The Insomniac

photo by roger kisby

vol004 PUBLISHER Pasquale Rotella

PHOTO EDITOR EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bennett Sell-Kline Simon Rust Lamb COPY EDITOR EDITORIAL DIRECTORS Monica Howe Rich Thomas, Rob Simas DESIGNER EDITORS S W \ T C H Joe Wiseman, John Ochoa, Katie Bain, Troy Kurtz EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Anum Khan, Sam Yu INTERN David Matthews

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ARTISTS Adi Adinayev, Ariya Behjat, Barrie Martelle, Beau McGavin, Birdman, Doug Van Sant, Erik Kabik, Erik Voake, Jacob Lifschultz, James Warner, Jason Adam, Kenneth Tin-Kin Hung, Martin Liveratore, Nate Prophet, Roger Kisby, Skyler Greene, Traminal, Wojciech Pijecki CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andrea Domanick, Angel Blanco, Brooke Nelson, Chris Muniz, Deanna Rilling, Monica Van Rosendale, Peter Holslin, Quincie Stewart, Roger Kisby, Thomas Kelley INSOMNIAC 9441 West Olympic Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90212 2015 Insomniac Holdings, LLC. The reproduction or redistribution of content inside The Insomniac print magazine, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited.

To correspond, contribute, critique or learn more, email editorial@insomniac.com.

WIDE AWAKE SINCE ’93

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photo by barrie martelle

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A LETTER FROM PASQUALE

EDC 2014: THE BREAKDOWN

NOCTURNAL WONDERLAND: YEAR ONE

CULTURE SHOCK

VEGAS IS BEAUTIFUL

COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS

THE MAGIC HOUR

HEADLINER DREAMS

MAN IN THE MIRROR

FIELD OF DREAMS

GLOBAL GATHERING BIRDS OF A FEATHER ADAPT AND OVERCOME THE SOUND OF SCIENCE 60 66 72 76 81 84 90 92 94 100 102 104

04 07 10 16 18 24 26 35 44 46 48 50 55 58

CREATIVE IMMERSION WHO’S WHO? SEND IN THE CLOWNS PILOTS OF THE ELECTRIC SKY A MAN NAMED BEAR THE BEST MEDICINE STAGE PRESENCE A SPECIAL MESSAGE WELCOME TO THE CRYSTAL VILLAGE A TALE OF TWO CITIES LOVE NOTES IN MEMORY OF MAMA IRENE

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photo by bennett sell-kline

HEADLINERS, IT IS TIME FOR US to reunite in the desert and make new memories Under the Electric Sky. This is a journey we take together—always connected and committed to one another. For me, this journey began over 20 years ago, before the first Insomniac event in Los Angeles. Back then, I was just a kid with a backpack full of lollipops, handing out treats to smiling faces. It was an environment where all were welcome and willing to accept one another with open arms.

When I look out into kineticFIELD now, I see all those same beautiful souls shining together. That unity is what strengthens us as Headliners. We show connectivity in a world of divisiveness. We spread love in the face of animosity. We recognize what it means to be a part of the human race. We dance to make room for our dreams. We are, as my Mama Irene used to say, “Paradise Kids.”

EDC is more than just a party. It’s an opportunity to put the world on hold and escape to a place where anything is possible. It’s a time to celebrate all the wonderful gifts we’ve been given. And if you’ve been going through tough times, it’s a chance to surround yourself with love and healing energy from other Headliners.

So, what is a Headliner?

It’s a common question from people who have yet to experience Insomniac festivals and tap into their unique and powerful energy.

Those who have danced and laughed and loved with us before know that it’s more than just a name or a label. Being a Headliner means looking at the world a little differently and seeing beauty and inspiration everywhere you look. It’s about lifting up the people around you and making time for your family and friends.

We are all Headliners, traveling through life arm-in-arm with our brothers and sisters, and I’m honored to share this time with all of you.

—PASQUALE ROTELLA

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electric daisy carnival

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infographic by martin liveratore

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WITH THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF NOCTURNAL WONDERLAND UPON US, TAKE A TRIP BACK THROUGH TIME WITH SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WHEN IT ALL BEGAN. words by thomas kelley | photos by beau mcgavin + james warner THIS HOME OF DREAMS is ghostly tonight, like Downtown Los Angeles seemed for so many years. On a late March evening this past winter, the birthplace of Insomniac’s Nocturnal Wonderland—at 2708 East Cesar E. Chavez Avenue—looks like an empty two-story mansion with boarded-up windows, red brick walls, and Spanish arches that hide deep rooms and long staircases. The streets around it feel eerie, not a soul walking about.

It was here, just east of the Los Angeles River in Boyle Heights—more than 20 years ago, on Saturday, February 11, 1995—that a line of ravers stretched around the block as bass throbbed from the inside. They were part of a new era, not just for Insomniac’s hometown, but for a movement reaching far outside its dusty, fractured concerns. You can almost see their afterimage.

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“A concrete warehouse vibrates with each dropping beat,” a Net.Werk zine profile of Insomniac began, published a few months before the first Nocturnal. “The hard walls covered with visions of psychedelic dreams, an array of colors splashes against the wave of dancers in unison with the rumbling bass.

Oversize, red and white hats bob up and down in this sea of sweat-soaked speaker stompers, whistles screech and voices scream in ecstasy of the heavy beat.”

The year prior, Pasquale Rotella had thrown a Friday night weekly called “Insomniac.” It was often touch and go. The map point—the first stop you’d have to hit to get the location of the party itself—was run off the front table of a coffee shop unaware of his underground operation. Locations were hard to secure and sometimes in rough neighborhoods.

From the start, his parties harkened to the good vibes of L.A.’s initial 1990–92 rave boom. For Rotella, the sound of those good vibes was “techno,” which at the time had come to mean a swaggering hybrid of every electronic dance style that came before it. It was synonymous with the West Coast’s biggest raves.

“It was everything. If that event didn’t go on tonight, if it wasn’t good, my life was over.

That’s how I felt.”

“A lot of people at the time said it was a very bad idea to do a techno party, but that was the music I liked,” Rotella told Net.Werk editor Lisa Pisa in that same October 1994 article, pointing to the more opiate flavors of dance that were splintering off into the L.A. after-hours scene. “The whole year when I would go out, there was nothing I would enjoy going to. I was sick of going out and not having as good a time as I used to in the scene. I wanted to feel like a kid again.”

Both nostalgic and futuristic, Nocturnal Wonderland was designed to open the door to a bright origin myth by looping back to rave’s genesis. For inspiration, he chose Lewis Carroll’s timeless books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.

“It was something I just naturally gravitated toward,” he says now. “I wanted people to go on an adventure when they came to my shows. It was perfectly fitting—going to find venues and warehouses and going into these worlds.”

Part fairy tale exuberance, part adult contemplation, Nocturnal Wonderland’s mission was to remind the rave scene of its prime directive: to bring people together on one dancefloor.

DJ Joel “Mojo” Semchuck, who played the first Nocturnal, remembers techno as highly eclectic music filled with a sharp attitude and heavy vibes in the low end. Some of its biggest signatures ranged from R&S’s rolling, elastic classic “Dominator” by Human Resource, to the black R&B soul of “Show Me Love” by Robin S., house rhythms bouncing through the octaves and her voice burning from the inside.

“Techno was a little bit higher energy,” says Mojo. “It had more breakbeats, more sirens and the ‘Dominator’-style, the really powerful synth stabs. When people think of techno, they think of Detroit, or they think breakbeat or proto-jungle, because all that stuff was mixed in together: Belgian techno and Dutch techno and Detroit techno and UK breakbeat techno. It was just a mishmash of styles, and even some house and acid house and trance-y stuff all mixed in together. That’s what made what we called ‘techno’ techno.”

Net.Werk’s Pisa describes it today in more native terms: “L.A. had a very urban, almost heavy bass, hip-hop feel to it, with a little bit of G-funk in there. It just had a different feeling than the other cities that were putting out techno at the time.”

By the mid-‘90s, dance music was breaking up into segregated universes. Insomniac wanted to hold them together, while keeping the door open to newcomers. And the first Nocturnal Wonderland was Rotella’s biggest shot at pushing that frontier.

“It was kind of funny,” says Jason Blakemore, aka DJ Trance, who was an up-andcoming DJ from suburban Orange County.

“Insomniac wanted to do an ‘old-school’ thing in 1995—go back to 1991, 1992—but it had only been a couple years since the rave explosion. It was going so fast back then.”

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people to board buses that took us to the location about two blocks away. Let off the bus, there was an even bigger line to get in.

At around 3 a.m., capacity of about 1,000 was reached easily with over 500 kids trying to get in. Inside, the place was packed.”

Blakemore was on the bill for the main room, both to DJ and play live with local acid breaks producer Mike Knapp, aka Xpando.

“I remember it being dark with red walls, going up the stairs, being sweaty, carrying my records, all the DJs being there waiting, stressed and being sweaty too,” Blakemore says. “I just jumped on. I don’t remember if I was even quite supposed to play right then.”

Like any rave, the music was loud, a mix of chaos and rhythmic order. “It was the Wild West out there,” recalls Mike Gutierrez, who owned the infamous Shredder sound company that worked Nocturnal that night. “The thing about the music, that bassline, I never felt like I had to get high. When I stood in front of the speakers and that sound moved me... it felt like you were swimming in an ocean, and the water was pushing you one way or the other. I could just close my eyes.”

Everyone’s retinas received waves of energy, too. Upstairs and downstairs, Rotella bathed every surface with blacklights, loops

It may seem obvious now, but kids throwing underground parties in forgotten parts of L.A.—using pagers and first-generation mobile phones to do it—was like landing on Mars in 1991 or 1995.

“Nowadays, we take for granted all our technology resources,” says Jason Bentley, KCRW’s music director and a regular DJ at early Nocturnals. “Back then, it didn’t stop anybody. It was more of a challenge: voicemail lines, map points, crisscrossing Southern California. It was unbelievable. It’s like water.

Water just finds its way. It will keep going around and carving its way to its ultimate destination. That was always part of the rave scene. It really needed to be an adventure, and it definitely was.”

“I was 19, going on 15,” laughs Rotella. “I was very young. I didn’t know who was going to show up or how many people. I could see nothing else but this party. Like, kill me if nobody shows up tonight. It was everything.

If that event didn’t go on tonight, if it wasn’t good, my life was over. That’s how I felt.”

A review of the party in Net.Werk puts about 1,500 ravers in Boyle Heights that night: “Following the voicemails, we parked at a Ralph’s and waited among about 500

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and lasers. “I used to have these lights called ‘oil wheels,’” he remembers. “They were these glass circles, with very thin, thin glass...

When you turned it on, the wheel would spin, the oils would melt and the colors would mix.

I had to hit the wall at the right angle and just make that wall melt.”

Aldo Bender, a surfer DJ known then for his progressive techno, was on the second floor with Blakemore. “I think that was the first event Pasquale had hired me,” he says.

“It was hot. It was on one of the floors; once you were up there, big light productions, technicolor parade, projections everywhere.

It was a good crowd with great energy.”

The energy that night was pulsing like the binary on/off switch of a city computer. While Blakemore and Xpando performed live as Rebirth, the power to their DAT (digital audio tape) machine kept going out. Panicked, Blakemore looked back many times and thought he saw Bender bobbing his chair back, bumping the power cord.

“Aldo Bender being back there, bumping the plug and it shutting off—we were playing a lot from a DAT, and I think maybe he was messing with us for relying on it,” Blakemore says with a laugh. “Or maybe it was just a mistake. You know how these things go. It probably wasn’t even him, but some other DJ.” Despite the hiccups, one live track in particular captured the night: Rebirth’s “Pure.” As Blakemore recounts, the song was inspired by Scott Hardkiss’ “Raincry” as God Within. But Xpando and Blakemore’s take on that spiritualist sound was unique. It wobbles along to a rubbery bassline and hi-hats syncopating like flamenco castanets, a long magic-carpet ride for the dancefloor. But it’s the male vocals gasping in a kind of morning prayer that set “Pure” apart, rising for several bars without beats, giving dancers a dawn within.

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“It’s like water. Water just finds its way.

“Xpando and Trance, they had just It will keep going around and carving its put out their Rebirth record, which was getting lots of play,” remembers Pisa. way to its ultimate destination. That was “We were very proud of them, bealways part of the rave scene. It really cause they were local boys who had made this hit. And then seeing them needed to be an adventure.” live in the underground environment was pretty awesome.”

