Latest news with #Insomniac
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
7 Things We Learned From Talking to EDC Las Vegas 2025 Performers
Every year, over half a million music fans flock to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three nights to dance under neon lights to tunes spanning almost every imaginable dance music subgenre. While Electric Daisy Carnival just wrapped its 29th year, it somehow still finds ways to reinvent itself and grow — not just grow in crowd size, but in cultural and physical reach. Just before opening the gates to the festival on May 16, the event's producer Insomniac invited select guests to Hotel EDC at the Virgin Hotel to celebrate their latest international expansion. Partygoers celebrated with Gorgon City to highlight Insomniac's next international destination, Medellín, where EDC Colombia will launch in October 2026. More from Billboard Roger Nichols, Grammy-Nominated Co-Writer of 'We've Only Just Begun,' Dies at 84 Julión Álvarez Postpones Stadium Show in Texas After Not Being Able to Enter the U.S. Jamie Foxx Shuts Down Conspiracy Theory That Diddy Tried to Kill Him Inside the festival, we saw more representation on the lineup via the Ubutu stage, which created a dedicated space for Afro-house for the first time in the festival's 29-year run. This year the fest also added a dinner theater activation where guests were treated to a cocktail hour with an acrobatic showcase, followed by dinner featuring a dance troupe and ending with dessert and live singing. With the festival approaching its 30th year, Billboard spoke to a handful of DJs, from legendary headliners to this year's first-timers, to hear from their perspective on how EDC continues to grow and how they personally make each year better than the last. Here are seven takeaways from their words of wisdom. Tiësto is without a doubt one of the biggest names in dance music. He's played EDC every year since the festival moved from California to Las Vegas in 2011. You would think he's turned every possible stone the fest has to offer, but this year, the legend was excited to play Circuit Grounds, a fan-favorite stage, for the first time. Circuit Grounds offers more screens to visually bring the audience into new and unexpected tracks like Tiësto's upcoming collaboration with Sexyy Red on the F1 soundtrack, 'OMG!' Backstage the artist rhetorically asked us 'Who would have thought Tiësto would have collabed with Sexyy Red?… No one. Absolutely no one. And it's an amazing track.' Also bringing the unexpected this year was EDM titan Kaskade. He brought his b2b act with Alison Wonderland to the Cosmic Meadow stage after the artists debuted as a duo at EDC Orlando last year. This time around, they expanded their sound to include some of Wonderland's signature trap tunes. 'For me, it's just about playing stuff we love and trying to figure out that bridge in between,' Kaskade told us. 'We've only played a handful of shows so we're still discovering that as we play out more together.' When you've played EDC for as long as Tiësto and Kaskade, who's performed at the festival for two decades, you have to continue making changes to your solo sets. Tiësto reserved a special set for the mainstage, closing out the three-day festival with a set that saw a return to his trance roots. Rising German producer Marlon Hoffstadt introduced 'The Godfather of Trance' before his In Search of Sunrise Set, named after his legendary 1999 compilation album. Tiësto told us the time was finally right for such a moment, saying 'I reconnected with the sound I started with back in the day, and I feel like it's a full circle moment. When [Insomniac Events founder] Pasquale [Rotella] asked me 'Will you do a sunrise set?' and I thought 'Yeah, the time is right now.'' For Kaskade, his solo set was sprinkled with pieces of his decades-old hits. Many DJs' styles evolve over time, and Kaskade says he still struggles trying to resurface his former fan-favorites but admits, 'People online will like this. There's sometimes when there's somebody hitting me up like 'You haven't played this song in 10 years!' and I'm like 'Oh yeah. That is a good song. I should remember to bring that out.'' So, if you're waiting for more tracks from his 2008 album Strobelite Seduction to make it into his next set, like us, keep posting. The electric sky still shines just as bright, if not brighter, almost 30 years later. Alison Wonderland is still amazed at the impact that EDC has had on her and her friends after playing the festival 10 years later. She reflected on her first time playing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and crying, telling the audience 'I started in my bedroom and now I'm here.' A decade later, she's still humbled by her EDC experience saying that she can't believe she is sharing the stage with Kaskade. But there's nothing that could prevent her from taking the stage at the Electric Daisy Carnival. 