Feature Photo Credit: Marc Van der Aa for Insomniac Events
Perfection is defined as the quality or state of being perfect, the act or process of perfecting. Slowly exiting the Las Vegas Speedway, waving goodbye to the ultimate musical playground until next year, it was the one word that came to mind. As headliners around the globe spent their year saving money, plotting outfits and researching artists, the team at Insomniac were obviously involved in some tireless planning of their own. Just when you think an event has reached its apex, the Electric Daisy Carnival politely requests you hold its beer. With some veteran attendees proclaiming it the best EDC they had attended in years, it’s clear with each passing year the event gains a few more fans for life. So what made 2019 so special?
Venue Layout
The Las Vegas Speedway is massive yet manageable, a feat that is partially achieved by the strategic placement of stages, art cars, interactive art installations and well-thought out water and restroom placement. New this year were GA+ and VIP restrooms located right next to their GA brethren, making for quick ins and outs, no matter your wristband color, at almost any time of night (pro tip: always walk to the back!). Interactive installations were strewn throughout the festival with attendees able to relax in hammocks, play arcade games and even demolish some cars. Those without hectic set schedules had no shortage of activities with these new additions joining the usual carnival favorites.
Stage Design
Many stages underwent significant changes from years past. Quantum Valley got a welcome makeover that could pass for the megastructure’s little sister, complete with a sky high DJ booth and mesmerizing circular LED. Its move from the center of the festival to a cozy home behind the new awe inspiring Pixel Forest installation finally gave trance fam a place to call their own. Basspod traded flame shooting X’s for spiky LED’s that seemed to burst through the asphalt into the night sky. Cosmic Meadow underwent one of the most profound makeovers, with beautiful, delicate looking blooms that basked in the last hours of sunlight and at night transformed into a glowing oasis. Kinetic Field wowed attendees as it always does, radiating with lights and lasers, perfectly embodying this year’s theme, kinetic energy.
Sets, Surprises and Setbacks
As documented at length on social media, EDC’s weather this year was out of the ordinary to say the least. On Saturday night high winds temporarily closed down Quantum Valley and Kinetic Field sadly went silent for the night at prime time, leaving some artists out in the cold, literally. While there simply wasn’t enough time on the last day to accommodate every DJ who missed out, bass lovers were blessed with a bone-rattling RL Grime set Sunday at Basspod. Circuit Grounds welcomed surprise guest Skrillex who packed the stage nearly to capacity, with fans spilling out into the stage entryways. In line with the trend of unexpected DJs playing EDC’s main stage, dino dad Excision brought his talents to Kinetic Field to a sea of loyal headbangers. The Stereo Bloom stage welcomed skyrocketing talent like Noizu and Volac and drew massive crowds for heavy hitters like Chris Lake and Redlight. Honorable mention for some of the most high energy sets of the weekend goes to Corona Electric Beach. Nestled on the corner of Rainbow Road and Electric Avenue, each year the sandy stage (100 tons of sand to be exact) makes for a great pit stop as you cruise the grounds. Not only did the stage feature a wide range of genres that satisfied any thirst, including a surprise set from Party Favor on night 1, amazingly the stage had the shortest line for, you guessed it, Corona. Added bonus: they always had limes.
See You In 2020
While some may question returning to the same festival year after year, the reasoning behind EDC’s faithful fan base is this: the event evolves. From booking talent both new and legendary, to smarter layouts and even more over the top stages and entertainment, it leaves one wondering how could it ever get better than this? We’re willing to bet the Insomniac team is plotting it as we speak. Dates for next year’s event are due to drop sometime this week so it won’t be long now until the official countdown can begin!