EDC needs to address its human snake problem.
This is where festivalgoers at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hold hands or link arms to move through the masses at, say, Kinetic Field. It used to be, at least in my memory of the earliest Electric Daisy Carnival, maybe a couple or four folks would link and lope through the event.
Now it can be a dozen or more, everyone in line saying, “Excuse us! Excuse us!”
By the 12th person, you want to say, “The head of the caterpillar said that two minutes ago.”
Problem is, you stop and stand as the line moves past. The snake limit should be cut at four. There are enough logistical challenges at EDC already. Trying to move from stage to stage, you feel like Ashton Jeanty battering through the line on third-and-short.
EDC is the event for music fans and masochists, leaving you bruised and battered yet wanting more.
Prior to Friday’s Day 1, it had been a few years since I’d been to EDC. The advice is the same every year: Get there before the traffic (I left the Arts District at 5:30 p.m.). Also, get out before the traffic, which meant I split before Sofi Tukker’s set at Kinetic Field at 11:19 p.m. (I love the precision of that start time.)
I was there for the experience, not to hang until Holy Priest hit the Circuit Grounds at 2:30 a.m.
I was also there for the mile-plus-long walk from the green lot to the LVMS entrance, for the guys offering “poppers” on the trek to the venue, for a trip through the “chill zone” of Bamboo City in Downtown EDC, and for the bouncy cycle rickshaw ride out of the speedway.
That was $40 well spent, even though my wallet flew out of my hand as we accelerated along the gravel path. When that happened I shouted, “Everybody stop!” This is a good way to get the attention of a half-dozen bicycling entrepreneurs (my rider said he thought the shout was from a Metro police officer). And with teamwork and cellphone lights, we found that wallet.
There is a sense of community in EDC’s temporary city of 150,000, which is about the size of Pasadena. The festival’s galvanizing power is unmistakable. Electronic music might not be your taste, and it is not my go-to. The latest electronic track I downloaded was the Steve Aoki and Sebastian Maniscalco collab, “Does Your Father Know You Dance Like That?”
But there is no escaping the power of the performances — EDC owes millions just to the thunderous low-end bass layering the speedway.
The impact of lights and strobes and the accompanying drone and fireworks show always elevate the excitement to dizzying levels. I have said since the first time I saw groundbreaking EDM headliner Paul Oakenfold at Rain at the Palms that nightclubs and electronic music performances jack up your adrenaline, then sell it back to you.
EDC expands that model to create a grown-up carnival atmosphere — the Ferris wheel and Zipper running as The Chainsmokers, Tiesto and Aoki take the crowd on their own ride.
Quite some time ago, I covered the opening of LVMS, the Indy Racing League’s Las Vegas 500K event riddled with violent crashes and high winds. It was a rowdy experience, memorable for Johnny O’Connell flipping and cruising upside down on the front straightaway, sparks flying from his red race car.
That event opened the possibility of all sorts of events at LVMS, maybe a rock or country festival. But I never imagined in September 1996 that we would see something like Electric Daisy Carnival on that superspeedway.
Shake your fist, or shake your body, at this spectacle of light and sound. Appreciate it from afar, or as a member of a meandering snake. There’s no doubt EDC has earned its place in our history.
Big Red!
On the topic of Las Vegas history, Evel Knievel’s restored, 63-foot-long “Big Red” Mack truck and trailer are making a cross-country trip ending Saturday at the Evel Knievel Experience in the Arts District. A “Welcome to Las Vegas” event is set for 4 p.m. at Harley-Davidson at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign, then the rig will lead a caravan up the Strip to downtown. Look for Big Red in the Arts District, and we are talking about the truck …
Tease this …
We have a second spectacle of a stunt coming in VegasVille, possibly by the time you read this. One we already know about. But another is happening before that, and it’s supposed to be a real scene-stealer.
What makes sense here …
Is a Sphere in Nashville, Tennessee. That concept popped up in a comment in my post last week about the Sphere planned for Abu Dhabi.
Nashville has developed a Nash Vegas flair, the city’s New Nissan Stadium design seems inspired by Allegiant Stadium (check out the upper end zone location of its live music stage) and the stadiums have been designed by the same architectural firm, Manica of Kansas City, Kansas. Music City taking up its own Bulbous Wonder is totally on-brand.
Cool Hang Alert
The next Mondays Dark at the Space is a two-fer. For the first time, Mark Shunock’s event is spotlighting two organizations, UNLV’s hockey and tennis clubs. The soundtrack of “Animal House” is the theme. Togas optional but encouraged.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykatson X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