DJ R.A.W.—who records today as dubstep artist 6Blocc, and would go have their faces etched into my brain,” on to spearhead L.A.’s drum & bass scene— says Rotella. “There were these characwas also tearing it up that night. ters, and they made these events fun. I “R.A.W. was such a skilled DJ,” says didn’t know their names, but they were Jeff Adachi, aka DJ Simply Jeff. “He something else. was able to take that same influence— “There was this guy—he wore a Domino’s scratching and cut & paste—and go nuts. Pizza shirt. I think he would literally get off When he came on, he was just incredibly, work delivering pizza and rock his shirt, and technically good.” that was his trademark. I don’t know if he re“I don’t remember who was playing— ally worked there, but that’s what I imagined. probably R.A.W.,” says Arturo Cazares, a “There were these other two guys that longtime raver who remembers one thing would wear giant overalls,” he says, recalling clearest about that night: “But everyone ravers like a DJ recalls records. “They would speaker humping made the second floor wear Cat in the Hat hats—one red and white, feel like we were gonna end up on the and one green and purple. They would alfirst floor.” ways roll through together. You could never “It went off,” says Rotella. “It was a see their eyes; they’d always have their hats good feeling. But I was worried about the pulled really low, and they’d always be hangfloor at one point. I never thought about ing out next to the speakers. that until all those people were there, and “And you had these two girls that were like I was suddenly worried about it collaps- the girl versions of them. They had the best ing. It was just so crowded.” style. They’d change it up and kind of match In its purest form, the rave scene was a little bit, with furry overalls and their hats about freedom of thought—not just in pulled down. They had really white faces, like the music, but in the way people moved they were powdered, with bright red lipstick, and dressed. “It was all about how much and you couldn’t see their eyes. They were imagination you could bring to the really mysterious looking. event,” says Bentley.

“There was a dude that always had a cane,” “There were a handful of people he says. “He’d be in the dance circles. There that were there that—still to this day—I was a guy that had the hugest hat ever. You could see him in the room no matter where you were standing.”

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“You’d get people from all over,” says Pisa.

“All the San Fernando Valley kids ended up knowing each other; you’d meet up in Los Angeles. And then you’d get the East L.A. kids.

You’d get the South L.A. kids. We all came together from different parts of Los Angeles to party at these events, and I loved that it had that diversity. I would have never gone to East L.A. if it weren’t for undergrounds.

I would not really know much about it, or go to South Central. I would never get to experience these types of neighborhoods.”

“There were people coming from upperand middle-class neighborhoods, connecting with breakdancing music and freestyle,” says Adachi of the era. “There were people from lower incomes connecting.

You weren’t there because you thought it was the cool thing; you really had to like the music. There were people there who were into computers, like programmers.

There were lots of musicians, sound engineering students, fashion people, a lot of people interested in the next level of technology, music and art.”

“It was people’s lives,” says Rotella.

“They didn’t like any other type of music. They didn’t go to any other kinds of events. They were hardcore. The people that were behind the scenes, it was

do-it-yourself, just like punk rock. They had to do it themselves to make it happen. And society was against you. You were an outcast.

You were not accepted.”

Frank Acevedo, who has co-owned the space on Cesar E. Chavez for more than a decade, was heavily involved with the ‘90s rave scene himself. As a teen, he worked for old-school promoters like Daven “The Mad Hatter” Michaels and Tef Foo. “Growing up in Rampart and MacArthur Park, what was happening all around me was the beginning of these violent street gangs,” he says. “I didn’t want to have any part of it, and the easiest thing for me to do was to participate in this alternative movement—which may have saved my life.”

Acevedo and his team are currently reinventing the space, reopening this year as the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory for kids. It will include classes on electronic music, Ableton Live and DJing.

“I would love to have some kind of reunion—an anniversary kind of thing at the venue,” says Acevedo. “We’re trying to get the next generation involved with electronic music, to take it forward.”

Back west across the river, the city’s heart is pulsing with money and a cultural renaissance that is turning heads across the country. Last year, GQ dubbed Downtown Los Angeles “America’s Next Great City.”

But the rave scene was decades ahead, making noise and attracting spirits to its nocturnal wonders long before Downtown was cool. You can still feel the vibrations, and the afterimages remain, providing inspiration for the next wave of rebels and dreamers and dancers.

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CO

A CULTURE OF

words by deanna rilling | photos by erik kabik

INSOMNIAC’S CHARITABLE GIVING INITIATIVE IS HELPING CULTURE SHOCK LAS VEGAS EMPOWER YOUTH THROUGH DANCE. SOMEWHERE IN LAS VEGAS, beyond the neon lights and multi-million-dollar productions on the Strip, 25 kids are making a difference through dance. They are the youth of Culture Shock, a nonprofit dance company and recipient of a donation from the Insomniac Charitable Giving Initiative.

“Our mission is using dance to empower the youth, give them the chance to have a voice and give them other options and lifestyles than what’s negative out there,” says Culture Shock Executive Director Vangie Bisquera-Golda. “They can be proud and embrace acceptance, achievement and self-confidence.”

Culture Shock originated in San Diego in 1993 with Nike Fitness Trainer Angie Bunch. Two years later, Culture Shock Las Vegas began with director Darryl Thomas.

“We’re going into our 20th year,” says Bisquera-Golda, “and pretty much the vision is: We want to be innovative in our performance, artistic development and community enrichment, [bringing] hip-hop

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dance to diverse audiences.” However, she adds, “We’re not really all hip-hop anymore. We call it ‘urban’ because it’s what’s out there and what the kids see. Some of our dancers are technical dancers, and they’re able to make us a little bit more urban contemporary and more diverse now. We like to be different, and we don’t quite fit any genre right now.”

Currently in the program are approximately 25 students, ranging from seven to 18 years old, as well as 25 adults. Interested dancers audition for their spot, and many earn a scholarship to participate. “The adults in our program turn into volunteers and become directors or lead choreographers,” says Bisquera-Golda.

“It’s a lot of giving back. Our program is all volunteer—even myself and the board members. Even the veterans that left are still coming back and helping out with choreography.”

“I think a lot of times, the kids just don’t have a voice; they don’t have self-confidence. This is somewhere they can excel.”

Some of those veterans include dancers that have fine-tuned their skills and gone on to perform with Cirque du Soleil in the Michael Jackson One show at Mandalay Bay. “They were in our program when they were 14, and now they’re in their 20s and 30s, and they still come back and help us out,” Bisquera-Golda says. “They just want to make sure it has continued success because of what it’s done for them.”

But even with its success so far, Culture Shock still faces challenges that the Insomniac donation will help overcome. It’s being funded by the most ambitious program in the five-year history of Insomniac’s Charitable Giving Initiative. For the first time ever, the walk into a place. They’d have costumes and look like a team coming company spearheaded an extensive auction in which dozens of Las in, rather than just whatever T-shirt they have.”

Vegas and EDC-related experiences—including the opportunity to With a variety of performances at events, such as Teach for America arrive at the festival via helicopter and be onstage with a DJ during at the Smith Center and the NBA Summer League halftime show, the their set at EDC—were made available to the public. The money youth of Culture Shock have proved their work hard and dedication. raised from the auction—over $70,000—will help Culture Shock That drive extends into their academics, as participants must mainaddress some of its most pressing needs. tain good grades in order to remain in the program. It’s an additional “The biggest obstacle we have right now is trying to find a home. positive influence that comes from having several volunteers who are We don’t really have a studio because of funds,” says Bisquera-Golalso educators. da. For the time being, EOS Fitness allows Culture Shock to re“I’ve been teaching for 20-something years,” says Bisquera-Golda, hearse in their space after-hours. With their own studio space, they’ll “and I think a lot of times the kids just don’t have a voice; they don’t have be able to hold additional rehearsals, as well as allowing more kids self-confidence. Being in our program, some of the shy kids are able into the program. to express themselves another way, and they feel good when they’re The donation will also help the program up its performance in front of the crowd. It builds self-esteem, and it gives them another game. “Most of the time, we just tell the kids, ‘Okay, this is the color outlet. Not everybody can be good at certain sports, and this is somescheme, and come up with whatever gear you have,’ and they just where they can excel. Hopefully, with the self-confidence they have, put it together. It’d be nice for them to have something when they they can feel they can do anything.”

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words by andrea domanick | photos by birdman + justkids

EVERY FESTIVAL HAS A VISUALLY DEFINING ELEMENT. AT LIFE IS BEAUTFUL, IT’S THE MURALS THAT LINE THE STREETS OF ITS URBAN VENUE. RETURNING TO LAS VEGAS for a third year this September 25–27, Life Is Beautiful isn’t quite like any other festival out there.

Spanning more than 15 city blocks in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas, Life Is Beautiful is billed as a lifestyle festival and is a celebration of equal parts music, food, art and learning.

Past lineups have included Kanye West and Foo Fighters, celebrity chefs José Andrés and Hubert Keller, speakers Pussy Riot and Penn & Teller, and artists Chuck Close and D*Face.

This year, Insomniac is curating its own dance music stage and experience.

The festival’s visual hallmark is its mural program Rise Above, which features dozens of original, large-scale street artworks brought to life on the walls of motels, parking lots and other structures in the days before the festival by an international cast of renowned artists. Many are left up until the following year, when they’re either retouched or repurposed for another artwork.

Helmed by curator Charlotte Dutoit of the artist collective Justkids, the project takes its inspiration from Miami’s Wynwood Art District and features work from up-and-coming and established artists. This fall, the program will evolve to include more installations and design elements, in addition to murals.

“You walk around Downtown and you really feel like you’re in the arts district,” says Pasquale Rotella, who has long been a champion of the convergence of art and music. “Before it was just old neon signs. Now businesses are thriving and there are cool places to go to.

The art really wows you, and every year they add more and more. Even though I’ve walked past some of these paintings 50 times, I still look up and I’m still blown away.”

“The beauty of it is the art community rallies around it,” says Life Is Beautiful founder Rehan Choudhry. “So it’ll always keep evolving. We’re always looking for un expected visual experiences.”

Here, Choudhry discusses some of his favorite pieces.

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CORNER (2014)

borondo (previous page)

“We were lucky to have a piece of the Spanish rising star Borondo, probably the most talented mural artist to appear on the scene in the last decade. He did a corner piece and used the anamorphic technic, which requires the viewer to be on a specific point to see the image correctly. Fascinating!”

SKULL SNAIL (2013)

alexis diaz

“This got named one of the top-10 murals in the world for 2013. Him coming out to do this was probably one of the biggest breaks we got that first year. We saw him at Art Basel, and Charlotte said it would be a dream to get him, and then he kind of came out of nowhere. He works with such a fine touch. That piece is so intricate and complex.

It’s thousands of tiny brushstrokes. He probably spends more hours out of anyone doing this.”

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EAGLE ON BLACK BACKGROUND (2013)

ana marietta

“She’s my favorite—my favorite style. It worked well for the side of this bar, the Commonwealth, because she has that steampunk kind of vibe. I don’t know any other business owner in the city that would’ve taken the risk and let us put that thing up. But if you look at it now, I challenge anyone to remember what it looked like before; it seems like a natural part of the décor of the building.”

GAVE HER MY HEART/BLUE SKULL GUY (2013) d*face “I was actually really surprised at how well-received that piece was. It’s definitely a downer. That was the first mural to go up during that week, so people were crowded around, watching him do it. I know a lot of his work is really part of a series, so if you put them together, it’s almost part of one comic book, which is cool to be a part of.”

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THE MASER MOTEL (2014) maser

“He did it all on his own. I remember having to look for a cheap used car we could buy on craigslist for him to paint. I love his pieces; they come across very simply and very powerfully. They’re highly photographable.

It was definitely one of the more popular ones people posted on social media.”

VIVA LOST VEGAS (2013) d*face “Anything D*Face does, I love. His stuff is so cleanly created and very message-focused. It’s a very striking piece to be on that side of the city. Typically, no one is looking at Fremont from the east side going down. That’s one of the last spaces in Downtown to be redeveloped. It was a statement piece, if anything.”

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GUY ON BLUE BACKGROUND (2013)

zio ziegler

“Zio was a machine when he made that thing. I think he worked on it for 20 or 21 hours a day for the four days he put that up. It was one of the first pieces he did with color and said he was trying to break from his normal pieces. It ended up being a really powerful piece for him and was really popular with the crowd, as well.”

HORNED LIZARD (2014)

roa

“For that one, I know he researched desert lizards specially in Nevada and created a combination of two or three different ones to make his own. It was perfect, and that blood splatter coming out of the eye was his final touch.

It shook us up for a moment.”

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WIRE MESH MAN (2014)

edoardo tresoldi “You should see this guy’s hands by the end; it’s disgusting.

Even though he covers them in tape, it’s such a painful process. My favorite part of the piece was how everyone talked about how it looked different from different angles, kind of like he would follow you around while walking.”

#HAPPYWALL (2014)

thomas dambo

“This one was so cool. It had interactive panels you could change to say different things. But it was a tough one.

There were people at the church next door who were mad at us for shutting down the street, and one of the churchgoers took her car and drove it into the site and into the piece the night before the festival. I gave my car and credit card to the artist and told him to do whatever he needed to do to get it fixed in time. Luckily, he did.”

