EDC Las Vegas creates experiences that last a lifetime for both attendees and those involved with producing the event.
The countdown to #EDC20 is in full swing and EDC Las Vegas less than 100 days away, I reminisce on my first trip ever to Las Vegas and EDCLV. It was one of the most memorable trips I had ever made. For every sacrifice that was made, every tear shed, it was totally worth it. The friendships that were made and bonded over through this entire week were well worth all the sacrifices. I came away from EDCLV with an outlook on where I stand in life.
While I was exploring the 8 different stages and the EDCLV grounds, I was approached by the Insomniac Media Team to be interviewed for the #EDC20 video series they did. The way it was explained to me was that I would be interviewed regarding different aspects of EDC/EDM culture: kandi, costumes, PLUR, EDC itself and many other aspects. Keep in mind that this was Day 1, so I was completely dressed in my Tardi5mau5 costume.
As this gentleman was interviewing me, I was answering the questions with the absolute most genuine answers. The entire interview I had my mau5head on and they were recording both my voice and video taping the interview. He asked me questions like, “Why do you come to EDC? What makes EDC so different? When was your first EDC experience?” One in particular, I forget what the actual question was, but it was used in the #EDC20 Imagination video 22 seconds in, you can truly hear the emotion in my voice. I was beginning to tear up. The happiness that this festival brought me was so amazing. It’s almost hard to describe it in words. After the folks from Insomniac were finished interviewing me they were shooting some B roll and the clowns came up behind me and surprised me! The look on my face was pure joy, happiness and surprise. It is something I will never forget. The magic I felt that night was real.
The feelings inside the #EDC20 video playlist are genuine. These people were headliners just like you and me and their take on the festival. Each day I was able to experience the coming together of everyone. The sense of community, that it doesn’t matter who’s playing what stage or who’s playing where. What matters most is that we’re here and we’re all here together. In the #EDC20 Community video, about 30 seconds in you can hear me say something similar to this. On Day 3, able to meet this awesome young man and trade kandi with him and the same Insomniac camera crew that interviewed me caught it all on video.
I had hoped to see him again to give him a small token of appreciation. Before EDC, I made a perler featuring the Insomniac logo and didn’t know who I wanted to give it to at the event. In that moment I decided he was the one to receive it. After looking for them on Day 2, I had no such luck. Day 3, I wasn’t gonna look for them, but I would at least have the perler with me just in case. It was on the last day that I was able to find him. After I had traded kandi with the young man, I stopped the guy who interviewed me and let him know I had something for him as a way to say thank you for enhancing my EDC experience. I then did the PLUR handshake with him and gave him the Insomniac perler. I ended up finding out that it was his first time receiving a piece of kandi, so I was happy to be able to teach him how to do it and bestowed upon him his first kandi piece. The happiness on his face was the most memorable thing of the weekend for me. It was great to be able to repay the happiness he brought me. Wish I could be with you under that electric sky again, but unfortunately it’s not in the cards this year.
You can see the trade 1:05 into the video.
The #EDC20 video series was such a great way to capture the numerous moments we all experience together as headliners at EDC. It was even away to cross the bridge and show my mother why I spend the money to go to festivals like this. It opened her eyes to the point that she said she might even go to one of these festivals with me. That is a big step in the right direction. EDCLV was one of the best decisions I made. If you have never been I would recommend checking it out at least once.
The other two videos that are part of the series are Love and Happiness!
Today, Insomniac Events also released another video in their #EDC20 series titled “The Spirit, Energy, & Experience”. The video features Pasquale Rotella’s inner thoughts and vision behind the iconic festival. With highlights from EDC’s colorful history, Rotella paints a clear picture of its impact on his own life, Las Vegas, attendees, and people watching all over the world.
“My job and my passion is to create an environment that is safe and magical. For people to gather and express themselves,” says Rotella. “All year round, people wait for this event. And the energy builds, and it builds and it builds….We call our attendees headliners. Why? Because they’re the most important piece for this event coming together and being all it can be.”
