Burning Man CEO Marian Goodell is calling on the event’s supporters for donations amid a critical “inflection point” for the iconic annual gathering in Black Rock City.
Sharing a candid blog post on the Burning Man Journal this week, Goodell revealed that the 2024 event in the Nevada desert fell millions of dollars short after tickets didn’t sell as planned.
“This $5.7M shortfall, combined with a $3M dip in receipts from main-sale tickets and vehicle passes, means that our year-end charitable donation target has essentially doubled to nearly $20M,” wrote Goodell. “This needs to happen before 2025 ticket sales and our annual revenue cycle begins in January.”
While she cited donations from “dedicated major donors,” Goodell called upon Burning Man’s global community to pitch in on fundraising efforts by contributing $20 per month. “Your steadfast generosity and ongoing donations are needed to help secure the long-term of Burning Man,” she pleads before acknowledging that an increase in ticket pricing next year is an “untenable option” for prospective attendees.
The nonprofit is reportedly instating reductions in staff and vendors as part of a “restructuring” of its operations to stay afloat during its financial hardship. Goodell shared a financial chart with more data.
Crankdat has announced “MFU,” a new touring stage production he’s calling his “biggest crank shows ever.”
With just five words, the dubstep and bass music star encapsulated the production perfectly: “Two big ass middle fingers.” And not just any middle fingers: animatronic ones that “shoot various SFX,” according to Crankdat, who plans to bring them to four cities next year.
He took to social media to share a teaser offering fans a sneak-peak of what the intricate structures will look like. And of course, in true Crankdat fashion, the announcement includes an edited video of the middle fingers smacking down in celebrated locations like Chicago’s Cloud Gate, famously known as the The Bean.
While the “MFU” production is reminiscent of Crankdat’s tongue-in-cheek remix of Taylor Swift’s “Antihero,” titled “STFU,” the shows are likely to feature many of his beloved remixes and originals. He recently released an arsenal of reworks in a new mixtape, REMIX MACHINE VOL. 2.
“MFU” will kick off March 28th in Denver before traveling to Dallas, Chicago and Columbus. While Crankdat’s list of cities is currently limited to just those four, he promised in his post’s fine print that more cities and venues will soon join the tour.
Check out Crankdat’s announcement below. You can find dates and presale tickets here.
Marlon Hoffstadt, fans of whom call “DJ Daddy Trance,” kicked off ADE with his first-ever solo performance at the world’s leading electronic music summit.
His highly anticipated Awakenings event, “Daddycation”—named after his latest EP—took place at Amsterdam’s famed Gashouder. The 360° venue provided us with a fully immersive experience, regardless of our viewpoint.
From the moment Hoffstadt hit the stage, the atmosphere was electric. His devoted fans, affectionately known as his “children,” came out in full force, dancing to every beat and building the energy to a fever pitch. The vibe was so infectious that even the onsite paramedics were singing along, word-for-word, to tracks from Daddycation.
Hoffstadt’s rapid rise has been undeniable, and his sold-out ADE headlining set reinforced his place at the top. The night was an audiovisual spectacle featuring his biggest hits, including the standout track “It’s That Time,” which was one of the most-played songs at Tomorrowland and remixed by heavyweights like FISHER.
Marlon Hoffstadt Drops “It’s That Time” at Awakenings ADE (0:13)
Midway through the performance, Hoffstadt amped up the excitement by stripping off his rugby-lined, long-sleeve top to reveal his newly launched line of merchandise. Rocking his bold “Daddy” tank, he kept the energy high and his “children’s” spirits lifted. Vibrant Hoffstadt-themed visuals echoing his brand lit up the screens throughout the venue.
Adding to the night’s magic, Hoffstadt welcomed several close friends and fan-favorites to join him onstage, like Malugi, who recently joined him for a scintillating b2b Boiler Room set in London. Their palpable chemistry peaked during their euphoric “Work Bitch” remix, sending the crowd into a frenzy as the they embraced one another.
Hoffstadt has undoubtedly cast a trance over his fans, and if his solo ADE debut is any indication, the “Daddy” era is just getting started. Check out his Daddycation EP below.
AREA15 is inviting you to “unleash your inner survivor” and leave your sanity at its doors this Halloween.
The beloved Las Vegas campus is mutating into scAREA15 for a unique event, Strange Circus, which organizers are calling a “post-apocalyptic carnival” where cyborg contortionists and deranged circus performers stalk through the shadows.
It’s not all frights, of course. Delights will come in the form of a killer lineup led by headliners Whethan, Baby Gravy (Yung Gravy and bbno$) and Connor Price. Attendees can also join the madness by competing in a costume contest, where the line between performer and participant blurs in true AREA15 fashion.
