The latest blunder in the world of EDM didn’t even get a chance to happen during a festival or on stage with a has-been pop star of yesteryear. This time the festival collapsed before it even opened the gates. Under three weeks away from the start of Moonrise Festival, Baltimore, Maryland, executives within the organization have announced the worst. The plane has crashed into the mountain and there will be no Moonrise this year.

From Steez Promo and Moonrise Festival:

“It is with a heavy heart that we regret to announce the cancellation of this year’s Moonrise Festival. Although we have put everything we had into this event trying to make it happen we have hit a roadblock that we just cannot overcome as the final permit needed will not be approved.

Refunds can be received from directly from the Ticketfly webpage or through the outlet that you purchased your ticket from.
We are working on some alternative events in the area that will feature artists who were scheduled to perform on the festival. Please stand by for further information on these events as information confirms.”

Spencer Callahan for EDMNYC

For the overall feel of the Barclays Center events, check out the after movie here and be sure to watch the announcement trailer below!

Sensation is offering a very special promotion where fans are invited to become “Club Members.” As a Club Member fans get access to the Pre-Sale and exclusive updates on Sensation. To become a club member fans need only fill out a form here: http://sns.tn/us2013. It’s a great way to get early access to tickets and as a club member myself, I can say this is a must if you’re looking to get the best price available.

Sensation was launched in 2000 by Dutch company ID&T and has since become the largest global dance music event experience. To date, ID&T has produced over 80 Sensation shows worldwide before millions of people. It’s truly most spectacular dance and music phenomena in the world…all in a sea of white.

As always, dress in all white to gain entry and prepare for a show unlike anything you’ve ever experienced!

@SpencerCallahan for EDMNYC

When people hear the name “Steve Angello,” most of them automatically get flashes of Swedish House Mafia’s giant productions, and hear “Don’t You Worry Child” in their heads.  This is not the case with me; I think of rebellion.  To me, Steve Angello is someone who is doing something on his terms, and is playing the music he wants to play.

While attending every one of SHM’s final shows in New York and Miami, My friends and I had noticed something... Steve didn’t look happy.  I didn’t see him smile at all throughout the six shows I was at, and it appeared that he couldn’t wait till it was over.  I don’t know if he wanted SHM itself or just the tour to end, but Steve needed to be free.

After a sun-filled first day at EDC, my girlfriend Irina and I headed over to Pacha for what was sure to be an insane night.  The last time Steve Angello was at Pacha was on Sept 22^nd, for his “Size In The Park” afterparty.  That night went down in my books as one of the best sets I’ve ever witnessed.  We arrived at Pacha around 12:30am, and were delighted to see Carl Louis and Martin Danielle, a.k.a. CLMD, spinning a great opening set.  I’ve seen CLMD a few times, and they have a great vibe.  I’d compare them most to a mix of all three of Eric Prydz’s aliases. 

Around 2am, without warning, the packed house at Pacha exploded.  Steve Angello had finally taken control of the decks.  What ensued was around four and a half hours of some insanely good Tech House.  Every time Steve dropped the next track, everyone went nuts and shouted “Ohhhh.”  There were also a bunch of other huge names joining him that night as well.  In attendance at Pacha on Friday was; Danny Avila, Junior Sanchez, Tommie Sunshine, Lil Jon (you read that correctly), Hard Rock Sofa, Bambi, and Nicky Romero.  Personal favorites and buddies of mine, Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano, joined Angello in the booth and were dancing on each side of him for hours.  It looked like SJRM enjoyed this night more than anyone.  Ryan introduced me to his brother Rodney at one point, who was in New York for the first time ever.  Like his brother, Rodney is an extremely nice guy who was very proud to see Sunnery and Ryan kill it at EDC, and told me how much he loves New York.

