Nightlife Junkie: Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas

The music is always on in Las Vegas, but when the Electric Daisy Carnival came to town for the first time last year it put the city on the electric dance music map. Since then a tidal wave of the world’s top DJs have frequented the city and the trend is only growing stronger.

Now, EDC returns to Las Vegas for the second time June 8-10 for a party that is expected to top last year’s performance. The official schedule hasn’t been released, but the list of DJs is impressive to say the least.

It’s hard to name the top billing in this who’s-who of DJs, but if you go by the rankings Tiësto is where it would start. The Dutch DJ, who has been the No. 1 turntablist in the world multiple times, has spun at the 2004 Olympics and was nominated for a Grammy.

If Tiësto is the biggest name in the party, David Guetta isn’t far behind. Guetta, who was named the top DJ in 2012 by DJ Mag, has achieved mainstream success recently with his work with artists like Usher, The Black Eyed Peas and Flo Rida. But it was in the clubs of Ibiza that Guetta achieved fame on an international stage with his F*ck Me I’m Famous parties.

Scottish DJ Calvin Harris has written and produced records for Rihanna, Kesha and Kylie Manogue and recently released the smash single “Feel So Close,” that reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Afrojack won a Grammy Award for Madonna’s hit “Revolver,” which he worked on with Guetta. The Dutch DJ was rated the No. 7 DJ in the world by DJ Mag last year and has become a regular at Surrender Nightclub at Encore Las Vegas and XS Nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas.

Deadmau5 is the most sought after DJ in the world and while he won’t be at EDC, his protégé Feed Me will serve as a worthwhile fill in. His electro house and dubstep beats have quickly made him a favorite in the EDM scene.

Kaskade has taken over Las Vegas during the last two years. His former Sunday show at Encore Beach Club set the stage for the pool club’s first year of existence but he has since moved on to Marquee inside the Cosmopolitan where he debuted his residency earlier this year. Kaskade recently spun opposite Radiohead at Coachella.

Get your spacesuits ready for Manufactured Superstars. This duo from Colorado puts on a memorable show everywhere they go all while dressed in spacesuits. Manufactured Superstars are known to spin progressive house music and slip in old pop hits to their mixes.

Steve Aoki is the ultimate party DJ. If you catch him at a smaller venue expect to be sprayed with champagne at least once. Aoki has used his house beats to remix artists like Snoop Dogg, Drake and Kanye West.

While he is more recognizable to the mainstream audience as a member of The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am has steadily built up his career as a DJ. He has headlined numerous clubs around the world and the biggest holidays in Vegas like New Year’s Eve.

Beyond the music

A Hall of Fame list of DJs is just one part of the EDC experience. Details have been kept close to the vest this year, but revelers can expect art installations on par with Burning Man like giant misting daisies and forests of light and sound. Additionally, you can expect a carnival atmosphere with classic rides like a Ferris wheel, fun houses, bumper cars and a super slide.

This year, EDC will bring in more than 500 entertainers including Las Vegas favorites Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity. Blue Man Group has been a Sin City mainstay for more than 10 years that amazes audiences without ever speaking a word. The trio is best known for its mystifying beats using drums with bright paints and wild musical contraptions.

Zumanity is Cirque with a very adult edge. Two dazzling performers put on a breathtaking show inside a glass bowl, while another flies through the sky in nothing more than steel hula hoops and the Mistress of Sensuality plays emcee through the entire performance.

Club styling

While EDC may be compared to a modern day Woodstock, guests don’t have to roll in the mud and live in tents all weekend. VIP decks will be set up off the stage and elevated above the crowd that will bring a club-like vibe to the track. Partygoers can relax on plush sofas with bottle service and private restrooms.