This Was: EDC Las Vegas 2024

The 13^th edition of EDC Las Vegas took place from May 17^th to May 19^th, 2024, at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. With an attendance of 500,000, the festival featured nine stages, five art cars, and the magic that is EDC’s signature – three enchanting nights filled with immersive art installations, carnival rides, street performers, and firework shows. It was truly a weekend to remember, creating core memories and an abundance of fun.

EDC Week

Before jumping into the festival itself, it’s important to note that EDC events are not only confined to the actual festival weekend but rather, the fun starts on Wednesday (for me the previous Saturday but that was a personal choice!). In the days leading up to EDC, the city is taken over by pool parties, club events, pop up shops, and ravers taking over the streets. I even heard EDM at the airport on Tuesday on my flight home.

As for the official EDC Week events, I kicked off my festival week with the Basscon Pool Party. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while now, you know my heart beats at 200 beats per minute, so Basscon was the perfect way to get hype for EDC. The Basscon Pool Party took place on Thursday, May 16^th at the Downtown Grand Circus Ground Pool Deck. The rooftop pool party consisted of a larger-than-life view of the Las Vegas strip, delicious daiquiris and other frozen cocktails, beach balls and plenty of lounge beds and beach chairs around the pool to enjoy the party from multiple vantage points. As the party took place during the day, there was also a covered area with fans, and stands selling sunglasses, fans, sunscreen and other essentials to stay safe in the 93-degree weather (34 Celsius).

The Basscon line up consisted of Atmozfears, Clawz, Death Code, Hixxy, Sound Rush, and Warface. The line up was a great mix of Hardstyle, Happy Hardcore/UK Hardcore, Rawstyle, and Uptempo. Behind the stage was a large LED screen with visuals synced to the music, adding an extra layer of entertainment. I ended up not bringing my earplugs to the pool party, thinking that the party would not be loud, which was a rookie mistake. Who thought Hardstyle could be loud? Lessons learned.

Getting There

As this was my first EDC Vegas (although I’ve attended two editions of EDC New York in 2012 and 2014 and two editions of EDC Orlando in 2022 and 2023) I had no idea what to expect when it came to navigating Vegas or how to get to and from the festival safely. With so many options to choose from, camping, ride share apps, shuttle services (even helicopters!) I decided to leave all the planning to One N Only Entertainment, especially as I was coming from the Netherlands, which was already quite a trek.

One N Only Entertainment provides an all-inclusive resort experience for festivals around the world. With hotel takeovers, pool parties, breakfast, shuttle services with unlimited drinks, and official representatives to help you every step of the way, my travel and lodging experience was extremely comfortable. This year, One N Only took over the Serene Vegas Boutique Hotel, situated just a few minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, getting to and from the hotel to EDC was mostly easy. There were three options of departure times both to and from the festival, and the shuttle experience was a blast between the drinks, the music, and the overall energy (especially on day one!).

Although this was my first EDC Vegas, I had been warned about the traffic and sometimes long wait times to enter the festival. Each day we arrived between 5:45 PM and 7:15 PM, however attendees were not permitted to enter the festival until 6:45/7:00 PM, so on the days we did arrive early we had to wait outside in heat for sometimes up to an hour before entering. However, if we were to leave later, we would have hit traffic plus had longer wait times to enter the festival so if I had to make a recommendation for those planning on attending, get there early if you can. EDC Las Vegas is massive so allowing yourself enough time to enter the festival is key, otherwise you blink and it’s already nighttime!

On Friday and Saturday, we left the festival around 5:30 AM and returned to the hotel around 7:30 AM, between the long walk to the shuttle (and up a lot of stairs), waiting for the shuttle and the trip home. On Sunday (Monday morning), we left around 5:30 AM and did not return to the hotel until 9:00 AM. I later realized this was due to the fact there was a Grateful Dead concert happening the same weekend plus Monday morning traffic. For reference, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is approximately 18 miles (28 kilometers) from the Serene Vegas Boutique Hotel. So be prepared on the final night to either leave early to beat the traffic, or just accept it and take a nap on the way home. For those who had flights that same day, it was rough, so another tip, try to fly out late Tuesday if you can.

