One of the new setups this year was the Wasteland Stage. Basically, it was an homage to a Mad Max-esque, post-apocalyptic world, where everything is barren and destroyed. Container cars lined the sides of the stage with a toppled over Statue of Liberty at the base, and the grounds were surrounded with flaming cars atop more containers. The DJ booth itself was in the railing of the torch of the Statue of Liberty.
Photo Credit: aLive
The imagination of the production staff didn’t stop there. “The Bass Pod” stage was a sight to behold, with sound made to be felt far beyond the stage itself. Even sitting in the press office, you could here the bass pod rattling the rafters of the building and chair underneath you. They named that stage perfectly.
Photo Credit: aLive
The only thing that really threw me off while we were down there was the serious lack of PLURR (For the most part). Not to say that there weren’t very nice and loving people there, there was just an overbearing amount of people who didn’t demonstrate these values. We were pushed and shoved, cut off, and the crowd was flat-out rude to the very patient staff who were working in that sweltering heat day in and day out. We obviously aspire for more up here in our own fair region, but it’s certainly something to think about next time you’re thinking of shoving your way to the front.
As far as the music goes, everyone was on point. The performers definitely seemed like they were saving their best performances, and didn’t hold back at all. We’re not even going to try and touch the issue of who played the best set, but there was one particular moment that stood out as the highlight of the entire weekend. During Above and Beyond’s performance at the Kinetic field, Bryan Cranston came to the booth and ordered the crowd to do one thing: “SAY MY NAME.” The entire crowd in unison responded back “Heisenburg!” “You’re god damn right” he screamed into the mic, right before he pushed the button, sending the entire crowd into a flurry of excitement and bliss.
Finally (and arguably most importantly), we got to play in a ball pit. Insomniac sparred no expense or consideration in providing festivalgoers with tons of extra goodies. There were teapots 15 feet in the air that you could climb into, a spinning jungle gym with a nest at the center, and of course the aforementioned ball pit. At the age of thirty, I never thought in a million years that I would get so much joy from a throwback to childhood. Friends around me compared my giggling to a little school girl, when I dove in. That is what EDC provides us with each and every year. It is a place that inspires wonder and awe, taking us back to simpler times in our lives.
The ball pit was no joke.
In summation, I can definitely say that EDC is one of the greatest experiences I ever had. From here on out I will always do the EDC to Paradiso vacation for the rest of my life, no matter how daunting the journey may seem. I will gather under the Electric Sky, and follow that by heading where digital meets nature. What was your experience like? What made you want to come back next year? Tell us in the comments below.
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