
Music festivals produce weekends filled with unbelievable performances, stunning visual art and unforgettable memories. Coachella and Ultra Music Festival have grown so massive that the promoters have implemented two-weekend lineups to accommodate demand. Since its inception in 2000, EDC has expanded to four additional cities. Newer dance music festivals such as Electric Zoo and Beyond Wonderland are already increasing in both attendance and popularity.
In light of the overwhelming buzz surrounding the mega festivals, where can veteran festival revelers experience something new? We have found multiple rays of hope, five to be exact, to help invigorate our love of the festival experience.
NOLA is renowned for being the birthplace of jazz music, Mardi Gras, and yummy Cajun food. The Buku Music & Art Project is now another trophy the city can add to its rich cultural collection. Last year’s lineup was full of EDM heavyweights including Avicii, Skrillex, and Diplo just to name a few. A new perk to this year’s festival is the addition of a third stage that will be located in the Mardi Gras float warehouse. You’ll be able to rage the night away surrounded by oversized dragons and sea monsters. Perhaps the displays will rival last year’s stunning visuals at Tomorrowland.
In addition to epic showcases and overpriced food, festivals are also known for their hefty admission prices. Bass heads, we found a budget-friendly and swoon-worthy spring break destination to cater to your EDM needs. For as little as $79, you can enjoy three days on an island listening to the sweet sounds of Calvin Harris, Major Lazer, Flux Pavilion, Tiësto, and more hot acts. The third annual UME is conveniently located at Schlitterbahn Water Park, so you can get your waterslide fix before the show. Next year, we hope that the park allows us to rage and rock the waterslides during the event.
What could be more beautiful than a DJ set in the midst of Mother Nature’s beauty? Wakarusa, founded in 2004, hosts multiple stages on the beautiful Mulberry Mountain. Last year, Pretty Lights, Adventure Club, 12th Planet, RJD2, and many other artists wowed an audience of over 15,000. This year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary, so be prepared for unexpected artist announcements and even more interactive art installations.
This is Kanrocksas’ second year to enter into the sea of music festivals since its 2012 hiatus. Tiësto along with The Avett Brothers and Kendrick Lamar (we have to show love for non-EDM acts too) are the only names to be announced for this year’s lineup. Based off of 2011’s acts, comprising Kaskade, Girl Talk, and STS9 along with other top electronic artists, we are convinced that 2013’s roster will not come up short.
Since 2009, KahBang has exposed festival goers to its world of art and music along a mystical waterfront. This is the ideal festival for music lovers that like to discover new acts before they go “big.” Bassnectar, Paper Diamond, and Lazerdisk Party Sex were among the headlining artists for last year’s event. A key highlight is the Insomniac Stage (1AM-3AM) that features up-and-coming electronic artists and DJs.
The DJZ/10 is a collection of ten DJs that we think you should know about now. Some of them are already familiar to you, others you may have never heard of. The list is not based on (1) a secret computer algorithm, (2) social media popularity, or (3) payola. Every month or so we get together to decide if somebody from the broader A…Z directory is about to break out and should be included in the DJZ/10, or if somebody already on the list, for that matter, is “phoning it in” and deserved to be replaced by another DJ who is more worthy.
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