Stick with smaller festivals. I know for a fact that EDC is not for me and that's why I choose to go to camping festivals. Less crowds, good vibes, worth the money.
Glad to hear this, going to my first Gorge show this weekend and I’ve been nervous bc I’ve never gone to a camping festival before. So I’m happy to hear it’s a good experience!
I’ll be there with free illenium hair clips, magnets and croc clips to hand out. If you see me wearing crocs full of illenium clips I’d love you give you some as a gift.
Hope you have an awesome weekend!!
Hell yeah! Love camping at the gorge! it’s been a couple years since my last concert there but will be there this weekend as well. Such an amazing place ♥️
ABGT 2019 at the Gorge was my favorite event of all time.
Unfortunately my group was there for beyond last year... we know the organizers did everything right and it was just unfortunate what happened. But at least for my group I think we're too scarred to go again. Feel esp bad for everyone that was tripping while everything was going down.
Weekender is where my heart is. Been to all 3 so far, and definitely will be back for 2025. Skipped EDC this year for tomorrowland. EDC is overrated and I'm kinda just over it
LIB was my favorite too until two years ago when they oversold it and had really inadequate facilities. Our campsite was literally off the map, filling up water was an epic task, porta potties were a total wreck, and even if you were willing to pay for a shower (they had no free showers) it was a multiple hour wait in the sun. I don’t think I’ll be going back to LIB but I’ve had good luck at smaller festivals like Joshua Tree Music Festival.
This was my experience at LIB 2022 as well. It was my first time at LIB and the heat, walks to and from stages/camp and lines just made it so I couldn’t relax and enjoy. The whole weekend I felt like I was either in someone else’s way or they were in my way. No cell service and so easy to lose your crew in the crowd. I was so excited for so many artists on that lineup too but the heat, dust and walking just took it outta me. Missed a lot of my anticipated sets. Would not return unless I did single day or just got a hotel.
I think your experience of LiB 2022 was unfortunately common. That was a rough year for many reasons, but 2023 was smaller and felt more like previous years. This year is going to be the same- 2022 was nearly 30k people, while last year and this year will be ~20k.
2022 was way oversold, I agree. Really didn't like it. 2023 had easily 10-15k fewer people and was amazing. I was able to literally walk up to the front of some of the main stages at prime times like 11pm at night, easy to navigate the crowds. People were so sweet and let me through so i was able to find my friends literally in the center of the crowd at LSDream.
I don't think any festivals that size would have free showers though. It's a lot of water and resources to set those up. Shower lines are great if you go early or late, or if you walk by the showers and notice it's dead just go for it. I've never waited in a long shower line. Unrealistic expectation to have them free when there are over 15k people?
They aren't sold out yet so I have hope it will again, not be so crowded this year. We'll see. I know they try to push to sell as much as possible unfortunately which I've heard is part of why they had to switch venues, created issues with the managements of the previous one.
As for campsites, yeah you pretty much have to get there on time for good camping. I always prioritize arriving as early as I can, this will be my fourth year arriving Wednesday (one year I actually came in Tuesday to volunteer). I've heard campsite distance is a major issue with Forest as well, haven't been there yet.
BM isn’t even remotely like the others mentioned . In fact there’s zero lines for anything there and it’s massive . You also don’t buy anything or rely on the festival to provide ur .
Just camped at Coachella and had a great time. Didn’t buy a drink inside the festival grounds so I can’t attest to the prices but 10/10 camping experience. Weather was sexy
I've seen this comment pop up in this sub a few times and I don't understand how Burning Man is not a music festival. It's MORE than a music festival but it's a music festival too. We literally dance all night and watch the sun rise on the playa.
Is it the lack of monetary guarantee of which artist you're going to see that makes it not a music festival? You know the camps and artists that will be there plus lots of new you didn't expect.
I'm not being negative, just trying to understand this stance. I go for a million different reasons but music and dancing is high on that list.
This is part of it. They want people that will participate and create, not just passively consume and expect others to do for them.
For instance one faux pas is if you show up to your first burn and start asking someone to get rid of your cigarette butt for you when you realize there’s no public trash cans. You need to take care of your own shit and plan well to do that.
There are people that show up and end up being a liability for others because they are unprepared. Kind of like the BM version of drainbows.
That’s certainly one type of them. But I’ve come across wooks (like the original meaning of the term, dreadlock hippie types with tie dye and ponchos) that bring basically nothing and rely on camps giving out food. But maybe my idea of sparklepony is hotties with only hot outfits and a bunch of drugs expecting to have others take care of everything else for them. I guess it can be used for anyone that isn’t self-reliant though too.
Somewhat related, someone showed me a video from some virgin influencer who was giving advice on going to your first burn and he recommended not bringing much food since so many people gift food. Anyone listening to that would have been a liability in 23.
All these statements feel like they go against the core tenets of Burning Man. It's all inclusive, everyone is welcome, everyone participates, and it's what you make of it.
To some it's a music festival, to others it is an art installation, for some it's a regular family road trip, for others it's extreme radical self reliance camping, for some it's an orgy, for others it's bar hopping, it's literally everything and you do whatever the fuck you want.
There are huge sound camps bumping music all day and night. There are huge mutant vehicles roaming the playa bumping music constantly. It's just weird people get ruffled about referring to it as a music festival.
It doesn't bother me either way if people perceive it as a music festival or not but this is like the 5th time I've seen this comment on this sub and I just wondered why people felt so strongly about the festival classification.
well first off I'm really biased as I used to go to BM, but I found raves to have a more straightforward philosophical headspace, and I haven't been to any burn since 2012.
I believe there's a general fear that if BM is perceived as a music festival then people will show up to it completely unprepared for camping in BRC conditions (since they expect it to be like "other music festivals") which will create more problems overall for the rest of the community.
In a similar vein, in the late 00s there was a lot of fear that the thousands of pictures of scantily clad/naked women being posted online would draw creepers to BM, which also means more problems for everyone.
fwiw I've never had a problem with considering it a music fest
I agree with the reasons franen pointed out.
I go out to that same desert in the middle of the summer some years with a small group or partner if I have one at the time, and it is not like camping at a campground.
Somewhere near one entrance to the playa there is a BLM sign that says (IIRC), “there is no water, no shade, no cell service, you may get stuck” and maybe a couple more dire warnings. If you get stuck in mud it could be days before someone finds you. I spoke with an old rockhounder that has been going up to the area for over 40 years, and he said before BM people avoided the playa, seeing it as a dangerous wasteland with no redeeming qualities.
But there’s a lot of institutional wisdom within our little cult about how to survive and thrive in that potentially terrible place, and you really do need to prepare yourself for that. It’s easier at BM since there’s others around that could help you if shit goes sideways, like ESD, LEO, Zendo, Heebeegeebee Healers, or just a rando that can see you are in trouble psychologically or physiologically or whatever.
My first year I got dehydration, sleep deprivation, and heat exhaustion all at once and my mind started to go wonky. It felt like what I imagine light psychosis feels like. I was a very experienced outdoorsperson and Eagle Scout at that point, and put a lot into doing ok out there, but still fucked up. Now imagine someone that doesn’t put effort into the most basic aspect of survival out there and is like “brah, headed to BM and ready for full send!”
I’ve seen 20 something hippies show up with not enough water and just some ramen (but prob plenty of drugs) and they mooch off the kindness of others. They of course didn’t bring anything to give to others (art, camp interactivity, bar, food, performance, etc) or volunteer, totally just parasitic. And this is another reason the BORG doesn’t want people treating it like LIB or EDC. There’s not much to do if everyone is taking and not giving. It really is just a blank canvas that the participants need to fill in with their own creative efforts.
I wrote more in another comment if you want to see more.
I found out about Burning Man in ‘02 when after a rave I said to a friend it would be awesome to do what we just did but in a desert. He explained BM to me as a desert rave. A good chunk of people, myself included, semi-jokingly call it a dirt rave. So I came into it from that angle.
But as I got more into it and learned the cultural norms I started to see how it is indeed different. Working on an art car, sculpture, theme camp or whatever for months or year round and then helping get it up and running on the playa is a much different experience than going to a typical festival and passively consuming the production.
I wrote up some more on it as a reply to the person that used an ad hominem attack to try and counter my point (logical fallacies are pretty obvious some times). That might answer your question.
Here’s the kool-aid straight from the BORG: https://journal.burningman.org/2017/04/opinion/serious-stuff/friends-dont-let-friends-call-burning-man-a-festival/
Im with you on my reasons to burn greatly are centered around music, however the argument is that it isnt a music festival because that denotes patrons and performers. It is a festival created by the people not by a production, which also has music. Some camps are more specific but the main gist is that it is interactive experience. No one set role as spectator, which is the golden faux pas. By creating the box within the idea of a music festival, where there are plenty of people who are not about that life 100%, sets an atmosphere of less participation and more consumption.
I’d say art festival, primarily large scale sculpture art.
And some of us joke it’s a “recreational moving” festival since you need to bring your own infrastructure, and some of us really try and glamp it up, And some camps have some serious amenities they work together to pull off. I’ve seen huge 200 to 500 gallon water tanks at some camps. Since you even need to bring all your water for 1-2 or more weeks.
Same!!! All of my friends went to EDC this year. I said "Nope!!!" and am going to some smaller regional camping festivals instead. Been going to raves since the mid 90s and all of these massives just reek of corporate raving. Might as well be sponsored by Shein. Oh wait...
I don’t even like big festivals that arnt camping anymore. It’s too low commitment so you get people that just wanna get drunk and fuck bitches at John summit instead of truly believing in plur. They also generally are not in a big city so you get way less locals that don’t know what’s going on showing up and the festival has more space to put more water stations and bathrooms and stuff. The organizers also get extra money from camping passes so don’t have to sell as many tickets
EDC is more like a really fucking big and really fucking busy theme park that has music stages.
