As I was leaving this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival in the early morning hours after the first night of fun, I was handed the 2014 edition of ‘The Insomniac,’ which was full of articles about the flagship event and its culture – everything from a letter from Insomniac founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella and details about some of the art installations featured at the festival to how the soundtrack was chosen for the recent EDC documentary ‘Under The Electric Sky’ and why EDC attendees, called “headliners,” love the annual festival so much. One of the most interesting sections of the magazine was ‘Electric Daisy Carnival: The Breakdown’ which shared some behind-the-scenes stats about the festival’s guests, production, and the overall fan experience.
Headliners
345,000 in Total
Most Popular Countries:
97,583 from the United States
3,734 from Canada
300 from Australia
267 from the United Kingdom
Most Popular States:
60,268 from California
6,014 from Nevada
4,512 from Texas
3,456 from Arizona
EDC gets bigger and better every year with 2014 featuring “headliners” from all 50 states and 40 different countries. 140,000 guests attended the festival each night this year, which ran from Friday, June 20th through Sunday, June 22nd from dusk until dawn at its home at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, about a 20 minute drive from Sin City’s notorious Strip.
As we took our shuttle to the Speedway and walked around the festival, I realized that it’s hard to define a typical EDC guest. There were people of all ages with different styles; everyone from older, experienced ravers to younger candy kids were there to enjoy three nights of good times and amazing music, all united by their passion for this truly unique environment where people who love electronic music can connect and create lasting memories.
Stages & Music
50 CDJs
33 Mixers
920,000 Watts of Speaker Power = 7,500 Sonic Booms
7 Stages
394,700 Square Feet of Stages and Temporary Structures = 6.25 Football Fields
102 Confetti Blowers
15,120 Pounds of Confetti = 7.5 Fiat 500s
162 Cryo Jets
4,911 Streamer Sleeves
6,300 Video Tiles
By far, the main draw of EDC is its unparalleled lineup, a combination of the world’s most recognizable DJs as well as a top-notch group of emerging underground talent. There’s really something for everyone at the festival, which allows each attendee to create his or her own personalized experience. Wandering around EDC, you’ll hear everything from underground house and techno, big-room progressive house, dubstep, drum and bass, electro, disco, and much more.
EDC featured seven stages this year. kineticFIELD, the main stage which draws the majority of guests, was really impressive with two huge owl structures on either side surrounding a series of tall columns. The stage evolved as the night went on and at times looked like a beautiful, colorful cathedral. I was happy to catch artists like Fedde Le Grand and MK in this crazy setting.
You could feel the bass radiating from the bassPOD and bassCON stages from far away. 12th Planet, Destroid, Paul Oakenfold, Infected Mushroom, Dirtyphonics, Sub Focus, and Carnage are only a few of the DJs who got to play there this year.
neonGARDEN was one of my favorite stages featuring the likes of Carl Cox (by far my favorite set of the weekend), Dubfire, John Digweed, Art Department, Dusky, Damian Lazarus, and Loco Dice among others.
Every stage had its own character and vibe, and I enjoyed walking around the festival grounds to experience a little bit of it all. The Discovery Stage showcased some great up-and-coming talent as the winners of Insomiac’s second Discovery Project were invited to throw down.
As the night drew to a close, we headed over to the Wide Awake Art Car to squeeze in a little more dancing to the tunes of Eric Volta before going home.
Atmosphere
35 Carnival Rides
30 Art Exhibits
11 Food Trucks
Spread throughout the grounds were several interactive art exhibits and of course the festival’s signature carnival rides, both great options when you wanted to take a quick break from dancing.
The food available this year exceeded my expectations with the addition of gourmet food trucks and local restaurant partners. There was a little bit of everything to satisfy any craving, from hot dogs and hummus to lobster and cupcakes, keeping us fueled throughout the long nights.
Production
1,370 Light Fixtures
4.6 Million Pounds of Steel
47 Forklifts
77,000 Gallons of Gasoline and Biodiesel Fuel
If there’s one thing that Insomniac is known for, it’s the extremely high level of production, attention to detail, and commitment to the overall fan experience that is evident at their events. Other festivals may have some of the same talent, but they’re not presenting it in such a mind-blowing, spectacular way. It was all amazing from the light shows and visual effects at each stage to the massive firework displays at the end of the night.
If you haven’t been lucky enough to experience the magic of EDC yet, I strongly suggest that you find a way to get yourself there next year as its a must do, one-of-a-kind festival. We’ll see you under the electric sky!
