EVENTS
EXIT Festival and Sunburn Top “Best Value Music Festivals” In the World
With 2022 festival season in sight, the industry is primed for a comeback. As noted by Quartz, the average price of a concert ticket increased from just $12 in 1981 to $64 in 2017, which is nearly double the rate of inflation over the same period. Plus, given the sheer volume of artists on the average music festival lineup combined with the higher production budget, the premium per ticket well exceeds that of the average show. In a data-driven exercise, Cool Camping sought to compile a list of the “Best Value Festivals” using a distinct set of criteria. The company compared the price consumers pay for tickets against a variety of factors, including a combination of a proprietary “Headliner Value” formula, the price of a beer, the cost of food, and the number of days...
Fascinating Roots of Electric Forest Revealed In New Documentary, “A Million Shining Lights”
The fascinating origin story behind one of the world’s most beloved music festivals, Electric Forest, will soon be revealed. A forthcoming documentary titled A Million Shining Lights – 10 Years Of Electric Forest will recap some of the countless fan and artist experiences that have made this legendary, Rothbury-based electronic music fest the phenomenon it is today. The documentary’s trailer scratches the surface level details of how exactly one of EDM’S most highly regarded festival experiences came to find a home at the Double JJ Resort. The plot of land that organizers were pitched was spacious, but densely populated with trees and foliage, which was initially seen as a drawback to the viewing experience. However, Electric Forest proprietors saw the potential in ...
Above & Beyond to Perform From Peak of Colombia’s Historic, 650-Foot El Peñón
Move over, Kaskade: Above & Beyond are coming for the title of most breathtaking livestreamed DJ set of the year. Much like Kaskade, who recently performed from a bird’s eye view at the site of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the legendary Above & Beyond trio are similarly taking dance music to new heights with the help of Cercle. This December, Above & Beyond will perform from the top of El Peñón de Guatapé, a natural landmark in Piedra del Peñol, Colombia. Also known as The Stone of El Peñol, the granite monolith towers over 650 feet tal, and can be summited via an equal number of steps embedded in the side of the structure. As Atlas Obscura points out, the landmark was historically revered as a subject of worship by the indigenous ...
Excision Releases Full Thunderdome 2020 Set With 4K Show Footage: Watch
It’s always a treat to listen to Excision‘s recorded DJ sets, but nothing beats hearing the bass alongside his jaw-dropping visuals. In honor of his recently-revealed event, The Thunderdome, the dubstep titan has uploaded his entire performance from its 2020 iteration in dazzling 4K. Fans may remember that the momentous event served as the debut of Excision’s insane stage production, The Evolution. It’s fun to hear classics like “Gold” be played out and see fans’ brains malfunction due to what they’re hearing and seeing at the same time. You can relive Excision’s entire set from The Thunderdome 2020 in 4K below. It’s the closest you can get to The Thunderdome without needing to do your neck stretches. Recommended Articles The...
Armin van Buuren Lights Up United Center During Chicago Bulls Halftime Performance
Over the weekend, Armin van Buuren joined the Chicago Bulls on the court during their game against the Knicks, but the 6’2” producer didn’t quite make his NBA debut in the traditional sense. He did, however, light up the Bulls’ home of the United Center with a halftime DJ set that brought over 20,000 fans to their feet. van Buuren opened with a surefire favorite, the Bulls’ introduction theme, which was famously remixed by Pretty Lights a decade ago. From there, van Buuren introduced a pumping kick drum and arpeggiated bassline before transitioning the dance cadence into some of his own music, such as “Blah Blah Blah” and “No Fun.” The Bulls rolled out the red mats for the trance music legend as the team’s dedicated tumbling team ...
Photos: Relive the Electrifying Energy of Dreamstate SoCal 2021
Out of the many illustrious music festivals hosted by Insomniac each year, Dreamstate SoCal has earned a special place in the hearts of electronic music fans. With trance music at its core—along with the euphoric energy at the genre’s bedrock—Dreamstate is in a league of its own. Dreamstate SoCal touched down once again at the NOS Events Center this past weekend, bringing in renowned artists like Ferry Corsten, Aly & Fila, Gareth Emery, and Andrew Rayel for a one-of-a-kind two day festival. With dozens of other artists performing across four stages, such as Ilan Bluestone, Infected Mushroom, Arty’s Alpha 9, Gabriel & Dresden, Paul Van Dyk, BT, Darude, HALIENE and more, this year’s Dreamstate reinforced the fest as the go-to trance and progressive festival in the s...