'In fact, I actually love EDC so much that at 9 months pregnant I played main stage,' she said of this set that happened in 2023. With over 500,000 people attending the festival every year, it's the perfect opportunity for an artist to not only reach their fans but also expose themselves to a group of people who have potentially never heard their sound. Just ask Ben Nicky. We caught up with the British producer 10 minutes after his first set at Kinetic Field on Saturday night before he made his way to Neon Garden for a b2b set with Maddix. Walking into his trailer, he was already on his computer working on a track because he's aware of how every set offers its own opportunities. 'I'm like a DJ's DJ,' he said. 'I'm always changing something. Mainstage you've got your big fanbase there, but you've got another fifty to sixty thousand people who might not know you or be more into commercial stuff. So, you have to tailor and play more well-known vocals. Whereas in the trance tent, I can get away with more dark and underground stuff.' Ben meticulously tweaks every element to fit the crowd he's trying to appeal to, and the crowd at EDC is some of the most knowledgeable when it comes to dance music. Brazilian star Alok told Billboard that means you can't phone it in. 'I feel like people here each year are more and more educated,' he said, 'so, it's not easy to please them. So you really have to bring stuff that makes sense and not obvious.' He knows a thing or two about keeping an audience on their toes. He just had a buzzed-about Coachella performance, for which he hired dancers with two-tone arms to create eye-catching live visuals. While some DJs meticulously plan their sets, others prefer to 'just rip it' in the words of Tape B. He started playing EDC in Orlando while doing his undergrad in Florida. Now that he's worked his way up to EDC Las Vegas, he attended a programming meeting for the first time ahead of his solo set on Friday. When it came to his joint set with dubstep super DJ, Crankdat, they planned to start their set with their unreleased collab but keep it loose otherwise. He told Billboard about the planning that went into the set saying, 'Met up with Crankdat. Worked on our back-to-back for a little bit. Got songs kinda together. We're mainly freestyling it tonight. So, it's going to be very interesting, but very fun.' One of the most exciting aspects of attending EDC Las Vegas is the massive amount of unreleased music you'll hear. REZZ said she was most excited to give fans a taste of what direction she's taking her project next. 'I'm super excited for this year. I'm playing like, seven new songs, more than half of which I've never played before.' Check TikTok to see fans' live reactions to some of this new music. It's become customary for DJs to head to Las Vegas with a ton of unreleased music. Riot Ten used it as a chance to treat his most dedicated fans to an early listen of his new album, Requiem For a Riot, before it drops in a week. Other artists may opt to test out some tracks they're workshopping to see how the crowd reacts, like DJ Snake who played his upcoming song 'Paradise' for the audience at AYU dayclub, not once, but twice, to make sure it went off every time. With this year's addition of the Ubutu stage, Afro-house had a major presence at the festival for the first time. Francis Mercier noted that EDC is 'the home to different types of music from hip-hop to dubstep to house to now Afro house. It's a place where you can hear all different types of music.' This new stage opened the door for artists like Karaba, who hails from Montreal, Canada, to play a stage at EDC Las Vegas for the first time. Making the most of these opportunities is key, according to Morten. His first time playing the fest was in 2016 when he thought no one would see him spinning at one of the art cars. When he took the stage he was surprised by the energy. 'It doesn't matter what stage you're at, the party and the crowd is incredible.' Since then, he's played solo sets, b2b with David Guetta and this year played Kinetic Field with Artbat. If you really want to see how quickly you can ascend to greatness, you just have to look at Cloonee's trajectory. He admitted that EDC wasn't really a festival you thought about as someone who grew up in England. After living in the States for a few months, he found himself nervously playing the Stereo Bloom festival back in 2022. This year he played Circuit Grounds right after Tiësto,z who said he wasn't going to play Cloonee's hit song 'Stephanie' with InntRaw and Young M.A because it would be this year's most played song and you don't play the most played song before its creator takes the stage. Meanwhile, the advice Cloonee would give himself before playing Stereo Bloom in 2022 is, 'Calm down because you've got bigger ones to do.' Catch more of Billboard's EDC Las Vegas coverage on Billboard's Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Channels. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Gearbox's Randy Pitchford Responds To ‘Borderlands 4' Price Debacle
