‘Twas twelve o clock noon and all through the world,
Ravers were refreshing their browsers, watching the loading icon twirl
They sat anxiously at their computers, credit card in hand
Waiting impatiently to get their tickets, to go to Electric Daisy Carnival (land)
Ah, yes. Tickets for Electric Daisy Carnival 2016 (read: heaven) went on sale promptly at twelve o’clock noon, Pacific Time, on September 21. Although the first tier (Early Owl) sold out (yes, completely sold out) within THIRTY FREAKIN’ MINUTES, there are still plenty of second tier (Later Owl) tickets available. If you plan on breaking your EDC Las Vegas virginity this June 17-19, 2016, this article will help you to learn what to expect, what to bring, where to go, and just about everything else EDC related. The best advice I have is to start preparing now, there’s only 269 days until the best weekend of your life, but who’s counting?
A is for Art.
EDC’s tag phrase is, “It’s about the Experience”. To me, that doesn’t necessarily refer to jumping in a crowd of over one hundred thousand people–even though that is a crazy experience–it refers to those little moments you will have walking in between stages, getting glimpses of all the incredible artwork tastefully placed around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Literally everything that makes up EDC will light up, glow a rainbow of LED lights, move, shoot fire, or play music. This means you might run into a giant, metal, moving, animation octopus shooting fire out of its 8 arms and head, or take a break from dancing under a giant light-up dandelion.
A is also for App.
A few days before EDC, Insomniac releases a handy app that is solely for navigating through EDC. When you download the app, it has awesome features that let you set up your DJ schedule, then all of the DJ’s you add to your schedule are conveniently listed based on set times and stages, a map of where to find EVERYTHING in the Speedway, and much more. This is CRUCIAL in making your EDC experience as amazing as possible, because with so many DJs you will want to see, it will be hard to remember what time they all go on and go off, and what stage they are on. So instead of wandering around the HUGE speedway trying to find the stage that Calvin Harris is on, all you have to do is open your handy-dandy-EDC-app and you’ll be able to see your holy grail of DJ scheduling. It also connects with Facebook, which allows you to see your friends’ schedules.
B is for Breaks.
Breaks. Are. So. IMPORTANT. Sure, you might say- “But I can stay on my feet dancing for 6 or more hours when I go to a show or club! I don’t need to take a break, ESPECIALLY at EDC!” Oh, young raver. If you want to survive EDC week, you have to take breaks. In between DJ sets, in the middle of a set, after you ride a carnival ride, it doesn’t matter. If you feel tired (or your feet start hurting, which I promise they will) there is no shame in sitting down for a few minutes to give your body a break. And when I saw break, I mean finding somewhere to sit down for 5-10 (or even more) minutes, drink some water and Gatorade, and eat if you are hungry. No one can possibly stay on their feet for 12 or more hours, so make sure you are giving your body breaks throughout the night so you don’t end up completely exhausted come five AM.
C is for CircutGROUNDS.
I may be a little bit biased, because CircutGROUNDS was my favorite stage at EDC, but that’s because it was AMAZING. The stage itself is at the end of a type of metal dome structure, with the crowd completely filling out the structure and outside on the grounds around it. It’s similar to being at a Vegas club in the sense that giant light structures line the dome-tent-structure-thing (?) as well as move up and down from the ceiling. CircutGROUNDS features mainly house DJs- such as Blasterjaxx, Ummet Ozcan, Krewella, Dada Life, and Nicky Romero.
C is also for CosmicMEADOW.
CosmicMEADOW is kind of mind-blowing. It is a huge stage, made up of mainly LED screens that have the ability to show off some crazy visuals. It is conveniently located on the grass part of the speedway and right in front of the bleachers, so it is a perfect place to go when you want to take a break but don’t want to miss any music. CosmicMEADOW is home to a few different EDM genres, such as Trap, House, and Dubstep. You can expect see DJs such as Yellow Claw, Party Favor, Seven Lions, Dillon Francis, Flosstradamus, and Kiesza blowing up this stage.
D is for Daisy.
As in, Electric DAISY Carnival.
E is for EDM.
If you are reading this article knowing NOTHING about EDC, it is basically an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) Festival. EDM has a bunch of different genres (dubstep, house, hardstyle, trance) and the most popular DJ’s (like the ones you will hear on the radio) include Calvin Harris, Zedd, and Tiesto.
F is for Food.
