Pasquale Rotella Facebook
We knew that we were in for something special for this year’s EDC’s 20th anniversary in Las Vegas. The hype was overwhelming the waiting was unbearable, but it was all worth it. What we were given was a whole new world of stages, art installations, and pure magic. Let’s take a look at this year’s stages, because Insomaniac did not hold back this year.
kineticFIELD
For this year’s new kinecticFIELD, the main stage was completely redone, and although we still had our owls, we had something completely different. Officially named the kinecticTEMPLE, we were provided with a 446 feet by 95 feet tall messive structure that blew us away with 1,400 light fixtures, 26 lasers, 33 flame units, and over 800 LED panels. With the capacity of almost 70,000 (half of the attendees per day!), it was a nonstop bombardment of fire, water and lights while the crowd lost themselves in the music three nights in a row. With artists such as The Magician, Jauz, Anna Lunoe, Seven Lions, Mercer, Alison Wonderland, DJ Snake and more, it was not only the place to be, but
aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac
Jake West for Insomniac
cosmicMEADOW
With an endless grassy field and enough bleachers for you friends to rest, rave, and repeat, cosmicMEADOW is always a Headliner favorite for it’s variety in ways to enjoy the show. Instead of one large concave panel of LEDs, this year Audiotistic took control by placing host to a 253 feet by 60 feet tall massive stretch of five huge LED panels (equating to more than 600 individual) that projected and blossomed all of the amazing artists as a focal point of light, fire, and enough confetti explosions to make Disney World jealous. The variety of music showcased was everything, whether is was Shiba San’s bass-heavy tech house set on Saturday night, Knife Party’s electro house heavy firestorm on Friday night, or the endless funk that Hermitude helped start off Sunday on Day Three with, this stage did no artist or Headliner wrong.
aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac
Freedom Film LLC for Insomniac
circuitGROUNDS
Last year we could not get over how massive circuitGROUNDS has grown. With sets like Eric Prydz that contained enough lasers and feels that we were all crying by the time that he premiered his timeless track “Opus” and not wanting it to ever end. However this year when Pasquale announced that the stage would be about three times larger, we weren’t sure if Insomniac had lost their mind or had some magical powers to construct such a place. Well, we went, we saw, and we still can’t properly describe this place. Doing away with the domed structure, Insomniac went with an all encompassing visual experience that reminded us of kinecticFIELD in 2012. Endless towers of fire and light, gave everyone a 360 experience that had to be seen to believe. From Eric Prydz giving us a magical and emotional progressive house journey, to Above & Beyond having us all us crying and hugging our loved ones, to GAIA bringing some powerful trance, words can not truly describe this place.
aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac
http://ajrphotos.com/ via Eric Prydz Facebook
Above and Beyond Facebook
neonGARDEN
Get down, get funky, get your two-step, your shuffle and whatever else you need, and bring your energy, because neonGARDEN can’t stop, won’t stop. Last year neonGARDEN gave us streams of lights that make a chasing chandelier of light that was hard to look away from. This year inside the massive teepee of light, Insomaniac upgraded that chandelier to a 9-foot disco ball that when hit with light, conducted a kaleidoscope of sparkling and shimmering designs on rooftop canvas. From the extended sets of UMEK closing out Day 2, Chris Liebing bringing more energy than most electro house artists can garner, to the funky Dirtybird beats of J.Phlip, it was hard to ever leave this temple of techno, tech house, and more.
Freedom Film LLC for Insomniac
Insomniac via UMEK Facebook
bassPOD
This year’s bassPOD was not too different from last year’s in terms of design and energy, and we had zero complains with that. Surrounded by criss-crossed sentinels of fire, light, and fireworks behind it to bring anyone back to life, it was explosive, with energy. With insane sets like 12th Planet B2B Protohype B2B LUMBERJVCK, Excision, Andy C, and Eptic B2B Must Die!, I hope to God that you had earplugs in, or otherwise you better go see a Otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor for those of us who are still not thinking correctly).
Freedom Film LLC for Insomniac
wasteLAND
Last year we were taken to the after effects of fall out in NYC, and this year, we saw what happens when the apocalypse came to San Francisco. With an immense crab destroying the Golden Gate bridge, along with the chaos of ships and shipping containers being strewn everywhere, it was the perfect Basscon experience where artists such as Darren Styles, Code Black, Adaro, and more gave us enough music to turn the paved dancefloor into sand.
The Holy Mountain for Insomniac
upside-downHOUSE
Last year we had the funkHOUSE, and this year Insomniac flipping things around with the upside-downHOUSE. A stage literally flipped on it’s head gave us that old west coast underground sound featuring many 90s warhouse legends. It was a smaller stage, but one with no less energy. Being consistently mixed with house, nu disco, and funky beats, you could always see people smiling, dancing, shuffling, and having contests to see who’s dance jump could propel the endless array of beach balls the highest. Bad Boy Bill, Armand van Helden, Bill Kenny, and more played as though they were the ones that caused the house to flip upside down, but most likely, it was the Headliners, causing earthquakes all around.
EDC Website http://lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/
Eric Scire for Insomniac
We will definitely see you next year at the Speedway!
Connect with EDC Las Vegas:
http://lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/
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https://twitter.com/EDC_LasVegas
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