Nevertheless, EDCLV did not disappoint, offering seemingly endless worlds within the speedway grounds, and just outside of it at Camp EDC. With a larger span than ever of its stages, more interactive art and hidden areas, and a plethora of unexpected surprises, EDC’s highlight reel was expansive. Take a journey with us through the best of EDC 2021.

cosmicMEADOW: The Inaugural Communion

State of Insomniac Update
As we head into 2020, the Insomniac team and I will continue our mission of bringing people together through memorable experiences while spreading positivity around the world. There are so many exciting things to come this year, and I wanted to share some highlights with you!

EDC Las Vegas 2020
For the first time ever we will be using the entire Speedway interior for our festival footprint. I’ll be revealing the theme for this year’s show THIS WEEK, and will be dropping the lineup through a special Music Through Music episode of Night Owl Radio next Thursday (2/20) at 6pm PT. Stay tuned!

EDC Worldwide
2021 will be the 25th year of EDC! Over the next few months we will be announcing multiple new destinations as we continue to take EDC around the world and grow our amazing Headliner community. Expect a year-long celebration as we commemorate this milestone in our history and our culture.

Nocturnal Wonderland
Our new site isn’t quite meeting the high expectations we have for our Headliners, so right now I’m weighing 2 options: skip this year’s edition entirely and plan for 2021 OR have it back at Glen Helen for our 25th year. I want to know what you decide, so I’ll be putting a poll up on my IG soon to see what the vibe is.

Insomniac Passport
The program had an amazing inaugural year in 2019. This year we’ll be expanding the program further, and will continue to enhance our lounges and the amenities we offer our members. Thanks to everyone who has signed up—and keep sending that feedback!

EDC Orlando
Last year we added a 3rd day to EDC without increasing our ticket prices. Our goal is to keep those prices similar this year and continue enhancing our EDC experience. Orlando has grown to 75,000 Headliners a day, and I can’t wait to return to the Sunshine State!

Beyond Wonderland Pacific Northwest
It’s been nearly a decade since Beyond Wonderland Seattle, but this year Beyond will return to the Pacific Northwest. I can’t wait to go down the rabbit hole with all of you. Details coming shortly.

NOS Events Center
The NOS has been home to Insomniac events since the early ‘90s, and I’m excited to announce that we’ll be making changes to the venue for each event we host there, starting with an expanded footprint for Beyond SoCal that brings us into the racetrack for the first time in a decade. Whether you’re there for Beyond, Escape or Countdown, unique new environments await you!

Health & Wellness
Enacting more extensive wellness programs is very high on my list for 2020. Mental health is a major concern for our community and the world, and I’m creating initiatives that will help implement care not just at our events but all year round.

Sustainability
In 2019 we poured almost 63MM ounces of water at the refill stations at all our major festivals: that’s the equivalent of just under 4MM single-use plastic water bottles. We are also exploring solar options to power Insomniac’s festival stages, and will be using biofuels to power our generators at certain shows this year. We have also hired a full-time sustainability manager who will focus exclusively on green initiatives and ways in which we can lessen the impact on our planet. Simply put, we need to do more…and we will.

Insomniac LTD
I’m incredibly passionate about our fashion line, and this year we will be announcing multiple pop-up Insomniac LTD shops, including one at EDC Las Vegas. You’ll be able to get all our lines as well as exclusive drops. The first ones will be here in LA with the goal of having our own standalone store in 2021.

Looking Ahead
There are many more announcements coming, including new festival locations, clubs and partnerships, so stay tuned! I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved as a culture, and I’m grateful to all the Headliners who have taken this journey with us.

– Pasquale Rotella

If you’re one of the many thinking about auditioning, but you’re on the fence—wondering “What’s the experience of it actually like?” or “How do I know it’s for me?”—then we’ve got just the spotlight to put on the situation!

To learn all this and more, we sat down with the casting queen behind the scenes, MsEasy. From her vantage point as Entertainment Director, Easy oversees everything that has anything to do with entertainers at Insomniac events. From costumes to styling to management and more, she’s at the start, the finish, and every step in between. So, we rounded up the Qs she gets the most. Read on, and see what she had to say!

What’s it like to be in the family of Insomniac performers?
Inspiring. I think it’s a community that really bonds over their mutual interest in performing and sharing their performance with Headliners or with the crowd in general, wherever they may be. In the Insomniac performer family, we get to travel together, and I see a lot of the relationships turn into lifelong friendships. You see that the bond is really strong. It’s not just a job; it’s a lifestyle. It’s an actual community that I think really is open. We like to receive people. It seems like it’s really life-changing when people come fully into the circle.

What’s the process from application to the stage?
The true audition starts at 1pm, but around noon (or even earlier), people will start lining up to fill out performer applications. We ask that everyone bring portfolio pictures, like headshots, so they can be easily found later throughout the process. People ask if it’s necessary, but I think it makes you look professional, legitimate, and serious about your craft. The headshots don’t have to be on a professional level; it’s just something that represents you that you’ve put a little effort into.

They’re gonna drop off all their information, fill out their application, and they’ll get a number. They’ll be sent into the photographer room, where they’ll have their picture taken. Then they will go from there to the queue line for the actual audition. We’ll see 2–3 people at a time, and they’ll have the ability to go from one platform to the next, so it spans minutes—sometimes less. That’s the freestyle round.