Borderlands 4 Gearbox Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford went extremely viral yesterday after a week-old tweet was passed around responding to a fan comment about a potential $80 price for Borderlands 4: 'A) Not my call. B) If you're a real fan, you'll find a way to make it happen. My local game store had Starflight for Sega Genesis for $80 in 1991 when I was just out of high school working minimum wage at an ice cream parlor in Pismo Beach and I found a way to make it happen.' The tweet inspired hundreds if not thousands of takes about its tone-deafness, plus gaming outlet coverage far and wide. It comes at a time when consumer spending power is dropping and prices are going up, and telling people if they're a 'real fan' they can make an $80 price work did not go over well, to say the least. Many fans said the tweet had derailed promotion for the game out in four months, others said they wouldn't play at all now. I find this at least…somewhat dramatic, and I have my doubts a tweet is going to significantly affect Bordlerands 4 sales this fall. But that price might. Today, Pitchford addressed the tweet by posting an older clip where he was asked about a potential price. It's a much more nuanced take on the issue, though it certainly seems to indicate that $80 is in the cards. Though this time, he says things like how he wants to create a value that fans will be happy with at any price, and addresses the plain fact that the production cost of Borderlands 4 is double that of Borderlands 3. I am no stranger to off-putting tweets from Pitchford as I've had some dust-ups myself. But a poorly-put tweet does in fact represent a larger reality (as explained in this video) about ballooning video game costs, which is true. I remember when it was revealed that Insomniac's Spider-Man 2 had triple the budget of the first game despite using a barely larger version of the same city and a second hero that had already been created for a spin-off. This is certainly not to say that $80 is the right call. Consumer only just got used to the $70 increase from $60 a few years ago, and now this leap to $80, spearheaded by Nintendo and its Mario Kart World pricing, is irritating and exhausting when 4-5 games will now be the cost of an entire console by themselves. This is what's going to happen, however. The dam has broken. In a year and a half at most, you are going to see practically all AAA games priced at $80. There is fan theorizing about Borderlands 4 publisher Take Two trying to push that even further for the release of GTA 6, the biggest game of all time, seeing if they could get to $100 or more. However, this leaves room for smaller games and smaller studios to shine. The highest rated games of the year are $50 or under, including GOTY frontrunner Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 along with Blue Prince and Split/Fiction. So that's an opportunity there. It's a bad tweet. It also reflects an unfortunate reality that's coming no matter what. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Philly Rapper LGP Qua Dead At 30 Following Fatal Mother's Day Shooting
Philadelphia rapper LGP Qua was murdered on Sunday (May 11) after being gunned down on Mother's Day in what has been described as a botched armed robbery. According to reports, Qua, born Qidere Johnson, was shot in the chest shortly before 4:40 p.m. while in Philly's Juniata Park neighborhood. Johnson was transported via private vehicle to Temple University Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after. Johnson was 30 years old at the time of his death. No suspects have been arrested in connection to Johnson's murder at this time. A $20,000 reward is being offered by Philadelphia police for information leading to an arrest and conviction. After news of Johnson's death spread, a social media account created by his family made a post confirming the rapper's death while paying tribute to his life and legacy, both as a rapper and a beacon of positivity in Philly's Hip-Hop community. 'Rest In Peace to Qidere 'LGP Qua' Johnson. A kid with a dream that turned to a man with a vision,' the post, which included a photo of Johnson along with clips of him rapping, read. 