Electric Daisy Carnival 2016
For many of you planning a trip to Ibiza for an insane week of dance music, excessive alcohol consumption and general shenanigans all it takes is a few clicks of a mouse and you’re set. However, say you live in the US and want everything that Ibiza has to offer and it starts to become much more expensive and a lot more complicated. So what do you do when there’s an audience desperate for that experience? You create your own, just like Electric Daisy Carnival, the biggest non-European Electronic Music Festival there is. Originating back in 1997 in Los Angeles, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) was then just a massive rave that appeared on and off throughout the years at a variety of L.A.’s hottest venues. Forming a collective of electronic music lovers, EDC soon began to pick up steam, which soon saw the festival appearing across the US to the masses.
Fast forward to 2016 and EDC is going global with EDC Mexico only 6 weeks away and EDC New York, Las Vegas, and UK following closely behind. Holding nothing back EDC is exactly what it says; an incredible carnival full of mesmerizing sights and sounds that will astonish you from the moment you enter to the morning you leave. We can tell you’re keen to find out what’s in store so come with us for a guided tour around all four fests.First up is EDC Mexico, which takes place during the last weekend of February. The weekend’s music is spread across four stages where the stellar line up will be sending out the best mix of electronic music there is at bone shattering levels until the early hours each night. There’s even an entire stage (Local Flavour) dedicated to the finest DJs in the country if you want to check out the next big thing(s).
Like any other carnival in the world EDC Mexico has no shortage of rides for ticket holders as well as countless art exhibitions that span giant metal fire-breathing monstrosities to the more profoundly created sculpture. EDC’s finest performers can also be found in every avenue of the festival delivering their renowned array of entertainment. After a few months rest EDC then sets up shop in New York for another two-day extravaganza of music-tinged mayhem. It’s almost a carbon copy of the carnage Mexico lived through but with the Local Flavour stage swapped out for the “Cosmic Meadow”, which will transport audiences to heightened planes with Dreamstate and Bassrush hitting the stage on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
In between sets you’re encouraged to explore each area of the festival where technology and nature form in strange and beautiful ways. Feel like taking it easy for a bit and there’s the Carnival Square where you can find the rides, art installations as well as merchandise, food trucks and bars. Next is the biggie though, the EDC that blows all others out of the water and it’s EDC Las Vegas. In the past few years EDC Vegas grew to a three-day fest due to the unbelievable demand and features the biggest site with an unholy amount of stuff going on.
EDC Vegas aren’t messing about; the four stages that come as standard with any EDC festival simply aren’t enough, that’s why Vegas has 8! The first new stage is Basspod, where jungle and you guessed it, bass rule supreme. Next is Wasteland, a stage devoted to delivering the hardest subgenres at the festival all around the clock. Funkhouse brings it back for some classic old school hits, spanning R&B, Hip-hop, funk, soul and reggae. And finally there’s the Art Cars, mobile performance platforms that travel the site and sometimes put on a very special DJ set for those lucky enough to be around. The rest of the carnival is no different in terms of size. Rides are plentiful, installations are bigger and Carnival Square is home to so much more than in New York. On top of the usual services there’s Artist meet and greets, artist merch, photo ops with performers and charging booths for all your gadgets.
Now obviously it’d be cruel to entice you all with everything EDC has to offer and not tell you how to experience it without the hassle of flying stateside, so cross July 9th off on your calendar and get prepping for EDC UK. Taking place in Milton Keynes Bowl, EDC UK will be in its third year and will be aiming to make this one its best yet. With Avicii and Axwell Ù Ingrosso already announced and many more artists on the way you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for any updates. It’ll feature the usual EDC fair (pun definitely intended) and is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated dates in the summer festival calendar. Early Owl tickets are on sale now for £55 + booking fee, which is frankly a bargain for all the entertainment they manage to cram into one day.
There’s never been a better time than now so whether you’re booking tickets for the UK show or taking the plunge and enjoying EDC further afield it’ll be an experience you’ll never forget. Each festival date has its own dedicated website with information on booking, travel and everything in between so all you have to do is be there and enjoy it.
Licklist.