People I want to see go into a second round, the choreography round, get a callback slip. I don’t need to see every kind of performer or every single dancer for the choreography round, and not everyone gets called back for it. Some people think that when they don’t get a callback for the choreography round that they’re out, which isn’t the case. There’s just another technical round that some people will get put into, and others won’t. Not make or break, but this is a part of it.

Some people will get callback slips. They will go into a choreography room, where choreographers will be teaching them their own sequence of dance, so nobody has to come with choreography, rehearsed material, or music. There will be a live DJ playing the entire time. More or less, you just show up as you, and you get put into different rounds.

They learn the choreography, and the teams will come back up in groups of 6–8 and perform. This round is also specific to, but not just pertaining to, kineticFIELD casting. Casting for kineticFIELD at EDC Las Vegas, the stage that travels the world, will be selected from this round.

If I’m already an Insomniac entertainer, do I have to show up and audition?
My answer is always YES. One, it’s good for us to be able to reassess people’s skills every single year. It’s like an update. I would like to be able to see if people improved. It’s a great time to showcase your talent and be seen for reevaluation every year. This also for me is a time where I really see people showing up for their team and their craft; it’s kinda like that quote: “80% of success is showing up.” I really believe that you show up for what you want, and the people that show up are the ones who get the casting. All of the positions for EDC Las Vegas itself will book from this audition.

I would also like to see a lot of different types of entertainers in the freestyle round. First of all, it is dance-based, but more that anything, I’m looking for stage presence. If you’re not particularly a dancer—or let’s say you want to be a mascot, or you’re an aerialist, or you’re any other kind of entertainer—I will see your stage presence when you audition. You don’t necessarily have to be a technical dancer, but show me the charisma or the ability or the energy or whatever it is you’re trying to put forth. You can always specify on your resume or your application what you focus on or what you’re applying for.

If I’m an aerialist, should I audition through the dance round?
We don’t have a rig to audition aerial at the venue, so I’m encouraging aerialist to still show up and be seen in person, because it’s the easiest way to get your foot in the door if you put yourself in front of a judge or casting director. Me seeing you in person gives me more of an idea of your ability and your energy and your presence. I like to see their faces in person. There is a specialty round for stilters, acrobats, and contortionists. A lot of these specialty acts we’ll do in a round after the freestyle round but before the choreography round.

I’m a stilter. Should I bring my stilts?
Yes. Go through the first round, and then stilt-up for the specialty round.

Are you auditioning all types of performers?
At the end of the day, all types of entertainers can audition. If they specify on their application, I will see that they aren’t necessarily applying for a dance role, but we don’t have any special equipment, like aerial rigs. We don’t allow flow props in the venue, so that means hoops or fire arts. Anything large that is spinning or handheld won’t be allowed. Those people can still apply by email application at mseasy@insomniac.com. However, I would like for hoopers to still audition through the dance line. That way, I can still see them. I have a lot of performers who do specialty hoop but end up doing other roles for us at the event. I like our entertainers to be multitalented and flexible, so they have the ability to fill more than one role. It never hurts if you’re an amazing hooper to come try out, because I may have something for you later.

What are newcomers most surprised by at the auditions?
I think they’re excited, because Insomniac events are so dynamic and magical. We have people fly in from all over the country. To be with hundreds of people and to feel that energy and excitement—this is one reason why I want to push people to audition, because it’s a great experience. One, it helps you assess where you’re at as an entertainer, and two, it will reaffirm your goals and desires as an entertainer. I have a lot of people come up to me afterward to say what an inspiring day it was for them. “This is pushing me to be a better entertainer, and I now realize where I need to improve.” There are a lot of benefits to auditioning.

Sometimes people are surprised to see that much talent and diversity and how many people there are all with the same hopes, wishes, and goals. In fact, a lot of entertainers say it’s one of the bigger auditions they’ve ever attended. Even though we’re a music festival company, we view entertainment as a key part of the experience.

What do I wear to an audition?
In the dance community, it’s common practice to wear fitted clothing. On the flyer, it does say low-rise dance shorts and crop tops for females. Heels, wedges or boots, hair and makeup, fitted clothing for men and women. If you’re really covering yourself up and I can’t see your silhouette or the way you move, it could hinder the outcome of your audition. Come in what is considered professional attire. Keep it simple; you don’t want to distract from your talent with your outfit. The only time that doesn’t apply is when your outfit is really part of your talent, and the only time that comes into play is when you’re a drag queen or some type of specialty performer that relies heavily on their outfit. So, you need to kind of assess what you want to be cast as and how that pertains to how you look.

What’s the easiest way for an audition to go wrong?
The number one thing I see that goes wrong is that people lose their confidence. I know it can be a lot of pressure leading up to the moment, but you have to believe in yourself and be comfortable while you’re auditioning, because it really shows. People really speed up, but I think in my mind, “Just slow it down; it’s going to be okay.” Another huge one is that people look down. I want to see what you have to offer to the crowd. I want you to connect. I want to feel what it is you’re trying to convey to our audience, and I’m your audience in that moment. If you’re looking down at the ground the entire time, you’re not smiling, or you’re going too fast, then you’re losing your chance.

This is a very positive place with an amazing community of people. You’ll see pros helping novice dancers. I love walking around and feeling that kind of energy and community that’s happening between strangers. Like, the old schoolers watching the new people come in and helping them and giving them pointers and working on choreo with them. It sounds cheesy, but it’s heartwarming because it reinforces the love I have for what we do. That’s one of things that makes Insomniac so different. It’s that vibe; it’s the heart that’s in it. Out of all the large-scale auditions out there, I feel that this is the most welcoming and least scary one.