I really love the vibe at Pacha afterparties.  You always get incredibly talented DJs, and tons of celebrities hanging out.  Steve Angello is the epitome of an afterparty master.  He had the place dancing the entire night.  Angello is one of the most talented DJs I’ve ever seen.  His literally flawless selection of tracks, while being mixed perfectly WITHOUT headphones, is something of legends. 

As Steve wrapped up around 6:30am, Marco Centella and Jonathan Gue took over to close out the night.  They played about an hour of some great Deep and Tech House.  It was a great set to end a perfect night with.

-Adam Levine for EDMNYC

They say if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. However, Electric Daisy Carnival NYC felt like the complaint department over the course of 48 hours where a sea of neon and daisy-studded young ravers gathered at Citi Field on Friday May 17th and Saturday May 18th. Although there were several negatives impacting the overall experience, there were also many positive aspects, making more than just the weather hot and cold.

With the official schedule being released merely two days before the gates opened, fans were irritated from the start. A much more thinned down roster from last year fueled the fire for the sold out event ticket holders whose high expectations were justified after the 2012 east coast premier of the festival.

For me personally, I was happy to see several favorites on the lineup like Gina Turner, Mark Knight, Steve Angello, NYC talent Tyler Sherritt, Eric Prydz, Dubfire, Richie Hawtin, and of course our buddies, Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano. However, I knew the highlight of the weekend would be at the Neon Garden on Saturday with Art Department, Loco Dice, Carl Cox, and then Cox and Dice back to back for the final hour. I had no complaints… yet.

The weather on Friday was scorching hot, reminding me of last year when we got awful sunburns. Spirits were high all around, and the characters and costumes put smiles on everyone’s faces. Kandi exchanges were happening all around the grounds. Fans wore their most creative outfits and funny shirts. Yet amongst such seemingly happy people dancing in ecstasy, there were still many irrefutable vibe killers.

For starters, the new location didn’t do us justice for cell service. This is to be expected at large festivals with 50,000+ people but it was frustrating to not be able to do live tweeting, and finding lost friends was virtually impossible. Next, the clash of music from the stages being close together was undeniable. This was one of the biggest complaints I heard. While I didn’t hear any gripes about set time schedule issues aside from the Swedish dilemma of Prydz or Angello, nearly every artist only received an hour set which was too short for many people’s liking. Most DJs only play a contracted two-hour set and leave, so this is 50 percent, forcing them to cut to the best of their arsenal on the USB sticks.

The complaints continued with the long lines for the few rides they had. I got lucky on Saturday afternoon while the entire place flooded to Sultan & Ned Shepard’s set, I waited for less than five minutes to ride the gigantic Ferris wheel. I also heard that EDC overall had a low quality production feel as compared to last year, and it made it feel less like a festival.

If you look on the EDC festival guide with the map and schedule, there is a tiny clause at the bottom about “Adult Responsibility” and the “Zero Tolerance” policies. Maybe next year they should make this bigger so that there won’t be videos surfacing afterward of the kid who lost his pinky finger while swinging from the raindrop, or the “EDC robot” kid who was on drugs. These are just a few of the unfortunate instances that ruin the experience for the people who are truly there for the music, to have fun, and be responsible by adhering to these policies.

Speaking of the music, I heard some absolutely amazing sets and got to see several artists who I hadn’t had the opportunity to see previously, making my own EDC experience this year worth the hassles and annoyances. Despite the fact that press members weren’t allowed up on stage, which is an absolutely horrible policy since our job is to report up close photo and social media coverage, I have to tell you why EDC was still a hot two days for me and many others… the music!