You are not allowed to bring in outside food into EDC, but they have plenty of food vendors in the Speedway in case you get hungry and need an energy boost at three AM. There is quite a long list of food trucks in the venue, where you can get anything from cupcakes to hot dogs to pizza. However, it is very important to eat healthy the entire weekend of EDC, and filling up on a good meal before leaving to go to the event, so you will have the energy to dance all night long. Jamba Juice with extra vitamin and energy shots were my groups’ favorite thing to get during EDC weekend, and grabbing one right before leaving for the speedway will give you a tasty, COLD, nutritious treat to sip on while waiting in line.
G is for Go-Pro.
Or another camera, whether from your phone or an actual camera. Bringing your phone into EDC is basically pointless, there are so many people in one area that there won’t be any service (plus, why would you want to be on social media or other apps when the most incredible event is happening around you?!). However, you will definitely want a camera to capture as many moments as you can- from recording Martin Garrix dropping Animals to taking a picture with a new group of friends.
H is for Hours.
Unfortunately, EDC cannot go on forever, no matter how bad everyone that attends wants it to. Last year, the parking lots open at 5:00 pm, and the doors open at 7:00 pm. The last DJs of the night end their sets at 5:30 AM. Yes, you read that right. EDC literally goes dusk till dawn. If you arrive at the Speedway in between 6-9 pm (roughly) you can expect to wait in line for up to two hours. Leaving the event will also take around an hour or even longer. Unfortunately this is something that can’t be avoided (unless you spend twice as much on your ticket to go VIP, but ain’t nobody got money for that). Standing in line for 2+ hours to get into EDC (in the HOT desert sun in the summer… did I mention it’s extremely hot?) honestly sucks, so make sure you have plenty of water, Gatorade, and even snacks to help make waiting in line suck less. Bonus Tip: A group that I stood by on the third day actually had a small portable speaker and blasted music in line (not for long, some group near the front of the line actually came back and invited them to stand in the front) so that is a great idea to help make standing in line a little less awful (and who knows, you might be able to skip a mile-long line just for having entertainment).
I is for Insomniac.
Insomniac is the company that puts on EDC, as well as dozens of other events. Other events put on by Insomniac include Nocturnal Wonderland, Beyond Wonderland, Life Is Beautiful, Basscon, as well as EDC all over the world (Brazil, New York, Japan, Florida, Mexico, just to name a few). The founder of Insomniac is Pasquale Rotella, who started throwing underground raves in LA in the 90s, and is the man responsible for providing us with events that are basically heaven on earth.
J is for Juice.
Actually, more like Gatorade, but I couldn’t come up with another J-word. Drinking Gatorade, or another drink with sugar and electrolytes in it, is almost as important as drinking plenty of water at EDC. Throughout the night, you will be sweating a lot- from the heat and dancing- and water won’t be able to replenish all the substances that you lose in that process. Gatorades are available to purchase in the event, and I definitely recommend picking one or two up to sip on throughout the night to help replenish vital sugars, salts, and other nutrients you lose through sweating.
K is for KineticFIELD.
KineticFIELD is the big, bad and beautiful main stage of Electric Daisy Carnival. Like, this thing is ginormous. It stands 100 feet tall and 480 feet long, making it the largest stage in North America. Last years stage had 1,000 light fixtures, 40 lasers, 22 flame units, 15 confetti blowers, and even a waterfall. Complete with opening and closing ceremonies (this is basically the Olympics of EDM, except everyone is a winner) and small theatrical productions in between DJs, it is the face of EDC. KineticFIELD is the home to big name DJs- such as Armin Van Buuren (named number one DJ in the world by DJ Magazine), Martin Garrix, Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Hardwell, Avicii, Deorro, Tiesto, Alesso, Calvin Harris (and the list goes on).
L is for Listening.
I personally think one of the best ways to prepare for EDC, or any DJ, event, or concert for that matter, is to listen to the artists that will be at the event before you actually go. Some of the best parts of EDC are being able to dance and sing your heart out to songs that you are familiar with. The EDC lineup will be released a month or two before the event, so once it is released, start listening to those DJs on soundcloud and spotify! Most live sets from shows are posted on soundcloud or youtube, which will give you a good feel for the DJs’ style and what songs they will most likely play when you see them. If you are familiar with some of the songs, then you will be ten times more excited when you hear it play at EDC, and you’ll be able to sing along!
