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Once every year, the kids at Columbia manage to ditch the books for the day and leave the library to throw down right outside of it. This year, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Flosstradamus helped us celebrate Bacchanal and the festivities couldn’t have been better. By 11:30 the steps outside of the old library were jam-packed with people awaiting the opening band and the debauchery was in full swing. DJs were filling empty time out of the back of a red bull truck, girls were splashing around like kids in the fountains, and the crowd was about as violent as at an Odd Future show.
Macklemore hopped on stage at noon donning a Knicks jersey to a crowd 5000-strong. Since I don’t listen to him, I wasn’t expecting much; he delivered the goods and then some. Dancing around through the hits and chatting with the crowd, his on stage presence was a force to behold. Before hopping into the massive sing along that was “Thrift Shop,” he nabbed a fur coat out of the crowd to don before “making it crowd surf” back to its owner. Towards the end of his hour-long set, he delivered the line of the day to the sweaty-riddled masses, “I’m in front of a big ass library! Thanks for letting me come to your school on a Saturday and dry hump your women.”
With that, the transition between the EDM haters and the trapped out maniacs made things even messier. The Silver Triangle was inflated behind the DJ booth as the Hoodie Boyz came out all, well, hoodied up. This being my first time seeing a full Floss set (I caught about 20 minutes at Ultra), I had no real frame of reference. Regardless, they blew the stage up as they tore through an hour and a half of their unmistakable style. Dillon Francis’s “Suit & Tie” Remix flew right into Jah No Partial and there was no time to catch your breath as the pulled out their “Same Damn Time” & “Total Recall” mash to bring it home. Then they had just about the everyone belting it out for “Backseat Freestyle” right into Carnage’s trapped out “Spaceman” remix. The crowd stumbled back and forth en masse, girls got peed on (yes, I’ve heard a couple of stories already), and everyone raged on until they closed it out with their classic “Original Don” remix.
At 2:30, the kids with some degree of energy remaining moved to the Red Bull truck, the less tolerant crowd returned to their dorms to nap, and everyone else fled out onto Broadway as the festivities carried on into the wee hours of the night where thousands of kids took over the bars and frat houses of Morningside Heights.
And then everybody got back to the library. Below are a couple of sounds from the day as well as a humorous video of a girl in the Columbia library fountain after the jump!
I’ve been a big fan of Branchez‘ song “Shake” since it came out a few months ago and if you have yet to pick it up, you need to do so immediately. The NYC-based producer takes a more musical approach than can usually be expected from trap productions, which was perfectly exemplified on “Shake”, which featured jazz influence in the form of piano and horns, creating an atmosphere of old and new. His latest comes in the form of two singles, one a high-energy trap original and the other a Rihanna “Stay” bootleg. The former is made most intriguging by the child-like samples that make up part of the beat. The Rihanna bootleg, while it has quite the indie feel to it, was the standout for me. Right off the bat, Rihanna infamous voice is hardly recognizable due to the incredible vocal treatment. The song never leaves the comfort of its minimalistic hip-hop flavor and that’s just what you have to love about it. 15K plays in 2 days can’t be wrong… Free downloads on both of these over on Branchez Facebook page.
The Knocks, made up of James Patterson (left) and Ben Ruttner, have been churning out fanciful indie dance tunes since 2009 but have really become something of an online sensation as of late, with seemingly every single remix and original of theirs receiving massive blog support (for good reason) and quickly climbing to coveted spots on the top of the Hype Machine charts. The two hail from New York City but have been touring more and more lately; in fact, they have even been asked to perform alongside acts like Major Lazer, Justice, Boys Noize, Diplo and A-Trak on the second Holy Ship cruise, setting sail early next year. We had a chance to connect with James and ask him some questions about The Knocks’ past, present and future. Click through and be sure to grab the free download of their newest remix after the interview.
Gigamesh has had an unbelievable summer of touring in the states with the support of some of his best friends in the business. Jamming some of the grooviest tunes all summer long, it was a pleasure catching him not once, but twice this summer. His sets fill me with happiness as he masters the nu-disco sound on stage or wherever his music is playing. As he prepares to set sail for Australia and then Europe he leaves us with one final remix that is sure to keep the good times rolling.