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words by joe wiseman | illustration by jason adam

NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, INSOMNIAC’S DISCOVERY PROJECT IS EXPANDING OUTSIDE OF FESTIVAL-BASED COMPETITIONS TO BRING ITS WINNERS AND THEIR MUSIC TO A WHOLE NEW AUDIENCE. it ’s friday afternoon at Beyond Wonderland SoCal 2015, and backstage at Queen’s Domain, up-and-coming producers Grensta and GRYN shake hands before the latter take the stage for their festival debut. Though the two acts have never met before, they immediately vibe with one another. For them, becoming part of Discovery Project isn’t just the chance to play the mainstage at an Insomniac festival, but ultimately the opportunity to become part Project has created a digital home for its artists to share music, news of a family of artists striving for the same goals. Winning the and, ultimately, their stories. competition is just a starting point for these aspiring producAs methods for marketing and releasing music evolve, artist colers, who see Discovery Project’s platform as a creative space lectives are becoming the new driving force in the development of upto build their careers as musicians. and-coming DJs and producers. By creating a community of passion“Having the opportunity to spin on the mainstage at ate artists and engaged listeners, the Discovery Project is on the path Beyond Wonderland was mind-blowing,” says Ethan Young, to cultivating a distinguished group of future stars. The platform’s one-half of GRYN. “We had an unbelievable amount of peo- aim has always been to curate the best new artists in dance music, ple dancing at 4 o’clock in the afterbut now with the expansion of noon! But what was even more impres- What started as a competition for Insomniac’s digital footprint, the sive was the amount of camaraderie aspiring DJs to have the chance to play at collective has an extensive, dedbetween past and present Discovery EDC Las Vegas has since blossomed into icated space to showcase the Project winners who attended the festiachievements of those artists. As an active community that is passionate val. We got to hang out with an incredithe roster grows, Discovery Projble group of producers, who inevitably about producing and promoting what’s ect hopes to connect more acts became an incredible group of friends next in electronic dance music. with each other and help build and collaborators.” their careers. Techno maestro Since its inception in 2012, Discovery Project has held 25 and Discovery Project alum Modus, for one, is amped to see where contests—and hosted 171 winners—at festivals like Nocturnal the platform is going.

Wonderland, Beyond Wonderland, Escape: All Hallows’ Eve, “Discovery Project created a jolt of momentum for my career,” he and various EDCs throughout the country and the world. This says. “I have since played multiple Insomniac festivals, as well as exyear alone, Insomniac will host Discovery Project at eight of its pand my professional network. It is now encouraging to see the projbiggest events. ect focus on creating a collective where we are able to hear, promote Many of the original Discovery alumni—such as Gladia- and support each other’s music.” tor, Paris & Simo, Kayzo and James Egbert—have taken their Collaborations are one of the best tools an artist can use to grow careers to new heights. And now, a new wave of competition their brand, sound and reputation. GRYN and fellow alum 219 Boys winners has started making noise. Drezo, Dr. Fresch, Kronol- have already used this tool to expand their reach and hit new fan basogy and Planet Rock are just a few of the artists who have re- es. The two duos plan on releasing more music together, to not only cently turned heads, with tracks being played out by high-pro- combine skills artistically, but to also engage with the other’s followers. file names like Skrillex, Dillon Francis, and Above & Beyond.

As Discovery Project matures, the hope is that more alumni—whether But Discovery’s growth isn’t limited to the stage. What they share similar styles or not—will work together to create and share started as a competition for aspiring DJs to have the chance music as a family. And with more alumni being added with each new to play at EDC Las Vegas has since blossomed into an active competition, those opportunities are endless. community that is passionate about producing and promoting what’s next in electronic dance music. Discovery Project’s To find out more about Discovery Project, visit insomniac.com/discovery. newly enhanced platform is dedicated to bringing untapped talent to light via a unique artist collective that highlights the work and achievements of past and present Discovery artists.

With exclusive track releases, the Projections mix series, spotlight interviews, and technology-based articles, Discovery

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THESE EARLY OWLS TAKE THE CHECKERED FLAG. words + photos by roger kisby

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THIS IS IT—that time right before sunset, when the sun is low in the sky and the light is golden. It’s during this time that the hardcore rave faithful—patron saints of all opening DJs—begin arriving at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They have traveled from all over the world to attend EDC, and now they’re here, their favorite tunes blasting as they pile out of their cars. They stretch, they hug, they high-five. Many are putting the finishing touches on their outfits. The anticipation and excitement are palpable. For me, this is the perfect time and place to capture a moment. The lighting is beautiful, and so are the people. Magic hour, indeed.

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k en n et h tions by il lustr a

ung tin-k in h

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I had a...

i had a dream where I was a caterpillar going through security. As I walked through the entrance, I could feel a bunch of butterflies flapping their wings inside my stomach. I remember feeling really light and excited with anticipation. I started to float through the air, toward the music, but I didn’t realize I was actually flying until I got inside the Speedway and saw the giant EDC owl hovering above the crowd like the Empire State Building. His eyes were bright gold, and he was shooting rainbow-colored lasers across the sky each time that he blinked. That’s when I realized I was hovering way above the crowd.

As I looked down, I saw everyone pointing and waving at me to come join them. At that moment, I realized I wasn’t where I should be soon, and that I was missing out on all the fun. As I looked down, the music stopped, and the DJs got on the mic and asked me to hurry up and join everyone.

As soon as my feet touched the ground, the bass dropped, fireworks shot to the sky, and the entire Speedway erupted in cheers. I no longer felt nervous; the butterflies in my stomach were gone.

It started to feel like a cocoon was being built up around me. Each person I met and danced with throughout the weekend seemed to reinforce my cocoon with an overwhelming sense of Peace, Love, Unity and Respect.

The music, the carnival rides, the art, everyone giving each other high-fives—I remember walking through the grounds feeling like I was where I finally needed to be. I felt safe and comfortable the entire weekend. As I was walking out of the Speedway from my first experience at EDC, my wings started to break through the cocoon, and I remember taking off toward the sun in sky... and that’s when I woke up.

—BROOKE NELSON

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I live in a... in Nova Scotia, where there is very little appreciation for the music and culture. To finally be surrounded by all of the things that I’m passionate about, I cannot begin to express how over-the-moon I am to be attending my first EDC this year—which probably has a lot to do with this dream I recently had after purchasing tickets. Lying in bed, thinking of all the fireworks, bass, colorful people and good vibes that I’m about to experience…

The next thing I remember is hearing music off in the distance—too far to make out what track was playing, but I could tell it was getting closer; the music was noticeably louder, and I started to hear people talking and laughing. And then my doorbell rang, but it wasn’t my front door. It was the door i live in a small town

to my bedroom, and when I opened it, Pasquale was there with my tickets, asking me if I was ready to go. When I got outside, I saw miles and miles of cars lined up behind the boomboxARTCAR, which is now parked on my front lawn. The caravan is being led by a swarm of giant, neon bumblebees. My friends were there, everyone was dancing... Holly was standing on top of the boombox, holding a totem of Rainbow, waving me over.

Worried that my neighbors would wake up, I quickly joined the party, and off we went. We drove for what seemed like days, the bumblebees following a path of liquid gold that they slurped up for nourishment along the way. As I walked down the stairs into EDC, the entire venue was filled with giant willows and sunflowers and mushrooms that were at least twice my size. I remember feeling happy... and then my alarm went off.

—QUINCIE STEWART

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The dream I...

EDC featured unicorns, waterfalls made of diamonds, sea lions, and a majestic river of turquoise and pink satin ribbons.

It’s a little crazy, very unrealistic, and completely unpredictable—and probably why I love it so much. My dream starts off as I pull up to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The entire parking lot is a sea of beautifully vivid, colorful tents. It reminds me of some sort of future primitive rave bazaar meets Burning Man meets Blade Runner meets Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

There’s an octopus standing in front of a sign that reads: Welcome to EDCtopia. His eight tentacles are all picking up cars and pointing them in the right direction as they drive under the gate to their designated spot. There are unicorns waiting by the tents to act as chauffeurs. Each one is color-coded, depending on which part of EDCtopia you want to go to first. There are thousands of unicorns flying from the parking lot into the Speedway so fast that all you can see are colorful streaks in the sky—it looks like a giant rainbow going from the parking lot into the Speedway.

As I got inside EDCtopia, I notice Headliners floating down a majestic [lazy] river of turquoise and pink satin ribbons, as they make their way from one stage to another. The river dumps out into a pool being fed by a huge waterfall on the mainstage. As I get closer, I notice that the water was actually tiny purple and blue diamonds, giving it an almost ombré illusion. The pool in front of the stage is filled with party boats tethered together. There are sea lions around the perimeter of the pool playing piano. I remember feeling like I never wanted to leave. the dream i had about

—ANGEL BLANCO

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There’s no other... on earth that more resembles where my imagination goes when I fall asleep at night. I grew up in the ‘90s, so there’s a lot of cartoon characters from that era. Sonic the Hedgehog having tea with circus clowns, the Power Rangers participating in their own Olympics… that sort of thing. One thing really odd about my latest daydream is that I was riding a giant pony… except in this dream, my steed is crossed with a giant owl— laser eyes and all. And my pony totally reminded me of My Little Pony: diamond tiara and platinum hoofs, the whole deal. But with a duck’s beak. Yeah, I told you it wasn’t normal! So it’s sort of a new creature, and it’s my ticket into the Speedway, through the giant rock-candy gates and my ride down the rainbow slide into the festival.

So, I’m riding my pony-owl around the festival and come upon a bunch of stalls where all of the DJs hang out before their sets. They are there so we can make song requests… or just talk about anything.

As I explore, I come across Kaskade’s paddock, where he and Martin Garrix are speaking inside a tent, which looked about the At this point, they both looked at me and smiled. size of a car from the outside— “It’s your turn; get up there and knock them dead… but inside, it made the Empire and don’t forget to tell the chef what sort of pizza State Building look small. you want.” To my side stood a human-sized lollipop girl with a spatula. She kept asking me what size pizza I wanted while motioning to Morgan Freeman and Crizzly, who were making pizzas in the back of the tent. Next thing I knew, I was riding my pony-owl up to the mainstage and proceeded to play my set (and this is real odd), which never seemed to change as I transitioned from song to song. It always sounded like a mashup of Martin Garrix’s “Animals” with the theme from the 1970s hit TV series The Love Boat.

—MONICA VAN ROSENDALE there ’s no other place

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words by chris muniz | photo by erik voake

THIS FORMER PROFESSIONAL ARENA FOOTBALL PLAYER HAS BECOME A CHAMPION OF THE SCENE.

YOU MAY HAVE SEEN Jamell Mingo in an article we posted online last year called “Awesome People We Met at EDC Las Vegas,” or you may have been one of the lucky ones to catch a random hug from him as he and his crew explored the festival grounds. It’s possible you took a picture with him and his mirror-face mask, or maybe you even exchanged kandi with him, as he always has plenty on hand to trade and remember people by. interests, you feel free to be yourself, and you don’t have to worry Even if you haven’t met him in person, Jamell is one of about anything. I call all these guys my best friends. I mean, if I meet those people you will never forget—a quality that is in no one person, we’re family already, no matter what. I don’t ever give doubt due to his genuine love of electronic music and the anybody handshakes—always hugs, man.” culture surrounding it. While he’s been listening to electronic To the uninitiated, hugging complete strangers may seem, well, music since the eighth grade, it wasn’t until Jamell attended strange. But when friends who aren’t in the scene question Jamell Nocturnal Wonderland in 2007 that everything changed. about his life outside of sports, he takes it as an opportunity to break “Sure, there’s hip-hop that always talks about this and down any preconceived notions they may have about raves and the that and girls, but for me it was always more about how the culture of which he is a part. “Especially my football buddies—they’re music makes you feel and moves like, ‘What do you do at these your soul,” says Jamell. “For me, “When you’re out with people that all have raves? You just go out there electronic music really helped me and dance the whole time?’ come out of my shell and to just common interests, you feel free to be yourself.

And I’m like, nah man, it’s like be free and dance the night away.” You don’t have to worry about anything.” family out there—family and A former professional arena friendship. You just have to football player for the Kentucky go to one to understand.”

Drillers, Jamell is quick to point out the ways in which his athOne aspect that Jamell loves to explain is the central role of leticism and his love of shuffling go hand-in-hand. “First off, I kandi and custom-designed outfits in the expression of these famshuffle to express, not impress. Everybody thinks that raves ily values. Jamell’s interest and fascination with this side of things are just for people that just go out there for nonsense, but was ignited when he came into contact with the “Mirror Ball Man” at I’m a professional athlete, and I go out and enjoy the music; Nocturnal Wonderland in 2008. that’s what I do. I love the music, I love the vibes. It’s for “When I saw the way that costume was put together, I was blown anybody; if a professional athlete can do it, you can do it.” away,” says Jamel. The very next year, he and his friend Steven, “who Citing artists like Blasterjaxx, Oliver Heldens, Fedde works with wiring and such,” put together an LED-lit mirror mask that Le Grand and Tchami for inspiring him on the dancefloor, took inspiration from both Jabbawockeez and the Mirror Ball Man. Jamell is also well-known for his role in inspiring others— Looking ahead to this year’s EDC, Jamell is already hard at most notably through the development of local crews, work on a project that involves transforming himself into a “PLUR like Soul Rhythm Tribe and PLUR Republic, which he Warrior,” using a perler bead headband and a feather neckcalls his rave families. lace with individual feathers designed by each of his closest “We’re basically all best friends,” says Jamell. friends. “I told them they can do their own style, their own col“When you’re out with people that all have common ors, whatever; I want them to design it themselves. That way, no matter what, I will always have my closest friends with me.”

To those going to EDC for the first time, Jamell advises looking at it all as “one big playground that you can have fun in and live free. You don’t have worry about no drama or anything, because you’ll finally be with your family, at home. There’s no better feeling than that.”