M is for Medical Stations
Safety is Insomniac’s biggest concern while putting on festivals that attract hundreds of thousands of ravers. There is a zero tolerance policy at EDC for drugs and other illegal substances. HOWEVER- if you or your friend, or someone you see nearby (cause PLUR) needs medical attention- take them to a medical station. There are also Health and Safety Team officers roaming the speedway that you could flag down if you or someone needs help, and your Insomniac EDC App will come in handy if you do need to find a medical station. If you or a friend are experiencing any of the following:
– Vomiting
– Seizures
– Pale skin color or bluish tinge
– Abnormal heart rate/ breathing too fast or slow
– Abnormal body temperature
– Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia
– Pupils that don’t react to changes in light
– Confusion, stupor (unresponsive but conscious), coma, inability to be roused
Then find a Medical Staff member or take them to a Medical Station ASAP! The Medical Stations provide help free of charge- including everything from having blisters to feeling lightheaded. The Insomniac and Medical Staff members really do just want to help you, so don’t let fear of getting in trouble with an illegal substance hold you back from getting medical help- it could save you or a friends life.
N is for NeonGARDEN.
NeonGARDEN is a techno and house music stage, with DJs such as Carl Cox, Disclosure, and Umek playing on it last year.
O is for Outfits.
This is one of the funnest parts of EDC (in my crafting-obsessed opinion). EDC is pretty well known for the extravagant, and sometimes crazy, outfits that ravers wear at the event. It’s like a three-day Halloween dress up event, and people go ALL OUT. This doesn’t mean you have to go crazy with your outfits, but the EDC dress code (is there one…?) allows you to wear basically whatever you can create to stand out in a crowd of over a hundred thousand people. Tutus, fluffies, swimsuits, ‘rave bras’, things that light up, are all staples of the outfits of EDC. Keep in mind when choosing/crafting your outfits that you will be out in the desert, in 100+ degree heat and dancing and sweating. Leggings and a sweatshirt probably are not the best options for a three day festival in the middle of summer. Nearly everyone brings a fanny pack or Camel Back to keep things like chapstick, gum, phone/camera, money, and IDs in.
P is for PLUR.
As in: Peace-Love-Unity-Respect. This is the mantra of EDM events- it means come in peace, love others, feel united, and respect everyone attending. Come with a good attitude, be nice to others, make new friends, have the time of your life. If you choose to wear Kandi Bracelets, (another thing I HIGHLY recommend) you can trade them with other people by connecting your hands and swapping a bracelet, which is basically a symbolic handshake that goes along with PLUR. PLUR is one of the biggest reasons people LOVE going to festivals like EDC, because everyone believes in not judging others, being kind and respectful, and staying open to new possibilities (yeah I know we sound like a bunch of hippies). If you see someone that is alone/seems lost, reach out to them and invite them to dance with you until they find their friends (everyone there would do the same for you). PLUR allows people to be themselves, and know that the people around them will love them for it (which is why people get so crazy with their outfits, cause you know, PLUR). So if you’re the type of person that goes to events just to glare at and judge people for letting go and being themselves, maybe EDC isn’t the place for you…
Q is for Questions?
Although I would LOVE to be able to write a ten page article dedicated to all things EDC, I don’t think I would be able to cover EVERYTHING. So if you have any other questions, you can check out www.insomniac.com and click on the EDC link. This has everything you need to know- from the links to buy tickets, to the lineup from last year, what to expect, safety, parking passes, hotel information, etc.
R is for Rides.
What kind of Carnival doesn’t have rides? Not EDC, that’s for sure. Walking into EDC, I was quickly reminded that Insomniac takes the name of Electric Daisy CARNIVAL seriously, and provided nearly every ride you can think of would be at a Carnival. From Ferris Wheels (Yes, plural. There were like four of them) to bumper cars to rides that swing you upside down and more, you could probably spend all night at the rides and still have a freakin’ blast.
S is for Shoes.
[Flashback to the first day of EDC 2015- I’m getting ready in my hotel room with my friends, and the white deep V-neck bodysuit I was wearing was just too cute to be worn with my black Nikes I had packed, so I put on a pair of white converse to match the bodysuit. Flash forward six hours, it’s eleven PM and my boyfriend and I are walking from watching Yellow Claw at cosmicMEADOW to see Martin Garrix at kineticFIELD, and I feel the first blister starting to form on the bottom of my toe. I limped around the rest of the night, trying to avoid making the blister worse, but by the next day it was a full on blister covering the ENTIRE bottom of my toe, and another couple blisters had formed throughout the night on various parts of my feet and ankles. I spent the rest of the weekend hobbling/limping/crawling around EDC in my Nikes and literally hating myself for being so stupid as to choose fashion (well, as fashionable as converse can be) over comfort and practicality. By the third night, after having to sit down to watch every DJ set I saw at the main stage, I retired to a nice little bleacher in front of cosmicMEADOW and stayed sitting- shoes off- from two in the morning until 5:30, until I absolutely HAD to get on my feet. Basically, nothing could possibly make EDC a bad experience, but having feet covered in blisters and struggling to walk (let alone STAND) came pretty darn close.]