New York City: Gigamesh will be playing at the Beekman Beer Garden tonight as one of his last stops before going overseas for the remainder of the year. This show will be tight!
Well, I must say, the announcement released this week for Electric Daisy Carnival to make a stop by NYC on its way to Vegas came pretty unexpected. It only makes sense that NY would finally get a piece of the action, even if they have been behind the EDM curve for quite some time, and those of you on the east coast who have yet to have a Daisy Carnival experience are in for one hell of a ride (pun intended). No details on the lineup, ticket price or venue (although speculation is it will take place in the Giant’s new home MetLife Stadium) but, with tickets going on sale Friday, there isn’t a whole lot of time to waste thinking. I have no doubt this one will sell out sooner or later and suggest anyone with the means attempt to hop on tickets immediately, lineup or not. If you’re wondering what the awesome song from the trailer is, you might remember we posted that a while back (it’s the Charles Deluxe remix of Revolr’s “The Beat Goes On”) so be sure to add it to your collection. Keep an eye on the website for more details.
But enough of that, let’s get into the regular deal. First up, French prodigy Madeon’s big single “Icarus”, which we’ve all been waiting for for a long time, finally dropped today. It’s more amazing French electro from the youngin’ and is sure to make you groove. Don’t say I didn’t tell you about Keys N Krates as their remix gives the original a real run for the money.
Next, Laidback Luke teamed up with French producers Arno Cost and Norman Doray to produce this new jam. The vocal sample is fun but I kind of expected more out of these three. Still a worthwhile jam for sure. Definitely good to see LBL putting out a steady stream of tunes but I’m still waiting on the next “Timebomb” or “Turbulence”.
Wolfgang Gartner, one of THE BEST ELECTRO PRODUCERS EVER, if you didn’t know, released an interesting remix of LMFAO’s “Sorry for Party Rocking” alongside R3hab this week. Featuring some of his strange yet and heavy electro sounds, it give a much more respectable sound to the song. Also, today Wolfgang received 200K Facebook likes (that’s IT? Are you kidding me??) so he released a bootleg/mashup pack for free on his SoundCloud. Nothing amazing but worth checking out, especially if you’re a DJ.
Finally, a lesser known producer and DJ, Bailey Smalls, released this funky, bassline-driven house track this week for free through his SoundCloud. While his name may not stand in the same vein as the others mentioned here today, this song speaks for itself. No doubt you’ll hear this one working its way into sets this summer.
BONUS: I don’t really feel like this deserved the cut for the top four but you’ll definitely be hearing this one around. Seems like it’s a bit late as this song already got played out hard over the summer but maybe they’re hoping to breathe some life back into it. Whatever, it’s still my ringtone…
Everyone knows that NYE is the biggest night of the year to party. And considering the world is going to end next year, this is the last one we’re gonna have! Or at least we should party like it will be! Promoters and artists alike have taken notice and now epic late-night shows celebrating the tick of the second hand are a dime a dozen. Luckily for you, we’ve done all the legwork of finding THE BEST parties across the countries featuring some of our favorite artists and we hope you’ll be able to join us at one of them.
Colorado’s own producer/DJ Pretty Lights is returning to his home state to celebrate the New Year with the craziest crowd in the US. The last time Derek played in Colorado was this summer at a sold out Red Rocks show where he played for over three hours never willing to let up. This New Year will be no different as he brings in two of electro house’s biggest emerging names in Zedd and Porter Robinson. The shows are already sold out as the fans here are die hard never passing up a chance to see those oh so pretty lights.
Date: Fri/Sat Dec. 30/31, 2011 Time: 8pm – 2am Location: 1st Bank Center, Broomfield, CO Age Restriction: TBA
Official Website [HERE] Purchase Tickets [Sold Out]
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[expand title="Dec. 31: Decadence - Denver, CO"]
From the producer of Global Dance Festival comes the debut New Years celebration in our biggest and most extravagant venue yet. With headliners including Flux Pavilion, Doctor P, Feed Me, Bad Boy Bill, BT, and Dirtyphonics this is going to be the party of the year in Colorado. The last time I was in the Convention Center was for the Great American Beer Festival and I couldn’t get over how massive the venue is. Come to Colorado and ski during the day then party the year away!