On Friday I got there bright and early for local friend of EDMNYC’s, Tyler Sherritt. It was fun to watch the fans run towards his stage by the handful as the crowd filled up by 12:30. One girl held up a neon poster that read, “Tyler, have my babies!” ATB showed up nearly 10 hours before his own set time to watch Sherritt, and stuck around for Rudee who took over at 1pm. I had never seen him before, nor did I know any of the music he played, but I’d definitely go see him again because it was a great set. He ended with a “Sweet Disposition” vs. “Sweet Dreams” mashup and then “Molly” man, Cedric Gervais, hit the decks at 2:30pm. Ced took the mic and said, “you are one of the best crowds in the world“, as his remix of “Summertime Sadness” played, drawing loud screams from the massive crowd at Kinetic Field. Mark Knight, who I had been dying to see for a long time, opened his set with his Top 10 Beatport track, “Your Love”, at 3:30 and I stuck around for most of his killer set before heading over to the tent.

At 4pm I wanted to see what all the hype was about Maceo Plex at Neon Garden, and enjoyed a pretty deep house set. For the next hour I caught up with friends and cherished my first taste of the tent I’d call my home for a majority of the following day. I ran back to Kinetic Field to see Chuckie wreck the place, followed by our friends, Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano. We hung out backstage with them for a bit and then got back to work. I caught some of Dubfire, who I also fell in love with on my first experience, and then heard the tail end of Steve Angello‘s set. I ran backstage, and as always, he was happy to say hello and ask me how I thought his set was. Such a class act! I ran back for the last hour of Richie Hawtin, and ended day one on a complete musical high.

Saturday brought me immediately to one of my absolute favorite ladies in the game, Gina Turner, who dropped “Brooklyn” by Groovebox which made me go nuts so early in the day, and then played some new album stuff and got the crowd to grow. I took a ride on the Ferris wheel as Sultan & Ned Shepard played “Epic”, the all-time dance floor destroyer track. I watched Quintino from the side of the stage with buddies Marlon and Fadil, better known as Bassjackers and R3hab. He wrapped up with their remix of “Chasing Summer”, and I went next door to see Bassjackers set since I was already in electro house mode and knew that was my last chance to have my face melted off before calling it quits and going back to the Neon Garden.

The weather all day was cold and drizzling, so what better place to stay warm and dry than the tent, right? From 4pm till the festival ended at 11pm, I refused to leave. Art Department for two hours, followed by Loco Dice for two hours, followed by Carl Cox for two hours was enough to send me into a techno overdose, but when Carl and Dice went back to back for the last hour, it was as if the garden had bloomed with thousands and thousands of flowers and it was simply magical. Every “Oh yes, oh yes” made the overpacked tent roar, and there really is nothing more to say about the last few hours of EDC in the Neon Garden other than it was completely spiritual.

Whether you thought EDC was hot or cold, good or bad, or something in between, tens of thousands of enthusiastic dance music fans came to New York for a carnival ride that is now on the road to Vegas. So if you don’t have anything nice to say, and you don’t want to adhere to the festival policies, and you want to be “that person” who diminishes the quality of an incredible experience like this for anyone in attendance, do us all a favor and stay home. The complaint department is now closed. See you all at Electric Zoo!

-Nicole “Swedeheart”

PS: Want to comment on my review? Tweet me at @NicHouseMafia and let me know what you think! Be sure to follow @EDMNYC too!

Day 1 Photos on Facebook… CLICK HERE!
Day 2 Photos on Facebook… CLICK HERE!

Before I continue, let me give you guys a little background on these two top notch contenders. Rank 1 is a Dutch trance group comprised of 2 members, Piet and Benno (Benno was unfortunately not in attendance at this gig) who were some of the first pioneers in trance, forming back in 1997. With numerous original productions and remixes under their belt, they are one of the few trance acts around still producing the “classic” sound many of us long to hear amongst the new and harder beats infiltrating the scene today.

Sneijder, hailing for Portadown Ireland and who made his NYC debut, has risen at a steady fast pace since he embarked on the scene back in 2009. Sneijder’s productions and remixes have been heavily supported by Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk and Subculture’s front-man John O’Callaghan from his very first production “The Phuture” (which was featured on JOC’s first Subculture compilation.) He was recently also one of the featured artists on the Expedition Stage at Armin Van Buuren’s ASOT 600 Den Bosch edition,  amongst names like KhoMha, Matt Davey and Estiva.

