EDC LAS VEGAS 2025

EDC 2025: Thoughts and Reflections from Under the Electric Sky

1) The slight tweaks to the layout of EDC this year showed continued dedication to always improving traffic flow as ticket sales or admittance increase. However, there are certain artists that need more careful thought on which stage they are placed on, irrespective, of the genre. Case in point, Levity. Levity has just blown up with GenZ the last two years since their unofficial Britney Spears Toxic remix and Electric Forest set.

I knew that Basspod cannot accommodate 25,000 people let alone 35,000. The audience wrapped around the art installation and was a massive cluster for Circuit Grounds. Forget about trying to get to Wasteland let alone cutting across to Circuit Grounds. I knew better to leave after 30 minutes so I could get to my locker in Circuit Grounds VIP, and then on to Kinetic Field with plenty of time for Martin Garrix down in the front of GA.

2) The new grandstand for Circuit Grounds VIP was awesome. The new entrance and exits are game changers for this stage. They got it right, otherwise, it would have been a total disaster. This was very good news and under reported. Something similar will need to be done next year for Cosmic Meadow VIP entrance as it was a cluster and creates a dangerous situation.

3) I believe they made the entrance to Kinetic Field wider this year but for sure made its accessibility a major improvement. You no longer have to walk past Quantum Valley and make that sharp left.

4) Friday was solid rave vibes. I told many first timers to really enjoy Day 1 because the single day ticket holders would change the vibes and add at least ⅓ more people which it did. Most of the single day ticket holders I find are either dipping their toes in the water and/or came to see a particular artist. They definitely do not consider themselves ravers and make it very clear that they do not care. This definitely complicates the goal of it being a rave and having everyone on board with PLUR. If nothing else, the philosphy around Peace, Love, Unity, Respect - trading Kandi and trinkets, is ideal when bringing 200,000 people together.

Nonetheless, the best advice that I follow myself is to simply make sure people hear you say “excuse me”; it does get tiresome to say over and over as you navigate thru 80,000 people in Kinetic Field, but it has to be done and it sets a good example and people do remember it. Everyone has PLUR and vibe meter over the course of the 3 days they keep track of.

5) On the food. I loved eating a hot Papa John’s pizza. I am not a fan of the founder but the hot pizza really is easy for me to digest and gives me a boost. As for food in Kinetic Field VIP, I liked the Gyro vendor and the one next to it - the Chinese food vendor, Laomazing - wow they had some great food including a bobba smoothie. I love a good Acai bowl at a festival also.

6) Regarding "The Sound System". I can attest from several sets in Kinetic Field that the subs were louder this year. Last year, I was on the rail for Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren and my decibel meter on my Apple Watch hit 120 db. This year there was no way I could do the rail; my trachea was vibrating from 15 feet back from the rail from the subwoofers. They were either new or tuned differently this year because it was nuts.  I found that about 35 feet back was still insanely loud at over 100 decibels but more manageable if the vibrations didn’t keep dislodging the seal of my ear plugs. Nonetheless, the sound was incredible across every stage.

7) On facility essentials, I think there needs to be more water stations and they don’t have to be as large as the main ones.

8) Never enough time to explore. That window of 7 to 8pm is never enough time because you are running errands etc. like the locker, bathroom, catching your breath, meetups, and dinner.

I think gates at 6:30pm would be ideal; things like the performers could still start at 7pm. By the way, shoutout to all the performing cast who are amazing. Pasquale and the Team really bring it in this area of the Insomniac EDC Las Vegas experience. The costumes cost is not cheap and it is something that he could cut or reduce if he wanted to for profits but he doesn’t. He has a true vision for EDC and where there are increases in costs they are made up for in more merch sold and Sponsorship deals. He is a savvy businessman and incredible entrepreneur - truly a Harvard Business School case study and I'd love to teach it!

9) THE MUSIC !

I doubt anyone has gotten this far but if you have…you are awesome. Use this discount code at checkout for 20% off your order: EDC25

So who did I love that I saw at EDC Las Vegas 2025? There is an important element of always seeing someone new at festivals and expanding your EDM horizons. In 2024, I put time into seeing Hardstyle artists and I discovered how insane the guys from the Sub Zero Project are. I was so stoked to see their set at EDC at Wasteland stage.

NEW ARTISTS FOR ME

I was stoked that I saw GIRL MATH at Cosmic Meadow on Day 3 at 7pm. They really have something cooking here and loved their energy and movement behind the decks. I also was super impressed with a newer name to the American techno scene but yet he’s a Berlin techno legend and that is MARLON HOFFSTADT. I would highly recommend both.  I was sad I didn’t make it to BELTRAN who I have never seen before. But I did get to see JAMES HYPE and I liked what I heard. His whole schtick I find a bit annoying per Deadmou5 trolling him recently, but Jame's mix was solid and I enjoyed it before global mega producer, Martin Garrix.