The main takeaway from all of this is the Speedway is in a remote location, which is of course understandable because where else can you hold 500,000 people in a major city. Regardless of where you stay (unless you decide to camp – unfortunately I’m 33 and have been doing this for 16 years and have hip and back pain so camping is not an option for me anymore), account for the travel time and be prepared to walk (I walked about 47,000 steps each day).

Venue

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is located about 15 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip, in a remote dessert location. The racetrack when it’s not hosting EDC is the home to major NASCAR races. The entire grounds encompass 1,000 acres of land. For EDC, the festival utilities both the infield area inside the oval track, the stands where you can get an epic view of the festival, and the exterior grounds surrounding the track.

When the sun is up you have a beautiful view of the colossal mountains, and again living in a flat country, it was a treat to see mountains again. Overall, the venue is equipped to host a major event such as EDC, however at moments the festival did feel overcrowded and hard to navigate. My favorite part of the venue was having an aerial view from the stands of the festival. During some of the more crowded sets, sitting in the stands allowed for a bit of rest while still enjoying the show. In summary, the massive acreage and pre-built motorsports facility provide an ideal layout to contain the large scale of EDC with minimal noise and light impact on the residential areas.

Food & Drinks

When it comes to food and drinks at EDC, there was diverse assortment of international cuisine including bulgogi steak, hibachi, and even charcuterie boards!

My favorite out of everything I ate at EDC was the taco platter at the VIP area near Circuit Grounds. This in my opinion was the best bang for your buck as it was filling – three tacos of your choice (I went for asada, pastor, and chicken), chips and salsa for $20.

Here is a short break down of some of the prices:

• Mac N Cheese ($20)
• Pizza by the slice ($12)
• Jumbo corn dog and fries (vegan option also available) ($18)
• Fried chicken skewer and fries ($18)
• Chicken tenders and fries ($20)
• Lemonade ($10)
• Water ($5)
• Soda ($6)
• Sandwiches (cheese steak, Italian, turkey, and veggie) ($16)
• Chips and cookies ($4)
• Beer ($18)
• White Claw ($18)
• Dumplings ($15)
• Fish and chips ($15)
• Cotton candy ($9)
• Cocktails ranged between $16 and $30

The cost for food and drinks didn’t shock me as they were comparable to EDC Orlando or other festivals of this size that I’ve attended since the pandemic. There were of course plenty of other options and price ranges, including at the special lounges such as the Marquee SkyDeck (which includes bottle service and a golf cart ride to your table).

I found there to be a much greater assortment of food than drinks. Many of the drink stands were the same also at points they ran out of water and White Claw. Shout out to the one bartender who went to another stand to find me a White Claw!

Stages

kineticFIELD

The mainstage, kineticFIELD was a larger-than-life stage consisting of stained glass, organs, and mosaic tiles. Think of it like a cathedral but for EDM. The stage hosted a myriad of genres including progressive house, bass, tech house, techno, and bass music. The VIP area included a multi-level viewing deck that allowed for an amazing view of the stage and the fireworks.

circuitGROUNDS

The second largest stage at EDC was circuitGROUNDS. This stage also hosted a wide range of artists and genres including but not limited to SLANDER, Eric Prdyz, John Summit, Peggy Gou, Martin Garrix, Seven Lions, Excision, and Timmy Trumpet. What sets circuitGROUNDS from the other stages is the fact that the vibe there was extremely futuristic. From an arcade in VIP, to a body sensory art installation, to a water maze, this stage transformed ravers to the next dimension.

cosmicMEADOW

When entering the festival, the first stage you see is cosmicMEADOW. This stage was a colorful lotus flower with geometric shapes incorporated into the stage design. As for the lineup, this was the place for experimental sounds, disco, and drum and bass. The best part of this stage was the fact that you could sit in the stands and watch the show, I did this for part of Deorro because it was so crowded. Having a comfortable seat with an epic view and space is always key at those moments in the festival when you’re having a blast but need to take some rest.