Date: Sat Dec. 31, 2011 Time: 7pm – 2am Location: Colorado Convention Center, Denver Age Restriction: TBA
[expand title="Dec. 29-31: SnowGlobe Music Festival - South Lake Tahoe, CA"]
In true ski bum form The SnowGlobe Music Festival has gotten a late start to the game, but with epic powder and the headlining acts one can only wish they were lazy enough to not have NYE plans yet. With major headliners booked for awhile we are all patiently awaiting what kind of support SnowGlobe would be able to pull in. They surely didn’t disaapoint with the likes of Porter Robinson, Dillon Francis, Doctor P, Paper Diamond, Emancipator, and even Robotic Pirate Monkey all on the bill. Even if you aren’t a skier, this is an event not to be missed! First off, Lake Tahoe is world renown for its’ powder skiing, something that Epic Pass holders can take advantage all trip. Second, have you ever seen how the kids of Tahoe throw down, this is gonna be blackout central. And finally the quality of acts already announced rivals that of SnowBall’s inaugural event last March. Judging by the artists prior announced NYE events the lineup should look something like this…
Thursday: Pretty Lights Friday: Bassnectar New Years Eve: The Glitch Mob
Date: Thurs – Sat Dec. 29-31, 2011 Time: TBA Location: Bijou Park, Lake Tahoe Community College Age Restriction: TBA
[expand title="Dec. 30-31: Lights All Night - Dallas, TX"]
So far this seems to be the place to be when the ball drops! Over the course of two nights the Dallas Convention Center will play host to many of the worlds greatest DJ’s as well as many up and comers. The idea of spending NYE at a festival seems so appropriate to us, catching so many great acts and meeting people from all over the world. For about double what you would spend on a one name NYE’s show (ex: Avicii, Pretty Lights, Flux) you get over 20 international know stars playing on two stages all night long! Buy tickets now and spend the upcoming months planning your trip down to Texas!
Date: Fri/Sat Dec. 30/31, 2011 Time: 6pm-2am Location: Dallas TX – Dallas Convention Center Age Restriction: 18+
[expand title="Dec. 31: EverAfter w/ Deadmau5 - New York, NY"]
One the biggest Dj’s in the world is coming to the best city in the world for NYE, New York City! Taking over the massive 64,000 sq ft Pier 36 for a night to remeber. All tickets include a four hour premium open bar tab from 8pm till midnight, which will surely get you ready to celebrate the new years. Opening sets are still in the works, but buy now before it sells out!
[expand title="Dec. 31: Avicii @ Pier 94, New York, NY"]
Remember how long it took this event to sell out, something like ten minutes!? Well anyways thought I would include this event for the lucky few attending this gala. I’m sure the crowd will include some of the best looking in all of NYC so I am extremely jealous of missing this one.
[expand title="Dec. 31: Super You & Me w/ Laidback Luke, New York, NY"]
The wealth of talent descending on NYC is as insane as ever with every possible venue being booking by the biggest EDM acts in the world. Pacha NY has deemed Laidback Luke their guy to bring the new year and I couldn’t be happier. Laidback Luke is one of the most dynamic and talented DJ’s around with sets packed full of nonstop bangers. He is a personal favorite of mine and may be my top pick for events in NYC. It doesn’t hurt that Pacha NY is a state of the art venue that has hosted everyone in the game.
Date: Sat, Dec. 31, 2011 Time: 9pm – 4am Location: Pacha, New York City Age Restriction: 21+
[expand title="Dec 31: New Years Eve Ball w/ Nero @ Webster Hall, New York, NY"]
I had the privilege to attend this event last year when Webster Hall played host to the Bloody Beetroots and had an absolutely stellar time. Webster Hall, easily one of my favorite venues of all time, has a night-long party featuring party favors, champagne, and a 6-hour premium top shelf bar (yes, that means Patrón and Hennessy) with the silver ticket for only $150. This and the fact that Nero will be throwing down the late night set makes this a must stop for your night. Drinks will be pouring till 6 I believe as is custom on NYE in NYC so if you already have plans for when the ball drops, you can still show up for the late-night show and keep the party going well into the daytime.