What’s a piece of advice you’d pass on to someone asking about auditioning for the first time?
Try and try again. It’s the performer’s mantra. Also, if you’re gonna talk the talk, make sure you walk the walk. Back up what you want with skill. Go take classes and be serious about what you want to do, because it’ll show.

The Performer Auditions take place at 1pm on Saturday, March 28, at Exchange LA, located at 618 S. Spring Street in Downtown Los Angeles. Chosen performers will be contacted via email after the auditions, so please make sure to write legibly on your application and include an email address on your resume.

For all the latest on the auditions, follow MsEasy on Instagram, or keep in step with updates from the Entertainment Team by signing up to receive the entertainment newsletter.

Record-Breaking Year

Nothing is more rewarding than that feeling when you bring in a new member into your inner circle. Our rave family is now a global phenom, as EDC Las Vegas drew in its biggest attendance in history as we officially took the title of being the largest dance music festival on the face of the Earth. Wow. And with that record-breaking headcount, the footprint opened up even more inside of the Speedway to welcome all of the wonderful new members of our international community.

Camp EDC Kicks Off the Festivities

Most people might claim the fun starts on Friday, but that’s only if you’re not lumping yourself in with the thousands of eager-eyed revelers who made the right call to secure a spot at Camp EDC. With an expanded layout and upgrades implemented from top-to-bottom. To say version 2.0 was a step up from last year’s inaugural campground would be an understatement, and nearly double the amount of people came through this time to tack on a gang of extracurricular to their EDC experience. Three shaded structures had rotating programming that ranged from goat yoga, slack-lining tutorials, appointment-based salon seshes. Just a quick hop away were three giant pools side-by-side in case the mood called for a quick dip. And to top it all off, campers had their own personal pre- and post-parties each day, with the host honors going to Fisher’s Catch & Release imprint, HARD, Insomniac Records, and Bassrush who were all tapped to program their own day of poolside slappers.

Bill Nye Dropping Knowledge During Opening Ceremony

You remember that super nice and smart dude from your childhood who made science class more fun than it should have ever been, right. Bill Nye was kind enough to help us roll out the kineticENERGY theme this year alongside Pasquale as they broke down the scientific meaning of energy and how it relates to our world. Well, he also helped the early birds of EDC get their nerd on during the opening ceremony, where he not only MCed like the boss he is, but also dropped just much needed knowledge about the dangers of climate change and reminded us that not keeping ourselves in check is certainly not the move here. Props to Bill Nye for keeping it real while urging everyone to smarten up.

Plugging Into the kineticENERGY Theme

The theme we mentioned up above truly came to life with this year’s kineticFIELD stage design, a futuristic mindfuckery that plugged into a fantasyland where man has melded with machine. Two adjacent cyborg faces watched over the dancefllor in opposing directions, meanwhile the circuitboard backdrops behind them housed sleek LEDs, gushing waterfalls, a grip of lasers, and enough pyro to level a mountain. Boom.

Strolling Through the Scenes of Downtown EDC

Propped over on the patch of grass near cosmicMEADOW used to be the wacky word of EDC Town. The immersive area was transformed into a hip metropolitan hangout, with a whole new look and feel that Yelpers would have checked into all weekend long. The neon-lit facades of its buildings piqued the curiosity of passerby to pop their heads inside to indulge in a slew of left-of-center spectacles including a throwback hip-hop club, a fully fab drag queen show, a cool karaoke club and a mini-bar shelling out tiny refreshments on the house.

Crushing Cars

Causing destruction might be the last thing on your mind when walking through the gates at EDC, but your tune might have changed if you wandered near wasteLAND and stumbled upon an art installation that invited you to crush cars with a robotic arm. Sign us up. One at a time, Headliners took turns climbing into a command post and put on a glove that was linked to a giant hand. This hand game them full control of a Hulk-sized robotic five-fingered appendage mirroring their every move. Within its reach was a small lot of abandoned cars that were rolled out and ready to get smashed to pieces. Seeing people throw out small gestures like a thumbs up and hand-horns was oddly just as satisfying of a sight.

Frolicking Through Pixel Forest

A few LED panels can really go a long way. Ask anyone who spent some time wandering around the Pixel Forest, a new immersive art exhibit that brought the potential of 8-bit lighting and design to life with an art installation that was essentially a mesmerizing lightshow that everyone was raving about all weekend long. Headliners were invited to enter a long, dark corridor where a mind-altering pattern of lights zoomed by in time with a score that sounded like you were zipping around the galaxy at lightspeed inside your own personal psychedelic spaceship. On top of this audiovisual trip, there were also the Icarus art decked out with video gaming consoles loaded with games like Super Smash Bros and other titles that made that corner of EDC feel like a true gamer’s getaway.

Skrillex Sneaks Up on circuitGROUNDS

One of the most asked questions we get from Headliners is “when is Skrillex going to come out of hiding.” Providing an answer has been damn near impossible, considering the OWSLA head honcho was adamant about keeping a low profile from the domestic festival circuit. He had been MIA from any EDC action for a hot minute, not counting the international appearances he made in Mexico and Japan. But after a sneaky Tweet from Pasquale on Saturday, speculation that Sonny would be one of the surprise guests for the night began to spread like wildfire. Those suspicions were confirmed at 10:30 pm when Skrill went ninja mode and hopped on the decks at circuitGROUNDS, in which he gave the dancefloor exactly what they’ve been begging for by banging out his latest bits like his remix of “Sicko Mode,” his JOYRYDE collab “Agen Wida,”and the VIP of “Face My Fears.” The secret must have gotten out quickly, because midway through his set, the turnout of the crowd was practically the size of a small city.

