Hope you’ve got your sunflower fashion lined up and hot-glued to perfection. Thanks to a scheduling change, EDC Las Vegas 2018 is just around the corner, and this year promises to be unlike any EDC Vegas the world has ever known.
For one, it’s happening in May instead of June, which means temperatures should be a little more forgiving. For the first time ever, festival-goers can enjoy on-site camping, so you don’t have to sit in that terrible traffic for hours on end. Plus, there are tons of rare back-to-back sets and exciting performances spread across three nights of electric mayhem, and trust us, some of these acts are nearly once-in-a-lifetime gets.
We at Billboard Dance don’t want you to miss a single second of greatness, so we’ve compiled this list of must-see shows on Friday to Sunday, May 19 to 21. Don’t be caught slippin’ or say we didn’t warn you — but really, is there any wrong way to EDC?
Friday, May 18
GG Magree, cosmicMEADOW, 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.
This Australian producer puts her own ethereal vocals all over her bass-heavy beats, giving her tunes and performances a haunting kind of cool. She can play it slinky and sensual, or hard in the trap. Come see why Zeds Dead, Jauz and more are putting her front and center.
ALPHA9, quantumVALLEY, 12:00 – 1:00 a.m.
ALPHA9 is what happens when ARTY goes back to his progressive trance roots. He’ll leave the pop shimmer at home and go deep diving for interstellar grooves. It’s an otherworldly haze you’ll be happy to get lost in, so let go completely and get washed away in the feels.
G Jones b2b Eprom, bassPOD, 1:30 – 2:30 a.m.
G Jones makes experimental bass sounds to crack your head. Eprom is a mad scientist slinging bass booms from another dimension. Together, they’ll freak your face into oblivion. Do not try to adjust the simulation screen. You are nothing but a test subject, and they are now in control.
Mija, circuitGROUNDS, 4:15 – 5:30 a.m.
She’s always been a scene favorite for her genre-blending DJ skills, but Mija’s latest album put her under the spotlight as one of dance music’s freshest artistic voices. It’s EDC, so she’ll probably bring the bang, but you can never be too sure what surprising twists and turns are up her sleeve. Definitely be there to find out.
Saturday, May 19
DROELOE, circuitGROUNDS, 8:15 – 9:30 p.m.
The next rising stars of the bitbird set have everyone in the streets saying “next big thing.” The future bass duo bring a beautiful emotional weight to everything they do. Get down and dirty in the sound of tomorrow with a couple of Dutch dudes writing the next chapter.
Brownies & Lemonade, Corona Electric Beach, 11:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m.
This crew from Los Angeles are throwing some of the best parties in the country. The lineup is always a secret, so you have to show up to see who touches the decks. Just know that they’re very friendly with all your favorite legends and up-and-comers. With a selection of talent like EDC, you can never say for certain who might stop by. They’ll be running the show on Corona Electric Beach’s stage for four hours straight, so be sure to swing by.
The Black Madonna b2b Tiga, neonGARDEN, 11:30 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
The Black Madonna is a dance floor savior. Tiga is a strange, sensual beast. When these two most respected electronic dance minds merge for one half hour, it’ll be a level of funk you’ll have to witness to believe. While you’re at it, come a little early to catch Tiga and stay a little longer for The Black Madonna on her own.
SayMyName, bassPOD, 12:30 – 1:30 a.m.
He’s in the kitchen cooking up hard trap beats that’ll blow your back out. Dance up an appetite, and be ready to fit a whole lot of bass in your face. Just when you think you’ve had enough, he’ll bust your gut with another heavy dose of get-down. SayMyName is the best kind of monster, and was listed as one Billboard Dance‘s ones to watch in April.
Excision [Detox Set], bassPOD, 2:30 – 3:30 a.m.
No one on this planet bangs louder than Excision. He’s the ace of bass, the lord of the low end, and the undisputed demi-god of dubstep insanity. This set, in particular, is a detox set. It’s going to be a long weekend. If you’re going to detox, do it with Excision.
Green Velvet b2b Gorgon City b2b Detlef, neonGARDEN, 4:30 – 5:30 a.m.
Green Velvet is a living legend. His work as a DJ and producer helped lay the foundation for what half of the EDC lineup does today. He’s worked closely with Detlef for years, and when they both get on with the groove masters of U.K. duo Gorgon City, it’s game over for your plans to do literally anything else.
Sunday, May 20
Don Diablo, kineticFIELD, 9:23 – 10:35 p.m.
Riding high on the release of his LP Future, Don Diablo is ready to get you hooked on the future house sound that made him famous. It’s an uplifting, inspiring brand of groove. It’ll invigorate your soul and get you ready for a strong final night under the electric sky.
Rezz, circuitGROUNDS, 10:45 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Is there anyone left alive in the dance music community who doesn’t yet know her name? The Canadian producer has people all over the world goin’ gaga for her industrial, space-age sound. Madeon called her the most exciting thing in the scene today. See for yourself what has everyone hypnotized.
Post Malone, cosmicMEADOW, 11:00 – 11:30 p.m.
No, he’s not a DJ, and he’s not even some rare underground act. He’s a mainstream crossover superstar — but he got his start on SoundCloud just like so many other faces on this stage, and he just dropped one of the best albums you’ll hear all year with the Billboard 200-topping beerbongs & bentleys. Definitely come see what he does on the mic. Maybe he’ll be joined by some friends.
Tchami X Malaa [No Redemption], cosmicMEADOW, 12:00 – 1:00 a.m.
Tchami and Malaa want to smoke you out with the fire, but you’ve got to be ready to make that ass quake. Don’t worry, their dark-room blend of red bass and neon sex will have your body doing things you didn’t know it could. God forgives, so do something worth confessing.
Charlotte de Witte, neonGARDEN, 4:00 – 5:30 a.m.
If techno is what your body craves, look no further than this late-night set. It’s cold and cool, definitely something to wear black to. When you feel like you can barely stand, this Belgian wonder will give your spine the pulsing beat it needs to stay strong ’til morning.
The Binches, Cosmic Meadow, 4:15 – 5:30 a.m.
This is perhaps the rarest of sets on the whole shebang. Ookay, Yultron, Kayzo and Dotcom are the best darn friends in electronic music, and they are saving their best unreleased gems for this closing hour. If you like to go big, definitely catch this brodown. The love will be in the air, and so will the bass.