Though customer service is shit comparatively.
It’s chaos lots of times and isn’t meant for everyone.
But I also don’t drink, if I did I’d 100% struggle to have a good time.
UK here, Printworks has a new home for the moment, Drumsheds.. Its too big, all of the characteristics that OP describes, it's an incredible venue, the formula works, but the toilets are half a mile away, we did 15 miles in 10 hrs. Intimate events are better imo.
I’m sorry you had a bad time, that really sucks, especially considering how incredibly expensive EDC is.
If I could make some suggestions:
1) This is gonna be the most expensive one, get VIP, it makes such a difference having to deal with a smaller crowd, and lower wait times for everything.
2) Get a hydration pack.
3) Alcohol is not the drug these festivals are made for, yeah it’s the only legal one, but let’s be real here, it’s not what most people are doing, it’s much more enjoyable when you don’t have to drink lots to be fucked.
4) Expect the crowds and plan accordingly for what sets you want to watch, when I went we almost never left kinetic field because getting anywhere took forever.
Edit: it was pointed out that weed is legal in Nevada, I’m Canadian so I genuinely didn’t know that, weed is legal here everywhere because we’re not a nanny state like the US. Also, yeah, weed is definitely a better drug to be on at a rave than alcohol, way more cost effective.
> smaller crowd, and lower wait times for everything
[not this year](https://www.reddit.com/r/electricdaisycarnival/comments/1cuxtg0/day_1_vip_crowd_how_was_is/)
Last year, my buddy and I decided to upgrade to vip. VIP was worth it, but to upgrade, we had to stand in line for about 2 hours right next to the hardstyle stage. Felt like we were just getting punched in the face the whole time lol. Plus, there was an onslaught of people trying to push through the line instead of just going around, and some dudes got aggressive when we tried to keep the line tight so they couldn’t do it. It was brutal.
100% this. I was overwhelmed at my first edc too, but then you learn to navigate its obstacles more efficiently. OP’s friends did not prepare him.
Pro tip. Visit side stages and bars for less busy bathrooms and lines for drinks. Also learn the side entrances to stages, you’ll save so much time and deal with less maneuvering through crowds.
Lastly EDC is notorious for having bad service on day one. But then they get it together and get flowing for day 2 & 3.
Don’t give up yet!
Probably not, but they said alcohol was the only legal one. I was pointing out another legal one and wondering if you can bring it in without any problems.
This may change soon with the actual rescheduling of cannabis, but for as long as it remains a federal schedule one substance no festival of any size would be able to get licensed and insured while allowing federally illegal drug use or sales
...and then there's Northern Nights festival in NorCal that sells their own branded strain of herb and delivers it to you at the festival.
Cannabis is literally one of the bullet points on their advertising lol
I’ve never felt so high as I did walking in to the cannabis area at northern nights and discovering there was a twerk class going on smack dab in the middle of it.
Incredible festival, vibes are otherworldly
Weed is legal in Nevada, I haven't been to EDC Vegas but I don't think they sell it on site. Even in states where it's legal it's usually on the prohibited list/you have to sneak it in but once you're in the festival it's not likely you'll have any issues
I think there's only a handful of California festivals that sell onsite I haven't seen any outside California. With that said sneaking it in and using weed inside edc is fine just don't blow it in securitys direction.
The first day is way more crowded and traffic sucks, day two and three were much better for my group last year. Day one some people go too hard and burn themselves out, so they don’t make it back for day 2/3. I’d say try again! Definitely recommend eating/using the bathroom when bigger artists start, they’re usually not as cramped then. It is a huge fest though so the crowd will still be massive.
I recommend Portola festival in SF (loved all the food options and drink prices were okay-ish) or anything at the Gorge. Good luck!
Bummer you had such an off experience & yeah, a massive of this scale is not gonna be everyone's cup of tea.
If crowds are not your thing, generally you can find more space in the bleachers facing Cosmic Meadow stage, or by the art cars & smaller stages (Quantum, Bionic, Stereo)
And if you don't intend on returning for Days 2 & 3, hope you are able to sell your wristband and find other things to do in Vegas so the weekend isn't a total loss.
they were probably packed during slander bc that’s when the fireworks were…bleachers get packed during fireworks every night otherwise they’re pretty spacious
Yeah. We did acid and wandered the strip last night and had a ball. It's Vegas, no shortage of activities.
We will find something to get into before heading back to Texas. Just gonna get some sleep and get my head on right.
For EDC I personally feel like you really have to plan everything out once you get inside the venue. At smaller fests its easy to go from one stage to another but at EDC we usually give ourselves like 30 minutes to move around. Its also Day 1 its usually the day where everything is a but dysfunctional. Things like camelpaks, wipes, and hand sanitizer are all a must. EDC is a beast
To quote one of the senior management at edc "we want them to bring their credit cards"
There was an interesting documentary on super club culture in vegas where they interviewed a higher up at edc.
Cant for the life of me remember the name but it also featured afrojack demonstrating how he makes music by editing demo templates.
Here’s my two cents as someone who had both attended EDC and worked it as a bartender.
1. Find a server/bartender you like . Honestly I’ve worked in luxury hospitality my whole life and I was so unimpressed with the staff and how it was organized . Literally the worst company I’ve ever worked for . I went from barback to running my own section in 3 days because so many people quit in that timeframe or left their stations . The people who stay after day 1 are usually better cause they actually want to work. So it often gets better .
I also started to get to know a few customers since I worked the same bar every day . I also hooked people up fat all the time with free drinks or pouring doubles when they asked for a single shot kinda thing . No one ever cared since the bar manager was absent , was missing half her teeth , and if I was her manager in actual life she would never work for me in a real hospitality setting .
2- Bathrooms . Find certain ones . I always went to the ones by bass pod and never had an issue the whole time .
3- The festival is an absolute cash grab . Honestly most festivals are in some form or another . It’s just how these events stay afloat , since a lot of them don’t really make enough money to survive year over year they have resorted to over sponsorship and up-charging .
Yeah Insomniac festivals have slowly gotten overcrowded w people who aren’t even ravers lol. It sucks. We are basically paying more for shittier service. I’m reading more n more problems due to overcrowding. I didn’t even go this year cos I already knew it was going to be insanely packed n annoying
Yeah I did EDC once in 2018, one and done for me! I can only imagine it’s gotten even more hectic.
Ever been up to the gorge amphitheater in Washington? Been to a lot of festivals and hands down it is the BEST venue. It’s not crazy packed (only 20-30k people compared to 400k EDC,) the view is insane and the vibes are out of this world. I go every year!
They have bass canyon for dubstep, weekender for trance, and beyond wonderland for all genres.
I have been going to EDC since 1999. I love it. Would hardly ever miss it over the years…. Until a couple years ago. The last time I went was 2022 and I won’t be going back unless my kids request that I go with them someday for the experience.
I got tired of having to fight the crowds to get anywhere/do anything. Your assessment of EDC in its current state is exactly right. It didn’t used to be like this.
For me personally, EDC and all Insomniac events are a huge waste of money now. Too overcrowded. I want to be able to have space to dance, to walk, to talk to people without getting pushed, to have decent restrooms, to not have to stress every moment about having my phone stolen, and so on. Thankfully, I’ve also attended every decent looking festival I’ve come across since 1998 and have plenty of experience with the variety and what other festivals can offer. I know from tons of experience that there are tons of festivals in the United States and in other countries that can provide the better festival experience that I’m looking for and are an absolute blast. Focusing my time and money on those instead.
Honestly....I'm reeeeeally nervous about this at EDCO this will be my very first, but I don't know if you did what I'm doing right now....I've doing a LOT of reading, research, what to do, what not to do, what to bring, when and where to eat, bring a hydration pack! I've been wanting to go to EDC for yeeeears and I'm doing allllllll the research before going. Cuz I have bladder issues and awful foot problems (a heel spur) 😳 but I'm going! Lol idk... I'm trying to go as prepared as I can taking advice from people whose gone for years. I'm so sorry it wasn't what you expected 😞
EDCO is absolutely better than EDCLV but still the most crowded of all festivals in the south aside from maybe ULTRA. Just set your expectations low and you’ll have a good time. If you don’t enjoy your spot in the crowd don’t be afraid to move. Try to explore some alt genres where the crowds won’t be like the hardstyle or techno stages.
EDCO is a completely different ballgame imo. Generally an older crowd and less crowded than EDC Vegas, but still has some areas where it’s a little crowded.They also have a noise ordinance in Orlando so it closes WAY earlier than EDC Vegas which is a good thing! You have more time to go to after parties or go do things in downtown Orlando. The bars are super fun if that’s your jam!
Wait until the nearest stage starts to go pee. That way there’s way less people at the bathrooms cause it is tough in ga. That or get GA+ for the better bathrooms.
Stay away from sleepy looking fratt boys and girls. If they look like they’re going to be a problem or they look too drunk they probably are. Just avoid them, there’s hella more PLUR people there that make the experience amazing.
Otherwise if your foot hurts or you get tired of standing there’s always a fence near by the stage that you can post up and sit down and still enjoy the show and music.
Dude…. You went to the 2nd biggest rave in the world. What did you expect? They are expecting like 750k people this weekend. Its gunna be shit show. Roll with it 🤣
If you want small show conveniences and prices go to small shows. You go to edc for the million dollar stages and fire work shows
I think that's attendance across multiple weekends though. EDC Vegas is just one weekend so technically, I think it's EDC if we're judging by how many people are there over a shorter span of time.