bassPOD

If bass music is your thing, then bassPOD is for you. Serving explosive industrial plant vibes, this stage hosted some of the biggest names in bass music including NGHTMRE, Zomboy, Subtronics b2b LEVEL UP (Dubstep’s cutest power couple!), and Svdden Death.

neonGARDEN

If the underground rave scene is your thing, then neonGARDEN was the place to be! This dark stage encompassed by large containers was the home for Techno. My favorite moment from neonGARDEN was Indira Paganotto’s set on Sunday, I was exhausted but couldn’t stop dancing. At one point I went to wait in line for the Ferris Wheel and didn’t even mind waiting a hour because I had a clear view of neonGARDEN and the epic sounds of the underground.

quantumVALLEY

Situated next to neonGARDEN with a shared VIP space, quantumVALLEY hosted by Dreamstate was a mecca for Trance music throughout the weekend. What I loved the most about quantumVALLEY was the amount of psytrance represented at EDC, especially two of my favorites, Blastoyz and Infected Mushroom. The visuals at this stage were the best in my opinion, with screens projecting trippy visuals perfectly aligned to the music and the vibe of the stage.

stereoBLOOM

Hosted by Insomniac Records, steroBLOOM hosted some of the biggest names in the Electronic Music scene in a more intimate setting than the other stages at EDC. Nestled by Daisy Lane, the stereoBLOOM stage was centered around a circular screen supported by metal tubes.

wasteLAND

Of course, my favorite stage at EDC was wasteLAND. This was the stage for the harder styles with many heavy hitters in the Hard Dance scene such as Sub-Zero Project, Lil Texas, and Da Tweekaz. This stage was comprised of shipping containers with vertical screens projecting images, this stage really lit up the sky while simultaneously making the ground shake.

bionicJUNGLE

The newest edition to EDC, bionicJUNGLE, erected in 2022, is just as it sounds like a literal jungle. When you first enter EDC after descending the stairs by cosmicMEADOW, this small intimate stage enclosed with plants and trees made you feel as if you’ve been transported to Tulum to a rave in the jungle.

Art Cars

In addition to the diverse selection of music at each of the nine stages, the EDC brand is also best known for its art cars. This year there were five art cars: Blacklight Bar, House of Dunkin (they even had free coffee!), Meta Phoenix, Rynobus, and Beatbox Boombox Art Car. My favorite moment from the art cars was seeing James Kennedy from my favorite reality show Vanderpump Rules rock the Rynobus on Friday night.

Downtown EDC

What sets EDC apart from the countless other festivals I’ve attended around the world in the last 16 years, is Downtown EDC. At the center of the festival is an area with small night clubs and special events such as a wedding chapel (where people can get really married!), a karaoke bar, a mini club playing only disco, and the newest edition YeeDC which a saloon playing crossover EDM and country music.

Music

Maddix

The massive kineticFIELD stage was packed to the brim as Dutch DJ/producer Maddix took the decks on Friday evening. Hailing from the Netherlands’ fertile electronic music scene, Maddix brought his hard-hitting sound to EDC’s main stage. The energy was electric as he dropped tracks like the high-octane “Adrenalina (Minha Gasolina)” and the thumping “Heute Nacht.” Despite being a relatively new name, the young Dutchman commanded the kineticFIELD like a seasoned veteran, proving he deserves his place among the EDM elite on one of the world’s biggest festival stages. Maddix’s primetime set was undoubtedly a standout and a breakthrough moment for the rising star.

Blastoyz

For psytrance fans, Blastoyz’s set at the quantumVALLEY stage was transcendental. The Israeli DJ/producer ushered the crowd into a psychedelic cosmic journey with pulsating beats and mind-bending visuals. Brilliant blue lasers danced across the stage as intricate mandala patterns provided the mesmerizing backdrop. Blastoyz didn’t hold back, dropping psytrance remixes of bangers like “Exploration of Space,” “Cinema,” “In the End,” and “Sun and Moon” that sent waves of euphoria through the audience.

The screens displayed kaleidoscopic geometry and trippy visuals straight out of a interstellar odyssey. For those on the same vibe, Blastoyz’s set was utterly hypnotic – a highlight of the weekend that transported festivalgoers to another dimension through the raw power of psytrance. The cosmic explorers at quantumVALLEY were undoubtedly treated to a stellar experience under Blastoyz’s guidance.