Snuggling With the Newest Performer Troupe

Interacting with the many troupes roving around the grounds of EDC could easily be a festival in and of itself. The colorful cast of characters on call throughout the weekend is the size of a small nation’s army, as hundreds of over-the-top performers dance, twirl, roleplay, summersault, jaunt, joke, and do all that is in their power to ensure every smiling soul they encounter is greeted with a good time. Almost any talent you can think of is being showcased with extreme skill, from tesla coil combat to high-flying trampoline stunts. Plopping around in the far less dangerous department of showmanship were the newest editions to the performer family this year were the Rainbow Rascals, a sleuth of wide-eyed, furry friends who paraded around offering snuggles to strangers in no short supply. Because who doesn’t like long and fuzzy hugs?

Mobbing With A$AP Rocky

If you’ve ever found yourself at any of the HARD parties, you would know that the crew gets a kick out of bridging the gap between the worlds of dance music and hip-hop. They’ve spent the last decade or so putting heads up on the dopest names from both of those communities combined, and they’re roster at cosmicMEADOW was all the proof you need that they have their ear glued to the ground. Repping for the rap side of the spectrum this year was a riled-up appearance by ASAP Rocky, who didn’t waste any time ripping through his radio-ready hits like “Plain Jane,” “Praise the Lord,” and “Pick It Up” without skipping a beat. In a time where hip-hop is enjoying a massive resurgence, his set couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Skream and Rusko Take It Back at bassPOD

Bassheads nowadays are always clamoring about how riddim is life, but that movement would have never been possible if it weren’t for the trailblazing efforts put in by the founding fathers of dubstep. Skream and Rusko were the original bricklayers of the genre back before the sounds splintered off into what we now know was rail-riding dubstep, and the pioneers agreed to host a history lesson for the young-ins by putting the b2b between their names and handle business on the old-school tip. It’s a move that has laid dormant for Skream, since the UK artist has been devoting his time to the house and techno streams. However, he rebooted the old project with his pal Rusko for an exclusive one-off that saw the pair kicking out classics such as “Midnight Request Line,” “Where’s My Money,” the bone-chilling remix of La Roux’s “In for the Kill” and more iconic cuts from their catalogs that put dubstep on the map in the first place. 

ZHU Unleashes Both Aliases

Nailing down your sound with one project is a challenge in itself, but juggling successful monikers at once is a job only few people can pull off. And it pays dividends when it does. Case in point: the smooth crooner known as ZHU, who touched down at EDC with two separate appearances spread across two nights. On Friday, he whipped out his Blacklizt alias at circuitGROUNDS with an hourlong performance that touched on the deeper, darker shades of his genius. He flipped the flavor back to what most of his fans are used to on Saturday at cosmicMEADOW, dressed in a custom outfit made from wristbands of his followers around the world while hammering out the sing-along staples such as “My Life” with Tame Impala, “In the Morning” and, naturally, the record responsible for blowing his profile up in the first place: “Faded.”

 Synchronized Fireworks

While the fireworks show at EDC puts every other one on the planet to shame—including the one happening nightly at the king of the theme parks—what it was lacking in comparison to the amusement park versions was the story being told by way of synching the explosions to a soundtrack. This year, we forwent the shock-and-awe approach to try our hand at a more unified version, which involved some crazy time-coding and pyrotechnic programming that is far more complicated than we have time to dive into here. What we can say, though, is there was a seven-minute set planned that used tracks like Chemical Brothers’ “We’ve Got to Try,” Moby’s “Thousand,” Charlotte de Witte’s remix of “Space Raiders,” Habstrakt’s “All Night” and many more blood-rushing records to create a story arc that played across every stage of the festival while the sequence of painstakingly timed fireworks lit up the sky in unison for the first time in EDC’s history. A technicolor milestone that took one of the most anticipated moments of the weekend to new heights.

Crashing Art Cars

Although smaller in stature compared to the official stages situated throughout the Speedway, the side parties popping off at Art Cars should never be overshadowed. These massive vehicles are not only a mini-rave on wheels, but they are also a strong source for people to dive into music discovery. There were virtually as many art cars as there were stages, and they were parked around the corner from any which point you might find yourself at the event. Insomniac Radio, mau5trap, UKR and Brownies & Lemonade were a few of the hosts who curated their own respective nights, and when all was said and done, helped double the roster from EDC’s already stacked lineup. Some of the artists booked on one stage also trickled over to pop up for surprise sets, including Deorro, Kayzo, and Salvatore Ganacci. The beauty of these bonus appearances is the artists have the freedom to play an entirely different performance, like Alison Wonderland crashing the Parliament Art Car to throw down an all-house set that had heads jamming to an unexpected tempo.

Cooling Off During the Closing Party at Camp EDC

As the sun began to creep up over the horizon on the final day, the Meza was barely warming up for a closing party that allowed the campers to squeeze in some extra boogying before they had to head home. Solardo warmed up the space first, donning their signature floral button-up shirts as they gave the crowd a solid sunrise sendoff. Artbat and then Eli Brown took control, as the energy increasingly crept towards an afternoon delight. It was a nice way to cap off the biggest EDC Las Vegas to date, and presumably even more heads are doing to opt in for camping to help us close out the weekend next year.