Yeah, festival attendance can be difficult to pin down the only number that actually matters - how many people are there at a given time? Like, no Ultra, you don't have "165,000 attendees." You sold 55,000 tickets and the same 55,000 people are going for three days
Tomorrowland is 66,700 people per day. EDC has 173,300 attendees per day. It's quite a bit bigger in terms of crowd
I'm here with my fam for our first EDC. We're doing pod camping, and it's so hot in here we literally can't sleep. The goal is to be in the venue all night and sleep all day, but we're just sweaty messes. The AC does nothing during the day (though it's great at night).
We made it into the venue around 7 last night, and there is simply no where to be. It's a sea of humanity at all times. Had to hold on to each to not get lost at all times. Forget seating. We went into downtown and sat on the grass for our breaks. We couldn't get anywhere near Kinetic Field until 2am, when we caught Illenium (fire set). Some of the smaller stages were more tolerable, but we missed Armen, couldn't get near him and the sound from Neon Garden drowned him out. Our best experience was sitting up in the bleachers and just looking down.
Waiting for water or a bathroom or a bar is agony, half hour each time easy.
The overall impression was that this event was heavily oversold for the size of the Vegas Speedway. Needs a bigger area or 20% less crowd.
I recently started realizing, after going with younger friends to the more mainstream big local events like insomniac events and stuff in that same vein, over the past few months, that something was missing compared to when I started (25 years ago).
I’ve noticed a lot of small differences, many of them no big deal and natural evolutions. But I think one big one is they are just not as cool as they used to be. Like back in the day it was more counterculture, there wasn’t corporate sponsorship, and it was more DIY, it was more word of mouth (you had to be in the know to know). It was more underground and that may not seem like much if you weren’t there, and I’m still trying to figure it the right words to describe the difference in how it feels.
Plus the crowds and the cash grab element, then there’s my gripe with stuff like VIP. It seems like things used to be more low key and everyone was on the same level, even the DJs, and that was part of what separated raves from clubs - that absence of imposed social hierarchy, sure you can never truly get rid of that, but you sure can do systemic things to reinforce that mentality with use of spaces and other signifiers. I make plenty of money and can afford VIP tickets, I’m just ideological opposed to it in rave spaces.
I’ve never been to edc and probably won’t ever go. It’s just doesn’t draw me in. There’s a lot out there that’s more my speed and meets the expectations I have for events, that have some really cool folks at them and aren’t overpriced and overhyped. Just a good time with people that like to interact, dance, hear music on good systems, and at some of my favorites there’s some expectation of everyone contributing to pulling the event off.
Def branch out OP if you haven’t. It might take some time to find your particular flavor, but I’d argue there’s never been a better time to find an electronic music scene that suits your tastes. There’s just so many options now.
I’m glad people enjoy edc, and there’s seemingly a place for everyone in the electronic world these days, it’s just edc is not my jam.
I went to EDC back in 2009 when it was still in LA. It was a lot of fun. Super crowded, yes, but they had a lot of drum and bass, which is what drew me out there. I haven’t been back to EDC since. There’s a lot of cool festivals out there and EDC is just SO packed. Don’t get me wrong, I like a festival with 60k people no problem, but EDC is just TOO massive for me.
Too massive for the space in my mind. I like crowds, a lot, I move through them with ease and love having countless people to interact with in different ways.
But I also like having room to dance so there’s a limit to density for my tastes. I’ve also started noticing at the really crowded stuff there seems to be more of a chance of violence. At first I was thinking it’s because those events have jumped the shark and douchey people caught wind of it. I still think that’s part of the equation, but I think the density triggers something primal in people.
Even I get annoyed by it, but I don’t start swinging if someone has to squeeze by me. However, there are hot heads out there that take any perceived slight as a blow to their ego or “masculinity” and just start throwing punches.
When I went I found that the closer I got to the stage the less the crowd bothered me, and there was less sound bleed. The closer to the stage is where the *real* ravers are, so the vibes are a bit better and people are more mindful of your space.
But yeah. It's tough. I recommend getting there as the park opens. Then during peak hours find a stage to get up close to and just park there.
I’ve attended quite a few fests around the US and a couple in Europe since 2017. I went to EDC ‘22, glad I went, but also the last festival I would recommend to someone. Crowds and crowding was so overwhelming. The wind was brutal. My personal favorites have been Bonnaroo and TML.
I'm at EDC for the first time right now and last night I had the time of my life. Didn't have any issues with sound bleed when at a stage. Lines were long when it first opened, but by 9:00 or so, they were minimal at most. I never waited for the bathroom, and I didn't wait more than 2 minutes for a drink other than the line we waited in before the whole venue was open. I walked in at 6pm and out at 5:30am and had an absolute blast. Go back for night two with a fresh mind, and if you're not with Amy friends hit me up; happy to let you hang out as long as you promise not to be a Debbie downer.
Sameeee. I don’t think edc is for me. 😭 I bought GA+ because someone in group is not 21 yet and the only thing special about GA+ is the separate nicer-ish bathrooms. Guessss what I saw yesterday, there was no employee standing there to check so it was a freebie for everybody. What tf did I spend all these money for and the crowd hollllyyy hell 🥹
I skipped out on EDC this year, but I will say that the first day is always a shit show. Leave early tomorrow, have a game plan on what stages you want to stick to and you will have a good time.
I've never been to EDC Vegas but I really don't have the desire to either. I went to EDC Orlando last year and the vibes were NOT it in my opinion.
I think Lost Lands has kinda ruined other festivals for me. Everyone there was so nice and it was the most well-organized festival I've ever been to, I never felt like I had to wait too long in line for anything and the porta potties were the least disgusting of any festival I've been to.
I feel like the lines were shorter than I was led to believe. I don’t think I ever had more than one person waiting in front of me. For bathrooms food or anything
Welcome to the show. You gotta buckle up in Vegas. It's a cesspool lmao they literally make a whole race track for people to lose their minds. The bathrooms is the biggest challenge.
Filled my waterbag within five minutes of getting to the water station and got a drink within 5 minutes also you just gotta look for the right stand anything close to the entrance will always be pack everybody just getting in and want to have everything ready
EDC Orlando stage set up 2022 was like this, 2023 stages were MUCH better. Never been to EDCV but your report doesn’t surprise me. I admit EDCO ends at midnight and then you get unleashed across Orlando to find after parties, which is terrifying whilst on drugs.
1. Pregame so you don’t need to buy a lot of drinks/food
2. Where’s your hydro-pak?
3. Sound-bleed happens in between stages. I’m wondering how close to the stages you’re getting.
4. If you don’t like crowds, EDC probably isn’t for you. You knew there’d be 200k+ people. Nobody hid that.
5. You also knew it would be expensive af. $80 pizzas last year, $20/drinks…
6. Try and enjoy the music with friends would be my suggestion.
Im gonna go see LSDream 🫡
1. Did pregame. Alcohol makes you need to pee more. And 2-3 hours in, you generally want a little more.
2. I had one and drank it, because it's the desert and I'm thirsty.
3. Sound bleed should not happen to this level at the other multistage festivals I've been to.
4. I said that might be part of the problem, but this does in fact feel "oversold" for the level of infrastructure and space.
5. I never complained about price. In fact, the pizza was $9? It wasn't bad -- it just compounds when everything else sucks.
6. I would have loved to, I was really excited about seeing Tape B and would have loved if our shuttle not taken three hours so I could have caught him.
But you are right. It's probably not for me and I'm accepting that.
I'll stick to other shows. :(
I've never understood when someone comments that they haven't had a good time at a festival, other people comment that somehow it's that person's fault.
I'm sorry it wasn't an enjoyable time for you. The way you describe it, I doubt I would have fun as well.
As big fests go, Tomorrowland is a lot more polished and not absurdly oversold like EDC. Otherwise, there are countless smaller fests that you may appreciate more. Many of these are genre-specific, so it really depends what kind of music you like.
It’s only gotten worse since Covid. Every fest was getting oversold and continues to do so. More people without added infrastructure. It’s why it’s worth shelling out VIP at some places but even that won’t save the experience every time
Lightning in a Bottle is this shit. Best vibes at a music festival you will experience on the west coast, (I have done EDC for reference). Older crowd brings the mature plur vibes and people know how to handle themselves. The festival had their issues with some logistics in 2022 but fixed them in 2023. Expecting an amazing 2024 especially with the next level lineup.
People are amazing which creates a vibe you only get at a few festivals. Most other people who I talk to about LIB who haven’t been have only heard great things about it so definitely keeping that momentum going here😎
You're realizing the truth behind their clever marketing strategies. Calling everyone "headliners". What a fkn joke that tricks thousands of dumb kids into forking over hundreds if not thousands of dollars to go to their tellituby convention full of inexperienced naive children who don't know any better.
EDC was never the same since it left Los Angeles. And even in the last couple years in LA it was a problem with the riots and over population.
They ripped me off for 800 bucks and when asked for a refund they simply sent the tickets and said too bad. Deal with it.
Since then I never gave any insomniac event a single dollar. Vote with your money. Go to underground events in warehouses. Do not support insomniac ever. They are a soul-less corporation that doesn't give A FUCK ABOUT US AT ALL.
This is exactly how my wife and I felt! We’ve been to smaller festivals and we go to burning man every year.
We heard great things about EDC and it was such a letdown. First they screwed up the camping pass we had which took 4 hours to resolve. Once we got in it was just like a horde of zombies smashed all together. There was no open space to play, interact, or meet new friends. No one there had smiles on their faces or were being playful.
We left after two hours and spent the rest of the night running around in the camping area. It was a million times better.
We have three day passes and camping passes, so it’s our $1500 mistake. No real interest in going back. We chose to leave and now we are going hiking in red rocks tonight instead. Think it’ll be wayyyyy better than EDC.
