On November 2, 2012, Insomniac Events announced that the 17th annual Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) will return to the Las Vegas International Speedway for three days on June 21, 22 and 23, 2013.
Showcasing the best and brightest stars in the genre of Electronic Dance Music (EDM), the event has steadily increased its profile and popularity in the past several years. EDC began as an annual event held in Los Angeles, CA from 1997 until 2011, when the event officially moved to Las Vegas, NV.
In 2012, EDC reported a total of over 320,000 attendees over the event’s three days. In addition, each day of EDC sold out several weeks in advance. 2012 also marked the inaugural “EDC Week,” which added onto the EDC festivities with a week of nightclub and “dayclub” events and the annual “EDM Biz” conference.
The EDM Biz conference has been set for June 18-20, 2013, and will bring together leading individuals in the Electronic Dance Music business to discuss the amazing growth the industry has achieved over the past several years, as well as current and future projects within the industry.
EDM has reached unprecedented heights within mainstream music within the past several years. In early June of 2012, EDM made national headlines with the purchase of several high profile EDM companies by entertainment mogul Robert F.X. Sillerman, as well as the announcement by Sillerman that he intends to spend nearly $1 billion on additional EDM purchases in the future. Reports have indicated that Sillerman intends to acquire between 30-50 additional EDM companies.
The Electronic Dance Music genre gained its start as music made for and played almost solely in dance clubs, created by DJs and planned as simply elements of individual dance set lists. However, the current popular music climate includes acts, such as David Guetta, who have made entire careers in EDM and are now enjoying great mainstream success. 2012 also marked the first time EDM was included as a category at the Grammy Awards, seen by many in the community as a sign the genre has officially crossed into the mainstream.
This past year’s EDC saw performances from over 150 EDM acts including David Guetta, Avicii, Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, and Calvin Harris among others. In addition, over 500 theatrical performers mingled with the crowds and a series of carnival rides were available for attendees to sample.
Aside from weather woes during the Saturday set, one of the few reported negatives from the 2012 event was the presence of severe traffic jams, which often resulted in hours long waits for those attempting to attend EDC. In order to rectify the 2012 traffic hiccups, organizers have told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that they plan on having additional roads available to access the Speedway. Keeping in mind the previous issues with access, organizers also stated that they will not be upping capacity at the event until they are sure there will be sufficient road access for all attendees.
Pre-sale tickets to Electric Daisy Carnival 2013 go on sale November 7, 2012, with three day passes on sale as well as VIP tickets. The event’s official on sale is scheduled for January 9, 2013 with additional price levels expected to be announced.