Follow EDC Las Vegas on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Project Title: Clean and Sober Forest Resources

One of the best parts about Electric Forest is that no matter how different you may feel, you’ll always find your tribe. That goes for anyone struggling with addiction, too. In the case of Miasha, she wanted to be present for every moment of the event, but she struggled with staying sober without a support system of friends. After a few years, she formed strong bonds with a sober family at Electric Forest, but she didn’t want it to take that long for others facing the same challenge, so she asked the Wish Machine to help her get the word out about the resources available for sober members of the community. The resulting experience cultivated connections and growth in the community, and it catapulted her own personal growth, as well.

What’s the origin of Clean and Sober Forest Resources? Where did it all begin?
My first three years at EF, I wanted very much to stay sober. But between struggling with addiction, not knowing of any resources, and lacking support and guidance from other sober Forest fam, I was unable to abstain. Once I got sober and started doing research, I discovered there are incredible resources and a large sober community that have been doing this for years. I wondered how I could help bring visibility to the programs and people that are huge supports to the Electric Forest clean and sober community.

Why did you bring your wish to Electric Forest? What was your goal?
The aim of this wish was to spread awareness, forge connections, and support the community. On a more personal level, like the saying “Be the person you needed when you were younger,” I hoped the work we did last year might have made an impact on someone who needed it (like I did), someone just interested, and even those who hadn’t even considered a sober Forest before.

How did the Wish Machine inspire you beyond The Forest?
It’s hard to say whether the Wish Machine inspired me beyond The Forest, or if years of coming back to The Forest inspired me to participate in programs like the Wish Machine. The spirit of Electric Forest is a sense of connectedness created by strangers coming together to celebrate life, to celebrate the moment, to celebrate creativity, and to celebrate each other.

Before getting into addiction recovery, I couldn’t articulate what the sense of freedom and serenity you feel in The Forest is. I’ve come to discover the “secret ingredient” that makes Electric Forest magical to me is selflessness and being of service. The Wish Machine is just that: The opportunity to be free from our personal melodramas by helping others. It is an invitation to find that sense of Forest magic, no matter where you are and no matter where you have been.

How did The Forest help support you?
Since my wish was granted, I continue trying to bring the spirit of generosity and compassion the Wish Machine inspires into my daily life. My Wish to help with the clean and sober resources in The Forest helped me turn a dark past (that so many people struggling with addiction share) into an opportunity to help and to heal. When I hit a rough patch, I try to remind myself that whatever we’re being challenged by today, we can get through and use it to help someone else tomorrow. The Forest is a homebase; it is where I am reminded of how far I have come since the year before. It is where I am reminded of how much help I have been given to get where I am. The individuals I spent time with in the clean & sober Electric Forest community not only supported my sobriety, their years and years of service inspire my commitment to a legacy of people in recovery helping one another.

What was your favorite part of the Wish Machine program?
Meeting the volunteers and other sober festie-goers with years (and sometimes decades) of sobriety/recovery was amazing. I had only a year under my belt and was going without my old crowd, so even though I knew about all the resources, I still was a bit nervous I might feel like an outsider. Seeing sober people so happy and connected (looking more blissful and having more fun than any substance has done for me) was incredibly inspiring, and I felt extremely grateful to those who came before me and for getting to be a tiny part of this legacy at Electric Forest.

What unexpected challenges did you face?
The wish went off without a hitch. If anything, the challenges for me were internal. The Forest has always been an environment that supports introspection, as well as connection to the people and environment. This year, I was able to leave a lot of fear and emotional baggage that I hadn’t even realized I was carrying, and take with me new friends and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for this wish being granted.

How did folks respond to Clean and Sober Forest Resources?
This wish helped connect people in ways that I couldn’t have imagined. Our time together in The Forest was made so much more fulfilling by everyone in the community pulling together and coordinating during the two months beforehand. So many of us made new friends before we even went to the grounds, and the conversations and support continues online and at shows all across the country, throughout the year.

What does the Wish Machine mean to you?
My Wish Machine experience was a catalyst for much-needed healing. I’ve had plenty of ideas of ways I wanted to “make the world a better place,” but it wasn’t until getting sober that I became driven to make myself a better person. Having my wish granted epitomized this shift in my life. For many years, I struggled in isolation and stayed in a very dark place. When I was able to finally ask for help, I started to pull out of it. And when I shifted my focus to helping others, I began to feel a sense of peace. It’s not a linear process and healing is definitely not just a feel-good experience, but the Wish Machine showed me that even the most painful experiences can become our greatest assets in helping others and making things right with ourselves.

What advice would you share with someone pondering their own wish?
My advice for anyone with a wish is: When you see an opportunity to make the world a better place, set your intention, take some steps, and trust your gut. I have tried to let my life be guided by this quote by Rolf Gates, which sums up my experience with Wish Machine: “We transcend our suffering to the degree that we are able to passionately employ our gifts in the service of others.”

Learn more about Clean and Sober Forest Resources and how to submit your own Wish to the Wish Machine.

Follow Electric Forest on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Project Title: Generation Love and the Giving Tree by Ashley

It’s not exactly news that older generations and younger ones often don’t see eye-to-eye. But when Ashley heard about the way some of our elderly feel forgotten in an Illinois veterans home, she instinctively reached for the magic of art to transcend the divide. Through Generation Love, she asked Electric Forest to donate art supplies to the home and bring the medicine of art to all the people there. In addition to big smiles and a lot of fun, the end result was numerous pieces of art expressing gratitude, encouragement, and love to the younger generations attending Electric Forest. Most of the veterans were unable to make the journey, but Ashley delivered and exhibited the pieces at Electric Forest via the magnificent offering known as the Giving Tree.

