Electric Zoo has been one of the premiere events in the New York area helping to spread electronic and this is one of the most important years for the festival. Following unfortunate circumstances that befell the festival community last summer, EZOO is back on Randall’s Island with all of the music you can stand to dance to. The dance music community sends their top talent to NYC each year and this year is no exception, with nearly every genre imaginable represented from trance to trap, drum n bass to dirty dubstep and everything inbetween. While the arguement very nearly makes itself, here are 4 reasons you absolutely have to get to EZOO 2014.
//static.punchtab.com/js/pg.js
TICKETS FOR EZOO ARE STILL AVAILABLE!
1. The Lineup
Just so that no one forgets, you know we’re all here for the music and the talent at EZOO is top of its class. The dueling Main Stages will be an absolute spectacle and I can guarantee that the energy there is going to be on an absolutely other worldly kinda level. If you were going to make a DO NOT MISS list for this festival, mark down Zeds Dead, Dada Life, Candyland and A-Trak on Friday, Oliver Heldens, Clockwork, Knife Party and Zedd on Saturday, and GOD HELP YOU if you miss the combination of Skrillex & Diplo as JackU on Sunday to close out the main stage.
The Beatport Riverside Stage will hosue some of the most exciting names in dance music like Gessaffelstein, Jamie XX and Bonobo keeping things dark and gritty on Friday, BT, Felix Cartal and Paul Van Dyk throwing rave weapons on Saturday. For those looking for the big time bass, look no further than the Beatport Riverside Stage on Sunday for a lineup of What So Not, Milo & Otis, UZ, LOUDPVCK, Heroes x Villains, and Netsky setting up the closing for drum and bass icons Chase & Status.
Speaking of the incredibly diverse lineup that EZOO has to offer, it’s worth mentioning that EZOO is debuting 77 new artists this year and has more coming as the festival draws closer! I’m all for catching some of the legends that command the Main Stages each year, but half of the fun of festivals is wandering around getting lost at some of the smaller stages. While your adventuring, be sure to catch the EZOO debut of festival mainstays Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, deep house wunderkind Oliver Heldens and more.
2. The Hilltop Arena
No matter what festival I’m at, there’s always one stage that just immediately captures my attention and this year, the Hilltop Arena has a lineup day in and day out for 3 days that could keep me there all day. There is nothing but full blown FILTH that takes over the stage on Friday night from bass dealers Zomboy, Datsik and Destroid if you’re into the wubs and I don’t know if I’ve seen a stronger collection of musicians than the ENTIRE Saturday lineup of Pegboard Nerds, Kill Paris, Keys N Krates, GRiZ, gLAdiator, Kill The Noise, Sub Focus and MADEON shutting down the night set. Dear LAWD.. The Hilltop Arena closes out Sunday by getting real trancey, with the crowd getting warmed up during the day from club kings Fenixpawl, Deniz Koyu and Audien before the euphoric bass stylings of Seven Lions sets the table for Grammy winning producer/DJ Morgan Page and ATB to close out the festival.
3. The Scenery
Speaking of the crazy production that is the Hilltop Arena, you seriously have to take advantage of the opportunity to jam out against the New York City skyline whenever you can. Made Event does it right with 6 different stages spread out over Randall’s Island in NYC, each with their own personality depending on the day and always amazing to look at. The island becomes an escape within the city and if this is anything like what the experience was like at Mysteryland USA, we’ll all be in for a treat.
4. Sunday School Grove/Vinyl Only
While we all love getting super ragey and ravey at some of the larger stages, sometimes you gotta take the energy down a notch and just groove. Thankfully, the Sunday School Grove and Vinyl Only tent from Mysteryland USA will be back at Electric Zoo where it all started! The Sunday School tent at Mysteryland was an awesome break in the craziness and with names like Dubfire, Pete Tong, Victor Calderone and The Magician all on the same stage over the course of three days, there’s no way you won’t be moving. All the craziness of this “EDM” wave has led people to forget the roots of where DJing and turntablism came from and the Sunday School Vinyl Only tent is your chance to get down with the funk. With scene pioneers Josh Wink, Frank & Tony and Behrouz hosting the Vinyl Only tent on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively, there’s good times to be had by all.
5. The People
Festival culture is one of those, “Come for the music, stay for the people” kinda things. Each festival is it’s own unique adventure and you are simply there with thousands of other people trying to create the most positive experience for each other that you can. Electric Zoo brings together the same people you ride the Subway with every day and makes it totally acceptable to jump, dance and sing with each other for 3 glorious days before you have to rejoin the real world. That said, keep an eye out for each other. We’re all a family out there and we can’t afford to lose any more members because your friend didn’t drink any water all day. Take advantage of the resources available to you and be sure to DanceSafe!
[Images via Electric Zoo Facebook and Julian Cassady Photography]