Date: Sat, Dec. 31, 2011 Time: 8:00PM – 6:00AM Location: Webster Hall, New York, NY Age Restriction: 21+
[expand title="Dec. 30/31: The Rusko Run - Chicago, Il"]
The man who brought dubstep to the mainstage of America is posting up in Chi-town to help bring in the New Year with friends Switch and Sinden. With two chances to catch the high flying circus act that is Rusko, Chicago residents have no excuse not to party like never before. I can only image how wild this guy must get for New Years, I can only speculate how many drinks and drugs I would have attending this shit show.
Date: Fri/Sat, Dec. 30/31, 2011 Time: 8:00 – 2:00 Location: Congress Theater, Chicago Age Restriction: 17+
From the hugely successful promoters who brought you FreakNight (Tiesto, Dada Life, Feed Me) are back at it with Seattle’s largest dance party. Already moving its’ location to a larger venue in the WaMu Theater, USC Eventshas brought in Insomniac Events to make sure this night is epic. The first headliner has been announce and it is the UK powerhouse duo… NERO!
If there was anytime to ever be in Wisconsin, it is now (well actually NYE)! Skrillex along with his two good friends (and insanely talented producers) are headling a six room, three floor massive!With over 50 DJ’s on tap, the music will keep you dancing almost til the sun comes up so be sure and grab tickets soon because wherever Skrillex plays, the venue will sell out.
Date: Sat, Dec. 31, 2011 Time: 8pm – 4am Location: The Rave, Milwaukee, Wi Age Restriction: All Ages
After Insomniac broke away from Go Ventures on their annual New Years Eve event their was speculation that the biggest and most notorious NYE event may be cancelled. Well as you can see by the line up that didn’t happen! In fact this years’ lineup may be the best yet with something for everyone and Diplo for everyone!
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[expand title="Dec 31-Jan 1: Insomniac Presents White Wonderland NYE - Anaheim, CA"]
Insomniac, the hands-down kings of throwing parties in and around LA, have just announced their NYE massive and have filled in all the gaps. Headliners announced so far are Kaskade and Steve Angello, complemented by Benny Benassi, Paul Van Dyk, Dada Life, AN21 & Max Vangelli and Thomas Gold. Holy shit what a lineup… and they haven’t even finished yet. Stay tuned for more updates on this ridiculous party.
Date: Sat, Dec. 31, 2011 and Sun, Jan 1, 2012 Time: 7PM Location: Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA Age Restriction: 21+
Some of the youngest and biggest starts on the planet are gathering i nSan Diego to help you bring in the new year including teenage phenoms Porter Robinson and Madeon. The craziest part of this event is the ticket price…. $55! Yea, I know it is fucking cheap with VIP tickets starting at $150.
South Beach’s coolest hotel is playing host to Axwell and Deadmau5 this NYE and if you’re anywhere nearby, you should sign up immediately. The price tag of $325 might seem like a lot for general admission but after imbibing from the 3 hour premium open bar, you won’t remember how much you spent on such a killer evening. Axwell performs on NYE and, should you want to keep the party going, Deadmau5 will be throwing down New Years Day for an additional $125. This is sure to be full with some of the most beautiful people imaginable and the winter heat will be setting the mood. Plus, who wouldn’t want to be poolside for the biggest party night of the year?
Date: Sat, Dec. 31, 2011 and Sun, Jan 1, 2012 Time: 7PM-2AM Location: Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach, FL Age Restriction: 21+
Both DJs will be warming up party goers in New York City the night before and will be flying straight down south to bring in 2012. Afrojack brings Bobby Burns and his Jacked party while Alesso will make all of South Florida raise their heads.
There is no doubt this will be a celebration to remember, both superstars are favorites of ours. If you get a chance, hit up both parties, but only few can afford a cabana at every club in South Beach!
How about starting the New Year with a good ‘ol fashion rave! Montreal has lined up the ultimate after party for New Year’s Eve party goers. With Avicii and Axwell playing the main stage starting around midnight and Dash Berlin and Garth Emery taking over the decks starting at 5AM! This party goes until 10AM on Monday, who’s gonna sack up and head north?
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Are we missing any? Let us know and we’ll add it to the list.