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words by sam yu | photo by ariya behjat

TWO HEADLINERS BEGIN THEIR LIFELONG DANCE TOGETHER AT EDC’S WEDDING CHAPEL.

away the tutu, and you’ll find a pair of hardworking citizens who are doing all in their power to make ends meet.

“I’m working as a manager at a Jamba Juice and trying to work on my résumé so I don’t have to be there forever,” Peach explains. “I might go back to school, but I’m not sure yet.”

Andrew is between jobs, but he refuses to roll over and let the life get the best of him. “It sucks not having a job, but then I found this weird thing on Amazon doing surveys and stuff,” he explains. “I’m still making enough money to pay the bills. It could be worse.”

Accompanied by their two cats, OJ and Perry Winkle, they are currently taking up in a one-bedroom apartment in Davis, CA. But once things pick up in the employment department, they have full intentions of becoming full-fledged homeowners.

“Hopefully someday we’ll get a house, as opposed to an apartment, so we don’t have to worry about bothering our neighbors with our bass music.” Peach asserts. “We’ll have a doggie, and I might have a garden. It would be really awesome to grow some of my own veggies and fruits. I really want a fruit tree.”

Although the budget is tight, the couple is more than content filling out the days between festivals with new hobbies like archery.

FOR MOST HEADLINERS, EDC Las Vegas is a threeday affair filled with music, art, discovery, and lots and lots of dancing. But for the many couples who have said their vows to one another at the festival’s wedding chapel—including 70 legal unions performed just last year—it also represents the first step in a lifelong dance together.

Andrew and Peach have never bought into customary marital clichés, so they forewent the typical chapel service in exchange for one set against the backdrop of kineticCATHEDRAL in 2014.

“She’s the same as me,” boasts Andrew. “She doesn’t like the whole traditional wedding, white dress, get the whole family together kind of thing.” Even at their wedding shower, they kicked nuptial norms to the curb. “We had a kandi party,” explains Peach. “I “Hopefully someday we’ll get a house, as opposed to an had friends make me kandi I could wear at the apartment, so we don’t have to worry about bothering our wedding, and we made Andrew kandi, too.”

The couple first met at Audiotistic 2010. After neighbors with our bass music.” feelings of attraction started to build, Andrew mustered the confidence to ask Peach on their first date: Peach got Andrew to take up yoga classes, and in return, he’s indocEDC Las Vegas 2011. It was there—in the midst of the trinated her into the world of professional wrestling. But more than earth-shaking sound and immersive experience—that anything else, they find a common ground in dance music. the sparks started to fly.

“We listen to it everyday,” says Peach. “I used to listen to mainly With their romantic roots based in EDC, it only made punk, ska and metal, but when I met Andrew, I started listening to sense that they tie the knot—and celebrate their honey- [dance music] a lot more.” moon—Under the Electric Sky. Since tickets were sold The couple has made all the necessary preparations to make it out before they could make any arrangements, they out to EDC Las Vegas this year—their one-year anniversary—and showed up at the Speedway on their big day with only can’t wait to set foot on the same dancefloor where they eternalized each other, relying instead on the thousands of festival- their love. goers to fill in as their wedding party—because ravers “Somewhere along that nine-hour drive to Vegas, all the stress and always take care of their own. responsibilities of day-to-day life just melt away,” says Andrew. “By “I brought my own bouquet, but I didn’t have any lights the time we get to Vegas, the only thing that really matters is having on my outfit,” says Peach of last year’s ceremony. “His fun, and I feel like that’s echoed in the attitude of the other attendees. jacket had lights on it, so people gave me some glow- I’ve been to a lot a shows, and I’ve yet to encounter a happier group sticks and put them in my bouquet and put them on my of people. EDC brought us together and started our relationship. It kandi belt. It was just a cool moment for me.” will always hold a special place in our hearts.”

Like many of the ravers who make the pilgrimage to EDC each year, Andrew and Peach lead a modest, normal life behind closed doors. Remove the kandi and strip

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THESE HEADLINERS REPRESENT A DIVERSE AND DEDICATED GROUP WHO HOP ON PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES— AND SOMETIMES ALL THREE—TO MAKE IT OUT TO EDC. words by anum khan | illustr ation by nate prophet 48

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WHEN EDC BECKONS, fans know they have to answer the call. Neither oceans nor mountains can keep our international Headliners from the festival’s gates, as they traverse continents to join us Under the Electric Sky. Music has long been regarded as a universal language, and no one reminds us of this more than our foreign friends. Pay close attention this weekend, and you could make a new friend from Gibraltar, South Africa, Turkey, Australia, Singapore or beyond.

Here are Headliners from five different countries who are attending their very first EDC. They prove that while the places we come from differ, the love we feel at EDC does not.

NAME: Ove Bakken AGE: 29 HOMETOWN: Lørenskog, Norway WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF EDC? From what I have read and seen, I think of it as an opportunity to be in a place where everybody is welcome.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY? My girlfriend and I had a baby boy two years ago and have had our full focus on him. We really wanted to go on a big holiday vacation and started saving over two years ago. With this holiday, we are living the “American dream” for three weeks.

WHAT’S YOUR LOCAL DANCE MUSIC SCENE LIKE? Some big names have come out of here in the past few years, like Kygo and Matoma, and from our neighboring country Sweden, we have artists like Avicii and Swedish House Mafia. What I’m really excited to see and feel is the vibe Insomniac creates with its production. People can dress as they like without people looking weirdly at you. In Norway, you can almost never do that.

HOW DO YOU SAY “LOVE” IN YOUR NATIVE TONGUE? In Danish, it’s either elsker or kjærlighet.

NAME: Takamitsu Baba NAME: Georg Klosterer AGE: 27 AGE: 32 HOMETOWN: Tokyo, Japan HOMETOWN: Teesdorf, Austria WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF EDC? Nice music, kind people and a sense EDC? A big party with lots of great music and of unity. It’s a state-of-the-art dance mu- loving, caring people. sic festival filled with love and peace. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY? WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY? First of all, I like big parties. Second, I love Because I love music and partying with peo- Vegas. The biggest party I have been to was ple around the world! I have gone to music the Love Parade in Berlin, with nearly 2 million festivals in Ibiza, Singapore and Brazil, but ravers, and EDC is one of the few big festivals this will be my first American music festival. I have been waiting to go to.

WHAT’S YOUR LOCAL DANCE MUSIC SCENE WHAT’S YOUR LOCAL DANCE MUSIC SCENE LIKE? It’s LIKE? Nowadays, EDM and trance changed a lot over the last 10–15 years. Back are popular, as is house, techno and in the early 2000s, there were raves with thouhip-hop. Lots of festivals have recent- sands of people almost every month in Austria. ly popped up here. Now, we’re just Now, you’re lucky if there are two per year. waiting for EDC to come to Japan! HOW DO YOU SAY “LOVE” IN YOUR LOCAL LANGUAGE? HOW DO YOU SAY “LOVE” IN YOUR LOCAL LAN- In Austria we speak German, so love is liebe.

GUAGE? 愛

NAME: Monica Tatiana Rodriguez Roxas AGE: 22 NAME: Camilo Zambrano HOMETOWN: Manila, Philippines, but currently livAGE: 29 ing in Dubai HOMETOWN: Zipaquirá, Colombia WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU THINK OF EDC? OF EDC? I think that EDC is an amazing When I think of EDC, it wakens my imagination to place for listening to the best music, a place where I can be whoever or whatever I want enjoying Insomniac’s production, and to be. It’s a place where freedom, love, music and most importantly, spending time with the imagination come to life, like it was magic.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOURNEY? Magical my friends!

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE JOUR- festivals capture my soul.

NEY? Because Las Vegas is one of the WHAT’S YOUR LOCAL DANCE MUSIC SCENE LIKE? It’s a mix best places in the world for having a of various music and artists, as Dubai is the center of diversity. party as big as EDC. WHAT’S YOUR LOCAL DANCE MUSIC HOW DO YOU SAY “LOVE” IN YOUR LOCAL LANGUAGE? Love SCENE LIKE? Lots of electro, house is mahal in Tagalog. and chill-out.

HOW DO YOU SAY “LOVE” IN YOUR LOCAL LANGUAGE? Love is amo, or you can say me encanta.

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THE YELLOW CANOPY of Camp Toucan rises above the hundreds of tents and rows of cars in the campground area of Beyond Wonderland.

Under it, Nikki Custer, her husband Chuck, and a small band of fellow dance music fans are maintaining a veritable raver’s sanctuary. Burgers and hotdogs sizzle on the grill. Friends chill on plush chairs beneath the canopy shade. A beer pong table has been transformed into a kandi-making station covered with beads and string. The coolers are packed with healthy snacks.

And just in case of an emergency, there’s also a fully stocked first aid kit— Band-Aids, ACE wraps, super glue, single doses of Tylenol, Benadryl and Neosporin, and plenty of bottled water, which members of Camp Toucan are currently handing out to passersby.

The Custers have been attending EDC and other festivals for nearly a decade, and in this time they’ve learned how to take care of themselves and others when faced with the often-exhausting premise of raving for days. Nikki is a registered nurse. Chuck, who is known to most by his nickname “Moto,”

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is a former Marine. The couple thus brings an extra level of vigilance to the health and safety aspect of their festival experiences.

While they love dancing, waving glowsticks and twirling poi to anthems like Flux Pavilion’s “I Can’t Stop”—one of their personal favorites—they’re also natural caretakers, watching over the crowd and making sure their fellow party people are safe.

“I love the music, but the reason that I go to these massive events is for that purpose,” Nikki says of being the mother hen of Camp Toucan, named after a previous pet toucan named Koishii. “I want people to know that there are people out there who would rather look out for them than judge them.” The personalized license plates on her Prius even read: “PLUR RN.” Moto, 41, got into electronic music when he was still in the service, hitting up underground industrial parties while stationed overseas in the ‘90s. Nikki, 28, came to the scene later, attending her first EDC in 2006.

They met in 2007 when Moto was on recruiting duty and Nikki was making plans to join the service. While she ended up becoming

words by peter holslin | photo by skyler greene

REGISTERED NURSE NIKKI CUSTER AND HER HUSBAND CHUCK, A FORMER MARINE, GO TO FESTIVALS NOT ONLY FOR THE FUN, BUT TO LOOK OUT FOR THEIR FELLOW PARTY PEOPLE.

a nurse, their love of dance music culture brought them together, and they married in 2008. Now, that culture is such a big part of their lives that even their six-yearold daughter Mali gets in on it, plunking out the notes to Hardwell’s “Spaceman” on the family piano.

“If some headliner that I really want to see is playing that weekend, great,” Nikki says of seeing music at events, “but I don’t

anthill at Beyond Wonderland SoCal this year. Inside the venue, Nikki and Moto also take care of a few people who partied too hard, getting them water and sticking around with them while they recuperated.

“Even if people are just sitting on the ground or laying down,” Moto says, “if I walk by, I’ll ask, ‘Hey, are you OK?’” With this approach, the Custers hope

“I want people to know that there are people out there who would rather look out for them than judge them.” care if the lineup is all no-namers. I’m still going to go and have an amazing time because of the camaraderie.” For the Custers, carrying their professional training with them into events contributes to this spirit of community.

Occasionally, Nikki will go into nurse mode, tending to a wound when a friend sliced his thumb open while cooking, or soothing the skin of a campmate who was attacked by an army of ants after accidentally pitching her tent atop an

not just to keep their fellow party people safe, but to elevate the dance music community as a whole.

“If I can help take care of people, maybe we can change the whole perspective the public has on us,” Nikki says. “I feel like if we lower our risks enough, we can get out of that dangerous public eye thing that’s going on right now. I just want to bring the whole scene up to level ground.”

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words by katie bain | photos by bennett sell-kline + skyler greene

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN INSOMNIAC STAGE MANAGER. IT IS 11:45 on a chilly Saturday night in March, and Harry Bellord is escorting four women—wearing not much more than silver boots, panties, purple bras and huge feather headpieces—onto the Cheshire Woods stage at Beyond Wonderland SoCal. An ever-enthusiastic Carl Cox is presiding over the decks, and thousands of fans are packed into the tent to hear him play.

Being onstage with a posse of beautiful women and one of the most famous DJs in the world may, for many, seem like a fantasy premise. But while the job can be exhilarating, for Bellord and the men who make up Insomniac’s crew of stage managers, this sought-after position is just another day at one of the world’s more unusual offices.

Essentially, the role of a stage manager is to ensure that everything on his assigned stage runs smoothly, from the time the doors open until the last confetti cannons have

gone off. Fundamental to this task is making sure the equipment on each DJ’s technical rider—from mixers to CDJs to live instruments and even more complicated setups— is onstage and ready to make music when the DJ arrives. At a show with a massive lineup, like EDC Las Vegas, this means each manager looks after the equipment of dozens of artists. To assist, each stage also

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has a DJ technician on hand to be sure all the cords, cables, dials, wires and buttons are set up and ready to make music.

Tonight at Beyond, Adam Beyer played before Cox. When it was time for the two DJs to transition, Bellord and his DJ tech simply slid Beyer’s setup down a long table and moved Cox’s rig to the middle. “There’s really not a lot to it,” Bellord says afterward, with a laugh.