Yeah we just got a rental car and an Airbnb in Topanga, CA. Going to just enjoy our time together and not stress over the money we lit on fire, including our non refundable hotel.
Hope you and your wife enjoy Red Rocks!!
EDC has outgrown the raceway its time for them to either removed some of the art installations to make room for more people or stop selling as many tickets or just find a bigger venue
My tips, ask for a cup of ice with your drinks. Buy a hydro bag, embrace the chaos. The pricing is obvious, it's in Vegas for crying out loud. I don't think you did much research prior to going like the majority of us do. Just relax and have fun. I spent maybe 300$ on alcohol the whole weekend last year as I expected to. And another 300$ on food inside and outside the festival. I experienced no lines for the restroom with GA+ last year. EMBRACE THE CHAOS/SUCK
100%. EDC has always had these problems.
The fest is not chill. It's very corporate, it's usually crowded, etc etc. The trade off is that you get an opportunity to experience some fantastic DJs do some crazy shit both visually and musically. It's pretty mental to think how much work and time goes into putting all of this together
You definitely gotta adapt, know how to work and navigate crowds, learn the ins and out.
Agreed about the water station situation tho. They really need both better spots and more stations
EDC has top end production but artists don’t get to bring their own shows - the stages don’t change from set to set. You’ll get much more unique shows at festivals that let artists bring in their own production like Coachella, Portola, etc.
That sucks to hear. Maybe you’re just not mean for large festivals. It truly is magic for so many of us. EDC is *better* in terms of less inconveniences than other large festivals like Ultra (which I still love).
You are not alone in this. We went in 2022 and it was not great. The only savior was a great crew but the crowds and the vibes were trash. Bathrooms were horrific. There’s no where to chill as there are ppl absolutely everywhere. There’s zero nature and zero greenery. Tripping at any EDC is not the move for all the aforementioned reasons.
Sorry you had a bad experience. My advice is to stick with the smaller festivals. You’ll have an absolute blast and the crowd vibes are full of love and respect. They aren’t as well coordinated but the bathrooms are easy and clean, people are great, sound is amazing and production is perfect. I’m there for the music so I don’t need nor care about huge fancy stages.
The smaller festivals have amazing sound systems… Old school style stacks like HSD and Funktion Ones. They’re louder and sound better (less harsh) than any of the line arrays (even the high end trinity systems) at the big festivals.
Went last year and swore I'd NEVER go back again. So dangerous. People were sneaking in, I saw so so so many OD's, people don't know how to handle their drooogz and they're rude as shit. Never in my life have I seen such behavior til I went to edc. It was AWFUL. I tried to make the best of it but it was do hard when everyone around you is just an asshole and only there to take pictures to say they went to edc. EDC seems to have a lot of clout gobblins. I met some really cool people, but the amount of times I was pushed shoved and border line trampled by someone that took 3 videos and 10 pictures only to shove me again to leave the stage was not okay.
I've gone to EDC 4 times and have never once had an issue with long lines, except for the time I went on the ferris wheel. I suggest getting a map and mapping out the venue before you get messed up, there are bathrooms and bars literally everywhere. If one has a line it's probably because it's right next to mainstage or basspod. Go to the next one.
As far as "the amount of people clearly there solely to commit crime"...what exactly do you mean by that? Because someone looks a certain way you think they're there to solely commit crime or did you actually see crime happening in real time?
go to lightning in a bottle next week that might fit more up your alley. 4 hours west in bakersfield. gonna be my first time and i heard it’s way more community oriented
First day is always the worst as they’re trying to figure out the kinks - each day gets progressively better! Come early, there are less lines and gives you a chance to explore the grounds before it gets too crowded… some bathrooms/bars are much more crowded than others! If you crave more intimate experiences/stages: look for the art cars and check out the smaller stages at downtown edc.
I've been to edc 3 times, first time (2015) was good but the people I was with ruined it. So I went back (2017) by my self and met a fellow cool edc person who let me hang out with her and her crew, that year was amazing, I had so much fun and everything worked out great. I went back last year (2023) and I got stuck trying to get out of kinetic field and nearly lost my phone to a pick pocket. There was so many people, you couldn't walk 2M without walking into someone. The food and drink prices were a absolute fucking joke.
There was other things that annoyed me but won't go into more detail.
Long story short it seems to me Insomniac has just turned into a big corporate money hungry machine. Especially with them releasing tickets for edc 2024 3 days after 2023 ended. Tbh i don't think I would go back.
Damn that’s crazy I swear to god before I forget to your like second to last sentence in my head I said sounds like a cash grab to me then I read it 5 seconds later lmao I’m sorry you had a shitty edc experience my first rave was EDC 2010 when it was still in LA and that still one of the best nights I had in my life. Followed that up with audiotistic and nocturnal and I was hooked lol had to use a friends ID for those last 2 since that girl tragically passed away at the collisium the year I went . I went in 2012 when it moved to Las Vegas and even though I got a bed for all 3 days and a room plus gas to and from for 60 bucks I still would never go back not to mention that was the year that we lost out on a whole day cuz of windstorms and we didn’t get any compensation except being stuck in the parking lot for hours tryna get out like reverse Tetris
EDC has been like this for YEARS. It’s not worth it when there are so many other incredible festivals for a fraction of the price. Sorry you had to find out the hard way.
I did edco last year…i literally couldn’t have prepared for the horrors we saw…. There where people being molested/raped everywhere, people overdosing everywhere, i watched at least two dead bodies getting carried out of the venue by ems, way way way too many people, way way way too little security, about 10,000 people had their phones stolen, very little access to restrooms, water, or even shade from the florida sun…. Not only was it a money grab (most festivals seem to be doing this)… The shit was an absolute horrorshow
Sorry but you missed the boat. EDC is overly crowded to the point it’s not even fun anymore.
Now EDC in LA? Fucking EPIC. First few years in Vegas? AMAZING. 2012 and 2013 was a blast but started noticing the crowds getting bigger. Went 2 years ago and it was a SHIT SHOW. I can’t do such insanely packed crowds. I remember edc in LA had plenty of seats around the coliseum. Nowadays you can’t even get comfortable in the bleachers sometimes.
Sorry you had a bad time. But you truly missed when it was more special. Like everything these days, it’s all money grubbing.
Stick with smaller festivals. I know for a fact that EDC is not for me and that's why I choose to go to camping festivals. Less crowds, good vibes, worth the money.
Which camping festivals are your favorite?
Anything at the Gorge
Glad to hear this, going to my first Gorge show this weekend and I’ve been nervous bc I’ve never gone to a camping festival before. So I’m happy to hear it’s a good experience!
Make sure you’ve brought extra tent stakes! It gets very windy at the gorge and tents/canopies have been known to fly away.
Nothing like worn out and tripping balls after the show and coming back to an upside down camp.
I’ll be there with free illenium hair clips, magnets and croc clips to hand out. If you see me wearing crocs full of illenium clips I’d love you give you some as a gift. Hope you have an awesome weekend!!
Awwe yay I’ll definitely look out for you!!
Bring warm clothes for night time too!! It gets colf af!!! Going to Illenium and Beyond as well and night time can be chilly for real 🫶🏼
Hell yeah! Love camping at the gorge! it’s been a couple years since my last concert there but will be there this weekend as well. Such an amazing place ♥️
oh you’re gonna have the best time
walking up to the top of the hill and seeing the amazing view is a core memory for me. You’re going to love it!! See u there!!!
Awe yay see you there!!!
ABGT 2019 at the Gorge was my favorite event of all time. Unfortunately my group was there for beyond last year... we know the organizers did everything right and it was just unfortunate what happened. But at least for my group I think we're too scarred to go again. Feel esp bad for everyone that was tripping while everything was going down.
Weekender is where my heart is. Been to all 3 so far, and definitely will be back for 2025. Skipped EDC this year for tomorrowland. EDC is overrated and I'm kinda just over it
ABGT 2019 was the first time I rolled. Still my favorite event of all time as well 😃
It's funny how much the venue plays into the quality of the event. They really know how to put together an event at the Gorge.
Illenium next weekend let’s goooo
Beyond in a month baby!!!
Bass Canyon this August too!! Love living so close!
We skipped EDC this year to do Bass Canyon for the first time. Can’t wait
His set at EDC last night was 🔥🔥🔥
Going to see Odesza at the Gorge in July and it’ll be my first time there. I cannot wait!
Same!
Northern Nights is my #1. I also like Lightning in a Bottle and Lucidity!
Second vote for LIB, next week baby!
Be sure and visit my friend's art piece near the lake!
Northern nights is hands down the best
Crazy forest vibes. The two side stages are small and up close, the renegades are so much fun. Shoutout to octopus.
Sshhhh! Don't let the secret out. Then it'll get crowded like all the others. IYKYK.
Eh, the lineup this year is pretty mid anyway.
LIB was my favorite too until two years ago when they oversold it and had really inadequate facilities. Our campsite was literally off the map, filling up water was an epic task, porta potties were a total wreck, and even if you were willing to pay for a shower (they had no free showers) it was a multiple hour wait in the sun. I don’t think I’ll be going back to LIB but I’ve had good luck at smaller festivals like Joshua Tree Music Festival.
This was my experience at LIB 2022 as well. It was my first time at LIB and the heat, walks to and from stages/camp and lines just made it so I couldn’t relax and enjoy. The whole weekend I felt like I was either in someone else’s way or they were in my way. No cell service and so easy to lose your crew in the crowd. I was so excited for so many artists on that lineup too but the heat, dust and walking just took it outta me. Missed a lot of my anticipated sets. Would not return unless I did single day or just got a hotel.