What’s the origin of Generation Love? Where did it all begin?
The origin of my wish began as I was completing my community nursing clinical rotation at the Illinois Veterans Home. I got a chance to spend many days and speak with over 300 veterans who have served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Many of them told me it was wonderful to have “young people” come visit them to share their day with and make it more enjoyable; however, those instances were not very often. Sadly, some of them even told me they felt forgotten by this new generation of kids. Many of them also told me their passion for art and being creative, and I got to see their faces light up each time we did an art project. One veteran would even spend all day making unique pictures with only a couple pens that he owned. After hearing the residents’ stories and seeing that there was a need for more art supplies, in order to bring joy to their day, I envisioned my wish and named it Generation Love.

I wanted to build a connection between these veterans who served and the younger generation (The Forest Family). I wanted to share with the veterans the love of The Forest. I asked The Forest family to donate art supplies to the veterans’ home, and the response was overwhelming! Hundreds of art supplies came in. I was even able to give that veteran, who spent his day making unique pictures, his very own complete art kit! I then held art therapy sessions at the veterans’ home, in which they made gifts for the Giving Tree. They had a blast and were so excited to have their art shown and to be a part of something big. I then took those gifts to The Forest and showed The Forest Family that the older veterans care about them, and now the veterans know they are still cared about, as well. Electric Forest brought these two generations together, and love was felt all around. Generation Love!

Why did you bring your wish to Electric Forest? What was your goal?
I brought this to Electric Forest because I knew this was a very loving and caring community. My goal was to connect two very different generations. I wanted to show the veterans they were not forgotten, and I wanted to show our younger generation that they also matter. My goal was to build that bridge of love.

How did the Wish Machine inspire you beyond The Forest?
The whole experience of the Wish Machine helped me inspire others to create change in the world, as I continue my own journey to do the same. It made me realize there are others with generous souls who also wish to create change in the community. Numerous Forest Family members and community members have reached out to me, wanting to get involved. I have encouraged them to volunteer in their community or at their local veterans’ homes, donate art or music to those veterans, or just spend time with someone who would appreciate the company. I continue to stay involved in my community, spreading the message that art, music, and love can bring people from all walks of life together. The Wish Machine has inspired me to reach out to a new person each day, knowing that together, we can all work to better each others’ beautiful worlds.

How did The Forest help support you?
On the surface, The Forest supported me by giving me the physical resources I needed to accomplish my goal—such as the mailbox, in which I accepted hundreds of art donations from across the country. Also, the setup at the Giving Tree, to display the art made by the veterans. Yet, on a much deeper level, The Forest gave me a voice. They provided me with a platform to express my dream with the rest of the world. I was able to inspire change and make some kind of impact, thanks to that support. That is a rare gift of its own.

What was your favorite part of the Wish Machine program?
The rewarding feeling of bringing joy, love, and light to the veterans and the responses of love, encouragement, and support felt from The Forest Family.

What unexpected challenges did you face?
At first, I thought I would receive no donations for art supplies. That worried me deeply. However, I kept hope and faith that people would see the value in my wish, and soon hundreds of donations came in!

How did folks respond to Generation Love?
It was an overwhelming response of love and support—so many people willing to donate and still willing to donate. Many of The Forest Family to this day want to be involved with this project and help, [and] so much happiness and gratitude has come from the veterans’ home!

What does the Wish Machine mean to you?
The Wish Machine means hope. Generosity, caring, compassion, and community are not wasted on this generation. People want to see positive change. With change comes hope—hope for a more loving world. The Wish Machine gave me a voice for my dream, which gives others hope in their own dreams. It lets people know that their small steps to make an impact do not go unnoticed, and each little step DOES MATTER. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, “In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” I believe the Wish Machine allows us all to do just that.

What advice would you share with someone pondering their own wish?
Always keep your wish in front of you and dare to dream BIG dreams! If you stay passionate about your wish, others will follow with enthusiasm.

Learn more about Generation Love and the Giving Tree and how to submit your own Wish to the Wish Machine.

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Project Title: Superhero World Record with Odai & The String Cheese Incident

We all have heroes, but sometimes it’s easy to forget the simple fact that we all ARE heroes, too—or at least we all have the makings of one inside us, itching to come out! That’s what Odai impressed upon his friends and the Electric Forest community when he announced a flash mob of sorts for anyone who wanted to meet him at the Ranch Arena wearing a superhero costume. The effort was both a way to make friends and an opportunity to play a part in elevating the vibe on the dancefloor. The resulting experience was unlike any other in the history of Electric Forest, that’s why today it’s fondly recounted as a one-of-a-kind moment etched into the memory of all those who were there, whether they were there to participate in setting a world record or they simply happened to be a passerby at the time.

What’s the origin of the Superhero World Record with Odai & The String Cheese Incident? Where did it all begin?
Since I was a little kid, I always admired superheroes—specifically Batman, because he has no special powers, but he put in a lot of hard work and training to get to the level he’s at. So when my friends and I decided to go to The Forest, I suggested to do a day where all of us are dressed as superheroes. But then I thought maybe we should go bigger and get more people to wear superhero costumes. Once I saw that we were getting a lot of messages from The Forest fam saying how excited they are for the idea, I decided to reach out to the Electric Forest headquarters and see if they would sponsor the event. They were very helpful and got back to me very fast.