Of course, it’s not quite so simple. At EDC Las Vegas, each manager is onsite at the Speedway for weeks, from the time the first truck rolls up to start building the stage, until the stage comes down and the last truck drives away. “There are 20-hour days and the disconnection from friends and family while you’re onsite somewhere in the world,” says Brian Yablonsky, who has managed stages

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at EDC since 2010 and also managed the mainstage at Coachella this year, “but then you create this new family with everyone you work with.”

Unlike film or television, the festival world offers no do-overs or second takes. When doors open and Headliners begin streaming in, each stage must be ready.

“It’s not a job for the fainthearted,” says Ian Gotts, Insomniac’s Head of Stage Production and the man responsible for hiring each stage manager at EDC and all other Insomniac festivals. “You’ve got to be pretty thickskinned, be able to deal with pressure, and at the same time be a diplomat.”

Indeed, it takes a certain personality type to be technically precise while also enforcing the rules, keeping artists and their teams

happy and dealing with the unforeseeable issues that arise during shows. “There are times when things do go wrong,” Gotts says, “and a good stage manager keeps a cool head when everyone else is losing theirs.”

At EDC Las Vegas 2012, for example, the festival’s eight stage managers were the ones who announced that the show was shutting down for the night due to high winds.

Last year at EDC, a stage manager had to tell Eric Prydz that he couldn’t use his new, very expensive lasers, as the nearby Air Force base was doing flight training and needed the air space clear. When a DJ is running late, the stage manager must come up with a way to keep the music going, typically by asking whoever is onstage to extend their set. Gotts

once even had his DJ technician take over on the decks to kill time. Stage managers also have to tell some DJ entourage members that they’re not allowed onstage, or that certain items on a DJ’s technical rider cannot be delivered. One night, Bellord fell off the kineticFIELD stage, got up and kept right on working, despite having sustained a serious injury to his knee.

“There are times when things get a bit hairy,” Gotts says, “and there’s a lot of pressure.”

Back at Beyond, Bellord is walking from one stage to another, escorting people on and off, ensuring that no one is there who isn’t supposed to be, and generally keep-

ing the environment as calm and smooth as one can, while thousands of people scream and dance just a few feet away.

He wears jeans, Nikes and a headset walkie-talkie. He’s got thick muttonchops and a similarly thick English accent. He sets the timer on his phone to an hour and 30 minutes and every so often flashes the screen toward Cox to let him know how much time is left.

Bellord also manages stages at other festivals, including the Sahara Tent at Coachella. Gotts has met most of the guys he hires through the festival circuit. “I rely totally on my stage managers,” he says. “Our shows run because they’re excellent at what they do.” Yablonsky notes that of all of the festival

merchandise he has accumulated through working at shows around the world, it is his Insomniac hoodie that elicits the most appreciative reactions from strangers.

And while stage managing is an exhausting and often challenging role, a major job perk is the adrenaline rush not typically available at a standard nine-to-five. EDC is an especially profound thrill, given the massive size of the event.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” says Gotts, “when you’re looking out at front-of-house and you see 60,000 people having a fantastic time, and everything you’ve worked toward is running smoothly.”

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SOUND CREATES AND CONTROLS the full EDC experience. It is This year’s EDC features a different festival layout, aimed to make everywhere, all the time. the full festival grounds more accessible. With that comes more loBeyond the beats and bass, audio design is equal parts science gistical changes. There is no copy-and-paste job when dealing with and art; it’s more than just a stack of fat speakers. Each scenario and audio design at EDC. More change begets more variables. stage, every drop and BPM, create unique challenges. Facing those Now, consider the most fluid variable of all: sound waves. Sound, challenges is all part of delivering that sweet, sweet music to Headin nature, is a tad unpredictable, with many dynamics affecting its liners’ ears. course of travel. One of the main elements impacting the propaIt all starts in the initial plotting of the festival grounds at the host gation of sound is weather. Sound travels as vibrations via a mevenue, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a massive space that defies dium—air being the primary vehicle at the Speedway. Heavy and all laws of acoustics. Last year’s EDC Vegas covered roughly 910 acres humid weather is more absorbent of sound of the Speedway’s 1,200 total waves and carries sound better, whereas dry Beyond the beats and bass, audio design acreage to host over 400,000 air significantly attenuates it. As sound travels Headliners across three days. is equal parts science and art; it’s more through the arid desert of EDC, its force diThat’s a lot of humans, and minishes via scattering and absorption, partwice as many ears. With sev- than just a stack of fat speakers. ticularly when crossing a large area of space, en official stages and numermaking the Speedway the most challenging venue of all Insomous roaming art cars—essentially speakers on wheels—figuring out niac-produced events. As proven in years past, Vegas weather how to smoothly direct such heavy traffic flow in a safe and efficient fluctuates throughout the day; these temperature fluxes then manner is the first step. Not a single speaker goes up onsite until alter directional frequency response, output and overall authe festival grounds are laid out and planned to the smallest detail. dio performance. But that’s not the full extent of the science.

“When it comes to placement, every festival’s venue inevitably Temperature and humidity affect higher-frequency becomes a Rubik’s Cube,” says Conor Bowes, Insomniac’s Director sound waves—the treble and midrange sounds—more so of Festival Experience. “The standard operating procedure for us is than the low-end. That’s why you hear, and to an extent that stage placement comes first, and stage location often dictates feel, the basslines of bassPOD at a farther distance than how well we can take advantage of a venue. Fortunately, the Speedany other sound. way affords us a blank canvas—and a large one, at that.”

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THE ART OF AUDIO DESIGN AT ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL PROVES THERE’S MORE TO SOUND THAN THE BASS AND THE DROPS. words by john ochoa | illustration by nate prophet

Wind, too, changes sound patterns. A steady wind blowing from the sound source in the same direction toward you will increase the sound; wind blowing away from you does the opposite. As sound initially travels upward into the atmosphere, wind can also potentially bend it back downward by refraction, which is when nearby neighborhoods start picking up the phone and making calls. Luckily for Vegas, the Speedway is far away enough from residential areas to avoid breaking noise ordinances. Thus, the party gets cranked up.

To help control the uncontrollable, Insomniac hires a large audio staff specifically tasked with operating sound on the fly across all stages. Squads of audio technicians control the overall sound configuration via sophisticated soundboards and systems, all the while communicating among the many teams to ensure a universal sound equilibrium. Through this practice, sound bleed—audio spill across stages—is minimized.

These strategic audio configuration plans help battle the uncertainty of nature via sizing, angling, and placement of the speakers and speaker towers. The smallest change in these factors causes

noticeable audio effects. Speaker angling helps control vertical and horizontal dispersion of sound. Configuration helps steer sound waves via speaker placement and cancelation waves— again, particularly helpful when dealing with omnidirectional sub-frequencies (aka the bass). The name of the game is direction orientation—aiming the sound to hit exactly where it’s supposed to hit and nowhere else. When sound bleed is unavoidable, the teams create designated overflow areas managed throughout the event.

All of this is largely dependent on crowd attendance. There’s no reason to go to 11 before a stage reaches peak capacity, as it tends to happen in the earlier portions of EDC. It all points back to pivotal rule number one: Festival layout and its influence on the flow of traffic ultimately direct audio outcome.

With less than 30 days ‘til the big show at the time of publishing, multiple audio design teams are still working hard on finalizing this year’s immense sound setup. kineticFIELD alone will require 368 speakers—146 of which are subs—11 speaker towers, and 3,600 amps of electricity. The goal: to create the quintessential audio experience for every single Headliner throughout all of EDC. “When I started 20 years ago, there were a just a bunch of boxes, and you’d stack them on top of each other,” reflects Ian Gotts, Head of Stage Production at Insomniac.

While those days are far and gone, the future of audio design and the sound experience at EDC is limitless.

“We’re always going to be working on improving the sound,”says Gotts, “but there will never be a perfect sound.”

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words by katie bain

THE GLOWING, SPINNING, MISTING, FIRE-SHOOTING AND ALL-AROUND AWE-INSPIRING ART OF EDC 2015.

EDC IS ABOUT MUSIC, YES. It’s definitely about community, too—and dancing. For sure, dancing.

It’s also about fireworks and fun, old friends and new, peak moments, carnival rides, self-expression and deep connection.

And the backdrop of this multifaceted, nocturnal celebration? The art of EDC, of course. Scattered throughout the festival are whimsical installations intended not just to appease your eyes, but to thrill your body, calm your mind and touch your heart in ways you’ll remember long after you’ve returned home.

The artwork featured at EDC Las Vegas 2015 has once again been expertly selected by Insomniac Art Curator Ian Oosthuizen, who worked with each group of designers to conceptualize and execute each of the festival’s installations. “We’re really pushing the limits this year,” Oosthuizen says of the incredible assortment of projects making their EDC Vegas debut. Here, artists from each project discuss the facts and figures behind their creative contributions.

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ArtistS: SpinCycle (Rich Porter, Jacqueline Delaney and Grant Leonard) Based in: Los Angeles, CA Years at EDC Las Vegas: 2 Project: Dandelion Forest, a field of massive dandelions and a black-light relaxation zone featuring performers, LED hoopers, and fairies with 20-foot wings.

EACH DANDELION is 16 feet in diameter and 28–36 feet in the air. There are four small islands with dandelions on them, and one big middle island. Each island takes about eight hours to construct. It’s going to take five total days to put it all up.

WE ALSO HAVE a fogging system in the environment that we’ve been developing for the last two years. It’s a high-pressure misting system, but instead of it misting, it actually creates fog and brings the temperature down 10–15 degrees within the environment. It cools people, and it also creates the visual of a foggy atmosphere.

THIS HAS TAKEN nine months to assemble, but the build itself has been about 12 weeks. Most of it is being built in Los Angeles, and some of it will be finished on-site in Vegas. There are 10 people on the build crew and about 16 performers.

WE DID THE Lilly Pond at last year’s EDC, and what we want to continue to do is create an environment that people can hang out in. A lot of the art installations are more something you look at and walk by. At this one, you can actually have time to sit, reflect and look around. It’s a chill space—literally something that helps cool you off and calm you down.

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Artist: Gerard Minakawa based in: Los Angeles, CA Years at EDC Las Vegas: 5 Project: Palace Blue, a colonnade of bamboo-forged columns with a vaulted roof and a central structure, inspired by the Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul WE’RE GOING TO be taking two flatbed trucks out there, and we’ll probably have 20 tons of materials total to do the whole thing. There are about 500 bamboo poles and a lot of steel, wood and fabric. When it’s all built, it will be a hangout space and will host an area for performances as well.

THE IDEA OF doing a project inspired by ancient or old structures by other masters is kind of what got me started on this project. I’m really inspired by ancient architecture, and I’ve always admired the Hagia Sophia, but I’ve never been there. I thought that this would get me at least one step closer to actually going there.

GOING BACK to the past for inspiration makes a lot of sense, because I know at least I’m leaning on a really strong foundation, and I’m not creating something with no basis.

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Artist: The ImagineNation THE IMAGINENATION will be building two fully immersive zones. We are bringing the Funk House from Beyond WonderBased in: Los Angeles, CA land SoCal, as well as creating EDC Town, with the centerpiece Years at EDC Las Vegas: 1 being a wedding chapel. Imagine it’s 1922, and you’re way out West in California, and you find yourself in a roaming carnival Project: EDC Town, a village that is made town with intriguing characters and old-fashioned décor. largely of recycled materials and will feature a WE WANT EVERY attendee to have a personal experience wedding chapel, a fountain, and in our zones. The average attention span is so short these days, really only have a few seconds to capture people’s atteninteractive performances we tion and keep it. What sets us apart is that we aren’t trying to separate performer and festivalgoer; rather, we are right there with them, creating an experience together.

WE’RE NOT SURE how many Headliners realize the amount of recycled materials we use on our projects, but it definitely makes us feel good either way. It’s so rewarding finding stuff on its way to the dump, shining it up with a new look, and putting it on the big stage in the limelight. You name it—old furniture, books, pallets, wood, vinyl records, typewriters, skis, vases, metal sheets, busted-up cars, broken doors, windows, clocks, cardboard tubes, fabrics, clothes, rugs, chandeliers... the list goes on and on. We are using it all.

HERE, ARTISTS FROM EACH PROJECT DISCUSS THE FACTS AND FIGURES BEHIND THEIR CREATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES was figuring out the building materials that were going to work for these things. We knew we wanted them to be about 10 feet tall, and we know from previous experiences that art that goes out there takes a lot of abuse—not just from the environment, but also from being transported. So for the stems, we found flexible PVC pipe—kind of a thicker version of your typical PVC—which is going to allow it to bend and flex in the wind and basically never break.

Artist: Todd Moyer Based in: Los Angeles, CA Years at EDC Las Vegas: 2 Project: The Daisy Patch, an interactive environment and chill space composed of 20 ten-foot-tall daisies

I WANT PEOPLE to feel like they’re entering a different environment. I know there are a lot of environments out there on the Speedway—there’s so much there in terms of lights and visual spectacle—but I want people to feel like they’ve gone into a different place. When they’re inside, I’m hoping that everything else sort of fades away into the distance, and for that moment, they’re just inside a daisy patch.

