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The 2010 Electric Daisy Carnival in L.A.
Thursday, June 23, 2011 | 2 a.m.
Electric Daisy Carnival
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KSNV coverage of the upcoming Electric Daisy Carnival, June 22, 2011.
Las Vegas Weekly coverage
Sun archives
Las Vegas Weekly
- Getting to know Pasquale Rotella—the man behind EDC (6-23-2011)
- Las Vegas has become the EDM capital of America. What’s next? (6-23-2011)
- Goodman raves about Electric Daisy Carnival’s move to Las Vegas (6-17-2011)
- Axwell gets Marquee moving before he headlines EDC (6-14-2011)
- Electric Daisy Carnival: The lineup, revealed at last! (6-11-2011)
- Electric Daisy Carnival: Still no lineup … (6-3-2011)
- Yet another EDM event is announced… (5-4-2011)
- Insomniac announces Electric Daisy Carnival headliners (4-18-2011)
- Electric Daisy Carnival expanded, Vegas venue confirmed (4-6-2011)
- Largest U.S. rave Electric Daisy Carnival leaving LA for Vegas (2-24-2011)
Beyond the Sun
The biggest dance music festival in the U.S. — the Electric Daisy Carnival — arrives this weekend, and it’s expected to bring many of the world’s best DJs, 250,000 spectators and more glow sticks than we’ll try to count.
But it’s also bringing a good deal of controversy. At last year’s festival in Los Angeles, a 15-year-old girl died of a drug overdose and more than 100 others were hospitalized, many for drug complications. For this year’s festival, the minimum age has been raised to 18, and promoters say they will take additional security measures, but just last weekend a smaller carnival event in Dallas left a 19-year-old dead of a drug overdose.
Like it or not, Ecstasy is part of dance-festival culture, and although it’s hard to hold organizers responsible for the safety of guests who sneak in illegal drugs, the eyes of the outside world will be on promoter Insomniac beginning at 8 Friday night.
What’s this EDC thing all my clubby friends keep talking about?
Electric Daisy Carnival, the biggest dance-music festival in the country. It’s taking place in Las Vegas for the first time this weekend.
But can’t I see these DJs on the Strip whenever I want?
Some are here a lot, sure. But a lot of the choice names will be setting foot in Southern Nevada for the first time. Plus, seeing Tiësto at the Joint is not the same thing as seeing him in a crowd of 80,000 under the stars.
OK, you’ve convinced me. Can I still get tickets?
As of Thursday, three-day passes ($215 plus fees, or $500 plus fees for VIP) were still available. Single-day Fridays and Saturdays are sold out, but Sunday tickets ($100 plus fees, $200 plus fees for VIP) were still up for grabs.
How do I get to Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
Take Intestate 15 north and exit to the right on Speedway Boulevard. Or, take Nellis Boulevard north, then make a left on Checkered Flag Lane.
The event’s website lists the hours as 8 p.m.-sunrise each day. That’s a typo, right?
Nope, that’s happening. Who wants to dance when it’s 100-plus degrees during the day? Just make sure to get some shut-eye before you get to the speedway, so you don’t sleep through your favorite act.
Is parking free?
All 40,000 spots worth. Get your vehicle out by 10 a.m. to avoid a towing charge. Or, if you don’t feel like driving, hop on the carnival’s shuttle at Circus Circus, Golden Nugget, Hard Rock Hotel, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Monte Carlo or Palms. Three-day passes are $60, single days are $30 to $40 (more information is at shuttlelasvegas.com/edc). Or you could round up five friends and $6,000 and splurge on a round-trip helicopter ride to the speedway and back (flymaverick.com). Or not.
One of my buddies is 19. Can he come with me?
Yep. Electric Daisy Carnival is 18-plus, although VIP areas are restricted to those 21 and older.
Last question, I swear: What can and can’t I bring inside the festival?
Do bring: Your ID, cellphone, earplugs, small backpacks (10x10 max) and sealed cigarettes and gum packs. Don’t bring: Chairs, coolers, umbrellas, pens, pacifiers, eyedrops, stuffed animals, food, drinks — actually, just check the full list here.
A version of this story appears in this week’s edition of Las Vegas Weekly, a sister publication of the Sun.
So, what is this Electric Daisy Carnival all about?
The usual...
Sex, Drugs & Rock n' Roll... or some kinda reasonable facsimile thereof.
Very helpful list of things to bring and what not to bring.
There seems to be no mention of making sure people don't bring illegal drugs though.
So, I guess by its absence in the list, it's a subtle form of encouragement.
And who is going to pay for the emergency care some of these folks will require at UMC? Surely they all won't have health insurance. Looks like the taxpayers will get the bill (again).
Colin,
I am assuming you missed the first two items on their huge PROHIBITED ITEMS LIST:
NO Illegal Substances
NO Drugs or Drug Paraphernalia
Everyone needs to slow down and give this a chance. If it works, great for Vegas, if not, they don't come back. There have been other things try Vegas, some worked, some did not.