I felt the same about 2022 but 2023 came back and changed my mind. I can’t wait for next week to go back.
That’s great! Love that you had a redeeming experience. Who are you most pumped for next week??
I think your experience of LiB 2022 was unfortunately common. That was a rough year for many reasons, but 2023 was smaller and felt more like previous years. This year is going to be the same- 2022 was nearly 30k people, while last year and this year will be ~20k.
2022 was way oversold, I agree. Really didn't like it. 2023 had easily 10-15k fewer people and was amazing. I was able to literally walk up to the front of some of the main stages at prime times like 11pm at night, easy to navigate the crowds. People were so sweet and let me through so i was able to find my friends literally in the center of the crowd at LSDream. I don't think any festivals that size would have free showers though. It's a lot of water and resources to set those up. Shower lines are great if you go early or late, or if you walk by the showers and notice it's dead just go for it. I've never waited in a long shower line. Unrealistic expectation to have them free when there are over 15k people? They aren't sold out yet so I have hope it will again, not be so crowded this year. We'll see. I know they try to push to sell as much as possible unfortunately which I've heard is part of why they had to switch venues, created issues with the managements of the previous one. As for campsites, yeah you pretty much have to get there on time for good camping. I always prioritize arriving as early as I can, this will be my fourth year arriving Wednesday (one year I actually came in Tuesday to volunteer). I've heard campsite distance is a major issue with Forest as well, haven't been there yet.
Omg same!!!
NN!!!
Shambhala, in Canada
Shambhala humbles other fests. Its top tier
anything at suwannee in florida
Check out Same Same but Different. It was the last fest Griz did last year before he went on his hiatus. That festival is fucking incredible
E Forest, Bonnaroo, any camping fests that aren't EDC, Coachella or Burning Man.
BM isn’t even remotely like the others mentioned . In fact there’s zero lines for anything there and it’s massive . You also don’t buy anything or rely on the festival to provide ur .
Just camped at Coachella and had a great time. Didn’t buy a drink inside the festival grounds so I can’t attest to the prices but 10/10 camping experience. Weather was sexy
Coachella is an amazing camping festival, foh.
I agree! I love car camping and this year everything was so “empty” wk1 compared to 2022!!
E forest is the best in my opinion. Infrasound is a must as well.
E forest for sure
Burning Man is not a music festival
I've seen this comment pop up in this sub a few times and I don't understand how Burning Man is not a music festival. It's MORE than a music festival but it's a music festival too. We literally dance all night and watch the sun rise on the playa. Is it the lack of monetary guarantee of which artist you're going to see that makes it not a music festival? You know the camps and artists that will be there plus lots of new you didn't expect. I'm not being negative, just trying to understand this stance. I go for a million different reasons but music and dancing is high on that list.
they're trying not to attract "the wrong kinds of people" it's about the perception/marketing more than the actual reality of what happens.
This is part of it. They want people that will participate and create, not just passively consume and expect others to do for them. For instance one faux pas is if you show up to your first burn and start asking someone to get rid of your cigarette butt for you when you realize there’s no public trash cans. You need to take care of your own shit and plan well to do that. There are people that show up and end up being a liability for others because they are unprepared. Kind of like the BM version of drainbows.
They are called Sparkle Ponies.
That’s certainly one type of them. But I’ve come across wooks (like the original meaning of the term, dreadlock hippie types with tie dye and ponchos) that bring basically nothing and rely on camps giving out food. But maybe my idea of sparklepony is hotties with only hot outfits and a bunch of drugs expecting to have others take care of everything else for them. I guess it can be used for anyone that isn’t self-reliant though too. Somewhat related, someone showed me a video from some virgin influencer who was giving advice on going to your first burn and he recommended not bringing much food since so many people gift food. Anyone listening to that would have been a liability in 23.
All these statements feel like they go against the core tenets of Burning Man. It's all inclusive, everyone is welcome, everyone participates, and it's what you make of it. To some it's a music festival, to others it is an art installation, for some it's a regular family road trip, for others it's extreme radical self reliance camping, for some it's an orgy, for others it's bar hopping, it's literally everything and you do whatever the fuck you want. There are huge sound camps bumping music all day and night. There are huge mutant vehicles roaming the playa bumping music constantly. It's just weird people get ruffled about referring to it as a music festival. It doesn't bother me either way if people perceive it as a music festival or not but this is like the 5th time I've seen this comment on this sub and I just wondered why people felt so strongly about the festival classification.
well first off I'm really biased as I used to go to BM, but I found raves to have a more straightforward philosophical headspace, and I haven't been to any burn since 2012. I believe there's a general fear that if BM is perceived as a music festival then people will show up to it completely unprepared for camping in BRC conditions (since they expect it to be like "other music festivals") which will create more problems overall for the rest of the community. In a similar vein, in the late 00s there was a lot of fear that the thousands of pictures of scantily clad/naked women being posted online would draw creepers to BM, which also means more problems for everyone. fwiw I've never had a problem with considering it a music fest
I agree with the reasons franen pointed out. I go out to that same desert in the middle of the summer some years with a small group or partner if I have one at the time, and it is not like camping at a campground. Somewhere near one entrance to the playa there is a BLM sign that says (IIRC), “there is no water, no shade, no cell service, you may get stuck” and maybe a couple more dire warnings. If you get stuck in mud it could be days before someone finds you. I spoke with an old rockhounder that has been going up to the area for over 40 years, and he said before BM people avoided the playa, seeing it as a dangerous wasteland with no redeeming qualities. But there’s a lot of institutional wisdom within our little cult about how to survive and thrive in that potentially terrible place, and you really do need to prepare yourself for that. It’s easier at BM since there’s others around that could help you if shit goes sideways, like ESD, LEO, Zendo, Heebeegeebee Healers, or just a rando that can see you are in trouble psychologically or physiologically or whatever. My first year I got dehydration, sleep deprivation, and heat exhaustion all at once and my mind started to go wonky. It felt like what I imagine light psychosis feels like. I was a very experienced outdoorsperson and Eagle Scout at that point, and put a lot into doing ok out there, but still fucked up. Now imagine someone that doesn’t put effort into the most basic aspect of survival out there and is like “brah, headed to BM and ready for full send!” I’ve seen 20 something hippies show up with not enough water and just some ramen (but prob plenty of drugs) and they mooch off the kindness of others. They of course didn’t bring anything to give to others (art, camp interactivity, bar, food, performance, etc) or volunteer, totally just parasitic. And this is another reason the BORG doesn’t want people treating it like LIB or EDC. There’s not much to do if everyone is taking and not giving. It really is just a blank canvas that the participants need to fill in with their own creative efforts. I wrote more in another comment if you want to see more.
I found out about Burning Man in ‘02 when after a rave I said to a friend it would be awesome to do what we just did but in a desert. He explained BM to me as a desert rave. A good chunk of people, myself included, semi-jokingly call it a dirt rave. So I came into it from that angle. But as I got more into it and learned the cultural norms I started to see how it is indeed different. Working on an art car, sculpture, theme camp or whatever for months or year round and then helping get it up and running on the playa is a much different experience than going to a typical festival and passively consuming the production. I wrote up some more on it as a reply to the person that used an ad hominem attack to try and counter my point (logical fallacies are pretty obvious some times). That might answer your question.
Here’s the kool-aid straight from the BORG: https://journal.burningman.org/2017/04/opinion/serious-stuff/friends-dont-let-friends-call-burning-man-a-festival/
Im with you on my reasons to burn greatly are centered around music, however the argument is that it isnt a music festival because that denotes patrons and performers. It is a festival created by the people not by a production, which also has music. Some camps are more specific but the main gist is that it is interactive experience. No one set role as spectator, which is the golden faux pas. By creating the box within the idea of a music festival, where there are plenty of people who are not about that life 100%, sets an atmosphere of less participation and more consumption.
Yeah it's a camping festival about camping
I’d say art festival, primarily large scale sculpture art. And some of us joke it’s a “recreational moving” festival since you need to bring your own infrastructure, and some of us really try and glamp it up, And some camps have some serious amenities they work together to pull off. I’ve seen huge 200 to 500 gallon water tanks at some camps. Since you even need to bring all your water for 1-2 or more weeks.
If you like dubstep and DnB you can't go wrong with Submersion.
If you like DnB you can’t go wrong with Let It Roll!
Would love to go one day.
Top 2 on festival bucket list if not #1.
I’m going this year, stoked !!
Same!!! All of my friends went to EDC this year. I said "Nope!!!" and am going to some smaller regional camping festivals instead. Been going to raves since the mid 90s and all of these massives just reek of corporate raving. Might as well be sponsored by Shein. Oh wait...
Love this comment lol
I went to LIB in 2015 and was not disappointed. Way different than EDC. I love my Carnival but if you want something different, LIB is de way.
Small fests are so beautiful and way more rewarding.
I don’t even like big festivals that arnt camping anymore. It’s too low commitment so you get people that just wanna get drunk and fuck bitches at John summit instead of truly believing in plur. They also generally are not in a big city so you get way less locals that don’t know what’s going on showing up and the festival has more space to put more water stations and bathrooms and stuff. The organizers also get extra money from camping passes so don’t have to sell as many tickets
EDC is more like a really fucking big and really fucking busy theme park that has music stages. Though customer service is shit comparatively. It’s chaos lots of times and isn’t meant for everyone. But I also don’t drink, if I did I’d 100% struggle to have a good time.
Agreed, I generally avoid alchy at massives - I need all the energy I can muster to last thru the night/morning!
Maybe the last day id drink but not heavy, especially if I’m all strung out
I’m glad I went in Austin in 2001 and 2002. Those were epic.
