NICKY ROMERO
Las Vegas has certainly caught the dance music fever this past year with nightclubs like Marquee and Surrender scooping up big-name artist residencies and drawing massive music-loving crowds. But if you think Avicii selling out XS on New Years Eve was an impressive feat, you haven’t seen anything yet.
The newest creation in the city’s EDM explosion is brand new superclub Light, a Cirque du Soleil-inspired venue inside Mandalay Bay Hotel. Opening April 26th, Light will provide attendees with state-of-the-art interactive productions. And who better to announce a residency at this larger-than-life nightclub than dynamic duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike?
Nikki Beach’s Miami Music Week lineup just got a serious facelift—in addition to the previously announced Juicy Beach extravaganza, the iconic beach club will play host to Spinnin’ Records’ first ever MMW label showcase “Spinnin’ Sessions.”
The label has already announced massive headliners such as Cedric Gervais and Showtek for the March 20th soiree, with three surprise guests still remaining a mystery. And if you closely examine the imprint’s star-studded roster, you’ll realize that any surprise acts will be well worth a ticket.
MTV named Nicky Romero an EDM artist to watch in 2012 and our eyes have been glued to the Dutch DJ ever since. So when he announced he’d be making his debut performance at Space Miami last Saturday, we jumped on the opportunity to check out the young star in action.
Brought into the electronic music world by mentor David Guetta, the 23-year-old Dutch superstar has already made an impressive name for himself as the next progressive-electro wonderboy. The rising star spent 2012 producing 14 hard-hitting and well-received singles, touring the nightlife metropolises of the world, and topping it off with a Miami New Year’s Eve weekend concert we’ll never forget.
It’s NYE and you know the drill:
Hot venue √
Sexy outfit √
Champagne at midnight √
What could possibly make ringing in a brand new year that much more spectacular? A performance by one of electronic dance music's hottest DJ’s? Absolutely! If you’re lucky enough to attend any of the NYE parties spanning across these five fabulous cities, you’ll be guaranteed beats, ball drops and a banging good time! Here’s a look at the Top 5:
Armin van Buuren – New York City
Don’t miss out on this adrenaline fueled electric dance party extravaganza presented by Joonbug.com. It all goes down at Pier 36, a 64,000 square foot pier that stretches out to Manhattan’s East River. There’s a 3-hour open bar taking place between 9:00 pm – 12:00 am. This event is strictly 21+. Several VIP packages are available and tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
Over the last two years, the small city of Gainesville, Florida has become an unlikely electronic music hub. With students at the University of Florida shelling out cash for shows on a weekly basis, promoters have booked nearly every big-name act and solidified us as a staple stop for DJs touring the southeast. It’s an incredibly passionate and open-minded scene, so it’s no surprise that Gainesville was chosen as the first city to see a dubstep act headline Life in Color (formerly Dayglow). Departing from its usual mainstream progressive-house schedule, Life in Color broke the mold last Friday night at the Alachua County Fairgrounds with the bass of dubstep duo Adventure Club reverberating throughout the venue. With the help of local concert production/promotion company The Dynasty Group, the show saw a massive turnout and proved that Life in Color may be on to something for future dubstep bookings.
MTV named Nicky Romero an EDM artist to watch in 2012 and our eyes have been glued to the Dutch DJ ever since. Racking up 14 singles, an EP and multiple Beatport Top Ten slots, the 23-year-old producer is having a seriously successful year.
So what’s next for Romero?
His own radio show called Protocal Radio.
Beginning October 1st, Romero will spin a one-hour weekly show incorporating rips from live sets, exclusive mixes, new material and more.
The show will “be a diary of my life as a DJ, and producer who is constantly on the road. I want to open up and share everything with you.”
Ten miles of darkness and 2000 cars separated us from the festival we had only dreamt about. As we stared forward, excited and anxious, there was a faint flicker towards the sky and then the familiar explosion of fireworks in the distance. A roar ripped through the desert from the cars around us. Indian chiefs and their topless girlfriends yelled and cheered out their windows, as packs of neon spattered fur boots ran by on foot. This was the scene I had heard so much about. The one that would save dance music events
Insomniac’s Electric Daisy Carnival has consistently been remarked as the premier Electronic Music festival in the country. With steady competition from Ultra Music Festival , and the multitude of other events that have developed in the past few years, claiming that title is quite a feat. Insomniac’s founder, Pasquale Rotella, has rose through the ranks of California promoters to a point of utmost success. He has absolutely earned his stripes, with the immense scale of his events and consequences this sometimes brings. The risk involved with such massive gatherings as these has made it necessary for Pasquale to impose a new standard for safety at these events, both at the gates and in the festival. In both appearance and functionality, EDC proved to be nothing less than the world-class event that was beckoned for.
Anticipation has a funny way of heightening an event: both through its capacity to incite a slow-building crescendo of fervor, and in its ability to massively inflate one’s expectations. In the case of Ultra Fest, the hype is certainly warranted—as this monumentally epic musical endeavor deserves an equally salacious array of festivities. It’s a natural compliment—the proverbial jelly to the fest's peanut butter—and for those whose musical and carnal appetites remain unsatiated, there is a cornucopia of bashes (both musical and decadent) that correspond with the inaugural day of Ultra Fest.
After discovering house music in 2010, I dabbled in the different sects of electronica and found myself in love. In March of 2011, I made my official crossover from rap-enthusiast to househead when I attended Ultra Music Festival. Nearly a year later, I cannot wait to return to my stomping grounds and once again bask in the harmonious music and beating sunshine.
Last year’s festival was an incredible experience, but as a newbie, I had a lot to learn. The low-point of my weekend was when my ticket was ripped off of the lanyard strewn around my neck by a drunken fool. The maniac grabbed the ticket that was hanging above my chest, and ran. Luckily, my mother had always instilled within me the importance of self-defense, so I lunged at the crazy kid who attempted to steal the $275 ticket and returned the item to its rightful owner... me.
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