Now with that said, let me get back to the night. Having yet to check out Esscala’s new venue at 40 East 58^th Street, the anticipation of the night grew more and more as I made my way into the city for what I was sure to be a fantastic evening. Upon arriving to the club around 11pm, the place was still a bit empty, but party goers soon began to arrive in masses, and before you knew it, the dance floor quickly filled up to the uplifting and prog-trance beats of Danny Shoc, a prominent name in the NYC nightlife scene. Danny is no stranger to the decks of many NYC clubs, such as Pacha NYC and other various hot spots. Danny is best known for his mix of house progressive and trance and produces a monthly podcast showcasing his favorite tunes at the moment, which is available on iTunes and Soundcloud.

As I arrived and said my hellos, I took the opportunity to mingle throughout the club to get a feel for the new venue. My first thought upon arriving was “wow, this is unlike any other club I’ve seen in the city.” There are two floors to 40 East, the top floor is more of a balcony that wraps around the entire venue and has two staircases down to the main dance floor. Lined against the back wall upstairs is the main bar, with a smaller bar down stairs at the base of on the back staircase. Along the far wall to the right on the dance floor are couches and semi-secluded VIP area. Rose, lime and aqua colored lighting wrap around ledges on the main floor and the DJ booth is elevated just enough that you can still see who’s spinning yet feel like you’re on a different level.

After making my rounds I grabbed a quick drink and before I knew it Piet was taking the decks. Having seen Rank 1 the night before in Philadelphia’s new hot spot SoundGarden Hall after Armin Van Buuren’s sold out Festival Pier show, I knew we were in for a treat. Rank 1 took no time at all getting the crowd shuffling and stomping the night away. He dropped tracks such as Orjan Nilsen “Violetta”, Beat Service “Impulse”, and their new 2013 single with M.I.K.E., “Elements of Nature”. Piet also dropped two new tracks that were premiered at ASOT 600 Mumbai, “Floorlifter” and their remix of Conjure One’s “Under the Gun” featuring Leigh Nash. He also played Rank 1’s original mix of “7 instead of 8″ (a clever name that refers to the 7/8time signature and if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, Google it) and a Rank 1 classic from 1999, “Airwave”. Rank 1 had the club on fire, everyone was loving what they were hearing with smiles ear to ear. Dance battles were breaking out in all parts of the club and the atmosphere was nothing but good vibes. As Rank 1 finished, it was time for Sneijder to embark on his NYC debut.

What more can I say other than if you were afraid of 138, you surely must’ve left the club once Sneijder came on. Anyone that didn’t know what “140″ meant before his set, had it embedded in their heads and hearts by the time he was done.  He was hard, fast and uplifting  from start to finish. He dropped tracks such as Airwave Vs. Rising Star “Sunspot” (Sneijder Remix), Andain  “What It’s Like” (Sneijder Remix), JOC and Sied Van Riel “Adagio for Wings”, a crowd favorite, Ummet Oczan “The Box”, Starparty “I’m In Love” (Sneijder Remix and a personal favorite of mine), his own 1am remix of his classic “Away From Here” and his highly anticipated remix of Marco V’s “Simulated” (which he posted a free download link via his Facebook page a few days ago). Sneijder had the crowd jumping from start to finish.  Close to the end of the night all you could see was sweaty foreheads and tiresome eyes from all the non stop dancing by everyone in the room. Sneijder continued to throw down and we all continued to dance till the last beat. Simply put, his set was “140″ at it’s best!