So, PLEASE, learn from the worst mistake I made at EDC. You will be on your feet- standing in line, walking around the speedway, dancing, or jumping in the crowd for AT LEAST twelve hours- if not more. That takes a toll on your feet. So even though wearing good shoes with support and cushion might not complement that outfit you spent weeks making, it will definitely be worth it when you can actually still stand by the end of the third night (unlike me). I definitely recommend getting the best possible shoes you can (athletic shoes) and even investing in some good, gel insoles. Bring band-aids just in case, and as soon as you feel a blister, take a minute to cover it with a band-aid to prevent it from getting worse.
Don’t end up like this girl/me because you wore the wrong shoes.
T is for Tickets.
As stated in my EDC rendition of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, tickets went on sale Monday, September 21, 2015. I know this is a bit strange considering EDC is way too far away (9 months, to be exact). In previous years, tickets go on sale in December. The reason that they went on sale so early this year is because Nevada has recently passed a new law that imposes a 9% tax on all live entertainment events. This law will begin on October 1, 2015, so Pasquale and Insomniac decided to be very nice to their EDC Headliners (us) and release tickets before the new law comes into play, so people can have the chance to avoid the 9% tax increase on tickets. After October 1, any tickets purchased will be subject to the tax increase (about $40 for General Admission tickets). EDC does sell out every year, but not until late spring, so there is still plenty of time to get your tickets.
There are two options when considering tickets- GA (General Admission) and VIP (Very Important Person- lucky you). GA tickets get you into EDC for all three days of the event (you can’t buy single day tickets, or give your wristband/ticket to a friend if you don’t go one of the days, so keep that in mind). VIP is nearly twice as much as the GA tickets, but gives you quick festival entry (no waiting in line for two hours!), viewing areas of kineticFIELD, circutGROUNDS, and cosmicMEADOW, wifi hotspots (if you need wifi at EDC then you must not know how to have fun enjoying the moment), and complimentary drink options.
U is for Unfortunately…
You can’t bring in the following items:
– Illegal Substances
– Drugs or drug paraphernalia
– Pets
– LED Gloves
– Makeup or unsealed tampons
– Weapons (duh.)
As well as quite a few other things- you can see the full list of prohibited items, as well as things you can (and should!) bring, at: www.insomniac.com/general-festival-guidelines
As amazing as getting a light show from a glover is, LED gloves are not allowed in the Speedway
V is for the View.
Whether it’s from a helicopter that you can take into EDC, or walking into the Speedway and pausing at the top of the bleachers, or taking a moment to pause in the middle of kineticFIELD to look around, EDC provides some of the most spectacular views of lights, lasers, stages, artwork, and fireworks that you will ever see.
My personal favorite views of EDC are watching the sun rise from behind kineticFIELD, the first glimpse of the speedway you get as you walk through security and down the bleachers, and looking up and to the sides of the structure while standing in the middle of circuitGROUNDS.
W is for WATER.
Arguably the most important aspect of staying healthy and happy at EDC. EDC provides free water filling stations, where you can fill up your camelback (a necessity at EDC) or Insomniac water bottle. Aside from the fact that you will be on your feet dancing and walking for twelve hours, you will be outside in the middle of the desert in the middle of summer, which means temperatures reaching 111 degrees during the day. Staying hydrated is absolutely essential for being out in that heat, as well as exerting physical energy all day and night. A Camel Back is probably the most important item you could bring for EDC since it holds so much water and is easy to carry, but if you don’t end up with a Camel Back there are water bottles you can buy in the venue and refill throughout the night.
X is for X-treme fun!
There’s no doubt, EDC is extremely fun. From the rides to the art to EIGHT stages, you will be entertained all night long, three nights in a row, and still wish you could go back a fourth…and fifth… and sixth… day.
Z is for Zero Regrets.
Which is how you will feel heading home from EDC. The money, the time and effort you put into planning the weekend, and anything ‘bad’ that might have happened at the event (losing your friends, losing your phone, missing your favorite DJ because you are having too much fun at another stage) will all disappear from your mind once you reflect on the life changing weekend you were able to experience at Electric Daisy Carnival. A weekend where you got to experience feeling united with a hundred thousand people in the crowd of kineticFIELD, dancing to the music of your favorite DJ as fireworks shoot up into the Vegas sky. A weekend where you were able to make a dozen new friends from all across the world, and have a wrist full of bracelets that you traded with them, pieces of memories you will be able to keep forever. A weekend where you were able to let go and be yourself, surrounded by people that are proud to let their true colors shine, with no judgment or negative emotions in sight. A weekend where you were able to experience what the purest form of happiness feels like, over the course of three days that turned into nights, under the electric sky.