FINALLY! EDC Las Vegas is just days away…. And we’re excited.
For many of us this is when the summer truly takes off. Any previous festival or party is a mere fluffer for the 400,000+ raver, 200+ artist weekend of pure festival craziness. Now a world phenomenon with events in every corner of the globe, EDC Las Vegas is the largest of its kind. A true mothership of Insomniac experiences…
Every single detail is thoroughly thought out with attentive precision. From the wedding chapel, to the larger-than-life main stage production to the fire blowing art instillations, everything about EDC Las Vegas is supersized in true Vegas spirit. Hells, they don’t even have an area to vape (if that’s your thing)… They have a whole village.
Mostly, though, it’s all about the line-up. And this year’s bill is a strobe light short of seizure. Seriously; Insomniac have pulled out all the stops to ensure this year’s talent rollcall is even bigger, bolder and broader than previous years. A healthy mix of every genre you can think of and LOADS more… Whatever your electronic taste, EDC has you covered.
On a bass music perspective, we’re spoilt for choice. But rather than just list must-see acts from the bassPOD stage (which is where the party is at pretty much all of the time), here’s a top 10 of essential acts across the entire festival… And indeed musical spectrum.
If you’re heading out to Las Vegas Speedway, here are 10 of many essential acts to check between June 17-19. See you there!
Photo source: EDC Las Vegas Facebook
Caspa B2B Rusko
When: Saturday 12:30am – 1:30am
Where: bassPOD
I don’t believe I have to say much about this recommendation… Caspa & Rusko are only doing select b2b shows this year and this is sure to be a highlight. The bassPOD itself is always, year after year, one of the hottest stages. Not just in terms of line-up but the intricacy of the design is always so intriguing. I can’t wait to see what this year’s edition looks like.
Lane 8
When: Saturday 10:00pm – 11:30pm
Where: neonGARDEN
Lane 8’s ability to cater to every single ear is his crowd is something really incredible to experience. The house hero that’s been taking over the past few years will have an entire hour and a half to win you over. If his music isn’t enough – and trust me, it will be – the neonGARDEN is guaranteed to spike your senses.
Darren Styles B2B Gammer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRQfHfvT4tI
When: Saturday 3:30am – 4:00am
Where: wasteLAND
This blatantly abrupt 30-minute set is following a solo half hour from Gammer. The UK will be whole-heartedly represented with a guaranteed heart stopping performance from the two hardcore wizards. If you’ve never seen either of these dudes, stop by for a couple minutes to witness the emotion and power that comes from a hardcore set. If for some godforsaken reason you hate it, you can blame me.
Gaia
When: Sunday 2:30am – 3:30am
Where: circuitGROUNDS
Trance was tailored for star-lit events like this. And if you check one trance act, it has to be the mysterious leather-hooded Gaia…. Is their identity a secret anymore? Let’s just say both members are Dutch and one is the most influential person in trance music. Trust me when I say a performance by these two is not common, and you won’t regret it.
Culture Shock B2B Delta Heavy B2B Dimension
When: Sunday 9:00pm – 10:30pm
Where: bassPOD
Three incredible names all sloshed together to take on the bassPOD. An entire hour and a half dedicated to some knee-shaking, spine crackling bass music – Vegas isn’t going to know what hit it.
Armand van Helden
When: Saturday 12:45am – 2:00am
Where: upside-downHOUSE
This Grammy-nominated DJ/producer/remixer/legend/Duck Sauce mastermind is 100% someone we’ll be front and center for. The upside-downHOUSE is a stage design new to 2016. We don’t know much about the new design but we do know loads about Armand… House and garage doesn’t get any more authentic.
Anevo
When: Saturday 11:30pm – 12:30am
Where: stage7
stage7: usually my other favourite stage right after bassPOD. There’s always a slew of new artist names I’ve never heard before mixed with a couple familiar faces to keep them company. Anevo is sure to be one of those acts that grab your attention from the get-go.
Tycho (DJ Set)
When: Saturday 4:15am – 5:30am
Where: cosmicMEADOW
Although his 3-piece live show is something to see, a DJ set from Tycho is a blessing to the cosmicMEADOW. A wondrous garden stage that fills with bodies ready to sit, or sway or bob and groove to the blissful sounds of Tycho. Interestingly, his set is right after Shiba San on the same stage, incredibly curious to see how the vibes reach to that changeover.
Brookes Brothers B2B Cyantific B2B InsideInfo B2B The Prototypes
When: Sunday 4:30am – 5:30am
Where: bassPOD
What a mouthful. Viper recordings are represented in full force with this B2B2B2B2B2B set. That’s a total of six humans all on stage together, armed with their very best dubs… If you’re at EDC las Vegas and don’t catch this legendary hour, you can’t call yourself a drum & bass fan. It’s that simple.
Kaskade
When: Friday 1:30am – 3:00am
Where: circuitGROUNDS
An hour and a half from the EDC veteran himself. If you want to experience the most energized and PLUR-friendly set of the weekend, Kaskade is your man. Known for his mash-ups and beautiful melody-driven tracks, his sets are notorious for leaving people feeling out of breath with emotion.
This is just a miniscule taste of what EDC 2016 has to offer. If you take a look at their Experience page on their website there is a ton of exciting events, secret raves, performances and interactive activities for everyone to be involved with. Insomniac has set the bar higher than ever before with this one, and I can’t wait to experience them live up to every minute of it.
READ