Overall the night went exactly how I anticipated – nothing short of amazing. Esscala had done it again. As partygoers trickled out of 40 East, all I heard was good things about the sets that were played, which brought an instant smile to my face. I couldn’t think of any other way to celebrate my 26 years of existence then with Danny, Piet, Sneijder, EDMNYC, Esscala Entertainment and my beloved NYC Trance Family – Thank you all for an amazing birthday! I would like to thank EDMNYC for once again giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts, Esscala Entertainment for bringing some of the best names in the game, and the courteous and polite staff at 40 East for holding down the fort on this very successful night. Another epic night of trance for the books. Hopefully see you all on the dance floor very soon, till next time…

-Lauren Anne Genevieve for EDMNYC

For more information on these artists, please visit the following links:

http://www.dannyshoc.com

https://www.facebook.com/sneijderportadown

https://soundcloud.com/sneijder

https://www.facebook.com/rank1official

Every time I see Fedde Le Grand‘s name on a flyer, I get extremely excited.  Fedde is one of my all-time favorite DJs, and one hell of a nice guy too.  If you haven’t seen him yet, you’re in for a real treat.  Fedde’s incredibly flawless mix of Progressive, Electro, with a side of Tech, always leaves everyone wanting more.  His newest track “Rockin’ N’ Rollin‘” is a serious banger, and Fedde also has a huge catalog of fantastic tracks to get you all jumping.

You should really be at Pacha on May 31st to witness one of the masters in action.  See you all there!

When:
Friday, May 31, 2013

Where:
Pacha NYC
618 W. 46th St.

Time:
10:00PM – 8:00AM

Tickets: http://pacha-nyc.clubtickets.com/us/2013-05/31/fedde-le-grand-pacha-nyc

If you’ve ever seen Bingo Players before, you know that they bring a MASSIVE amount of energy to each gig.  From “Rattle” to “L’amour” to “Don’t Blame The Party,” countless DJs drop Bingo Players tracks constantly.  Last Summer, I saw Bingo Players at Governor’s Island along with Hardwell and Benny Benassi, and they absolutely stole the show.  On top of some guaranteed great music, Governor’s Island is an incredible venue, and in fact my favorite in New York.  There’s nothing better than seeing a great show, looking a little to your left, and seeing the beautiful Manhattan skyline.

Grab tickets on May 20th, because this show is sure to sell out quick.  See you at the beach!

When:
Sunday, June 16th, 2013

Where:

Governor’s Beach Club

Governor’s Island, NY

Time:
4:00PM – 12:00AM

Tickets: CLICK HERE!

Saturday, June 8th | 10:00 PM – 4:00 AM EST
Electric Beach Presents: UMMET OZCAN
Santos Party House

Don’t miss out on this intimate club night! See you all there!

All my EDM prayers were answered on the night of Friday, May 10. I knew that I wanted to dance, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into as I took the now familiar trip into NYC to get to Pacha. With VeniVici opening for John Dahlback and Grand and Warren closing, the entire night – from the moment I stepped into the club until the it was time for the lights to come back on- I was surrounded by penetrating beats and high energy songs.

Rising stars VeniVici, a local duo, had a perfect opening set. With a similar style to Fedde Le Grand, you could have mistaken the booth for their throne as the Pacha crowd went nuts for their entire reign. If you get the chance, I’d highly recommend you check VeniVici out. Everyone was singing along to “No Beef” by Afrojack and you could see hundreds of palms as everyone raised their hands and danced to “1234” by Spencer Hill. They made sure to “Pump Up the Jams” and kept it “Raw,” engaging the crowd and keeping the energy high.

Around 1am, I was escorted upstairs by Pacha management to meet with John Dahlback. With some time before his set, I got the opportunity to speak with him one-on-one and find out a little more about who he is. Growing up surrounded by a family of musicians and talent, he was inspired and encouraged by everyone to pursue his own passion for music. He said that he always hated being in school, and by the incredibly young age of 13, he knew that DJing was much more than a hobby; it would be his career. With a great support system giving him feedback and motivating him, he found success at age 16 when he landed a record deal. The rest is history.