AREA15
AREA15
This Halloween transformation merges electronic and hip-hop beats with the surreal aesthetics of a funhouse gone rogue. Attendees can expect to find themselves lost in a labyrinth where traditional circus tropes have been corrupted by a distinctly dystopian edge—think less ringmaster, more wasteland warrior.
The night promises to be a sensory assault where the freakshow isn’t just center stage—it’s everywhere you turn, curating an immersive experience that’s equal parts exhilarating and unsettling. The all-ages show is set to take over AREA15’s A-Lot, The Portal and The Wall at AREA15 on Saturday, October 26th.
Check out the trailer for “Strange Circus” below and purchase tickets here.
Contact Winter Music Festival is charting the course to its new home base with decorated pilots at the helm. Seven Lions and deadmau5 headline this year’s two-day festival at the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC).
Contact returns to the VCC December 27-28 after debuting at the venue last year. Seven Lions and deadmau5 are set to headline day one and day two, respectively. Notable supporting acts include Eli Brown, James Hype, Netsky, Max Styler, ARMNHMR and BIJOU b2b Nostalgix. Vancouver-based acts Jaemo, Joanna Magik, Seb C and Steph Tsunami round out the Contact crew.
Blueprint and Live Nation continue their new tradition of hosting Contact as a 19+ event. The change from all-ages was first implemented last year after the festival departed from its longtime home of BC Place.
Tickets for this year’s Contact Music Festival go on sale October 29th at 12pm PT. You can purchase tickets here.
Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre recently transported us to the vibrant world of LSZEE, whose jaw-dropping stage production and space-bass soundscapes delivered a debut for the ages.
CloZee and LSDREAM delighted the electronic music community with the release of last month’s debut self-titled album, LSZEE. Then, they sold-out a doubleheader at Red Rocks to showcase their hypnotic, collaborative sound.
Their performance on the first night is now available to watch in-full on YouTube. The set features electrifying tracks from LSZEE as well as a slew of wonky remixes and unreleased heaters.
“Creating this show with [CloZee] and our team has definitely been one of the most epic, rewarding, and inspiring experiences I’ve had,” LSDREAM wrote on social media. “We knew we had to film it and capture this historic moment.”
“This was the most iconic transformational DNA altering experience of my life, one of my greatest achievements,” he added. “It pushed me in ways I had never experienced. Putting on this show was a year long project, and my heart is just exploding about it all!”
In other LSZEE news, the duo made their East Coast debut at Brooklyn Mirage earlier this month, with support from Daily Bread and EDM.com Class of 2023 star A Hundred Drums, among others. On the solo front, CloZee will perform at Suwannee Hulaween this weekend while LSDREAM is poised for a hotly anticipated show at the Caverns in mid-November.
Watch LSZEE’s full performance at Red Rocks below.
A staggering 45,000-plus attendees gathered at London’s Finsbury Park to kick off Michael Bibi‘s “One Life” tour, celebrating the beloved DJ’s return after a six-month battle with cancer.
The momentous event, which became the largest electronic show in the city’s history, is now available to watch in-full on YouTube.
Emotions ran high throughout Bibi’s headlining set, with tear-jerking footage from his experiences in hospital and clips from his childhood playing on-screen. His father also joined him onstage for a riveting guitar performance.
“London. The city I was raised, the place I got my schooling in electronic music & the town I was treated to fight cancer,” Bibi wrote. “July 6th, we danced in celebration of life, the power of never giving up, & showed support to the people that helped save my life. I will never forget that day. I envisioned this show while in my hospital bed & seeing it come to life in front of my eyes is one of the most beautiful things I have ever been a part of.”
Bibi is performing a “very limited number of shows” as he continues his recovery, he told Billboard. The Solid Grooves founder has upcoming dates in Argentina, Brazil and Chile next month.
The 2024 Amsterdam Dance Event wasted no time pulling industry professionals into its orbit, as EDM.com’s exclusive “Insider Access” networking event and “EDM.com & Friends” showcase ushered in a high-energy start to the world’s leading electronic music summit.
Held on Thursday, October 17th at ClinkNoord, the back-to-back events were packed with everything you’d expect from a top-tier gathering of global dance music professionals: networking, demo drops and a steady DJ soundtrack that extended well into the evening hours.
Independent artists seized the rare chance to present their tracks directly to heavy-hitting record labels like Hexagon, Heldeep and Hospital Records. The exchanges buzzed with the excitement of new connections as label reps lent their ears and offered valuable feedback, all in the name of fueling the future of dance music.
Of course, the showcase’s heart-pounding energy was equally driven by a formidable lineup of artists. From a rare b2b set between Lyrah and Paige Lopynski of BONNIE X CLYDE to Rich DietZ closing out the night, the evening was a nonstop exposition of creativity and raw talent that saw over a dozen artists taking the decks.
The action-packed day at Amsterdam’s vibrant ClinkNoord marked the perfect addition to ADE’s five-day celebration of global electronic music culture. With 1,000 events sprawling across nearly 200 locations in the city, the summit annually creates an unmatched global gathering for the industry.
