding a playful cosplay element to the evening【867063977323909†L81-L89】. Avalon’s spacious dance floor, wrap‑around balconies and booming sound system set the tone for the marathon weekend.
On **Tuesday 31 December 2024**, the main event—**Level 25: Next Level**—takes over the historic **Mayan Theater** downtown. The Mayan is a landmark former movie palace turned nightclub that accommodates more than 1,500 guests【65167206414101†L135-L157】. Masterbeat promises that this year’s production will transport revelers into a futuristic dimension where AI and VR collide【867063977323909†L55-L61】. The party runs from **9 p.m. until 6 a.m.**【867063977323909†L44-L53】 and features superstar resident DJs **Tony Moran** and **GSP**. At midnight, a spectacular countdown relives the past year—and the past quarter‑century of Masterbeat history—while pyrotechnics, lasers and video mapping accompany the music【867063977323909†L55-L61】. Live performers and dancers add theatre and eroticism to the night; the effect is a full‑sensory immersion into the festival’s “Next Level” narrative.
The party doesn’t stop with the New Year’s kiss. At **4 a.m. on 1 January 2025**, ravers head to **Los Globos** on Sunset Boulevard for **Dark Web Afterhours**. Billed as the biggest afterhours in Los Angeles, this event channels the festival’s cyberpunk inspiration. Masterbeat invites attendees to “journey into the Dark Web” as resident DJ **Micky Friedmann** spins a high‑energy morning set【867063977323909†L102-L115】. Los Globos’ intimate space and cavernous dance floor keep the crowd dancing until 10 a.m., when dawn breaks over the city.
After a few hours of rest, the festival culminates on **Wednesday 1 January 2025** with **Restart**, a closing party at **Academy LA** on Hollywood Boulevard. Masterbeat describes it as everyone’s favourite party of the weekend and the ideal way to “hit the giant restart button” on life【867063977323909†L122-L127】. DJ **Oscar Velazquez** helms the decks from **9 p.m. to 4 a.m.**, guiding dancers through a cathartic celebration that launches the new year. Academy’s combination of an indoor mega‑club and open‑air patio offers a versatile space for both high‑energy dancing and relaxed socializing【65167206414101†L135-L167】.
### Venues and production
Part of Masterbeat’s appeal is its ability to transform a variety of venues into immersive environments. The **Mayan Theater** is known for its ornate Art Deco interior and state‑of‑the‑art sound and lighting; in previous years its stage has featured towering LED screens, dancers suspended from aerial rigs and confetti cannons timed to the midnight drop【867063977323909†L55-L61】. The **Belasco Theater**, another venue used for past events, boasts an expansive dance floor and balconies and is only blocks from LA Live【65167206414101†L135-L157】. **Avalon** and **Academy** are both iconic Hollywood clubs that mix historic architecture with modern light and sound systems, while **Los Globos** is an underground favourite that lends the afterhours party an intimate, almost secretive vibe【867063977323909†L81-L89】【867063977323909†L102-L115】.
### What to expect
Masterbeat’s New Year’s festival is more than just a dance party; it is a community gathering for lgbtq+Q people and allies. The crowd is diverse, though muscled circuit boys are out in force, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. Every year the production team adds thematic elements—cyberpunk visuals, interactive art installations, costumed performers—that create a sense of story across the four events. The music spans uplifting vocal house, tribal beats and progressive anthems, reflecting the breadth of DJs involved (Calagna, Tony Moran, GSP, Micky Friedmann and Oscar Velazquez). Dancers and aerialists appear throughout the nights, and the midnight countdown at the Mayan is a highlight, with giant LED screens reliving the previous year and a confetti shower that seems to go on forever【867063977323909†L55-L61】.
### Planning your trip
Tickets for the entire weekend are sold as festival passes or individually for each party. Given the popularity of the event, passes often sell out well in advance, so it is wise to secure yours early. Note that all Masterbeat events are 21 and over. Attire ranges from casual club wear to elaborate costumes inspired by the year’s theme—think holographic fabrics, metallic harnesses and LED accessories. Many locals and travellers book accommodation in Downtown Los Angeles or Hollywood to stay close to the venues; the Mayan, Belasco and Los Globos are located in or near downtown, while Avalon and Academy are in Hollywood. With more than four thousand guests attending【256388581059156†L214-L226】, hotels near the venues can fill quickly during holiday season. Arrive early each night to avoid lines, drink plenty of water and pace yourself; with events running from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. and then from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m., it truly is a marathon.
### Why attend
For many, Masterbeat’s New Year’s Los Angeles festival is a rite of passage. It offers a rare combination of cutting‑edge production, international‑quality music and a large, friendly queer crowd. The twenty‑five‑year milestone gives the 2025 edition extra significance, celebrating how far the lgbtq+Q community has come while looking toward a digital future【867063977323909†L55-L61】. Whether you are a circuit‑party veteran or looking to experience your first large‑scale gay event, the festival’s four nights offer something for everyone: nostalgia at REPLAY, spectacle at Level 25, hedonism at Dark Web Afterhours and renewal at Restart. The festival’s longevity and reputation attest to its ability to create magical shared moments on the dance floor. Plan ahead, embrace the theme and get ready to ring in 2025 with one of the world’s most unforgettable New Year’s experiences.