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Reflections from the last decade: EDC Vegas

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Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas, the world’s largest electronic dance music festival, has come a long way in the last decade. What started as a modest gathering of electronic dance music enthusiasts in 2011, has now evolved into a global phenomenon, attracting millions of ravers from across the globe.

The Early Years: 2014 – 2016

In 2011, EDC Las Vegas made its debut at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, following the festival leaving its original location of Los Angeles. Fast forward a few years later to 2014, EDC Las Vegas broke the record for having the largest structural stage in North America.

That same year, Insomniac released “Under the Electric Sky,” a cinematic masterpiece that encapsulated all the magnificence EDC had blossomed into. As the years progressed, the festival’s popularity skyrocketed, attracting an ever-growing number of attendees. The organizers, Insomniac Events, recognized the need to expand and enhance the festival experience.

In 2015, Insomniac launched the first-ever EDC Week Charity Auction, giving the public a chance to bid on once-in-a-lifetime EDC and artist-driven experiences while supporting local charities.

The following year, a gimmick of epic proportions took place, when the iconic DJ Marshmello removed his helmet and underneath was DJ Tiësto.

The Rise of a Phenomenon: 2017 – 2020

The years 2017 to 2020 marked a significant turning point for EDC Las Vegas. With each passing year, the festival continued to push boundaries, introducing new stages, art installations, and immersive experiences that left attendees in awe. Downtown EDC became a standout addition to the imaginative playground that EDC embodies, featuring a speakeasy, post office, schoolhouse, theater, and two wedding chapels where attendees could legally tie the knot. In fact, hundreds of couples have gotten married at the festival since its Las Vegas beginning.

In 2017, EDC Las Vegas won the coveted ‘Festival of the Year’ award at the Electronic Music Awards, beating out fellow nominees Tomorrowland, Electric Forest, Movement, and Lightning in a Bottle. The festival’s live stream on Twitter also attracted an impressive 3.4 million viewers in just two and a half hours, showcasing its global reach and popularity. That same year, Clark County and the city of Las Vegas even commissioned a street on the Las Vegas Strip to be named “Electric Daisy Lane” during EDC Week, further solidifying the festival’s presence in the city.

One of the most notable additions during this period was the introduction of the campEDC experience in 2018. This revolutionary concept allowed festivalgoers to camp on-site, creating a true sense of community and enhancing the overall festival experience. The campgrounds became a vibrant hub of activity, with impromptu dance parties, workshops, and unforgettable moments shared among like-minded individuals. 

The festival’s production value also reached new heights, with mind-bending visuals, intricate stage designs, and cutting-edge sound systems that transported attendees to a world of pure euphoria. Iconic stages like the neonGARDEN, quantumVALLEY, and circuitGROUNDS became synonymous with the EDC Las Vegas experience, each offering a unique and unforgettable atmosphere.

The Pandemic Era and Beyond: 2021 – 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the world of live events, but EDC Las Vegas emerged stronger than ever. After a brief hiatus in 2020, the festival returned with a renewed sense of purpose and resilience in 2021.

Adapting to the new normal, Insomniac Events implemented comprehensive health and safety measures, ensuring that attendees could enjoy the festival in a secure environment. Despite the challenges, the spirit of EDC Las Vegas remained unwavering, with revelers embracing the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the power of music and community.

As the world slowly emerged from the pandemic, EDC Las Vegas continued to evolve, introducing new stages, attractions, and interactive experiences that kept attendees spellbound. From mind-bending art installations to cutting-edge technology, the festival pushed the boundaries of what was possible, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in the world of dance music festivals. The week leading up to EDC has turned the entire Las Vegas Strip into one big rave, with A-list artists welcoming attendees to Sin City by performing at select pool parties and nightclubs.

Throughout its journey, Insomniac has remained committed to giving back to the community that took them under their wing, partnering with over 50 local charities and organizations, including the Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation, Rock the Vote, and Families for Effective Autism Treatment. Insomniac Events is one of the more socially responsible festivals, donating a percentage of their ticket sales to a whole host of causes to promote awareness to important issues.

