Insomniac’s EDC LV 2018 Recap

As the dust settles and we begin our long drive back to our regular lives, we take a look back at an incredible weekend created by Insomniac Events in Las Vegas. From the moment we arrived Thursday evening, excitement not only filled our vehicles but on the Las Vegas strip, hotels and even on the highway heading towards the Motor Speedway where the Electric Daisy Carnival took place.

Day 1

Even though Day 1 had a rocky start with unforeseen event that caused will-call to close early and long RV lines to get into the camping grounds, Insomniac doubled their efforts and quickly resolved these issues that prevented some from starting Day 1. But for those that had arrived by Thursday were greeted with an exclusive pre-party celebration hosted by Excision, along with Habstrakt and G Jones and a very special surprise set by NGHTMRE, Slander & Wavedash in a b2b performance. But this didn’t go quietly, as many campers took to social media to spread the news and share clips with their friends. As the party continued into Friday, Camp EDC offered fans activities to fill the mind, body and soul; for example: yoga, silent meditation, DJ performances with a pool party and a bunch more.

Skylyer Green for Insomniac

First of all, big thanks to Insomniac for moving the festival up a month. The weather was perfect and made everyone’s entire experience more enjoyable. We even noticed some of Insomniac’s redesigned stages to have more air-flow instead of areas that trapped all the body heat. I was finally able to wear jeans all weekend, which if you’ve been to Las Vegas the past few years, knows that’s saying something.

This years EDC came with many new additions, one in particular, EDC opened the doors early for a new Opening Ceremony at the cosmicMeadow, that involved sets by Adin and Chris Lake b2b Chris Lorenzo. The rest of the night featured amazing performances from: Diplo, Kaskade, Joyride, Slushii, and surprise guests from Rae Sremmurd, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Pump.

aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac

EDC is a spectacular wonderland that truly takes you away from all your worries. Its a beautiful escape full of amazing performances, sounds, and visuals. With structures that towers 98 feet tall, and stage areas that cover a span of 350,000 square feet across. You just can’t walk into the event and not be at awe in its setup. The infamous main stage, kineticFIELD alone featured 44 flame units, 427 moving lights, 40 lasers and eight confetti blowers. The bassPOD stage had an impressive heart pounding bass system that could be felt throughout the entire venue. The Flower Tower was an impressive installation that stood 80-feet tall and erupted an enormous pyro displayed.

Day 2

As Day 2 was upon us, fans were greeted by a whole new neonGARDEN stage designed to create an open-air nightclub in the heart of the desert. The 28,000 square-foot dance floor generated an intimate space for fans to dance under the giant disco diamond while they enjoyed hypnotic beats by celebrated house and techno artists. Hosted by Factory 93 all three nights, neonGARDEN featured sets by Green Velvet, Tiga, Gorgon City, The Black Madonna and more.

Located next door, the 360-degree circuitGROUNDS arena entranced Headliners with its sheer size and future-tech look. Artists including Armin van Buuren, Yellow Claw, Cheat Codes and Hardwell dazzled crowds with their incredible production, creating cherished memories that will last forever.

aLIVE Coverage | Jake West for Insomniac

Hosted by Dreamstate and debuting an all-new open-air structure with segmented cubes that formed an industrial vibe, quantumVALLEY was the home of trance music as fans swayed and swooned to sets by Andrew Bayer, Oliver Smith, Cosmic Gates, and more.

Adi Adinayev | aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac

For a second night, EDC’s incredible firework displays lit the sky with neon as fans looked up to the sky and cheered, celebrating the beauty the festival offers to each and every Headliner throughout the weekend. In addition, nightly Art Car parades had fans dancing along to the beat with Insomniac’s famed theatrical performers riding atop each intricately created car.

Day 3

With 2 nights down, we still had 1 more night to go and we were completely ready! Day 3 was finally here and instead of being a bit sad about the festival coming to an end, we could not be any more excited then when we walked in Day 1. This year Insomniac went all out with their famed theatrical performers—from Valentine Hearts and the Flower Brigade to the Ring Masters and Sparklepops. Their costume designs and performances mesmerized the crowds as they transformed into a variety of creative creatures, bringing smiles to the faces of all they came across.