RÜFÜS DU SOL Bring Bob Moses, Monolink, More Together for Destination Event, Sundream Tülüm
Tropical weather, white sand beaches, and RÜFÜS DU SOL. Sounds dreamy, right? Nearly a month after the release of their long-awaited fourth studio album Surrender, the Australian trio have announced a destination event hosted at Papaya Playa Project, a sustainable boutique hotel complex and self-proclaimed “creative playground.” Known for bridging hospitality, community, sustainability, art and culture in Quintana Roo, Papaya Playa Project will present the inclusive experience from March 10th to 13th, 2022. This immersive, four-day weekender will blend day into night, offering replenishing wellness activities, intimate DJ sets, live performances, and more. Beautiful beachfront villas and casitas will also be available as well as top-notch culinary programmin...
Pollen Presents Takes Over the Grand Oasis for Epic First-Ever Electric Zoo Cancún
Pollen Presents has had a landmark year defining and developing a new epoch of live music experiences. Teaming up with some of the most renowned artists in contemporary music—such as Justin Bieber and J Balvin—for exclusive takeovers and one-of-a-kind destination fests, Pollen is positioning itself as the go-to travel experience brand. So when Electric Zoo announced they’d be collaborating with Pollen last summer, the music community was ablaze with the prospect of bringing the iconic New York-based EDM spectacular to the idyllic beaches of Cancún. Electric Zoo Cancún. Jarett Lopez/EDM.com Originally slated to run April 7th to 11th, 2021, the festival moved forward last weekend at the Grand Oasis Cancún. As is standard with many Pollen events, the ...
Dreamstate SoCal 2021: Set Times, COVID-19 Guidelines, and Everything Else You Need to Know
Having traveled across the country to six cities and four countries, Dreamstate is returning home to the NOS Events Center in San Bernadino, California on Friday, November 19th and Saturday, November 20th. EDM.com is here to help you navigate the festival’s COVID-19 policies, figure out travel plans, and provide all the lineup and schedule information you need to know to have a seamless festival experience. If you have yet to secure your tickets, last-minute passes are still available for a limited time and you can grab them here. COVID-19 PROTOCOLS Although it can feel as if we’ve gone through the pandemic and reemerged on the other side, a copy of your vaccination card, digital vaccine record, or negative COVID-19 test will be required to gain entry into t...
Northern Nights, Electronic Music Festival With Legal Cannabis Consumption, to Return in 2022
Cannabis-forward festival Northern Nights is welcoming electronic music fans back to the dank side in 2022. Northern Nights organizers have announced that the festival will return to California’s idyllic Redwood Forest from July 15-17, 2022 at Cook’s Valley Campground in Piercy. They’ve put together a stellar lineup for the event’s 2022 edition, which will feature performances from TroyBoi, CloZee, SNBRN, Elderbrook, J. Worra, Claude VonStroke, and Qrion, among others. More artists will be announced in the weeks ahead. One of the most unique features of the boutique electronic music festival is its River Stage, where fans can float on the sun-kissed Eel River while jamming out to live music. Jamal Eid Recommended Articles Northern Nights’ pièce de résistance, ho...
Tiësto Is Headlining the First-Ever EDM Show at Nickelodeon Universe
When you’ve performed at virtually every major music festival and nightclub in the world, where are you supposed to go? Apparently for Tiësto, it’s a children’s amusement park. The electronic music legend has been confirmed as the headliner for the first-ever EDM show at Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream, a venue that has sold more Spongebob plush toys than rave tickets. Before you roll your eyes—the concert is actually a cool pivot for Tiësto, who became a father in November 2020. Ergo, it’s a good chance to put some tiny Nickelodeon swag on his rider. The show will go down next week on Thanksgiving Eve, November 24th. Yes, admission includes access to all of the amusement’s parks attractions and rides. Nan Palmero/Wikimedia Commons Recommended Arti...
Excision Reveals the Next Chapter of “The Thunderdome”
Grab your neckbrace—it’s almost time to enter the Thunderdome. Outside of Excision‘s world-class festivals, Lost Lands and Bass Canyon, are a number of ancillary events that amass a congregation of headbangers and bass music enthusiasts from all over the world. One of the most notable of these branded events is “The Thunderdome,” which brings some of the biggest artists in bass out to the West Coast for an intense two-day audiovisual experience. This afternoon Excision revealed who will be joining him at the electrifying show in Tacoma next year. Accompanying him and his jaw-dropping Evolution stage production are Liquid Stranger, 12th Planet, ATLiens, Dion Timmer, Riot Ten, Vampa, Blunts & Blondes, JEANIE, Kompany, Ray Volpe, and more. The event is spread out o...
