From the moment we stepped on the “party bus” it felt like being kicked in the chest back in time. While it was a familiar feeling, some things were definitely different. It’s not a good or bad thing but just something that was noticed. The trip there was like the quiet before the storm. The first night I tagged along with a small crew on the second it doubled in size.
Stepping into Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), our first impression was one of awe. The birds-eye view as we walked in made us realize the sheer magnitude of the event. We had to come up with a mental game plan on how to explore. Once we thought we had a plan, we proceeded forward and were immediately taken aback by the stunning visuals. We soon encountered the first outer layer of people who had started early and were now standing still, contemplating whether they should go back in. It looked like a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie mixed with a Saturday morning cartoon lineup.
At the first stage, we were met by a huge figure of a woman wearing a head wrap whose arms moving caught us off-guard a few seconds later. The atmosphere was chaotic yet joyous and we could feel the journey from Brooklyn warehouses and overpasses to a full-blown city built just for EDC. We encountered some difficulties trying to get artist interviews as it was our first time attending, with managers emailing us saying logistically it wasn’t possible.
The music was as varied as the crowds, from Tiesto giving the people what they wanted to Marshmello and Svdden Death playing something different, exciting, and slightly intense. We saw people holding signs and flags, leading their groups, and wondered if there was an opportunity to turn this into a business. We also noticed the elaborate footwear some people wore and thought they should have been told “rock kicks, it changes everything”.
We thought the festival was done well, considering its iconic status. 520,000 ( according to the producer insomniac ) people showed up this year, creating a mostly positive atmosphere even without wifi or other connections. We won’t talk about the restroom situation and the two-hour traffic delays, but these were expected prices to pay for attending EDC. Hopefully, they can these things sorted out before next year as bathrooms and wifi are at the top of the needs list.
We tried envisioning putting something together as compared to finding an abandoned warehouse that could 2000 people and simply laughed. The event was more than just a rave or big party it was its own culture on its own little island. Along with the festival, EDC brought in tons of guests for the hotels, we took a pic or two of that, and let us tell you before you ask no …. we did not go in that pool. Back in the day, people used to say to for the scene and not for the green. We think EDC might just be doing both but it’s not crystal clear. We hope to return next year with a whole new game plan and approach to capture the full experience.