SAD I MISSED

I was sad I had to miss ARGY - he is going to be one of the all-time greats. Definitely, see him when you can. I would have liked to have seen HEDEX, LIL TEXAS, and SVDDEN DEATH but I had conflicts unfortunately. A few others being OF THE TREES and TAPE B. These guys are real innovators in their bass space. And it goes without saying that I love SULLIVAN KING, but I’ve seen Sully 5 times in the last year so I had to see someone else but Sully has the best "set Opening" with his comedic theme than anyone else in EDM which I count dubstep as part of.

FAVORITES - DAY 1

Day 1 was such a high being back in the speedway that truly is Insomniac Events - ground zero.

So MAX STYLER has been making music for a long time now and in prior years it was nothing like what he’s doing now since 2024. I think not putting limits on your music and allowing yourself to evolve without saying “oh man but now I’m not on brand” is a scary but key to arriving at whatever one deems “success”. I am happy for Max. He’s worked with everyone in the U.S. scene. I really enjoyed his opening at Circuit Grounds. The new Circuit Grounds stage design was also a nice refresh.

ALOK finished his set with my favorite track ALLEIN ALLEIN with Argy’s remix and I was on a cloud above Kinetic Field floating. That track takes my dopamine to outer space. The raver next to me - out of the hundreds around us - was on my wavelength and we went absolutely crazy together. I got a special piece of Kandi from her that I’ll never forget. ALOK was riding into EDC Las Vegas off the high from his incredible Coachella performances. I could feel that energy from him.

RL GRIME versus SARA LANDRY. Ugh, that was so hard but I had recently seen Sara and I haven’t seen RL in a long time so his set won this time. Perhaps the wrong choice since I knew it was Sara’s EDC Mainstage debut. I love seeing an artist's Kinetic Field debut like Subtronic’s 2024 set. RL Grime was fantastic and he was super stoked up there.

Speaking of a stage debut, TIESTO for the first time played Circuit Grounds. I had to see as much of it as I could knowing that it would be a totally different set from him. It would not be a Mainstage festival set at all and of course I was proven right. It was a super chill and long energy build that he weaved. He played John Summit’s Light Years which I did not see coming and it was super chill.

That said we dashed to see ALESSO’S close with a light jog across the festival to see his last 10 minutes. Alesso's triple mashups are just so massive and is the very essence of Tomorrowland energy. Those big room triple mashups are what mega festival main stage sets are all about.  I would also add that I think he chipped in for the insane drone show that was above and beyond what all the other artists got over the 3 days. I think he paid for those extra designs. He's trying to build a stronger following in the U.S.

So now we arrive now at DOM DOLLA and DJ SNAKE.

DOM DOLLA in the last year as risen to a worldwide mega-star status. You gotta make hits and craft insane sets to get there and he’s done it in spades. Crazy story, on Day 2, my friends from Deflare Fans said he was just sitting alone in VIP with a hoodie over his head and he was like, "yep I’m Dom Dolla" and gave them a hug by the bathrooms. Hilarious story. Super cool bloke as they say.

DJ SNAKE

You don’t just get the most important rave inhaler name without being one of the Top 5 greatest electronic music producers and DJ’s of all-time. LET ME LOVE EUCALPYTUS will someday be in William’s hands. Hot off of his insane STADEFRANCE CONCERT from the Saturday before in Paris, DJ SNAKE threw down another classic mainstage Kinetic Field banger of a set.

He did seem to leave before the track ended which I’ve never seen him do and I think it was because he had special guest SHORELINE MAFIA come out just before the end and he wanted to take pics with them or leave with them. No idea but I’ve never seen William ditch out before the last note played. He clearly could see people were heading out down in front and maybe that is why.

I did not get to see William’s hip hop set on Day 2 unfortunately but I’m sure it was super fun to watch from the Cosmic Meadow bleachers.

DAY 2

After our co-branded meetup with DeFlare Fans, we went to watch DIMENSION. He is so damn good. Stayed for BEN NICKY who is so consistent. Love his sets.

I would say favorite set of Day 2 was FISHER for me. Many ID’s and he is just so good and so much fun. MAU P opening was delayed due to winds which was a bummer but REZZ was on time and she dropped 7 ID’s if I recall and one with Deadmau5. Bummer to miss the surprise set by ISOKNOCK but I had to catch my SUB ZERO PROJECT because I love them so much. They are my favorite in Hardstyle genre.