Lets hope this works out, would be a good yearly event for Vegas and the Speedway.
It's not my speed but I am for anything that works out for Vegas. ;-)
I hope this event goes well. That way, it will teach the city of LA a lesson. This event will bring millions to Vegas and if it goes smoothly, it might bring it every year. Meanwhile, in LA...... lol
Thanks, vegaslee. I did miss it.
I stand...er...sit...corrected.
I just hope this thing works out well.
I just had people that came in for the event. 50 dollar tip. Nice way to start the day. It's going to be a big event and the Las Vegas and it's residents will benefit from this. I already did and it doesn't start till tomorrow. It's something I wouldn't go to, but I'll be more than happy to let us (Las Vegas), take care of them and show them a good time and make money!
So, what is this Electric Daisy Carnival all about?
Generating millions of dollars in revenue to Vegas while participants let loose and have fun.
L.A. didn't want it, so we'll take it, and the revenues that come with it. We'd be foolish not to. Plenty of other cities would beg at the opportunity.
As for drugs, sh*t happens. Millions of people drop dead as a result of legal drugs every year. Oh well.
@digger
You just made the perfect argument for universal health care. And if you think drug overdoses are a result of deviant behavior, so are overdoses from prescription meds and alcohol. Same goes for cancer from tanning and/or smoking too much, as well as obesity from eating too much. It's all about personal choices, and the responsibility that comes with it.
I have another customer that came to Vegas for the Carnival lol. He's at the bank right now. Let's see what he tips lol. Dressed really nice and looks like he has money. The airport is getting busy. Gonna be a BIG Weekend folks!
The thousands of 'glow sticks' were, in all liklihood, MADE IN CHINA :(
Wonderful event, too bad the hate talk radio crowd, the Lord HA HAs and Axis Sally's trash this great event. We need the business, it is filling rooms. Thank you Mr Goodman, at least someone is job focused.
Also, who are these self appointed prudes on hate talk radio that favor one event over another? Nascar, NFR, NBA, etc.??? I'm sure these idealistic young people use fewer drugs than talk radio people like Rush Limbaugh. Rush Limbaugh was a visitor to Vegas. Did he get any of his 30,000 pills here? Or have them with him? Should Metro, put officers on any "Rush Limbaugh" type event?
Here is what the record to date shows: Mr. Limbaugh's housekeeper, Wilma Cline, approached Florida media and Florida authorities to reveal that she had acted as Rush Limbaugh's drug buyer for years, purchasing "more than 30,000 hydrocodone, Lorcet and OxyContin pills," and she reports he "took as many as 30 OxyContin pills a day."**** Florida authorities then began investigating, and Ms. Cline's allegations have apparently proved solid, certainly solid enough for the State of Florida to take action.
http://www.bradleyreport.net/commentary/...
And people complained when the Grateful Dead did a gig here, those 'Deadheads' were not bad at all in retrospect.
Promoter are not going to any more measures than they have in the past. There will be injuries and overdoes. Its all about money for the promoters, any lawsuit will take years and the promoters will be long gone. I feel sorry for those at Nellis AFB, I hope there will be no idiots trying to get on the base.
I think another thing worth noting is that $10 of every ticket (including comp tickets) for this event will go to Clark County Community-School Partnership, The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, and the Injured Police Officers Fund. If they really sell 250,000 tickets, that is $2.5M that goes directly to local causes.
VegasEngineer
If you believe that all that money is going to those entities..... bless you. Hopefully they will publish an accounting of how the money was divided up, but don't count on $2.5M. Half that at best. There will be all sorts of fees that they will say have to be paid, the biggest being "administrative costs" to put the the event together.
"I feel sorry for those at Nellis AFB, I hope there will be no idiots trying to get on the base"
Somehow it strikes me that this kind of crowd doesn't seem to be interested in trying to get on an air force base. And if they tried?? LOLOLOLOL They will be looking down the barrel of an M16 pointed at their heads.
drug ecstasy was legal at this event last couple years. it was selling and used right in front of thousand lapd cops. it did seem ok. weed, alcohol, ex aren't prohibited, are they?
i wonder how will it work in lv this time? cause at least 95% of ravers will gulp some pills
No eyedrops? What kind of rule is that? I use a special eyedrop that I carry with me everywhere. You mean I can't go to this thing with them? I'm positive they wouldn't be selling them there. Sheesh!
To my fellow bloggers,
My very best wishes go to the success of this event. Most bloggers are right, the revenue is much needed for our community. As for being able to handle this massive event, this is Las Vegas, we can handle anything. I hope and pray that this potential "police problem", is handled properly without any police officers getting hurt or innocent parties getting hurt. I sincerely hope that the potential drug overdoses are kept to a minimum and the DUI issue is handled appropriately and with adequate resources. Everybody stay safe.
Just an old cop reflecting,
Gordon Martines
Will all that many more instances occur than regularly happen in any city of 80,000?
Someone, somewhere, somehow give those ppl a grip!