THERE ARE SO many people involved with this project. Ian has really been the driving force behind the creative vision, and there are also many other people behind the scenes right now in Los Angeles pulling together to make this happen. For everything that gets made, there are 40 people in the background making it happen.

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Artists: Duane Flatmo and Jerry Kunkle Based in: Eureka, CA Years at EDC Las Vegas: 2 Project: El Pulpo Mechanico, a 25-foot-tall, fire-shooting mechanical octopus made from recycled pieces of metal found on the roadside in Mexico WE HAVE A 4,000-square-foot shop that we keep the machine in, unassembled, and there are about 25 pieces that you have to put together. It’s not street-legal, so you can’t just drive it anywhere. We put all the pieces on a 40-foot flatbed semi—the baskets, the legs, the head, everything—and it gets shipped from Eureka, CA. The driver takes a day and a half to get there, and then we take all the pieces off with a forklift.

It takes about a day to put together.

WE’VE BROUGHT El Pulpo all over the place. It’s been to EDC once before, and to Calgary, Canada, Telluride, CO, and San Francisco, CA. Everywhere we take it, people can’t get enough. At Burning Man, it will be really cold in the evenings, so people love to stand around it just to get warm. It’s even been on an episode of The Simpsons.

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THIS YEAR AT EDC, we got permission to ride the machine around through the crowd and get close to people. It looks really spooky and kind of explosive, but it’s really safe. It creates its own barrier, because people see this thing shooting fire and stand back. Then they get used to it, and they get closer and closer.

WE USE ABOUT 200 gallons of propane every three hours. We have access to 600 gallons per night, so once we’re out of propane, we drive back and refill.

artists: Xian Productions (Michael Christian, Lead Designer) Based in: Berkeley, CA Years at EDC Las Vegas: 1 Project: ePOD, a metal-forged, spinning jungle gym for festivalgoers to climb

IT REQUIRES SOME upper body strength to get onto... I think that we wanted it to be that way. If you can get on it, you’re past the hump and through the doorway, and you’re okay. If you can’t even get to that point, you probably shouldn’t be on it. We didn’t want to make it too easy, but we also didn’t want to make it too hard. The piece is kind of self-editing in that regard.

WHEN YOU DESIGN something on a computer, it’s all fine and dandy, but when you bring it into reality, it’s like, how do you actually build it? That’s the big challenge with these things. In a computer, it just floats and you can move it around, but in reality, you have to build structures to hold all of these things in place. Thankfully, I have some really talented people that can think in those terms as well. Projects like this are never done by one person. I lead with the focus and vision, but I have a lot of hands helping to make it happen.

YOU CAN DESIGN something with the idea of how it’s going to be interacted with, but it takes on its own life in the way people interact with it. At Burning Man, people naturally created a system about how they would operate the piece that we couldn’t have anticipated. You just don’t know. Like anything, you can design something, but the user interface that happens is a whole different thing.

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photos by roger kisby

INSOMNIAC HEADLINERS ARE SOME OF THE MOST PASSIONATE, DEDICATED, AND DIVERSE FANS YOU’LL EVER MEET. MANY OF THEM PUT SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT INTO FASHIONING THE PERFECT LOOK THAT IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DIFFERENTIATE THEM FROM THEIR INSOMNIAC PERFORMER COUNTERPARTS. SIMPLY PUT, ON A SCALE OF 1-10, WE’VE GOT 12s FOR DAYS. SOME OF THESE NIGHT OWLS ARE OFFICIAL EDC CHARACTERS. SOME ENTERED THROUGH THE MAIN GATES AS FANS.

CAN YOU TELL WHO’S WHO?

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words by john ochoa | photos by adi adinayev

BEYOND THE HUGE STAGES AND FLASHING LIGHTS, THE CHARACTERS AND PERFORMERS OF THE DESERT BRING ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL TO LIFE. I FELT MYSELF CHANGE as the paintbrush slowly grazed my cheek.

With each stroke, I transformed into a new person. My face, once a blank canvas, became a work of art—a bizarre, new identity. Pink triangles, turquoise eye shadow, lime green crowns, and pink polka-dot stick-on jewels adorned the top of my forehead all the way down to my chin, with a baby blue nose as the cherry on top. I stared at the stranger in the mirror, and I couldn’t help but smile the widest smile ever.

The colors on my head clashed with the rest of my outfit—an orange crop top, bright pink hot shorts, neon green tights, and a curly green wig to top it all off. Pieced together, I sported more colors than a crayon box. I stood nervously, psyching myself up for what was to be my first-ever clown ride—what professional clowns call their performance-based clowning trips. My look was complete. I was ready for Electric Daisy Carnival.

Through the transition from onlooker to festival performer, I discovered a side of EDC I never knew existed. After six years of attending the festival, I thought I’d seen it all. I was wrong. I was now operating as part of the EDC DNA, and through the adventure I gained a different perspective. Everything felt fresh, everything looked new—just like my first EDC back in 2009 in Los Angeles. Taking one last glance in the mirror in full clown attire before our ride, I had a flashback to the Coliseum, full of Headliners from end zone to end zone. As I sat patiently in the makeup chair, Nick Kane, my mentor for the day, waxed poetically about the essence of clown culture.

“What we’re doing is, we’re doing love. We’re doing connectivity. We’re doing community. That’s the heart of where it’s at,” he said with a deep sense of endearment.

Kane is one of the ringleaders of L’Unkles Boink, a silly cast of mischief-makers specializing in wandering shenanigans, short attention-span theatre, dubstep-ercize, and a slew of other wacky performance arts. Today, he and his crew of fitness clowns are set to bring endless laughs to the thousands of Headliners at EDC. Hearing him speak about the principles of clowning was like watching Steve Jobs deliver your college commencement speech—if you went to clown college. His goofy makeup and costume offset the meaningful life lessons about community, love and freedom of expression. It was the pep talk to top all pep talks.

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As we left our clown command post and headed deep into the trenches of EDC, I tried to jump straight into performer mode. Kane advised me that once I’m in the zone, there’s no breaking character.

No checking email on my phone. No Facebook statuses. No tweets.

No selfies. I had one job: to entertain, and to always remain a clown, no matter what.

I consider myself a confident person, but I’m new to the so-called stage, and EDC was my biggest audience in life by far. I was nervous at first, and my clown crew could tell. I noticed Kane and the gang keeping an eye on me throughout our ride, making sure I wasn’t lost in the hustle and bustle of the massive crowds. I attempted to do my own solo impromptu clown freak-outs à la the Merry Pranksters, when I remembered Kane’s wise words: The power in numbers applies to clowning. “First and foremost, you have to figure out what’s going on with the group as a whole, because you as only one person are only so powerful. You as a group become more powerful.”

Once I accepted the fact that I was now a bona fide clown bandit and felt my brothers’ welcoming embrace, I relinquished every drop of inhibition I had in my body. I was one of them, a part of their clown rave family, so to speak. I knew I was in character. I knew I was in makeup and costume. But I’ve never felt so free and in tune with myself. My inner child was set free to roam with the Headliners.

As we walked through the crowds, the high-fives never stopped. We twerked on fences. We did push-up challenges. We improvised songs and dances. We killed it.

At every stop we made, we took countless pictures with ravers. I felt like a star.

That’s when I realized something: It’s not about me.

It’s about you, the Headliner. The clowns exist for you, for your laughs, for your hugs, for your love. The main message of EDC encourages freedom: freedom of

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Through the transition from onlooker to festival performer, I discovered a side of EDC I never knew existed. After six years of attending the festival, I thought I’d seen it all. I was wrong. style, freedom of creativity, freedom of expression, freedom to be yourself. And the clowns are the worthy messengers.

“Your job as a clown is to inspire play, and to also create that community of love and inclusiveness,” said Kane. “We are merry-makers.

We are fools. We are fun-makers. We show by example that you can go crazy here.”

“Crazy” is the perfect word to describe Kane and his fellow clowns.

By going bonkers and cutting loose, they encourage crowds to be themselves and join the fun. Their energy is contagious and is felt throughout EDC, even when the clowns are nowhere near. Via their outlandish appearance and zany, slapstick humor, they relieve any sense of self-consciousness among Headliners. When playing with each other, they invite onlookers to participate in the action and break down the wall between performer and fan. EDC is a judgment-free zone, a place where you can truly be yourself. And the clowns are here to remind you of that important value.

“Our first job is to make sure we’re having a great time,” said Kane. “If we’re having a great time and people see that, they can let loose, too. People don’t know that freedom unless it’s exercised, and nobody knows where the limits are or how to test them. This is EDC, and almost everything is okay here. Feel free to be a kid.”

There’s no other place in the world like EDC. Sure, it’s home to all the biggest artists in the world; the most intricate stages ever built; the loudest speakers you’ve ever heard; the brightest fireworks you’ve ever seen; and the craziest party you’ll ever attend.

But there’s more to EDC than lights and music.

EDC is a living, breathing organism of its own. And the cast of roaming performers is the heart and soul. When the music is blasting, when the lights are blinding, when the DJs are rocking, the performers will always be there to bring you back to earth, back to the experience. It’s their mission to help you disconnect from the loud, and to help you live life in the now.

My clown ride ended hours later, and we headed back to the performer headquarters, where my team and I debriefed. They were ecstatic with the run; I, on the other hand, was exhausted from the demanding physical activity.

I didn’t join any other runs that night; one was enough. But I kept my clown makeup on for the remainder of the night, back in my everyday clothes with my face still brightly painted. Later in the evening in the staff catering area, I ran into my clown brothers, who were on break from a clown ride. They greeted me as one of their own—a member of the family. I was invited to participate in some future clown rides. But I’m hesitant. A part of me wants to keep that memory special, a one-time thing. Or maybe I’ll just join the circus and reach for my wig once more, and forever.

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words by rich thomas | photos by skyler greene

WHETHER YOU’RE A SPORTS STAR, A WORLD-FAMOUS DJ, OR A NEWLYWED LOOKING TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE MOMENT, THE ONLY WAY TO GET AN OWL’S-EYE VIEW OF EDC IS INSIDE A MAVERICK HELICOPTER.

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“FROM THE GROUND IT’S AMAZING AND MIND-BLOWING, BUT FROM THE SKY IT’S ANOTHER STORY ENTIRELY.”

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AT NIGHT, amid a myriad of stimuli, the helicopters flying over the Speedway blend into the backdrop like it’s a steady stream and a yearlong process.”

Last year, Maverick dedicated 16 helicopters—more choreographed art installations. Their red and green lights double as aerial décor, and the thick, percussive than a third of its total fleet—to EDC Las Vegas, averagsound of their rotors is all but drowned out by the deci- ing roughly 120 total flights per night. Helicopters start bels emanating from nine raging stages. They are the iron touching down around 6:30 pm—after a few breathtaking owls of EDC, moving deftly and anonymously through circles around the expanse of the Speedway, of course. the sky—that is, until shortly after 5:30 am, when the last The last heli lifts off around 6:30 am. Total time back to tune has been played and legions of wobbly-kneed revel- the Strip: between 12 and 18 minutes, depending on the ers retreat to their vehicles to face the return trip back to wind. Want to add that experience to your EDC bucket civilization. What was once background noise gets turned list? A one-way ticket will set you back $500. For the full up to 11, and two questions invariably pop into your head round-trip experience, you’re looking at $800.

“We serve everyone, from celebrities you see on the as you watch the last airship disappear toward the Vegas newsstands to people who just want to entertain their skyline: friends,” say Kroten. “It doesn’t matter who you are. We Who’s in there, and why the hell isn’t it me?

Maverick Helicopters has been flying in and out of the want to provide the best service possible.”

Because their Grand Canyon tours run from 7am to Speedway for over 13 years—mostly for NASCAR or other racing events—and has been servicing EDC clientele since 7pm, Maverick is essentially operating 24 hours a day the festival moved to Vegas in 2011. Back then, Maver- during EDC, so they make sure to employ their “all-star ick’s VP of Marketing Bryan Kroten wasn’t familiar with the team” for the weekend. That includes people like lead scene, had never heard of EDC, and “didn’t know what a pilot Sean Abellana, who has been flying EDC sorties ‘Tiësto’ was.” Understandably, the magnitude of the show since 2011.

“Because we sell individual seats, a lot of the particicaught the company slightly off guard.

“We started with four helicopters,” says Kroten. “In 2011, pants have never met, but they’re all here for the same on the day before night one of EDC, we didn’t have a single reason,” he says. “When you see them walking out of booking. All of our business was built on the event days the aircraft hugging and high-fiving, it’s amazing.”

Abellana loves dance music and has transported themselves, so we were crushed that year and the next. Now

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some of his favorite artists to EDC, from Porter Robin- there?” and “Thank God it isn’t me.” As you get closer, son and Zedd to Tiësto. Even the most seasoned jet-set- you start to recognize stages and familiar structures. You ters have been known to geek out and snap dozens of begin to see the black wisps of smoke left hanging in the photos. Of the various EDC helicopter videos posted air after the flames burn out.

And then you start to make out the people, like a colony to YouTube—none of which do the experience true justice—one uploaded to Bassnectar’s official channel of ants in a cosmic nature show. From 500 feet above the stands out by virtue of its title alone: “Bassnectar flies ground, you decipher their subtle undulations and migration patterns. Caterpillars, snakes, owls and octopi reveal over EDC Vegas 2011 - loses mind.”