I will note that while I was eating a super late dinner at Quantum Valley - once the wind delay cleared, COSMIC GATE did an incredible abridged 30 minute set that was like a Masterclass on how to create a mini full set and take the audience on a full journey with their Hits rather than just coming out and freestyling.

KASKADE threw down a great set but definitely for the biggest fans you have to be patient for the 2nd half when he starts to mix the Hits and the feels get intense. It was definitely out of no where when he brought out AHEE for that ID collaboration. I was like what is happening right now.

I would have loved to see LEVEL UP and also knowing that SUBTRONICS would for sure come out and play an ID or mix for 5 minutes with Sonya. But I finished out at Kinetic Field with MEDUZA which is always good.

DAY 3

The plan went out the window in order to meet up with some new friends from the Ravers Naturals meetup on Day 2. I was happy to hang but a bit sad I missed NORA EN PURE’s Kinetic Field debut set. Nonetheless, I did say it was time for me to go when it was close to LEVITY’s 9:30pm start and the group agreed. The crowd was massive just as I was expecting it to be. They should have been on Cosmic Meadow but that would have been some politics had Insomniac done that. They are still “paying their dues” but they for sure know that it created massive traffic problems for that entire side of the festival. They will be at Cosmic Meadow next time or possibly an 8pm Kinetic Field set even.

I then went to rest my feet and eat dinner while listening to ARTBAT B2B MORTEN which was a solid choice. I rest my feet because I had two of my favorite artists coming up in a bit and would require 3.5 hours in Kinetic Field GA close to the front for MARTIN GARRIX into ARMIN VAN BUUREN.

We went in about 25 minutes before Martin came on and I was happily surprised to hear some of a JAMES HYPE set for the first time. I will say I was bummed to miss INZO. I love his music.

MARTIN GARRIX has a Ravers Naturals inhaler named after him - as do Armin Van Buuren and Tiesto. All 3 of these Dutch Producer DJ’s are in my Top 3 and performed on the last day. Wild thing I will never forget.

I named Ravers Naturals Vanilla aromatherapy stick - "Starlight Vanilla" after the track called Starlight off of Martin’s 2022 Album Sentio. He played the track last also which Martijn has not been doing lately so that was extra special.

We had an amazing group in the front and I really couldn’t believe how insane the energy was with everyone around us freaking out. Garrix is a global phenomenon like Avicii - his music is so uplifting and good that he is still at the very top. A true music producer savant and still makes his own music in the studio - no ghost producers, no “finishers” while he’s on the road.

ARMIN VAN BURREN did a very new set with tons of new music. I had just seen him at Dreamstate last November in L.A. and his 3 hour Red Rocks Amphitheatre the week before in Morrison, Colorado. So i had a lot to compare it to. I would say that it was really good but not the typical mega festival set. This was fine with me as I like to see the DJ happy and evolving and not constrained to just play crazy mashups and their hits like I think sometimes Alesso feels forced to do. I predict Alesso will launch an alias within the next 3 years or less.

That said, TIËSTO’S IN SEARCH OF SUNRISE for Day 3 closing out EDC Las Vegas was something of a dream come true. I grew up with listening to Tiesto and I had never seen one of these sets.

I started the set recouping from Martin and Armin in Kinetic Field VIP (which is a main perk for getting VIP along with the bathrooms) and then after 30 minutes of some amazing videos I took on top of the grandstand I went into Kinetic Field GA to the front.

I would say I was about 40 feet from the rail. Low and behold, I saw my friends with the TIESTO FAMILY OFFICIAL flag and surprised AJ and friends. In the last 10 minutes, the mix came into Silence and I yelled out my celebratory signature TIESTOOOOOO and Tijs heard me!

My friends then joined and then everyone in front of Kinetic cheered for what was the start of the last 10 minus of the set and of course when the crowd would cheer but they were so “in it” and in a state of trance it was crystal quiet. Then, a moment later, Tiesto motioned to me as he saw my TIESTO RACING HAT and then to AJ’s and our flag - this was an incredible moment that I’ll never forget.

THE NOD, TIESTO CALLING US OUT

The group was elated and a wave of euphoria washed over them. It was exactly how it was supposed to be and go down as the final set of EDC Las Vegas came to a close. This was my EDC 2025 that was fresh off of my tour of Japan and cherry blossom season. The rest of our group who was on the rail came back and joined for our group picture.  What a way to close out Electric Daisy Carnival and walk away from Kinetic Field and into Monday morning.

Just like the track goes…. "It’s a fine day, people open windows." :')

Thanks for reading. I have a feeling that if you were at EDC also and I bet we walked by each other and smiled. Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat. Check out our pin we made for this saying in the Store and grab some Ravers Naturals for your next concert or festival using code: "EDC25" for a discount. Breathe the Rainbow !