In an industry that is becoming more and more mainstream, how does Dahlback managed to stand out? The key, he says, is originality. Don’t be a follower, but try to remain true to your own work and be a leader. I asked if he wanted to give EDMNYC the inside scoop. What should we look out for from the Swedish DJ? This year, he is slated to release 10 new tracks and will be appearing at some US and European festivals! If you are looking to take a trip to Europe to see him however, you will be hearing something different than you would in the US. In Europe, he says, the trending sound is techno, and he tailors his sets to what he knows the fans will love to hear.

Around 1:30 he stepped into the booth, and with a flawless transition, took the club into his own world of house music. Club banger after banger, such as Zedd’s “Clarity,” Kaskade’s “Invisible,” and Moguai’s “Champs,” pumped through the speakers. He thrilled the crowd with remixes of less traditional songs like “Walking on the Moon” by the Dream ft. Kanye West. One of my favorite parts of the night was while he was spinning “Joyenergizer” by Sander Van Doorn, I heard the telltale notes of “Beating of My Heart” rise up. But, instead of the usual lyrics, he mixed in Morgan Page’s “I Fight for You.” Even with earplugs in, my head was pounding from the intense bass!

Some of the other hits you could have been dancing to included the following:

“Life (Diamonds in the Dark)” – John Dahlback
“City of Dreams” – Alesso
“Sweet Nothing” – Calvin Harris
“Big” – Sneaky Sound System
“April” – Syn Cole
“Pressure” – John Dahlback
“Reload” – Sebastian Ingrosso and Tommy Trash
“We’ll Be Coming Back” – Calvin Harris
“I Could Be the One” – Avicii
“Walking Alone” – Dirty South
“Together” – Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso
“Panic” – John Dahlback

“EDC” rotated on the TV screens, a reminder of the highly anticipated festival that was less than a week away. There was a complete sensory overload, and you could get so lost in your own world of beats and lights that before you knew it, management was motioning, unfortunately, for Dahlback to wrap it up. Still reeling from his musical dominance of the club, the duo Grand & Warren took to the turntables.

I had the chance to speak with them during the night. The duo, made up of Gary Rabbitt and James Alexander, grew up together and attended St. Peters Prep in Jersey City. With the passion they bring, they compare their set experience to Steve Aoki’s performances. James told me that Grand & Warren believe in moving people with their music and remaining unique by learning from other artists. They definitely brought a certain je ne sais quoi with surprises like dropping the song “Ruff Riders Anthem.”

I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t feel the least bit tired; the whole night my adrenaline was pumping along to the bass. There wasn’t a moment to stop dancing and think about my aching feet. I simply enjoyed every DJ and forgot there was a world outside of the dance floor. I got an entire night of my favorite house music – what more could I ask for?

See you all at EDC!

-Marisa Bianco for EDMNYC

PS: Want to comment on my review? Tweet me at @playpau5le7el and let me know what you think! Follow @EDMNYC too.

Want to win FREE TICKETS for you and a friend? EDMNYC has your chance to join us for Gregori Klosman at Cielo! Here’s how:

1. Follow @EDMNYC on Twitter

2. Follow @danceherenow on Twitter

3. Tweet: “I’m a #Klosmaniac! I want free tickets for Klosman at Cielo on 5/16 from @EDMNYC! RT“

4. The more people who follow us and RT the message will have the best chance to win.

Contest ends at noon on Thursday 5/16 and the lucky winner will be contacted at that time. Keep tweeting for your chance to be there! GOOD LUCK!

Dance.Here.Now. is excited to welcome back the very talented Frenchman Gregori Klosman. With awesome remixes amongst his credit with artists such as Lady GaGa, David Guetta, Ne-Yo and many more; Jump start your EDCNY weekend at Cielo this Thursday, May 16! #Klosmaniacs get ready!

GREGORI KLOSMAN

Advance tickets https://www.clubtickets.com/us/2013-05/16/gregori-klosman-at-cielo-dance-here-no

Free before 11pm + 1 hour open vodka bar with RSVP here:http://robpromotions.com/list/cielo051613.html