Why did you bring your wish to Electric Forest? What was your goal?
Electric Forest is the perfect place for such an event, because The Forest family are very positive people and very helpful. My goal was to prove that everything is possible if you put in the hard work. Also, my message behind this event was that everyone has a hero in them; they just have got to believe in themselves.

How did the Wish Machine inspire you beyond The Forest?
To be honest, I didn’t even know there was a Wish Machine before I came up with the idea, so I went ahead and sent an email with my idea. Then, I was instructed to go ahead and submit it through the Wish Machine.

How did The Forest help support you?
The Forest Family were very supportive from the beginning. I received a response to my email in a timely manner, and they were open to the idea and very excited about it. They helped me spread the word, and I don’t think I would’ve been able to achieve what we achieved without their support.

What was your favorite part of the Wish Machine program?
Seeing other people contributing and making my wish become a reality. Also, I was able to make a lot of new friends because of that event.

What unexpected challenges did you face?
My only challenge was that I’d never been to Electric Forest before, and I didn’t know what to expect. I also didn’t know a lot of people that were going, so I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough numbers. So, I started connecting with people via Facebook groups and Snapchat. That helped a lot!

How did folks respond to the Superhero World Record?
The responses I got were very positive. Everyone was encouraging me to go through with the idea.

What does the Wish Machine mean to you?
The Wish Machine is living proof that everything is possible. It’s such a great idea and a way to make people feel they are part of this big event. The Wish Machine certainly helped me achieve one of my all-time dreams, and that was to break a world record.

What advice would you share with someone pondering their own Wish?
Believe in your wish, and don’t hesitate to reach out to the good folks at Electric Forest—they are very helpful, and they will do whatever they can to help you get your wish! Also, don’t let negative people keep you from reaching for a dream.

Learn more about the Superhero Flash Mob and how to submit your own Wish to the Wish Machine.

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Project Title: Burritos & Beats!

What’s better than a tasty beat? A beat with a big, delicious burrito to go with it, of course! That’s what Aidan discovered when he set out to share inspiration through music in his local city. What started as a way to make the less fortunate smile, quickly turned into an opportunity to use small gestures to make a big difference. A mountain of gifted burritos, free MP3 players loaded with mood-lifting playlists, and countless new friends later, Aidan has learned to define his Electric Forest Family not by what they give, but by the lasting impression they leave with others. Want to learn more from Aidan about his big idea to satiate the hearts and stomachs of the homeless? Read on!

What’s the origin of Burritos & Beats? Where did it all begin?
My wish originated from the idea that I wanted to get music to those who are not able to easily access it. I began brainstorming ideas on how I could make this come to fruition and ended up with Burritos & Beats.

Why did you bring your wish to Electric Forest? What was your goal?
When I stumbled across the Wish Machine program, I was instantly inspired to begin planning and preparing ways to make my goal become a reality. The most important goal for me was to spread inspiration through music.

How did the Wish Machine inspire you beyond The Forest?
The Wish Machine inspired me to think outside the box for ways I could help my community. It inspired me to connect with people that I would have not met otherwise and to learn about, on a personal level, those who are struggling in my city. It allowed me to use music in a positive way and, most of all, inspired me to always ask myself how I can use my musical lifestyle to help others.

How did The Forest support you?
The Forest helped me along the whole journey, and I could not have done it without them. As soon as I got connected with The Forest, I was asked what I needed to make this wish come true. After calculating some numbers and searching the internet, The Forest sent me 60 beautiful MP3 players with headphones. I then decided that I wanted to have food when talking to those who might be hungry. With the help of The Forest, I was able to order 60 hot burritos to pass out, as well. Throughout the whole process—from completing my wish to bringing me out to experience and perform at The Forest for my first time—the support of The Forest was astounding, and I am forever grateful.

What was your favorite part of the Wish Machine program?
My favorite part of the experience was connecting with each individual and hearing their stories. It was incredible to watch so many faces light up with joy after setting up the MP3 players and watching them listen for the first time.

What unexpected challenges did you face?
Originally, I had only planned on giving out the MP3 players, but I realized that I wanted a better way to approach people. I then added the burritos as a way to break the ice and see if they were hungry before offering the MP3 players.

How did folks respond to Burritos & Beats?
The overall response was an extreme level of gratitude and appreciation. Most people were very excited to hear about the project and to be offered something that was unique.

What does the Wish Machine mean to you?
The Wish Machine will always hold a dear place in my heart. To me, it embodies a form of karma. It spreads positive energy in the world by giving people the opportunity to do whatever they set their minds to. But it doesn’t stop there; the Wish Machine then goes above and beyond to grant people whatever it is they would want in return for their positive actions. It is a program where everyone involved is benefiting and helping one another. The Wish Machine has a snowball effect of promoting significant positive change in the world. To me, that is priceless. It pushes me to be a better person and reminds me that all it takes is one idea and the call to action to change the lives of the people around you.

What advice would you share with someone pondering their own “wish”?
Reach for the stars with your wish, and be passionate about it. Think outside the box, and do not be limited by what you think the limits are—there are none.

Learn more about Burritos & Beats and how to submit your own Wish to the Wish Machine.

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The intervening years have proved extraordinarily prolific in a fashion we’ve seen from few others in the trance scene. In the studio, it’s a musical partnership that seemingly never loses steam. There’ve been dozens of singles, along with an incredible 50+ remixes for artists like Armin van Buuren and Paul van Dyk and countless more beyond. There’ve also been a slew of artist albums during that time, with efforts like Sign of the Times (2009), Wake Your Mind (2011), and Start to Feel (2014)—each one being an integral part of the Cosmic Gate history.