Looking Ahead: The Future of EDC Las Vegas

As we look towards the future, one thing is certain: EDC Las Vegas will continue to captivate and inspire millions of attendees from around the globe. With its unwavering commitment to innovation, creativity, and community, the festival stands as a testament to the enduring power of electronic dance music.

Whether you’re a seasoned raver or a newcomer to the scene, EDC Las Vegas promises an unforgettable experience that will leave you craving more. As the festival continues to grow and evolve, it remains a beacon of unity and celebration, bringing together people from all walks of life to dance, connect, and create lasting memories. 

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Calvin Harris Announces First Ever North American Headline Tour In 2027

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Calvin Harris announces his first ever North American headline tour, with 18 arena shows across the US and Canada in April and May 2027.

Calvin Harris has announced his first ever headline tour across North America, with 18 arena shows confirmed across April and May 2027. The run spans both coasts and major markets throughout the US and Canada, covering some of the most iconic venues on the continent. While Harris has played major festivals and venues across North America throughout his career, this marks the first time he has put together a full headline tour on the continent.

The announcement had been building for a week before it was made official. Billboards teasing shows appeared across Chicago, New York, Houston, Vancouver, and San Diego last week, with fans piecing together what was coming before the full tour was confirmed on October 13. Produced by Live Nation, the run begins April 1 at TD Garden in Boston and closes out May 27 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.

The timing could not be better. Harris has just come off one of the biggest periods of his career. Last month he earned a Guinness World Record for the largest attendance for a DJ set by a single artist, set back in February when he performed for an estimated 1.6 million people in São Paulo, Brazil. His 2027 Australian tour followed, setting a new record after selling over 330,000 tickets. And this past weekend he performed at Head Trip, the one-off dance festival produced by Goldenvoice on the Coachella grounds in Indio, California. For fans who caught that set, it offered a preview of what the arena run could look like, with Harris pulling from across his catalogue including Feel So Close, Sweet Nothing, How Deep Is Your Love, and We Found Love.

With 22 Hot 100 hits to his name including one number one, Harris has built one of the most consistent catalogues in electronic music over the past two decades, and the North American tour gives fans on the continent a proper headline show to experience all of it. The announcement also lands at a moment when dance music is arguably more popular in the US than it has ever been, with the 2026 Luminate mid-year report citing it as the fastest-growing genre in the country.

Presale signup is open now at calvinharris.com, with presale starting October 20 and general on-sale beginning October 22 at noon PT.

Full Tour Dates

April 1 – Boston, TD Garden
April 2 – Baltimore, CFG Bank Arena
April 8 – Philadelphia, Xfinity Mobile Arena
April 9 – Brooklyn, Barclays Center
April 12 – Toronto, Scotiabank Arena
April 16 – Montreal, Bell Centre
April 17 – Hamilton, TD Coliseum
April 23 – Houston, Toyota Center
April 24 – Fort Worth, Dickies Arena
April 25 – Austin, Moody Center
April 29 – St Paul, Grand Casino Arena
April 30 – Chicago, United Center
May 5 – Salt Lake City, Delta Center
May 7 – Oakland, Oakland Arena
May 14 – Seattle, Climate Pledge Arena
May 16 – Vancouver, Rogers Arena
May 21 – San Diego, Viejas Arena
May 27 – Los Angeles, Kia Forum

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21 Years Of Bob Sinclar’s ‘Love Generation’ And Its Global Success

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Bob Sinclar’s ‘Love Generation’ celebrates 21 years since its release as one of the most successful songs of his career

Twenty-one years after Bob Sinclar released ‘Love Generation’, the track is still one of the songs most associated with his breakthrough period in the mid-2000s. Released in 2005, it paired his house production with a warm, instantly recognisable vocal and quickly found an audience far beyond clubs. What followed took the song across international charts, major sporting events and into one of the most successful periods of Bob Sinclar’s career.

