Thousands of fans will reunite under the electric sky May 17 through May 19 for the 23rd annual Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas hosted by Insomniac Events. The world-renowned music festival will return to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three days of electronic music, carnival rides, performers, art and more that will take place from dusk till dawn. This year’s headliners will include acclaimed acts from a broad spectrum of genres, such as Chris Lake, Rusko, Above & Beyond and Angerfist, and the festival will also feature camping for the second time ever. Five artists who are playing at this year’s festival took the time to share with Forbes their favorite EDC memories, tips for first-time attendees and more.
Lisa Kocay: What are your packing essentials for EDC Vegas?
Claude VonStroke: “A sleeping bag, some pecans and a few USBs.”
Ghastly: “Pedialyte, multi-vitamins, sunglasses and multiple portable chargers.”
Kaskade: “I’ve done this festival so many years in a row that now I don’t pack anything. Everything I need I’ve buried in a chest that I just unearth once I get there. Included is a lip balm, freeze dried ice-cream, a snake bite kit and water filtration system.”
Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob: “Open mind, earplugs and comfy shoes.”
YAKO: “A bunch of IDs, my pet fox and my favorite sneakers.”
Kocay: Who are three artists you’re looking forward to seeing at the festival?
Claude VonStroke: “Andy C, Walker & Royce and Yousef.”
Ghastly: “Well, I definitely want to see Bill Nye do a ceremonial opening for the biggest rave in the world, then deadmau5 and A$AP Rocky.”
Kaskade: “I’m loving A$AP Rocky right now—everything about him. Also would love to catch Black Coffee with his mad style, and I never get tired of anything that Green Velvet is involved in.”
Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob: “I can’t wait to check Tokimonsta, Rezz and Black Coffee.”
YAKO: “ZHU, Eric Prydz and San Holo.”
Kocay: Which carnival ride is your favorite to go on?
Claude VonStroke: “I like the one where you spin around super fast, and then the floor drops out and you stick to the wall. Sometimes I slip down the wall a little bit and get a wedgie, but it’s worth it.”
Ghastly: “I’m a big fan of the zipper. You can shake the cart and make whoever you convinced to go on it with you really scared, and that’s half the fun.”
Kaskade: “The helicopter ride in. Does that count?”
Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob: “I’ve never been on any of the rides. We stick to the sound systems.”
YAKO: “Of course the iconic ferris wheel.”
Kocay: What is your favorite EDC memory?
Claude VonStroke:“My favorite memory is last year when I played this huge stage and I was thinking ‘wow, house music has come such a long way.’”
Ghastly: “Probably when I brought my parents with me for the first time and my pops gave me a nod of approval—that was a special moment in my life I’ll never forget.”
Kaskade: “Back in 2010 when I caught a glimpse that it was cracking wide open. There was an actual moment in time when I knew it was all about to change, and I was standing on the stage looking at the crowd when it was still in LA.”
Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob: “Playing the bassPOD stage to 11 people at EDC 2007.”
YAKO: “It’s my first time to EDC.”
Kocay: If you could give a first-time attendee a pro-time to attending the festival, what would it be?
Claude VonStroke: “Always stick with the vibes. It's good to keep a schedule, but if you are really feeling it stay put and have fun. You will enjoy it more than running to make it to 70 sets.”
Ghastly: “Stretch your legs every day. You’re going to cover many, many miles, and if you don’t stretch you’re going to have a bad time.”
Kaskade: “What you wear needs to be function over form. Looking good is cool and all, but if you’re going to take in all this stimulus—sound, visual, being in the desert, and logging in the time to get there and back—make sure you’ve set yourself up to enjoy it. And that starts with a really good pair of comfortable shoes and clothes that make sense for the location. With all that said, I do enjoy the myriad of crazy painful looking costumes I see out there. Shoutout to those that sacrifice so that the rest of us have something fun to look at.”
Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob: “Get outside of your comfort zone and listen music you’ve never heard. Put down your phone and dance.”
YAKO: “Don't look at the sets or which DJ playing—just go to different stages randomly and just enjoy the music.”