“From the ground, it’s amazing and mind-blow- themselves in the crowd. Golf carts look like Hot Wheels ing,” says Kroten, “but from the sky, it’s another racing around the outer bands of the track. For a few fleeting minutes, just before the pilot snaps you out of your trance story entirely.”

It’s hard to target the Speedway amid the luminous to make his final approach, you become hyper-aware of just excess of the Las Vegas Strip, but once you make how big EDC is, how small you’re about to become, and how your way toward the outskirts of town, the shimmer- larger-than-life you feel. ing assemblage of lasers, neon, LEDs, and oversized Christmas lights begins to come into focus. The electronic soundtrack being piped ever-so-subtly into your headset—a nice touch at first—becomes strangely unsatisfying. It isn’t loud enough. You can’t feel it.

You begin doing festival math in your head: Reality equals set time divided by actual time multiplied by number of friends minus a meal and a trip to the bathroom. You pass car after car beneath you, saying to yourself, “Who’s in

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AS THE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR FOR INSOMNIAC, ALYXZANDER BEAR USES HIS OWN PRACTICAL MAGIC TO LAY A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR EACH FESTIVAL. words by katie bain | photos by bennett sell-kline

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ALYXZANDER BEAR PULLS a crisp hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and places it on his office desk. “You can have this,” he says, “if you can tell me the number of steps on the staircase between the second and third floor.” I guess 20. “So close,” he says, putting the money back in his wallet. “There are 16 steps.”

Bear knows the exact number of stairs in every staircase of the Insomniac office, and of each staircase in his house, and of those at the Long Beach Airport, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, several Vegas nightclubs, and of just about every other set of steps he’s After his military career, Bear traveled the world as a bodyguard for ever climbed. It’s just something he naturally notices and remembers. bands including the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones. He’s never “I’ve always been very, very pragmatic,” he says, “almost clinically.” had a drink of alcohol, which, along with a calm demeanor and imJust as a DJ’s mind thinks in song structure and melody, Bear’s posing physical stature that matches his name, made him an ideal mind thinks in numbers and colors. He remembers the 50 state capman to do tour security. Five scrapbooks in his office are filled with itals, for example, by associating each with a different hue. He can dozens of backstage passes for artists including AC/DC, Blondie and tell you how many people are standing in front of EDC’s kineticFIELD Black Sabbath. The massive telecommunications company Bearby surveying the crowd and doing some quick math based on the Com? He started that. He also founded Full Contact Sports, an action stage measurements. sportswear company and the sports and entertainment production Being hardwired for facts, figures, recollection and precision is company, PerforMax Productions. While he has a slight Southern acone of many abilities that qualify Bear for his role as Insomniac’s Pro- cent, he won’t say exactly where he’s from—just that he was born “in duction Director, a job he’s had for a decade. He claims to have no a small town in the middle of no place.” When he moved to Southern creativity, but while he certainly brings a high level of practicality to California in 1977, he rode his motorcycle across the country without his position, Bear’s sage application of logic does indeed contain an a map and moved into an apartment two miles away from where he element of magic. With this ability, he helps orchestrate the foundaran out of gas. He’s lived in the same town ever since. tional elements on which every unforgettaBear is quite possibly ble moment at EDC happens.

As he looks over documents on his computer, he the most interesting perThings you should also know about Bear: son that works at InsomHe sets every clock in his house to a differ- pulls up an image and says casually, “That’s a niac, although he would ent time so as to keep his brain sharp. He has photo of me and Frank, a shark that I befriended.” never say so. As Producsix black belts in various forms of martial arts, tion Director, he and his has traveled the world as the coach of a champion martial arts team, team are responsible for coordinating festival infrastructure, from and helped found the UFC. He declines to say how old he is, but is stage production to sanitation, parking, permits, security, traffic and rumored to be in his mid-sixties. As he looks over documents on his weather monitoring. Bear manages the stage labor and site operacomputer, he pulls up an image up and says casually, “That’s a photo tions crews for each festival. He describes his role as a combination of me and Frank, a shark that I befriended.” He also has two 12-foot of a sheepdog that pushes the people working under him in the right pet pythons, four parrots, six dogs and nine cats. He was recruited directions and a den mother who gets the group to work together, into military service out of college and served in Vietnam. despite their personality differences.

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“He’s extremely knowledgeable about a lot of things,” says Insomniac’s Senior Director of Operations Justin Spagg. “He really tries to be well-rounded in everything, so that he does have the answer for whatever the issue may be.” Spagg also notes that in the nearly 10 years they’ve worked together, he’s never seen Bear lose his cool.

Bear was brought onto the production team in 2005 via his connection to the now-defunct Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino. He has since watched Insomniac grow from the days when things were being done less by the rules and more on the fly. “We were more lucky than smart in the early years,” he says, “and we’ve learned a lot.

We’ve been very fortunate to have the limited amount of issues that we’ve had. Now we do it 100 percent by the book.”

This “book” is an actual physical object that he has helped write.

On his desk is a stack of maps and technical plans for upcoming events. Bear and the people he works with are responsible for making sure these nuts-and-bolts aspects of production are precisely executed. The production team spends weeks before EDC living onsite at the Motor Speedway, turning the stage designers’ dreams into reality. When the show starts, Bear spends his time dealing with unforeseen issues that arise, and when it’s all over, he says he gets a bit sad seeing the infrastructure come back down.

With far more festivals on the calendar now than in his early days, and with stage designs becoming more elaborate each year, the job of the production team has expanded dramatically. Bear rises at five in the morning, gives thanks for waking up at all, and then begins numbering the day’s tasks. “It usually ends up to be about 75 things,” he says. “It’s like a Rolodex in my head.”

Bear first learned the ins and outs of production in the music scene of the 1980s. He started his own company after transitioning out of the martial arts world and has worked on world tours for acts including Van Halen and Bruce Springsteen. He was there the first time an American band toured the Soviet Union and was part of legendary US festivals of the early ‘80s. Through it all, he’s witnessed the sea change of popular music from the ‘70s to today. “People say it’s electronic hippies,” he says of the EDC demographic, “but I think these kids have found a niche all their own.”

Through it all, Bear has learned that making an event work is a function of not just technical precision, but of ensuring that each person contributing their skills—from the stage builders to the clean-up crew—feels important and excited about their role. “The only thing that makes a festival work is when everyone is putting forth the same energy to make it happen. When it does happen, that’s when I get my satisfaction. I love it when a plan comes together.”

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EDC LAS VEGAS IS A CITY WITHIN A CITY. MEET TWO OF THE MEN RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING HEALTHCARE TO THE MASSES. words by rich thomas photos by erik voake experience creators

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COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION: two things any successful festival needs in order to run a tight ship.

Fireworks and pyrotechnics fly in unison with musical crescendos. Art cars navigate between eateries and carnival rides, dispensing audible treats to migrating Headliners. But moving among the crowds and operating Fire Department and Mercy Air Aeromedical Transport. behind the scenes are artists of a different sort— Pete Carlo, PA-C, MPAS, is the facility’s Assistant Mediones skilled in an alternate field of expertise. They cal Director. He and Carrison run C&C Medical Direction are the caregivers of EDC, and their level of synchro- Specialists, an independent group that provides services nous collaboration across multiple groups is its own for events, locations and organizations throughout the manner of choreographed brilliance. From doctors Las Vegas area. In conjunction with team members like and nurses to paramedics, EMTs and law enforce- MedicWest Ambulance Special Events Manager Glen ment, dozens of health and safety personnel work Simpson, Nurse Coordinator Evelyn Lundell, and Insomtogether to create harmony among EDC guests and niac Director of Health & Safety Maren Steiner—who staff, and their responsibilities are orchestrated in oversees a team of 70 EMTs and paramedics from across part by two extremely capable human beings. the US—they work to ensure all of the groups at EDC are Dr. Dale Carrison has served as the Medical Direc- running smoothly. tor for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway since 1996, but “The goal,” says Steiner, “is to make sure everyone he holds the same credential for a number of other arrives safely and walks out the same way they came in.”

Las Vegas organizations, including the Clark County We spoke with Pete Carlo and Dr. Carrison about what goes into providing care for our Headliners, and how they, in turn, give the staff a dose of their own medicine.

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“I’ve had nurses who’ve said it was the best experience they’ve had, because the people say thank you. That makes a huge difference.”

just another kind of music and generation, and I don’t make any judgments on that. The EDC crowds are probably the nicest I’ve ever been associated with. They don’t want to fight, and they appreciate what we do for them.

DO YOU REMEMBER THOSE FIRST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EDC BACK IN 2011, BEFORE THE SHOW CAME TO LAS VEGAS? DALE CARRISON: I had actually gotten a call from a friend who had done some of the EDC events in the L.A. area, and he said to me, “Hey Dale, I hear you’re having a rave out at the track.” I said, “What? You’re going to have to spell it.

I’m not sure what that is.” He said, “R-A-V-E. The Electric Daisy Carnival.” I thought, damn, I better go on the internet and check out what this is. So I started learning about it, and I read everything about Insomniac and the Electric Daisy Carnival.

PETE CARLO: I walked into Dale’s office one day and he goes, “Have you ever heard of this electric flower festival thing? Look it up online.” So I did, and I called him back and was like, “Are you crazy?” He says, “We’re doing it. It’s out at the Speedway!”

DALE, HOW OLD ARE YOU? DC: I’m 75.

DO YOU SEE PARALLELS BETWEEN EDC AND THE MUSIC OR CULTURAL MOVEMENTS YOU LIVED THROUGH? DC: My thing is: Judge not, lest ye be judged.

I was a deputy sheriff during the ‘60s and Vietnam. I experienced people attacking me and calling me a pig and threatening to kill me. I never got cynical about that. EDC is

IS DANCE MUSIC SOMETHING YOU LISTENED TO BEFORE EDC? PC: Sure, I knew about it. Have I grown to like it over the last five years? Yes. I like Afrojack, and my wife listens to Avicii, so I’ve gotten a little bit into him.

I DON’T KNOW IF PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTAND THE TRUE MAGNITUDE OF EDC’S MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS, OR THE LEVEL OF CARE THAT IS PROVIDED TO PEOPLE, ESSENTIALLY FREE OF CHARGE. IN ALL YOUR YEARS OF PRACTICING MEDICINE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A PART OF ANYTHING AT THE SPEEDWAY—OR ANYWHERE ELSE—OF THIS MAGNITUDE? DC: No. We have an after-action, we do tabletop exercises beforehand, and every year we look and see what could we have done better. For example, we’ve developed a better triage area and separated it.

The first year, 30 percent of the people we saw were workers, so we set up a different clinic for them. That leaves more attention on the patrons.

PC: Back in 1999, I was the guy who put together the medical plan for the Las Vegas Strip [New Year’s Eve event]. We expected about 250,000 people, so the health district and ambulance company I was working for at the time put me in charge and said, “Make a plan for 250,000 people and the madness that will ensue once the clock strikes midnight.”

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FOR Y2K? PC: Right, and it actually cut down on the number of patients back in 1999 that went to hospitals.

Over time, it’s evolved to what we have now, but it’s something that the military has been doing for 100 years. In the realm of EMS and taking the physician out of the hospital and putting them on the front line where the patients are, you can reduce the impact on your medical system. You want it like a city within a city. The city would be EDC within the city of Las Vegas.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY ADJUSTMENTS YOU’VE MADE? DC: The first has been adding a real triage area, which frees up lots of bed space. The other is defining what goes through our on-site medical facilities and what we would transport. Then there’s having a worker’s clinic for employees to go to.

THE TRIAGE AREA IS DECORATED WITH DAISIES AND RIBBONS. THERE’S A DISCO BALL ON THE CEILING, AND SOME OF THE NURSES WERE WEARING DECORATIVE SUNGLASSES. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO MAKE WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE A VERY BLAND ENVIRONMENT SO COLORFUL AND FUN? DC: We want to make it welcoming and make sure people know that all we’re here to do is take care of you. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

HAVE YOU EVER GOTTEN ANY LETTERS OR EMAILS FROM PEOPLE YOU’VE HELPED? DC: I’ve had nurses who’ve said it was the best experience they’ve had, because the people say thank you.

That makes a huge difference.

WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK THAT HAS ON THE STAFF? BETWEEN DOCTORS, NURSES, EMTS AND GROUND CONTROL, HOW MANY DIFFERENT MEDICAL GROUPS ARE DC: I think it pops you up. I have ER nurses that ask their colleagues, “Why in God’s name would you go out WORKING TOGETHER? AM I MISSING ANYONE? there [to EDC]?” And they say, “Because the people DC: You can’t forget that law enforcement is a big are so nice.” We get letters and emails, yes, but what part of that, too. The attendees will tell you that the really makes a difference is just people saying, “Thank Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is the you for taking care of me.” I think it’s important for best they’ve ever worked with when they go to one people to know that the medical staff are there for the of these events. We’re a tourist town, you know. Our fans and to provide the best medical care possible. police are out there to make sure you have a good time and make sure no bad guys ruin it. So we’re work- PC: To get a thank-you card or a hug at the end of treating with the police, working with the fire department, ment is really special for us. We went into this business because they have to oversee all the fireworks and because we care about people. make sure all the rides are safe. Then Ground Control, who act as sort of ambassadors. We have carts, bike WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS CULTURE, OR THE teams, the paramedics and EMTs inside. We have to SHOW IN GENERAL? have water, so we make sure the water guy is there. We have to have ice. We have Insomniac’s team, we have PC: The people are great; everyone’s happy. It gets MedicWest Ambulance. Then we have my emergen- a bunch of people together, and we do medicine in cy medical residents. It’s amazing how many people a semi-austere environment. We’re challenging ourselves. Why not challenge ourselves and have fun at there are. the same time?