Creeds

The gritty, post-apocalyptic vibe of the wasteLAND stage set the perfect backdrop as Creeds and Helen Ka delivered an unforgettable performance. The French producer Creeds was an unrelenting force behind the decks, seamlessly blending punishing Techno, Hardstyle, Rawstyle and Uptempo across the Hard Dance spectrum.

His epic mixes like the anthemic “Too Cold” and classic “Enfants de La Rave” had the crowd going insane. But it was the addition of Helen Ka’s soaring live vocals that truly elevated the set into the cinematic realm. The singer’s powerful voice layered an operatic element as she commanded the stage with Creeds’ thunderous production behind her. It was a masterful fusion of vocal talent and DJ prowess that transported the wasteLAND into a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk battleground soundtracked by their dark, dramatic synergy.

Lost Frequencies

On the final night of EDC, the massive kineticFIELD turned into a sea of thousands swaying in unison when Belgian DJ/producer Lost Frequencies took the decks. The melodic house master seamlessly mixed his intimate radio hits with pounding techno and drum and bass rhythms. Singalongs erupted as Lost Frequencies dropped fan favorites like “Reality,” “Just Wanna Know” and “Jour Meilleur.” But he also provided a tantalizing preview of his newest sounds, debuting the emotive “In My Bones”. With its combination of hard-hitting beats and uplifting energy, Lost Frequencies‘ dynamic set showcased his ability to captivate the biggest of festival stages. From diehard dance music fans to casual radio listeners, everyone was united in the moment under this spellbinding soundtrack.

Martin Garrix

While not the mainstage of kineticFIELD, the circuitGROUNDS stage was overflowing with fans eager to witness Dutch superstar Martin Garrix’s performance. Garrix showed off his masterful big room sound, dropping anthems like “Hurricane,” his breakthrough hit “Animals,” and vocal banger “In my Mind.” But the most poignant moment came when he played his collaboration with the late Avicii, “Waiting for Love.” As the wistful chords filled the air, it became a powerful tribute to the iconic Swedish DJ’s memory and their friendship. A nostalgic hush fell over the audience as thousands of lights swayed in bittersweet remembrance. This unforgettable set showcased his status as more than just a hitmaker, but a voice for an entire generation of EDM fans.

Final Impressions

If I were to sum up EDC Las Vegas in one word it would be magical. From the diverse line up, to state-of-the-art sound and visuals, to the lights illuminating the Electric Sky, EDC had something for everyone. What I most appreciated was all the small touches, the tiny details from Pixel Forest to the on-site barber shop, to Memory Lane, to the Trinket Trading area, and of course the fact that you could see the fireworks from any stage. At most festivals the firework show takes place on the mainstage, during EDC every night of the weekend fireworks illuminated the sky, sometimes when you weren’t even expecting it.

I also need to mention Insomnaic’s commitment to safety. As always End Overdose was present at EDC, which today is so important to educate and prepare ravers for emergency situations. EDC’s Ground Control was also active checking on party goers to ensure everyone was having a fun and safe time. There were also plenty of free water refill stations which is of course necessary in the scorching Vegas heat. The only aspect of the festival that felt unsafe was the flow of the crowd at the peak of Saturday and Sunday nights between kineticFIELD and circuitGROUNDS. During these moments the festival felt too crowded and with recent trample incidents in the music scene, these types of situations need to be carefully assessed and controlled either by additional pathways, strategic line up adjustments (even though no one likes set time conflicts it does help to split the crowd), or by having security assist in leading the crowd.

All in all, EDC is one of those festivals that will have a lasting impact. The vibes and creativity in all the stage designs, it was sensory overload in the best way. There’s an indescribable magic that permeates the air at EDC Las Vegas, a feeling that can only be understood when you walk up those stairs for the first time, it’s truly breathtaking. For those three incomparable nights, the real world and all its problems melt away as you lose yourself in euphoria. EDC Is more than just a festival, it’s a mind-altering escape that I 100% need to experience again.