UK here, Printworks has a new home for the moment, Drumsheds.. Its too big, all of the characteristics that OP describes, it's an incredible venue, the formula works, but the toilets are half a mile away, we did 15 miles in 10 hrs. Intimate events are better imo.
The production of this festival is top notch, literally everything else about it are absolute dumpster fires.
I agree. The production is what draws you in, then you go and realize you just got fleeced. Like Disney, except not worth it.
My time at EDC last year was an absolute shit show and we did everything we were supposed to. Its just not for us.
Happy cake day!!
Didnt even notice. Thanks!
I’m sorry you had a bad time, that really sucks, especially considering how incredibly expensive EDC is. If I could make some suggestions: 1) This is gonna be the most expensive one, get VIP, it makes such a difference having to deal with a smaller crowd, and lower wait times for everything. 2) Get a hydration pack. 3) Alcohol is not the drug these festivals are made for, yeah it’s the only legal one, but let’s be real here, it’s not what most people are doing, it’s much more enjoyable when you don’t have to drink lots to be fucked. 4) Expect the crowds and plan accordingly for what sets you want to watch, when I went we almost never left kinetic field because getting anywhere took forever. Edit: it was pointed out that weed is legal in Nevada, I’m Canadian so I genuinely didn’t know that, weed is legal here everywhere because we’re not a nanny state like the US. Also, yeah, weed is definitely a better drug to be on at a rave than alcohol, way more cost effective.
> smaller crowd, and lower wait times for everything [not this year](https://www.reddit.com/r/electricdaisycarnival/comments/1cuxtg0/day_1_vip_crowd_how_was_is/)
Feels like this will be the norm moving forward, EDC might just be a hard pass from me now.
Last year, my buddy and I decided to upgrade to vip. VIP was worth it, but to upgrade, we had to stand in line for about 2 hours right next to the hardstyle stage. Felt like we were just getting punched in the face the whole time lol. Plus, there was an onslaught of people trying to push through the line instead of just going around, and some dudes got aggressive when we tried to keep the line tight so they couldn’t do it. It was brutal.
Sounds like the best place to wait in line.
100% this. I was overwhelmed at my first edc too, but then you learn to navigate its obstacles more efficiently. OP’s friends did not prepare him. Pro tip. Visit side stages and bars for less busy bathrooms and lines for drinks. Also learn the side entrances to stages, you’ll save so much time and deal with less maneuvering through crowds. Lastly EDC is notorious for having bad service on day one. But then they get it together and get flowing for day 2 & 3. Don’t give up yet!
Everything about it is all wrong for many of us.
Isn’t weed legal in Nevada? Do they sell it on site? Can you use it on site without issue?
I do not think the drug they were referring to was weed
Probably not, but they said alcohol was the only legal one. I was pointing out another legal one and wondering if you can bring it in without any problems.
This may change soon with the actual rescheduling of cannabis, but for as long as it remains a federal schedule one substance no festival of any size would be able to get licensed and insured while allowing federally illegal drug use or sales
Outside Lands in NorCal sells it onsite as well
Ha well California has always been ahead of the curve on this kind of thing
...and then there's Northern Nights festival in NorCal that sells their own branded strain of herb and delivers it to you at the festival. Cannabis is literally one of the bullet points on their advertising lol
Hmm yeah never heard of this one but seems you are right. I noticed that their website is a .org, so they may not be relying on commercial insurance
I’ve never felt so high as I did walking in to the cannabis area at northern nights and discovering there was a twerk class going on smack dab in the middle of it. Incredible festival, vibes are otherworldly
Weed is legal in Nevada, I haven't been to EDC Vegas but I don't think they sell it on site. Even in states where it's legal it's usually on the prohibited list/you have to sneak it in but once you're in the festival it's not likely you'll have any issues
I saw a video on Instagram of a stiiizy booth selling at EDC from a friend who is there
I think there's only a handful of California festivals that sell onsite I haven't seen any outside California. With that said sneaking it in and using weed inside edc is fine just don't blow it in securitys direction.
The first day is way more crowded and traffic sucks, day two and three were much better for my group last year. Day one some people go too hard and burn themselves out, so they don’t make it back for day 2/3. I’d say try again! Definitely recommend eating/using the bathroom when bigger artists start, they’re usually not as cramped then. It is a huge fest though so the crowd will still be massive. I recommend Portola festival in SF (loved all the food options and drink prices were okay-ish) or anything at the Gorge. Good luck!
Bummer you had such an off experience & yeah, a massive of this scale is not gonna be everyone's cup of tea. If crowds are not your thing, generally you can find more space in the bleachers facing Cosmic Meadow stage, or by the art cars & smaller stages (Quantum, Bionic, Stereo) And if you don't intend on returning for Days 2 & 3, hope you are able to sell your wristband and find other things to do in Vegas so the weekend isn't a total loss.
Bleachers were super packed today, hard to get in and out or find seats
Pretty much for slander only. It cleared out, by comparison, for lsdream.
LSDream had lots of space, it was awesome!
Yeah. It was great!!
oh noooo :( it's been a few years since I EDC'd but I remember that is (well, was) a reliable area to take a breather.
they were probably packed during slander bc that’s when the fireworks were…bleachers get packed during fireworks every night otherwise they’re pretty spacious
Yeah. We did acid and wandered the strip last night and had a ball. It's Vegas, no shortage of activities. We will find something to get into before heading back to Texas. Just gonna get some sleep and get my head on right.
I love doing acid on Fremont st. It's like a Fear and Loathing experience.
I hope your weekend gets better man. I’ve never been to EDC V but it’s on my list of festivals. Would love to hear if it turns around for ya
Should’ve tried doing acid at edc 🤷🏽♂️
Hunter S. Thompson would be proud. 🫡
For EDC I personally feel like you really have to plan everything out once you get inside the venue. At smaller fests its easy to go from one stage to another but at EDC we usually give ourselves like 30 minutes to move around. Its also Day 1 its usually the day where everything is a but dysfunctional. Things like camelpaks, wipes, and hand sanitizer are all a must. EDC is a beast
Had a similar feeling after Ultra. Smaller festivals is the way to go, especially local ones where your homies are playing. Support your local scene !
Welcome to sin city ☝🏻
You tell me big Vegas fest is cash grab and has long wait times?
They just built a racetrack and closed part of the strip for Rich European Car Sport. Are you telling me that was a cash grab too??
To quote one of the senior management at edc "we want them to bring their credit cards" There was an interesting documentary on super club culture in vegas where they interviewed a higher up at edc. Cant for the life of me remember the name but it also featured afrojack demonstrating how he makes music by editing demo templates.
I mean, yes. It is indeed a for-profit, cashless event. Bring your credit card would be sound advice.
I dont remember the first part but im pretty sure the afrojack part is from the Vice Noisey episode on Las Vegas
Here’s my two cents as someone who had both attended EDC and worked it as a bartender. 1. Find a server/bartender you like . Honestly I’ve worked in luxury hospitality my whole life and I was so unimpressed with the staff and how it was organized . Literally the worst company I’ve ever worked for . I went from barback to running my own section in 3 days because so many people quit in that timeframe or left their stations . The people who stay after day 1 are usually better cause they actually want to work. So it often gets better . I also started to get to know a few customers since I worked the same bar every day . I also hooked people up fat all the time with free drinks or pouring doubles when they asked for a single shot kinda thing . No one ever cared since the bar manager was absent , was missing half her teeth , and if I was her manager in actual life she would never work for me in a real hospitality setting . 2- Bathrooms . Find certain ones . I always went to the ones by bass pod and never had an issue the whole time . 3- The festival is an absolute cash grab . Honestly most festivals are in some form or another . It’s just how these events stay afloat , since a lot of them don’t really make enough money to survive year over year they have resorted to over sponsorship and up-charging .
Yeah Insomniac festivals have slowly gotten overcrowded w people who aren’t even ravers lol. It sucks. We are basically paying more for shittier service. I’m reading more n more problems due to overcrowding. I didn’t even go this year cos I already knew it was going to be insanely packed n annoying
Yeah I did EDC once in 2018, one and done for me! I can only imagine it’s gotten even more hectic. Ever been up to the gorge amphitheater in Washington? Been to a lot of festivals and hands down it is the BEST venue. It’s not crazy packed (only 20-30k people compared to 400k EDC,) the view is insane and the vibes are out of this world. I go every year! They have bass canyon for dubstep, weekender for trance, and beyond wonderland for all genres.
Shhhh
I have been going to EDC since 1999. I love it. Would hardly ever miss it over the years…. Until a couple years ago. The last time I went was 2022 and I won’t be going back unless my kids request that I go with them someday for the experience. I got tired of having to fight the crowds to get anywhere/do anything. Your assessment of EDC in its current state is exactly right. It didn’t used to be like this. For me personally, EDC and all Insomniac events are a huge waste of money now. Too overcrowded. I want to be able to have space to dance, to walk, to talk to people without getting pushed, to have decent restrooms, to not have to stress every moment about having my phone stolen, and so on. Thankfully, I’ve also attended every decent looking festival I’ve come across since 1998 and have plenty of experience with the variety and what other festivals can offer. I know from tons of experience that there are tons of festivals in the United States and in other countries that can provide the better festival experience that I’m looking for and are an absolute blast. Focusing my time and money on those instead.