While we await the return of ADE from October 22-26, 2025, check out our photo gallery from this year’s “Insider Access” and “EDM.com & Friends” parties below. All photos by Douglas Ledieu Cervantes for EDM.com.
A massive crane suspended the largest disco ball we’ve ever seen above III Points‘ Mind Melt stage, a radiating beacon that doubled as a testament to the festival’s fearless pursuit to reach new heights.
The event, which celebrated its 11th year on October 18th and 19th, paid homage to Miami’s eclectic arts and cultural scene. Local and international artists alike performed across a slew of genres, like house, funk, techno, hip-hop, bass and more.
III Points 2024 featured 11 diverse stages around the arts district of Miami, all stacked with L-Acoustics speakers that were dialed in to perfection. The crisp sound was the cherry on top of each artist’s performance, fully immersing fans in the audiovisual experience.
Perhaps the musical highlight of the entire weekend was Justice’s hotly anticipated performance. Their live performance featured timeless dance classics and high-energy tracks from their latest album, Hyperdrama, expertly paired with some of the industry’s most cutting-edge stage design. A deluge of lights and lasers danced to take new forms as the duo’s iconic silhouettes grounded the performance.
Another highlight was Jamie xx’s set. He played tracks from his new album, In Waves, including heavy-hitters like “All You Children” and “Waited All Night.” The renowned producer flexed his tastemaker abilities by blending an array of tempos to keep us on our toes while curating an innovative and dance-forward experience.
On Friday night, a rainstorm brewed overhead while Jungle performed their signature soulful blend of funk, electronica and disco. The crowd didn’t let the weather bother them one bit, and dancing in the rain below the disco ball instantly became a core memory.
Other noteworthy performances from III Points included HorsegiirL, Mochakk, PAWSA, Beltran and EDM.com Class of 2024 stars Sara Landry and Of The Trees.
Beyond the music, III Points also delivered a variety of art experiences. Inside the Mana Wynwood warehouse, “Mokiworld” by Mokibaby transported us to another dimension, dripping in chrome, rainbow and retrofuturistic aesthetics.
The warehouse also featured a skating rink, the “Full Moon Motel” housing Red Bull’s Unforseen stage, the III Points Players Club and 444, a special L-Acoustics x Apple Music stage with three exclusive four-hour sets per night.
III Points described 444 as “a dancefloor outside of time and space,” with sets by Seth Troxler, D33 with Danny Daze and Maher Daniel, Yu Su and more. The space acted as a powerful ode to sound culture, with masterfully tuned speakers staged around the room.
“Unlike conventional mixing, which blends audio between left and right channels, L-ISA enables a sound experience where the stereo image is precisely spread around the room; positioned, scaled and moved with infinite flexibility, within a three-dimensional space,” III Points explained about the 444 specs.
Outside, we immersed ourselves in Age of Union’s Black Hole Experience by artist Kelly Nunes and entrepreneur Dax Dasilva, which featured an LED tunnel leading to a black hole projection chamber.
Inside the art piece, Jacques Green’s exclusive track “Ligo” played while the visuals ignited a theme of interconnectedness with the universe. The experiential art piece reminded us that while humans may be small specks in the grand scheme of space, we play a dynamic role in the environment and we must appreciate the delicate dance required to balance our impacts on the world.
All said and done, III Points continues to impress year after year. The festival’s world-class production, lineup and arts offerings left us awestruck. Beneath the glow of the massive disco ball, it was tough not to feel immense gratitude and appreciation for Miami’s diverse cultural scene, which brings people from all walks of life together through the lens of music and art. We felt the city’s pulse throughout the entire weekend at III Points.
Revisit the magic of III Points via the photo gallery below. III Points 2025 Prophet Passes are on sale now.
It’s tough to believe we still may not have seen Sara Landry‘s hardest-hitting sonic experience yet.
The barnstorming EDM.com Class of 2024 breakout has announced a brand-new audiovisual tour concept, “ETERNALISM.”
What exactly awaits fans remains to be seen, but they’re safe to expect a full-blown descent into the blistering beats of the techno enchantress, who is fresh off the release of her debut album Spiritual Driveby. If past is prologue, the live show promises a boundary-breaking experience where the music doesn’t just move you—it consumes you.
Check out the official “ETERNALISM” teaser in all its metaphysical, monochrome glory below.
“ETERNALISM” is set to kick off in late-January 2025 and will melt minds in five European cities: Amsterdam, Lisbon, London, Madrid and Paris. Landry will also tour the show in the United States, she said in a post on X, but has not announced concrete dates or cities at the time of this writing.
Landry is launching a pre-sale Thursday, October 24th at 10am CET. You can check out the list of European dates below and register for early access to tickets here.