The Story Behind ‘Love Generation’

Before ‘Love Generation’ became an international hit, Bob Sinclar had already developed much of the instrumental when he connected with Gary Pine, who had previously performed with The Wailers. The two worked together in New York, where Bob Sinclar asked for lyrics with a positive message. Gary Pine then wrote and recorded the vocal, which sat alongside the track’s acoustic guitar, whistle and house production.

From there, ‘Love Generation’ found success across several markets, reaching No. 1 in countries including Germany, Austria, Australia and Belgium. In the UK, it peaked at No. 12 and spent 27 weeks inside the Top 100, while also reaching No. 2 on the UK Dance Singles Chart. That international response gave the song a much larger profile heading into 2006, when it became tied to another major moment.

‘Love Generation’ Reached An Even Wider Audience

The track gained further attention through its connection to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, where a version featuring tournament mascot Goleo VI helped bring it into a much broader mainstream setting. By then, ‘Love Generation’ had already become one of the key songs associated with Bob Sinclar’s mid-2000s rise, and the World Cup connection introduced it to even more listeners outside the club and dance music audience.

That same period also led into Western Dream, the 2006 album that included ‘Love Generation’ alongside ‘World, Hold On (Children of the Sky)’ and ‘Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)’. Together, those releases gave Bob Sinclar one of the strongest commercial periods of his career and helped establish a run of songs that remained closely associated with his name long after their original release.

Twenty-one years later, ‘Love Generation’ still reflects the period when Bob Sinclar was reaching audiences far beyond house music. From Gary Pine’s vocal and its international chart success to the World Cup connection and the Western Dream album, the track became one of the clearest examples of how wide his music was travelling during the mid-2000s.

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Martin Garrix And MOTi Mark 12 Years Of ‘Virus (How About Now)’

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Title: Martin Garrix And MOTi Mark 12 Years Of ‘Virus (How About Now)’

Martin Garrix and MOTi mark 12 years of ‘Virus (How About Now)’, one of the biggest big room collaborations from their 2014 period

It’s been 12 years since Martin Garrix and MOTi teamed up on ‘Virus (How About Now)’, a collaboration that quickly became a familiar part of the big room sound dominating electronic dance music in 2014. The track had already been appearing in major DJ sets before its official release, with speculation growing around who was behind the then-unidentified record. Once Spinnin’ Records confirmed Martin Garrix and MOTi, ‘Virus (How About Now)’ went on to receive support from names including Hardwell, Avicii, Tiësto, David Guetta, Afrojack, W&W and Nicky Romero.

 

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How ‘Virus (How About Now)’ Came Together

The collaboration started after MOTi shared an early version of ‘Virus’ with Martin Garrix, several years after the two first became friends. MOTi later recalled that Martin Garrix liked the melody of the drop and added the breakdown, with the pair finishing the track together. The final version also featured vocals from Jenny Wahlström, who received a songwriting credit alongside Martin Garrix, MOTi, Niclas Lundin and Leon Paul Palmen.

At the time, both artists were closely connected to the big room and electro house sound that had become central to major festivals. Martin Garrix was coming off the success of records such as ‘Animals’ and ‘Wizard’, while MOTi had already released music through Musical Freedom, including ‘Zeus’ with Kenneth G and ‘This Is Dirty’ with DVBBS. Their styles met naturally on ‘Virus (How About Now)’, which went on to reach No. 1 on the Beatport Top 100.

‘Virus’ Became A Major 2014 Festival Record

By the time the track became officially available, support from some of electronic music’s biggest DJs had already helped introduce it to festival audiences. Spinnin’ Records published the official music video on October 13, 2014, while the commercial single later appeared across platforms that month. The track also charted internationally, including in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany.

The accompanying video followed the song’s title quite literally, with a virus passing between different people while a computer game runs alongside the story. Released during the same period as the track, it went on to collect more than 22 million views on the official Spinnin’ Records upload.

More than a decade later, ‘Virus (How About Now)’ remains closely connected to the period when big room was dominating festival stages around the world. For Martin Garrix and MOTi, the collaboration captured a moment when both producers were releasing music made for those larger stages, and its continued presence in throwback sets has kept the track familiar well beyond 2014.

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