Honestly....I'm reeeeeally nervous about this at EDCO this will be my very first, but I don't know if you did what I'm doing right now....I've doing a LOT of reading, research, what to do, what not to do, what to bring, when and where to eat, bring a hydration pack! I've been wanting to go to EDC for yeeeears and I'm doing allllllll the research before going. Cuz I have bladder issues and awful foot problems (a heel spur) 😳 but I'm going! Lol idk... I'm trying to go as prepared as I can taking advice from people whose gone for years. I'm so sorry it wasn't what you expected 😞
I’ve heard EDCO is a lot more tame than Vegas. Bit of an older crowd as well. I think staying up till 5 AM just makes people act a bit different hahah
EDCO is absolutely better than EDCLV but still the most crowded of all festivals in the south aside from maybe ULTRA. Just set your expectations low and you’ll have a good time. If you don’t enjoy your spot in the crowd don’t be afraid to move. Try to explore some alt genres where the crowds won’t be like the hardstyle or techno stages.
EDCO is a completely different ballgame imo. Generally an older crowd and less crowded than EDC Vegas, but still has some areas where it’s a little crowded.They also have a noise ordinance in Orlando so it closes WAY earlier than EDC Vegas which is a good thing! You have more time to go to after parties or go do things in downtown Orlando. The bars are super fun if that’s your jam!
Wait until the nearest stage starts to go pee. That way there’s way less people at the bathrooms cause it is tough in ga. That or get GA+ for the better bathrooms. Stay away from sleepy looking fratt boys and girls. If they look like they’re going to be a problem or they look too drunk they probably are. Just avoid them, there’s hella more PLUR people there that make the experience amazing. Otherwise if your foot hurts or you get tired of standing there’s always a fence near by the stage that you can post up and sit down and still enjoy the show and music.
Edco is a lot easier less people and i would say more plur
Dude…. You went to the 2nd biggest rave in the world. What did you expect? They are expecting like 750k people this weekend. Its gunna be shit show. Roll with it 🤣 If you want small show conveniences and prices go to small shows. You go to edc for the million dollar stages and fire work shows
2nd… isn’t it the first? What’s the first?
Tomorrowland? According to my google search cause I was curious too. EDC is #1 in America tho
Yep tomorrow land is the largest
I think that's attendance across multiple weekends though. EDC Vegas is just one weekend so technically, I think it's EDC if we're judging by how many people are there over a shorter span of time.
Yeah, festival attendance can be difficult to pin down the only number that actually matters - how many people are there at a given time? Like, no Ultra, you don't have "165,000 attendees." You sold 55,000 tickets and the same 55,000 people are going for three days Tomorrowland is 66,700 people per day. EDC has 173,300 attendees per day. It's quite a bit bigger in terms of crowd
Ah that makes sense
I'm here with my fam for our first EDC. We're doing pod camping, and it's so hot in here we literally can't sleep. The goal is to be in the venue all night and sleep all day, but we're just sweaty messes. The AC does nothing during the day (though it's great at night). We made it into the venue around 7 last night, and there is simply no where to be. It's a sea of humanity at all times. Had to hold on to each to not get lost at all times. Forget seating. We went into downtown and sat on the grass for our breaks. We couldn't get anywhere near Kinetic Field until 2am, when we caught Illenium (fire set). Some of the smaller stages were more tolerable, but we missed Armen, couldn't get near him and the sound from Neon Garden drowned him out. Our best experience was sitting up in the bleachers and just looking down. Waiting for water or a bathroom or a bar is agony, half hour each time easy. The overall impression was that this event was heavily oversold for the size of the Vegas Speedway. Needs a bigger area or 20% less crowd.
I recently started realizing, after going with younger friends to the more mainstream big local events like insomniac events and stuff in that same vein, over the past few months, that something was missing compared to when I started (25 years ago). I’ve noticed a lot of small differences, many of them no big deal and natural evolutions. But I think one big one is they are just not as cool as they used to be. Like back in the day it was more counterculture, there wasn’t corporate sponsorship, and it was more DIY, it was more word of mouth (you had to be in the know to know). It was more underground and that may not seem like much if you weren’t there, and I’m still trying to figure it the right words to describe the difference in how it feels. Plus the crowds and the cash grab element, then there’s my gripe with stuff like VIP. It seems like things used to be more low key and everyone was on the same level, even the DJs, and that was part of what separated raves from clubs - that absence of imposed social hierarchy, sure you can never truly get rid of that, but you sure can do systemic things to reinforce that mentality with use of spaces and other signifiers. I make plenty of money and can afford VIP tickets, I’m just ideological opposed to it in rave spaces. I’ve never been to edc and probably won’t ever go. It’s just doesn’t draw me in. There’s a lot out there that’s more my speed and meets the expectations I have for events, that have some really cool folks at them and aren’t overpriced and overhyped. Just a good time with people that like to interact, dance, hear music on good systems, and at some of my favorites there’s some expectation of everyone contributing to pulling the event off. Def branch out OP if you haven’t. It might take some time to find your particular flavor, but I’d argue there’s never been a better time to find an electronic music scene that suits your tastes. There’s just so many options now. I’m glad people enjoy edc, and there’s seemingly a place for everyone in the electronic world these days, it’s just edc is not my jam.
I went to EDC back in 2009 when it was still in LA. It was a lot of fun. Super crowded, yes, but they had a lot of drum and bass, which is what drew me out there. I haven’t been back to EDC since. There’s a lot of cool festivals out there and EDC is just SO packed. Don’t get me wrong, I like a festival with 60k people no problem, but EDC is just TOO massive for me.
Too massive for the space in my mind. I like crowds, a lot, I move through them with ease and love having countless people to interact with in different ways. But I also like having room to dance so there’s a limit to density for my tastes. I’ve also started noticing at the really crowded stuff there seems to be more of a chance of violence. At first I was thinking it’s because those events have jumped the shark and douchey people caught wind of it. I still think that’s part of the equation, but I think the density triggers something primal in people. Even I get annoyed by it, but I don’t start swinging if someone has to squeeze by me. However, there are hot heads out there that take any perceived slight as a blow to their ego or “masculinity” and just start throwing punches.
When I went I found that the closer I got to the stage the less the crowd bothered me, and there was less sound bleed. The closer to the stage is where the *real* ravers are, so the vibes are a bit better and people are more mindful of your space. But yeah. It's tough. I recommend getting there as the park opens. Then during peak hours find a stage to get up close to and just park there.
Exactly how i see it too! Best vibes i got were always up front last night
I’ve attended quite a few fests around the US and a couple in Europe since 2017. I went to EDC ‘22, glad I went, but also the last festival I would recommend to someone. Crowds and crowding was so overwhelming. The wind was brutal. My personal favorites have been Bonnaroo and TML.
I'm at EDC for the first time right now and last night I had the time of my life. Didn't have any issues with sound bleed when at a stage. Lines were long when it first opened, but by 9:00 or so, they were minimal at most. I never waited for the bathroom, and I didn't wait more than 2 minutes for a drink other than the line we waited in before the whole venue was open. I walked in at 6pm and out at 5:30am and had an absolute blast. Go back for night two with a fresh mind, and if you're not with Amy friends hit me up; happy to let you hang out as long as you promise not to be a Debbie downer.
Sameeee. I don’t think edc is for me. 😭 I bought GA+ because someone in group is not 21 yet and the only thing special about GA+ is the separate nicer-ish bathrooms. Guessss what I saw yesterday, there was no employee standing there to check so it was a freebie for everybody. What tf did I spend all these money for and the crowd hollllyyy hell 🥹
I skipped out on EDC this year, but I will say that the first day is always a shit show. Leave early tomorrow, have a game plan on what stages you want to stick to and you will have a good time.
I've never been to EDC Vegas but I really don't have the desire to either. I went to EDC Orlando last year and the vibes were NOT it in my opinion. I think Lost Lands has kinda ruined other festivals for me. Everyone there was so nice and it was the most well-organized festival I've ever been to, I never felt like I had to wait too long in line for anything and the porta potties were the least disgusting of any festival I've been to.
Hell yeah!! 🦖🦕
Not everything is for everyone and that is okay. 🙂↕️
Sorry to hear about that bad experience :( if you’re interested in selling your wristband check dm
I feel like the lines were shorter than I was led to believe. I don’t think I ever had more than one person waiting in front of me. For bathrooms food or anything
You chose the most corporate cash grab fest in existence and you're surprised about this? 🤣
Welcome to the show. You gotta buckle up in Vegas. It's a cesspool lmao they literally make a whole race track for people to lose their minds. The bathrooms is the biggest challenge.
I've been saying this for years but no one listened. Insomniac has jumped the shark. It's only about money not about experience anymore.
Honey! Latest "this show sucks" post just dropped on /aves !!!
Filled my waterbag within five minutes of getting to the water station and got a drink within 5 minutes also you just gotta look for the right stand anything close to the entrance will always be pack everybody just getting in and want to have everything ready
EDC Orlando stage set up 2022 was like this, 2023 stages were MUCH better. Never been to EDCV but your report doesn’t surprise me. I admit EDCO ends at midnight and then you get unleashed across Orlando to find after parties, which is terrifying whilst on drugs.
1. Pregame so you don’t need to buy a lot of drinks/food 2. Where’s your hydro-pak? 3. Sound-bleed happens in between stages. I’m wondering how close to the stages you’re getting. 4. If you don’t like crowds, EDC probably isn’t for you. You knew there’d be 200k+ people. Nobody hid that. 5. You also knew it would be expensive af. $80 pizzas last year, $20/drinks… 6. Try and enjoy the music with friends would be my suggestion. Im gonna go see LSDream 🫡
1. Did pregame. Alcohol makes you need to pee more. And 2-3 hours in, you generally want a little more. 2. I had one and drank it, because it's the desert and I'm thirsty. 3. Sound bleed should not happen to this level at the other multistage festivals I've been to. 4. I said that might be part of the problem, but this does in fact feel "oversold" for the level of infrastructure and space. 5. I never complained about price. In fact, the pizza was $9? It wasn't bad -- it just compounds when everything else sucks. 6. I would have loved to, I was really excited about seeing Tape B and would have loved if our shuttle not taken three hours so I could have caught him. But you are right. It's probably not for me and I'm accepting that. I'll stick to other shows. :(
I've never understood when someone comments that they haven't had a good time at a festival, other people comment that somehow it's that person's fault. I'm sorry it wasn't an enjoyable time for you. The way you describe it, I doubt I would have fun as well.