Jake West for Insomniac

Throughout the night we had a chance to swing by the all-new stereoBLOOM, which was hosted by Insomniac Records, that showcased a variety of buzzing artists with a design that brought a club atmosphere to the heart of the desert. Reflecting a wide spectrum of talent, the stage featured high-tech production elements, truss rimmed with LED lights, and rollercoaster-esque stage towers.

In true Kinetic Love fashion, the Chapel of Nature and Chapel of Technology were home to more than legal 100 weddings, allowing love to flourish in a place filled with camaraderie and acceptance. In addition, fans celebrated their love with non-legal weddings, vowel renewals and commitment ceremonies.

Fans wandering the grounds came across Pagoda Pyramid, an art installation located on the grassy area next to cosmicMEADOW. Created by BambooDNA, the installation offered a place of serenity in a sea of neon and served as a spot for friends to gather and recharge in a triangle of tranquility.

The Holy Mountain | Jake West for Insomniac

VIP Headliners were treated to a variety of exclusive amenities during the three-day weekend, including dedicated areas at seven of eight stages, a VIP Ferris wheel, an oxygen bar, VIP ball pit, a kandi-making station, body paint, beauty bar and much more. For the first-time ever, kineticFIELD featured a splash pool complete with floaties and lifeguards to keep fans cool and safe.

aLIVE Coverage | Freedom Film LLC for Insomniac

Day 3 featured a star-studded lineup of special guests, including Dua Lipa joining Martin Garrix during his set at circuitGROUNDS. DJ Mustard brought out Lil Jon, Ty Dolla $ign, YG and Nick Jonas received roaring cheers from the crowd, and Post Malone had the cosmicMEADOW grass and grandstand packed as he performed a selection of songs from both his albums.

As we wrapped up our interviews and our time at EDC, we had a quick moment to sit down and take in the moment. We had an amazing view in the press area overlooking the entire event. From there, we were just simply amazed at every thing and everyone at the festival. It was amazing to see so many happy and passionate people; from the greeters outside the venue, to staff, performers and the Headliners walking around. We quickly became friends with so many amazing people form all over the world, like: Canada, Switzerland, Brazil, Japan, Australia, and even within the states. Every person we spoke to had a personal story, a journey, a reason for being their that really touched us in a very meaningful way. At times we were in tears hearing about peoples life struggles and how planning this very trip helped them over come them and their inner demons they faced. We can’t thank those people enough for opening up and allowing us to become part of their amazing experience. But most importantly we can not thank Insomniac enough for allowing us to be apart of their amazing festival.

aLIVE Coverage for Insomniac

Once we finally said our goodbyes inside, we made our way back to our RV on the camp site. We sat down, caught up with some other friends that were also nearby and immediately shared all our fun experiences. With the sun finally coming up Camp EDC finished off the weekend with the final after party, featuring early morning sets by Solardo and CamelPhat under a refreshing rain shower. With a sold-out crowd of 20,000 living in 3,400 tents and 1,100 RVs, Camp EDC housed Headliners from near and far.

Dustin Downing | Ivan Meneses for Insomniac

Another magical year had finally come to a closure, as the 22nd edition of Electric Daisy Carnival dazzled a sold-out crowd of more than 400,000 Headliners from across the world with epic sets, unforgettable surprise guests, stunning firework displays, passionate & friendly staff, and beautiful sunrises in front of a breathtaking backdrop of majestic mountain views. Like others, EDC has quickly become a meaningful weekend that we look forward to every year. Insomniac and their entire staff continue to push the envelope and exceed all expectations. And like all festivals and shows, complications occur, but you really see Insomniac and their staff work around the clock to address them. Every day people ask me about my experience at EDC and any time they say they thought about going, I tell them “YOU MUST! Everyone should experience it at least once in their life time, it truly is a life changing experience.” And it truly was. Until next time EDC, keep on raging!

Ivan Meneses | Jake West for Insomniac

Be sure to check out Insomniac: EDC LV 2018 Full Gallery.

Make sure to follow Insomniac Event’s On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and check out their website for all the latest news, info and upcoming shows. Also stay connected with Escape, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website. We also have a full photo gallery of the event, click here to check it out.

#edclasvegas #insomniac #insomniacevents #edc2018 #edc