An intensity exists among New Yorkers that is unlike any other place in the word. There was an intimate surge of emotions that sparked this past Labor Day weekend at Electric Zoo. Thousands lifted their spirits to the good life, good music, and good company. Although adverse weather conditions halted the third day, NYC still made the best of the annual tradition on Randall’s Island Park.
1. The Sunday School Vinyl Only Stage Hypnotized Us
From the minute you trek across the RKF Bridge, you know you’re in the heart of the city. Vinyl culture in NYC is massive, so the birth of Sunday School Vinyl Only stage was a blessing to wax heads everywhere. Not only did we get down to some of the funkiest rhythms and exclusive underground selections around, but we were also spellbound by the abundance of good vibes. Once the snare hits, your ears tune into the awesome outdoor setup which was reminiscent of a Brooklyn b-boy jam.
2. The True Underdog of Electric Zoo: Sunday School Grove
As much as we love to revel in the production and energy of the main stages, we were more intrigued by the smaller setups this year. Sunday School Grove was a peaceful haven for groove heads to unite and dance together. As the lights went off and the deep beats progressed, the ambiance of the circus tent resembled a blacked-out, underground New York City nightclub. (One of the coolest stages/setups we’ve ever seen.) Did we also mention that Apollonia, Chris Liebing, Josh Wink, Pete Tong, and Sasha sent us down the rabbit hole?
3. We Felt the Love during Armin Van Buuren’s Fireworks
The entire island regrouped Saturday at Main Stage West to watch the legendary trance god Armin Van Buuren close. His performance consisted of classics such as Adagio for Strings and Bloody Moon, as well as tracks like Ping Pong to satiate our main stage hunger. During mid-set, he even mixed in a snippet of his official Frozen “Let It Go” Remix. But what really made us overcome with emotion was towards the end when he played John Lennon’s “Imagine” as the fireworks/pyrotechnics went off. It was an elegant way to wrap up an eventful day.
4. Gesaffelstein Welcomed Us to the Dark Side
If by some chain of misfortune you missed Gesaffelstein’s performance, take a moment of silence for your loss. Now that we’ve addressed that, let’s highlight the greatness of the Beatport Riverside stage, one of our most hit destinations this year at Zoo. Gesaffelstein brought us a wonderfully dark combination of French techno, disco, and hard electro. His transitions were smooth and perfectly timed, never lingering on one song too long as he featured some of our favorites including Shockwave (Gesaffelstein Remix), Pursuit, and Hate Or Glory.
5. Kill the Noise Was “Right on Time” with Fresh Prince Remix
There are memorable staples to every festival that are specific to the environment. Skrillex, who usually closes out one of the main stages in some form (Skrillex, Dog Blood, Jack U) sadly didn’t get to perform this year at Electric Zoo. However, the spirit of Skrilly popped up at Kill The Noise’s face melting set with his inclusion of “Right on Time” featuring the Fresh Prince theme song interlude by Skrillz, himself, and 12th Planet.
While we were all disappointed with Sunday’s cancellation, WhiteRaverRafting.com got our closure from the after parties, especially the last minute show at Slake NYC featuring Mat Zo, What So Not, Netsky, Loudpvck, and Chase & Status. For more Electric Zoo, check out our Snapchat screen shot reviews for day one, day two, and day three.
Photo credits to aLive Coverage (first/fifth photo), Doug Van Sant (fourth photo), and Pearcey Proper (second/third/sixth photo) for Electric Zoo.
Connect with Electric Zoo NYC
www.electriczoofestival.com
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www.instagram.com/electriczoony
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