written by Don Idio
We are just about a week away from making our journey to Las Vegas for the sold out 20th anniversary of EDC, and my excitement levels are real high. After being unable to make the trip for so many years, I can’t wait to see what EDC has in store.
Tons of parties (21+) will be taking place all day and night leading up to the festival as a part of EDC Week. For example, Friday alone presents anyone vacationing in Vegas with the choice of seeing Afrojack at Wet Republic, Bassjackers & MakJ at Drai’s Beachclub, BlasterJaxx at Tao Beach, Cash Cash at Marquee Dayclub, Morgan Page at Daylight Beachclub, or GTA at Liquid Pool. Just make sure you pace yourself and get enough sleep in between pool parties during the day and the festival at night. The full list of EDC Week parties can be found here.
Anyone interested in getting an inside look at the music industry should consider checking out the fifth annual EDMBiz conference, featuring talks by keynote speakers Armin Van Buuren, Bob Lefsetz, Junkie XL, Moby, and Pasquale Rotella. A full list of discussion topics can be found here; check the event’s website for scheduling updates.
All three tiers of badges are still available for purchase.The Neon Badge ($149.99) grants access to expanded Expo floor and exclusive club shows, pool parties and networking events. The Kinetic Badge ($299.99) grants additional access to the Stage Two programming floor, and the Wide Awake Badge ($399.99) is your all-access to main hall panels and keynote presentations.
EDC’s production is set to astound, with seven stages (Kinetic Field, Cosmic Meadow, Circuit Grounds, Neon Grounds, BassPod, WasteLand, Upside-down House), Art Cars with surprise sets, and—what I’m looking forward to most—the EDC Parade. At midnight each night, a fleet of tricked out art on wheels will make its way around the grounds, along with EDC’s renowned dancers and performers. The addition of the Memory Lane video tunnel lets attendees relive 20 years of EDC through photos, graphic art, and video footage; one of the many ways this festival continues to innovate in new and exciting ways.
EDC truly takes on the look and feel of a carnival (so much so at this year’s EDC New York, parents even showed up with young children hoping to munch on cotton candy and ride some rides!), creating a playground of music and wonder that has kept fans coming back for two decades. The event is a both a tribute to the legacy of the music that makes EDC what it is today, and a celebration of newness and growth. I am thrilled to be joining the thousands of people who have come to know what dancing “under the electric sky” feels like…see you in Vegas!