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WELLNESS 101

In addition to our expertly trained medical staff, the following health and wellness benefits are in place at EDC to help you stay happy, healthy and hydrated.

GROUND CONTROL While you’re out exploring the wonders of EDC, know that we’ve got a dedicated team of compassionate peers walking alongside you whose sole mission is to help everyone at the festival have the best time possible. Need a Band-Aid? Ask Ground Control. Need direction to the Lost & Found, a specific stage, or the closest bathroom? Yup, Ground Control again.

Just look for the Headliners rocking fanny packs and purple T-shirts, carrying multi-channel radios, red light sabers, and bandages—they’ve got you and yours covered.

OASIS We built this desert hideaway just for you. In addition to being a great location to relax for a few minutes, the Oasis is staffed by our Ground Control team members, who are onsite to help with whatever you may need. You can pick up free earplugs and receive info about our Save-a-Life Card program, and if you’re interested in getting involved with our prestigious Ground Control team, they’ll happily fill you in on all the details.

There’s even a suggestion box set up so you can help us make future events even better.

CONSCIOUSNESS GROUP Whether you’re straight-edge or in recovery, or you’d simply like to take a break from all the merrymaking, this is a great place to kick back and chat with like-minded Headliners. Set up by fellow music lovers just like you, the Consciousness Group is all about providing a relaxing, nonjudgmental atmosphere. The CG tent will be open throughout the three-day festival, with meetings held each day at 9pm, midnight and 3am. Even if you don’t want to say a lot, we’re there to listen.

FREE WATER EDC takes up about 180 acres of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. That’s a lot of ground to cover, especially if you’re dancing from stage to stage, so don’t forget to throw back plenty of water while you’re at it. And what’s better than regular water? Triple-filtered, UV-sterilized, FREE water. Just stop by one of our water refill stations with your CamelBak, Insomniac water bottle, or whatever you have handy, and fill up as often as you need. The thirst is real in the desert. Stay hydrated, my friends.

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DECONSTRUCTING THE PRODUCTION ELEMENTS BEHIND kineticCATHEDRAL, THE LARGEST STAGE EVER BUILT IN NORTH AMERICA. photo by doug van sant

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BY CREATING AN EVEN GREATER VISUAL FEAST, EDC’S KINETICFIELD TRANSPORTS HEADLINERS BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DREAMS, AND BACK TO THEMSELVES. words by katie bain

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In less than 24 hours, more than 70,000 people JUNE 19, 2014, was a typically warm evening in southern Nevada, the blacktop of the Las Vegas would be engaged in various modes of high-levMotor Speedway still warm to the touch from bak- el revelry in this same spot. Tonight, though, the ing in the daytime desert sun. On this night, EDC Speedway was populated with just a few hundred eve, Pasquale Rotella stood in the front of a mas- individuals putting the finishing touches on the sive, cathedral-shaped structure at the Speedway largest music festival in North America. Onstage, with his hand on his chin, watching the perfor- the rehearsal ended and robed owls milled about, mance on the stage in front of him with laser focus. while Rotella, still in a pose of contemplation, offered revisions to the spectacle happening on kineticFIELD. After a few more run-throughs, the “WE WANT PEOPLE TO LOSE show was ready, perfect, and as goosebump-inTHEMSELVES, FIND THAT INNER ducing—despite the heat—for the handful of CHILD, AND ESCAPE INTO A people watching as it would be for the hundreds of thousands who would witness it throughout DIFFERENT WORLD.” the next three days. The kineticCATHEDRAL had been born.

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It is one thing to build a stage so grand and technically astounding that it causes legitimate screams of joy. It’s another to establish a story around the stage that immerses Headliners deeper in the festival experience and their own emotional journey. This year’s kineticFIELD, a visual and mythological continuation of the narrative started in 2014, will do both. It’s a global undertaking that requires everyone on the Insomniac team to step outside their normal show roles and achieve the highest level of creative expression.

“I don’t see it as a challenge,” says Rotella of creating increasingly elaborate stage designs each year. “It’s more of a dream you pursue.”

This year’s kineticFIELD moves deeper into the story of the owl realm known as the Crystal Village.

The stage design involves myriad focal points that, throughout each night, showcase the entirety of the vast owl universe, from deep sea to deep space. Performers will enhance this journey, all the while celebrating EDC’s core tenets of life, love, art and individuality.

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WHEN SUCH A SENSE OF FREEDOM IS EXPERIENCED, EDC TRANSCENDS BEING SIMPLY A PARTY AND BECOMES A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WITH EFFECTS THAT EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE THREE-DAY WEEKEND.

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“Everything we do starts with a story,” says Insomniac team member Marjolein van de Stolpe, “and the great thing with a story is that it has a beginning, middle and end. Throughout the night, we and a team of all kinds of professionals can create a journey that we invite the Headliners to join in on.”

The intention with this lofty vision is not simply to awe Headliners, but to transport them to a place so far beyond their everyday reality that they simply cannot help but let go, be present and experience peak and profound moments. Says Rotella: “We want people to lose themselves, find that inner child, and escape into a different world.”

When such a sense of freedom is experienced, EDC transcends being simply a party and becomes, as Rotella calls it, a spiritual journey with effects that extend far beyond the three-day weekend. There is a reason people call EDC life-changing and get the festival logo tattooed on their skin.

Rotella himself had such transformative experiences in the underground rave days of the early ‘90s. His inspiration for the Crystal Village came

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from the mind-blowing settings of these parties, as well as the immersive experiences of amusement parks—specifically, Disney. The aim is for EDC to be a pop-up theme park, with each stage area having a unique identity as defined by the music and vibe.

“I always had a dream of completely immersing people in an environment that will take what is already happening to another level,” Rotella says.

“It’s simple as that, and with the help of some friends, we’re able to take it to a whole other level.”

Whereas last year’s cathedral was a shrine at which to honor the sentiment of music as religion, this year’s narrative seeks to bring Headliners deeper into the kinetic world. This year, between each DJ set, the mayor of the owl community will appear and take charge of the biggest celebration seen in thousands of years in the Crystal Village.

He will release crystals to the audience, each containing the power of earth, fire, water and air. This integration of nature into the technological spectacle is a longstanding goal of EDC that was first established with the creation of the daisy symbol.

“Technology seems to be taking over nature for people sometimes,” Rotella says. “Finding balance and being in touch with nature is good.”

Other elements of the Crystal Village mythology incude the Owlphabet developed to deepen the culture of the owl community and create a more comprehensive, otherworldly atmosphere. Other stages will get similarly immersive treatments, ultimately turning EDC into a realm of themed areas connected by pathways dubbed Rainbow Road, Daisy Lane, Electric Avenue and more. This total vision came to fruition thanks to a collaboration across a number of Insomniac departments—from art, engineering and fabrication to writing, choreography and sound design. Scheduling the conference calls alone was a production in itself.

Last year, the closing ceremony on the final morning of the festival was nearly cut, as it was anticipated Headliners would be exhausted and eager to head home. Ultimately, however, this finale was included, as every good story needs an ending. Instead of leaving, the crowd flooded in to see this last performance. This was the moment, more than 72 hours after those final dress rehearsals, that the team exchanged high-fives.

“Everything we do is to create magic for everybody saving up to join the festival,” van de Stolpe says of this moment and all of the moments to come. “To succeed in that is a dream come true.”

And this year, these dreams are bigger than ever.

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words by simon rust lamb | illustration by traminal + wojciech pijecki

GREAT REWARDS AWAIT THOSE WILLING TO MAKE THE BACK-TO-BACK WEEKEND JOURNEY FROM THE NEON DESERT OF EDC TO THE LUSH GREENERY OF ELECTRIC FOREST. OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, I’ve been part of the team responsible for producing two special experiences that happen to occur on back-to-back weekends: EDC Las Vegas and Electric Forest. While the festivals take place in two very distinct locations, the continuity between them runs strong. It’s not just their common threads—electronic music, mesmerizing environments, beautiful people, peace, love, community and respect—but that more and more people seem to travel straight from Vegas to Rothbury, Michigan. I’ve become part of a migration. This two-weekend pilgrimage is the highlight of my year, where I refill my spiritual gas tank to overflowing.

Last year at EDC Vegas, that feeling was punctuated with the sentiment that music is our religion. We didn’t simply erect a DJ platform; we built a cathedral, filling it with our collective spirits. We didn’t just construct stages; we created massive structures that orbited the Speedway like a solar system. In the midst of the desert’s dry summer heat, EDC becomes a utopia. Among the grandstands and asphalt looming large beneath the sky, the green grass of cosmicMEADOW serves as a natural oasis. Technology and art re-create nature in the form of giant owls and gardens of large-scale, multicolored mushrooms. The lights of EDC shine so bright that I can feel them in my ocular nerves with eyes closed. And then there are the performers, the fireworks, the carnival rides, the !!! moments, the ?@#% happenings, and all the rest… for three seemingly endless nights.

But by Monday at 11am, everyone retreats—away from the sun and back to air-conditioned hotel rooms, after-parties and refreshing swimming pools. As fast as it became a metropolis, EDC reverts to its component parts: bamboo poles, LED screens, light fixtures, steel scaffolding and truss. Trucks leave in all directions, many somewhat lighter than when they arrived. Remnants of exploded firework shells twist in the desert wind, and precious few traces remain of the celebrations that took place.

The transition back to reality takes time—the emotions, exhaustion and experience linger for days after it ends—but I have just two days and nights of sleep before I set out again. One stop at Chicago’s O’Hare airport, and then a few hours later, I’m heading to a small airport deep in Michigan. As the plane comes in for landing, the ocean that is Lake Michigan gives way to lush, green forests.

The temperature sits at a perfect 76 degrees, the sun shines, and this strange feeling hits me: HUMIDITY. My skin drinks the moisture from the air as if it has been wandering the desert for weeks (oh, wait…). Trees line the roadside, their rustling leaves singing a welcoming song. A short drive later, and I’m in the Electric Forest, rushing to join 35,000 friends (about 100,000 shy of EDC’s daily attendance).

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The defining characteristic of Electric Forest is its namesake woods: The event is surrounded by trees, mingling with the masses and defining the skyline. Some Forest denizens reveal their tied-dyed heritage, showcasing an abundance of colored fabrics, bare feet, dreadlocks, sundresses and optimism.

Everyone camps, and everything is walkable. The memory of driving here fades fast. The stages blend into the forest, because that’s how it is meant to be. The magnificence of this city needs little more than people and music to come alive.

The labyrinth of Sherwood Forest, the heart of this woodland, features attractions you might miss if you don’t let yourself wander aimlessly: hammocks, stages of bizarre musical theater (Psychedelic Bingo, anyone?), and a speakeasy built from recycled materials. Sherwood could be a destination all its own.

Bands matter in the Forest, but so do the DJs, and the different frequencies and timbres ebb and flow throughout the weekend. Each day is a play in three acts. The first starts in the

Remnants of exploded firework shells twist in the desert wind, and precious few traces remain of the celebrations that took place. campgrounds, as people awaken and wander down Shakedown Street to grab a burrito or the obligatory Spicy Pie slice, or to hit up the notoriously good egg spot. Act two spans from when the music begins until the Forest closes for the night. In act three, back in camping, the party lives on for hours ‘til the sun rises.

Over the course of two weekends, I’ll see the sun rise six times. At EDC Vegas, each sunrise has a different impact; but the final one, on Monday morning, feels warmer than the previous two. The hyper-speed moments of the last three nights have come to an end, and my eyes fill with tears of gratitude as I reminisce on one more journey Under the Electric Sky. While the same sun rises over Rothbury, those magic hours look different in the Forest. It takes a moment, but I realize the absence of EDC’s fire. Perhaps that’s what makes the sunrise so profound in the Forest. Light breaks through the trees, illuminating vast fields of techno-hippy campers. It restores energy to those remaining awake to receive it—but also to those who sleep, dreaming of next year’s adventures.

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Use these pages to describe your EDC Las Vegas experience, and then email a photo of your memory to editorial@insomniac.com so we can share it online.

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JA NUARY 14, 1937 - BORN IN T O LIFE M A RCH, 29 2015 - BOR N IN T O E T E R NI T Y MAMA IRENE WAS THE STAR of every Insomniac event she attended, whether she was working the door back in 1993 or dancing onstage in 2013. She inspired everyone she met to live a life of passion and purpose, and proved—right up until she passed away at the youthful age of 79—that it’s your heart, not your age, that defines you.

This magazine is dedicated to her, the original Headliner, and the brightest star in the electric sky. May we all have the courage to live life like Mama Irene did.

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p h o t o b y ja c o b l if s c h u lt z

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