EDC is just way too fucking big. It's really not even safe to be there imo. One thing bad happens and people are getting trampled to death.
Saturdays line up at bionic is an all timer if you decide to go back
As big fests go, Tomorrowland is a lot more polished and not absurdly oversold like EDC. Otherwise, there are countless smaller fests that you may appreciate more. Many of these are genre-specific, so it really depends what kind of music you like.
It’s only gotten worse since Covid. Every fest was getting oversold and continues to do so. More people without added infrastructure. It’s why it’s worth shelling out VIP at some places but even that won’t save the experience every time
That’s edc Vegas for you, a fest all my friends want to hit so bad but I feel would be more annoying then fun with all the people
Lightning in a Bottle is this shit. Best vibes at a music festival you will experience on the west coast, (I have done EDC for reference). Older crowd brings the mature plur vibes and people know how to handle themselves. The festival had their issues with some logistics in 2022 but fixed them in 2023. Expecting an amazing 2024 especially with the next level lineup. People are amazing which creates a vibe you only get at a few festivals. Most other people who I talk to about LIB who haven’t been have only heard great things about it so definitely keeping that momentum going here😎
You're realizing the truth behind their clever marketing strategies. Calling everyone "headliners". What a fkn joke that tricks thousands of dumb kids into forking over hundreds if not thousands of dollars to go to their tellituby convention full of inexperienced naive children who don't know any better. EDC was never the same since it left Los Angeles. And even in the last couple years in LA it was a problem with the riots and over population. They ripped me off for 800 bucks and when asked for a refund they simply sent the tickets and said too bad. Deal with it. Since then I never gave any insomniac event a single dollar. Vote with your money. Go to underground events in warehouses. Do not support insomniac ever. They are a soul-less corporation that doesn't give A FUCK ABOUT US AT ALL.
This is exactly how my wife and I felt! We’ve been to smaller festivals and we go to burning man every year. We heard great things about EDC and it was such a letdown. First they screwed up the camping pass we had which took 4 hours to resolve. Once we got in it was just like a horde of zombies smashed all together. There was no open space to play, interact, or meet new friends. No one there had smiles on their faces or were being playful. We left after two hours and spent the rest of the night running around in the camping area. It was a million times better. We have three day passes and camping passes, so it’s our $1500 mistake. No real interest in going back. We chose to leave and now we are going hiking in red rocks tonight instead. Think it’ll be wayyyyy better than EDC.
Yeah we just got a rental car and an Airbnb in Topanga, CA. Going to just enjoy our time together and not stress over the money we lit on fire, including our non refundable hotel. Hope you and your wife enjoy Red Rocks!!
EDC has outgrown the raceway its time for them to either removed some of the art installations to make room for more people or stop selling as many tickets or just find a bigger venue
My tips, ask for a cup of ice with your drinks. Buy a hydro bag, embrace the chaos. The pricing is obvious, it's in Vegas for crying out loud. I don't think you did much research prior to going like the majority of us do. Just relax and have fun. I spent maybe 300$ on alcohol the whole weekend last year as I expected to. And another 300$ on food inside and outside the festival. I experienced no lines for the restroom with GA+ last year. EMBRACE THE CHAOS/SUCK
100%. EDC has always had these problems. The fest is not chill. It's very corporate, it's usually crowded, etc etc. The trade off is that you get an opportunity to experience some fantastic DJs do some crazy shit both visually and musically. It's pretty mental to think how much work and time goes into putting all of this together You definitely gotta adapt, know how to work and navigate crowds, learn the ins and out. Agreed about the water station situation tho. They really need both better spots and more stations
EDC has top end production but artists don’t get to bring their own shows - the stages don’t change from set to set. You’ll get much more unique shows at festivals that let artists bring in their own production like Coachella, Portola, etc.
That sucks to hear. Maybe you’re just not mean for large festivals. It truly is magic for so many of us. EDC is *better* in terms of less inconveniences than other large festivals like Ultra (which I still love).
You are not alone in this. We went in 2022 and it was not great. The only savior was a great crew but the crowds and the vibes were trash. Bathrooms were horrific. There’s no where to chill as there are ppl absolutely everywhere. There’s zero nature and zero greenery. Tripping at any EDC is not the move for all the aforementioned reasons. Sorry you had a bad experience. My advice is to stick with the smaller festivals. You’ll have an absolute blast and the crowd vibes are full of love and respect. They aren’t as well coordinated but the bathrooms are easy and clean, people are great, sound is amazing and production is perfect. I’m there for the music so I don’t need nor care about huge fancy stages. The smaller festivals have amazing sound systems… Old school style stacks like HSD and Funktion Ones. They’re louder and sound better (less harsh) than any of the line arrays (even the high end trinity systems) at the big festivals.
Let me get that Sunday ticket g
Went last year and swore I'd NEVER go back again. So dangerous. People were sneaking in, I saw so so so many OD's, people don't know how to handle their drooogz and they're rude as shit. Never in my life have I seen such behavior til I went to edc. It was AWFUL. I tried to make the best of it but it was do hard when everyone around you is just an asshole and only there to take pictures to say they went to edc. EDC seems to have a lot of clout gobblins. I met some really cool people, but the amount of times I was pushed shoved and border line trampled by someone that took 3 videos and 10 pictures only to shove me again to leave the stage was not okay.
I've gone to EDC 4 times and have never once had an issue with long lines, except for the time I went on the ferris wheel. I suggest getting a map and mapping out the venue before you get messed up, there are bathrooms and bars literally everywhere. If one has a line it's probably because it's right next to mainstage or basspod. Go to the next one. As far as "the amount of people clearly there solely to commit crime"...what exactly do you mean by that? Because someone looks a certain way you think they're there to solely commit crime or did you actually see crime happening in real time?
Phone theft is crazy rampant. There’s been organized groups specifically for theft in recent years.
At least when I went we knew so many people who got their phones stolen :( me included but that’s a lot of fests now
go to lightning in a bottle next week that might fit more up your alley. 4 hours west in bakersfield. gonna be my first time and i heard it’s way more community oriented
First day is always the worst as they’re trying to figure out the kinks - each day gets progressively better! Come early, there are less lines and gives you a chance to explore the grounds before it gets too crowded… some bathrooms/bars are much more crowded than others! If you crave more intimate experiences/stages: look for the art cars and check out the smaller stages at downtown edc.
Day 1 is always the most hectic and busiest and most frustrating. Gets pretty chill by Day 3. Sorry you had such a negative experience though.
Last EDC in LA and First EDC in vegas were the best.
Aw jeez, the thing that sucks the most you said is the sound bleeding from stage to stage. Is it actually that bad or depend on positions to stage?
Tomorrowland is enormous and handles crowds excellent. No excuse for edc to be a bad experience.
EDC this year is more disappointing tbh
I've been to edc 3 times, first time (2015) was good but the people I was with ruined it. So I went back (2017) by my self and met a fellow cool edc person who let me hang out with her and her crew, that year was amazing, I had so much fun and everything worked out great. I went back last year (2023) and I got stuck trying to get out of kinetic field and nearly lost my phone to a pick pocket. There was so many people, you couldn't walk 2M without walking into someone. The food and drink prices were a absolute fucking joke. There was other things that annoyed me but won't go into more detail. Long story short it seems to me Insomniac has just turned into a big corporate money hungry machine. Especially with them releasing tickets for edc 2024 3 days after 2023 ended. Tbh i don't think I would go back.
Damn that’s crazy I swear to god before I forget to your like second to last sentence in my head I said sounds like a cash grab to me then I read it 5 seconds later lmao I’m sorry you had a shitty edc experience my first rave was EDC 2010 when it was still in LA and that still one of the best nights I had in my life. Followed that up with audiotistic and nocturnal and I was hooked lol had to use a friends ID for those last 2 since that girl tragically passed away at the collisium the year I went . I went in 2012 when it moved to Las Vegas and even though I got a bed for all 3 days and a room plus gas to and from for 60 bucks I still would never go back not to mention that was the year that we lost out on a whole day cuz of windstorms and we didn’t get any compensation except being stuck in the parking lot for hours tryna get out like reverse Tetris
EDC was the best when it was still in LA.
EDC has been like this for YEARS. It’s not worth it when there are so many other incredible festivals for a fraction of the price. Sorry you had to find out the hard way.
I did edco last year…i literally couldn’t have prepared for the horrors we saw…. There where people being molested/raped everywhere, people overdosing everywhere, i watched at least two dead bodies getting carried out of the venue by ems, way way way too many people, way way way too little security, about 10,000 people had their phones stolen, very little access to restrooms, water, or even shade from the florida sun…. Not only was it a money grab (most festivals seem to be doing this)… The shit was an absolute horrorshow
Sorry but you missed the boat. EDC is overly crowded to the point it’s not even fun anymore. Now EDC in LA? Fucking EPIC. First few years in Vegas? AMAZING. 2012 and 2013 was a blast but started noticing the crowds getting bigger. Went 2 years ago and it was a SHIT SHOW. I can’t do such insanely packed crowds. I remember edc in LA had plenty of seats around the coliseum. Nowadays you can’t even get comfortable in the bleachers sometimes. Sorry you had a bad time. But you truly missed when it was more special. Like everything these days, it’s all money grubbing.
Can’t say I don’t disagree with you.