'He had dreams of bettering his community using rap to influence the mind sets of the youth. So young, so much talent. Qidere was known to his friends and family as someone who would ride til the wheels would fall off.' The post also acknowledged Johnson not allowing his own 'struggles' as an inner-city youth to negatively impact his outlook on life or the message he wanted to spread in his hometown and beyond. 'Qidere deserved to grow old,' the post continued. 'In neighborhoods and systems that deemed us less Qidere wanted the youth in Philadelphia to know it was more for them to achieve. Qidere felt like if he could beat the odds any of these kids could.' There has been speculation online that Johnson was targeted for his expensive jewelry, which he could often be seen wearing in photos and video clips in recent years. However, no possible motives have been officially released or confirmed by police According to CBS, Qua began rapping after serving an 18-month stint in prison, purportedly on a weapons charge, first making waves in 2017 after his song voicing support for Meek Mill amid the Philly rap star's legal troubles went viral. This buzz would lead to a collaboration with Black Eyed Peas member titled 'Insomniac' the following year. LGP Qua's last officially released single, 'Earned' featuring DJ Drama and Tory Lanez, was released in 2023 through French Montana's Coke Boys Records. Hip-Hop stars such as Meek Mill, Swizz Beatz, Kid Capri, and Dee-1 have paid tribute to Johnson online amid news of his death. See the tribute post to LGP Quan below. More from Ice Cube Acknowledges Late 'Friday' Stars As Franchise Moves Forward Meek Mill Reacts To Kidnapping, Ransom Allegations By Rolling 60s Crips Member Meek Mill Was Allegedly Kidnapped, Held For Ransom By Rolling 60s Crips Gang
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Tomorrowland Returns To US At Las Vegas Sphere With Insomniac
UNITY, a project by Tomorrowland and Insomniac is coming to Las Vegas' Sphere arena this August. Tomorrowland x Insomniac Known for immersive, large-scale design, the top music festival creators in the United States and Europe are coming together to unveil their latest collaboration. Bridging innovation, experience and state of the art technology, the Belgian Tomorrowland and American-based Insomniac invite you to experience "UNITY," debuting in Las Vegas in August 2025. Taking place at the city's iconic Sphere arena, the festival is set to reach new heights in dance music. 'We are incredibly excited and honored to bring Tomorrowland back to North America. Over the years, we've welcomed countless festivalgoers from the U.S. at our events in Europe, whether it was Tomorrowland Winter in France, Tomorrowland Belgium, or our residency at Ushuaïa Ibiza. Now, to create something truly special at the iconic Sphere together with Insomniac is a dream come true. Insomniac is not just a trusted and experienced partner but also a company that shares the same passion for electronic music and immersive storytelling. With Las Vegas as its home base and a history of delivering unparalleled festival experiences, this partnership is the perfect match to bring something extraordinary to life' says Debby Wilmsen, Communications Lead at We Are One World, producer of Tomorrowland. Insomniac is not just a trusted and experienced partner but also a company that shares the same passion for electronic music and immersive storytelling. With Las Vegas as its home base and a history of delivering unparalleled festival experiences, this partnership is the perfect match to bring something extraordinary to life' says Debby Wilmsen, Communications Lead at We Are One World, producer of Tomorrowland. Held in Belgium since 2005, Tomorrowland is a renowned festival that has an irreplaceable role in electronic dance music lore. Dedicated to diversity and unity, the festival attracts fans from over 200 countries, bringing the international community together over the span of two weekends. Having hosted what is now the world's largest dance music festival since 1997, Insomniac continues to stage unforgettable experiences around the world. Blending performance, pyrotechnics and incredible soundscapes, the Los Angeles- based company is focused on customer satisfaction and top-notch quality when it comes to its highly coordinated events. Both companies are known for creating realms that transport concertgoers to another world thanks to sensory innovation- this event will blend the boundaries between both companies' unique aesthetics. Tomorrowland and Insomniac come together, Unity at the Las Vegas Sphere this summer. Tomorrowland x Insomniac UNITY is built around a pulsing soundtrack that references history while introducing new approaches to dance music. The show is set to welcome surprise guest DJ's and merge Insomniac and Tomorrowland-esque