This year, they are celebrating their 20-year milestone, and they’re already underway with what they have tagged as their 20 Years – Forward Ever, Backward Never tour, which will be accompanied by an album of the same name arriving in the spring. When we spoke with Cosmic Gate (who answered their questions together as a duo for this interview), we began by extending some deserved congratulations and asking what they’ve got in store this year.

“We sure have a lot planned out, and the 20-year tour is in full effect. Basically, all stops so far were just fantastic; it’s so good to see how mixed the crowds were in terms of age. From day one, old fans were meeting new fans and going off together for both our new and classic tunes. It’s just amazing.”

The first peek given to fans of what appears to be an extended 20-year birthday party was a remix last year from Ilan Bluestone, who reworked Cosmic Gate’s 2011 hit “Be Your Sound.” They confirm more such remixed classics are on the way, with Ilan’s serving as the first taste of what we can expect. However, their decision to name their tour and album Forward Ever, Backward Never was a deliberate one.

“It basically reflects the attitude we have with Cosmic Gate. When it comes to our music, standing still and not pushing your sound forward, this actually represents the first step backward for us. We like to always add new things to our productions, to push musical boundaries. We would actually be bored not trying new things when we’re hitting the studio or playing a DJ set. That’s also how it is when we’re looking back on our history. While we’ll reminisce on our older catalog, most of these tracks are updated with new mixes from either other producers or ourselves. We think it’s a great mixture of keeping things modern, even while we’re reflecting on how far we’ve come during these 20 years.”

Fans can expect this same mentality to define the upcoming album, which will comprise new Cosmic Gate productions, collabs with an assortment of colleagues in the trance scene, and a handful of reworks of iconic tracks that have proved particularly inspiring to the duo.

“It’s going to be a journey through our 20-year history—old tunes in a modern dress, along with brand-new productions of ours, in the more progressive style that we stand for in 2019. Some interesting collaborations on top, but let’s not spoil things too much here. In both our DJ sets and the album, we really try to build a bridge over these 20 years and also think about what the future holds for us.”

For some artists, being responsible for iconic records of the magnitude of “Fire Wire” so early in their career can equate to certain expectations from fans and what can often feel like creative limitations. Has this ever been the case? Cosmic Gate are resolute in their answer.

“In both our DJ sets and also the album, we really try to build a bridge over these 20 years and also think about what the future holds for us.”

“Having records like ‘Exploration of Space’ or ‘Fire Wire’ will never limit us; they are an important part of our history. So many of our fans still tell us it’s tracks like these that introduced them to trance, which is simply the biggest compliment you can get as a producer—particularly with the extended sets, which we’re playing on our 20-year tour. We play quite a lot of the classic tunes in our sets, too—even the original versions, which is simply a lot of fun for us and gives the tour its special touch.”

When it comes to the handful of iconic trance classics (from other artists) that will be given the golden Cosmic Gate touch on the upcoming album, we’ve been offered a preview already this year with “Need to Feel Loved,” their rework of the 2004 Reflekt anthem that will be recognizable to any trance fan worth their salt. Cosmic Gate describe the original as the perfect club track.

“Those vocals, those strings—pure feels. It’s possibly one of our top-10 favorites of all time. We basically wanted a track for our tour that fits our sets 100 percent. It’s a great example for us of how to combine modern beats and basslines with classic songwriting and arrangements.”

Two decades is certainly a long time when it comes to trance, and Cosmic Gate are among a small clique of artists who have been there for nearly the entire duration of the genre, having formed during trance’s “golden year” of 1999, when it blew up all over the world for the first time. It’s a sound that’s been in a constant state of evolution ever since. And what would they point to as the main sonic changes and developments?

“Trance in 2019 is such a complex, multilayered musical genre. At the moment, it maybe goes from the deep progressive style to what we could call the ‘Anjunabeats sound’ and then toward the 140-BPM classic trance, up until psytrance at 150-BPM plus. Somewhere in the middle are the darker styles—and tech trance, too—not wanting to forget how many different subgenres there are. This, we feel, is great for a lively and developing scene, in which we hope to do our part and to be influential for others and stay relevant by doing what we’ve always done, which is to simply write music that we personally care about.”

Looking ahead to their upcoming Hollywood Palladium show, they confirm it’ll be an extended set, plus a few other exciting surprises that won’t be seen anywhere else in the world.

“We’ll play our latest tunes and remixes and as the night progresses, we’ll push up the BPM and go back toward the older singles—maybe even our very first single, ‘The Drums.’ We’ll see! What’ll make the L.A. show most unique on top of this is, we’ll be bringing all three of our dearest vocalists. Emma Hewitt, Jes, and Eric Lumiere will perform live onstage with us this one evening—something that has, and possibly will, never happen again. We are very excited about it ourselves, so please do not miss it, L.A.!”

Beyond their prolific output and ability to evolve their core trance sound, the other defining element of Cosmic Gate is their unabashed sense of fun. There’s definitely a light touch to their attitude that’s been there since their early days. Twenty years later, this fun lives on.

“Life is definitely serious enough already. We feel music should make people laugh, dance, and sing along… to touch people and create emotions. That’s what we try to do, in our productions and also with our shows, to have a good time and party together with our fans.”

Cosmic Gate are playing at 20 Years: Forward Ever Backward Never (presented by Dreamstate) on Friday, April 5, at the Hollywood Palladium. Tickets are on sale now.

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