worlds into one. The focus is on universality, timelessness, and, ultimately full sensory immersion. The experience will transcend dimensions and expectations, transitioning effortlessly between audioscapes and visual surprises. The show is a collaboration through and through, incorporating signature elements of both mega-creators to create something new. The Sphere's wrap-around high-resolution interior sets the stage, with the added benefit of one of the most advanced audio systems in the world. Wilmsen adds, 'Having the opportunity to translate our storytelling into the immersive world of Sphere, a venue built to redefine how stories are told, is an incredible milestone. We can't wait to embark on this journey and to unite in a venue where music, technology, magic and creativity come together at the highest level.' Officially organized by Vibee, UNITY's VIP Concert & Hotel Experience Package includes choice of GA or premium reserved seating, a two-night stay at a choice of two iconic Vegas hotels and a collectible laminate and lanyard. Additional VIP package benefits include luxury airport transport, expedited entry, complimentary club access and concierge services. Don't miss your UNITY presale tickets, which are available beginning Sunday, March 31 at 10 a.m. PT (the general on-sale begins April 7). For more information, visit You can follow UNITY on Instagram, X, and TikTok to stay updated on event details. Guaranteed to go down in music festival history, this Insomniac- Tomorrowland collaboration reaches a new step in electronic dance music programming. Be sure to sign up here for ticket access and more concert updates.
Associated Press
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Legendary US Rock Band Green Day Kick Off Asian Tour at Galaxy Arena, Making Their First Performance in China After a 15-Year Hiatus and Igniting an Unforgettable Night of Rock'n Roll
MACAU SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 February 2025 - One of the world's most influential rock bands, Green Day officially launched their Asian tour on February 9 at Macau's largest indoor entertainment venue, Galaxy Arena. Amid crashing waves of sound and thunderous applause, Green Day opened the night with their explosive track The American Dream Is Killing Me, sparking an electrifying atmosphere and igniting the fervor of around 10,000 rock fans in attendance. After a hiatus of 15 years, Green Day's first performance in China thrilled fans from Hong Kong, Macau, and the entire Asia-Pacific region as music lovers gathered to pay tribute to the spirit of rock. One of the world's most influential rock bands, Green Day officially launched their Asian tour on February 9 at Galaxy Arena. Green Day, which consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool, are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their classic album Dookie and the 20th anniversary of the iconic American Idiot, and the band enthusiastically performed a selection of tracks from both of these landmark albums, along with songs from Insomniac (1995), Nimrod (1997), Warning (2000), 21st Century Breakdown (2009), and their latest album, Saviors (2024), taking fans on a nostalgic musical journey of epic proportions. The lead vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe's unmistakable vocals reverberated throughout the arena. One of the most special points of the night came early on, during the band's performance of their 1994 hit Basket Case, when the entire audience sang along in unison, creating a powerful collective moment that those present will never forget. Similarly, as Green Day launched into American Idiot, with its tight guitar riffs and pounding drums, the fans bobbed and waved in sync with the rhythm, transforming the venue into a pulsating sea of movement and euphoria as Billie Joe's unmistakable vocals reverberated throughout the arena. The rendition of Boulevard of Broken Dreams was particularly moving, the bittersweet anthem's soaring melody and poignant lyrics clearly striking a chord with the mesmerized crowd. The band also delighted fans with other tracks from American Idiot, including Wake Me Up When September Ends, the emotionally charged Holiday. During this musical feast, Green Day passionately performed nearly thirty classic songs, highlighting the power of music as not just entertainment, but as a profound reflection on today's world. Green Day captivated fans with their passion and talent, allowing everyone to experience the authenticity and power of music. As well as being a globally renowned punk rock band, Green Day is also one of the best-selling music acts in history, with approximately 75 million albums sold worldwide and over 10 billion streams on various digital platforms—a testament to their extraordinary influence. The band has also received 23 Grammy nominations and won five Grammy Awards, as well as multiple Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and Brit Awards. Green Day were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, underlining their status as one of the most important bands in the history of music. The Macau show marked Green Day's first stop in the Asia-Pacific region on The Saviors Tour, and the event thrilled local music lovers and visiting fans from neighboring regions alike. The Macau show marked Green Day's first stop in the Asia-Pacific region on The Saviors Tour, and the event thrilled local music lovers and visiting fans from neighboring regions alike. For Green Day, every aspect of the performance, from the setlist to the venue choice, represented their uncompromising pursuit and expression of their authentic musical essence. The state-of-the-art sound system and unobstructed sightlines of Galaxy Arena provided the audience with an unparalleled 360-degree audiovisual experience, while the venue's high-definition technology amplified the intensity of the show, ensuring every corner of the arena was filled with the band's electrifying performance. Music critics noted that Green Day's performance at Galaxy Arena signified a pivotal moment for the resurgence of rock music in Asia, marking a rare and extraordinary occasion. The opening show in Macau was not just a musical celebration, but a tribute to the spirit of rock, adding another brilliant chapter to Macau's development as a 'City of Performing Arts' and a 'City of Mega Events'.Hashtag: #GalaxyMacau The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ABOUT GALAXY MACAU INTEGRATED RESORT Galaxy Macau™, The World-class Luxury Integrated Resort delivers the 'Most Spectacular Entertainment and Leisure Destination in the World'. Developed at an investment of HK$43 billion, the property covers 1.1 million-square-meter of unique entertainment and leisure attractions that are unlike anything else in Macau. Eight award-winning world-class luxury hotels provide close to 5,000 rooms, suites and villas. They include Banyan Tree Macau, Galaxy Hotel™, Hotel Okura Macau, JW Marriott Hotel Macau, The Ritz-Carlton, Macau, Broadway Hotel, Raffles at Galaxy Macau, Andaz Macau. Unique to Galaxy Macau, the 75,000-square-meter Grand Resort Deck features the world's longest Skytop Adventure Rapids at 575-meters, the largest Skytop Wave Pool with waves up to 1.5-meters high and 150-meters pristine white sand beach. Two five-star spas from Banyan Tree Spa Macau and The Ritz- Carlton Spa, Macau help guests relax and rejuvenate. As the dining destination in Asia, Galaxy Macau offers a wide variety of gastronomic delights, exquisite experiences and ingredients of the finest quality with over 120 dining options from Michelin dining to authentic delicacies. Embark on a delightful and rewarding journey at Galaxy Promenade, the one-stop shopping destination boasting some of the world's most iconic luxury brands. Be the first to get the latest limited-edition items; explore fascinating pop-ups by coveted labels and revel in fabulous shopping rewards and privileges. Our VIPs are entitled to a highly-curated experience with dedicated personal shoppers at guests' service, and be invited to exclusive luxury brand events. A different caliber of privileges and rewards also await. Discover the joys of fashion and stand at the forefront of style and sophistication—Galaxy Promenade has everything guests need to stay ahead of the style game. Galaxy Cinemas takes immersive movie experiences to the next level with the latest audio-visual technology, ultra-luxurious facilities and bespoke services; CHINA ROUGE, one-of-a-kind deluxe lounge that evokes the glitz and glamor of Shanghai's golden era with entertainment in luxury and style; and Foot Hub presents the traditional art of reflexology to make you feel more relaxed and revitalized. For Authentic Macau Flavors & Vibrant Asian Experiences, Broadway Macau – just a 90-second walk via a bridge from Galaxy Macau, has over 35 Authentic Macau & Asian Flavors at its Broadway Food Street. The 2,500-seat Broadway Theatre plays host to world-class entertainers and a diverse array of cultural events. Meeting, incentive and banquet groups are also well looked after with a portfolio of unique venues in Galaxy Macau and a professional service staff. Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) is the latest addition to the Group's ever-expanding integrated resort precinct and will usher in a new era for the MICE industry in Macau. GICC is a world- class event venue featuring 40,000-square-meter of total flexible MICE, and a 16,000-seat Galaxy Arena – the largest indoor arena in Macau.
