Electric Zoo takes place at the beautiful Randall’s Island Park located along the East River between Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, the island is in the heart of the Big Apple. It includes numerous fields of spaces to dance and wander around, along with beautiful waterfront views. It’s the perfect venue for those whose hearts belong to the city and the rave scene.
Passes are still on sale for those who are deciding to make the event last minute. The festival offers full weekend passes and single-day for ravers who only want to go one day. There are also three-day, single-day, and ferry and shuttle passes still available on the website. Check out the website here for more information.
The event will feature performances from some of the biggest names in dance music today. This lineup caters to multiple genres of EDM and will be a perfect place to discover a new favorite artist. There will be four different stages to dance your heart out to. There’s Mainstage, Hilltop Arena, Riverside, and The Grove. Four beautiful stages with the gorgeous New York City skyline in the background. Sounds like a dream.
There are numerous to get to this event. For those flying in, the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) are the three major airports to fly into. JFK and LaGuardia are easy to fly into if you're staying in Brooklyn or Manhattan. If you're staying in Manhattan, you can also fly into Newark and get into the city in less than an hour. I recommend staying in Midtown if you're new to New York and want to be able to get to the festival easily. It will still be around an hour to the festival, but you'll be staying in a part of the city that has a lot to check out and do—plus it's located pretty centrally.
Randall's Island doesn't have its own MTA station, so you'll have to take the subway up to Harlem or the Bronx and then get a Lyft or Uber or you can just Uber there directly. The 4, 5, and 6 trains will get you really close to the festival, and you can easily hail a ride from anywhere between 116 street and the lower Bronx. If you're not familiar with the NYC subway system, I recommend just taking a rideshare or cab or getting directions from an app like Google Maps.
Electric Zoo has gone above and beyond to make sure that your stay in New York City is as easy as possible. If you need a hotel, you can head over to https://www.savormeditation.com/ to book your hotel room for the weekend. There are multiple hotels still available on the website, so don’t worry. Anywhere in New York City is going to be a good time, so don't worry about booking a hotel as close as you can get to the venue. Enjoy New York!
So, you’ve got everything planned down to transportation and lodging but have no clue what to wear. Don’t worry, savormeditation always has your back. Numerous new arrivals will help you stand out from the crowd and live your best life during the three days. The lightning-speed top, bottoms, and arm sleeves will have you looking your absolute best at the event. There is an outfit for you no matter what your style is. Head over to our website to start shopping for the perfect fit.
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iHR: Tell us a little bit about yourself - how did you come up with your stage name, Matroda? Who IS Matroda? Walk us through a day in the life - morning routines or daily rituals, the music you listen to outside of EDM or house, what song do you have on repeat right now?!
Matroda: Well, first of all, if I start with WHO is Matroda; He is just a simple guy coming from Croatia whose passion for house music developed in early teenage years and who has been following his dreams 'till now and still going on. Of course it’s been developing 'till now and it won’t stop, I can promise. Stage name Matroda is a combination of my real name MATija RODic
My daily routine is very simple: I wake up, I eat, and I go to the studio where I spend most of the day (if I’m not on tour). Regarding music; I listen to everything, from rock, punk to hip hop. I believe there are so many good tracks coming in lately so it’s hard to pick my fav one.
iHR: 2022 has been a huge year for you! From playing another massive set at EDC Las Vegas & dropping your collaboration with Wax Motif ‘La Candela’ to going B2B with Bleu Clair and playing multiple music festivals throughout the U.S. What would you say have been some of your personal highlights from this year so far?
M: Every show I do is a highlight for me and has a special spot in my career, for sure. I just want to enjoy myself and have a good time. I always do my best [whether I am] playing EDC or some small underground venue. My personal highlight is definitely meeting so many new people all around the world.
iHR: Speaking of B2B’s – who would you say are your favorite artists to go B2B with? And what is your dream B2B set/where?
M: I always enjoy playing B2B with my friends. My favorite artist to go b2b with would definitely be Carl Cox.
iHR: Have you ever had any fanboy moments? Who are some artists you really look up to or admire?
M: Hans Zimmer, Rick Rubin, Pharell Williams to name a few..
iHR: Who or what inspired you to start producing? Are there any early influences or moments that really defined your decision to pursue music? I noticed you are quite the pianist – did you decide at a very early age that music is what you wanted to do and were you always supported in that decision?
M: It was actually my dad with his rock vinyl collection. That’s how I started to listen to and discover music, but it was my elder brother who introduced me to electronic music. Fun times back in the days :) I don’t see myself as a pianist. i’m far from that but I do like it and have fun playing piano.
iHR: Your sound has definitely evolved from when you first dropped ‘Some Strange Voices’ back in 2013 and songs like Adriatic Step back in 2014. Tell me about how your sound has evolved over the years and how you eventually molded your signature Matrodasound?
M: It’s a process. I always try to create something new and unique. My sound changed, or I should say evolved, and will most probably continue to do that going forward.
iHR: Your passion and hard work speak volumes, and it’s been amazing to see how you pour your passion into your music and also the creation and curation of your very own label: Terminal Underground! Tell us a little more about how it all began, some of your favorite milestones, and your plans for the label in the future.
M: I just wanted to have a platform where I can present dope music from myself and other up & coming producers with a fresh sound. I don’t have any huge plans, I just want to offer a good platform and expose new music from new talents/producers. It’s hard to pick one festival as there are too many to name. Maybe we will build our own Terminal Underground festival in the future. :)
iHR: Speaking of music festivals and stages, how does it feel to be playing your FIRST Electric Zoo at Tchami’s Confession Stage? This will also be my first EZOO and this is the stage I'm excited about the most! What can we expect from your set? Will you be curating it based on Confession’s sound? What are you looking forward to the most about EZOO or just being in NY in general?
M: It feels great to be part of EZOO for the very first time. Shoutout to Tchami for having me on his stage. You can expect lots of new music. I always try to present matrodasound so you will have a lot of Matroda’s music. I love NYC and the energy. I'm looking forward to discovering some new dope food places.
iHR: Do you ever hang out and enjoy the music festivals you play? Or do you typically go in and out of festivals? If you do, what has been your favorite festival you’ve ever attended and why?
M: I do try to hang out and enjoy with people, and I really love checking other acts/artists performing but there are times when my schedule is so tight I cannot afford to go to bed late.
It’s hard to pin out my fav festival as there are so many great ones. I’m really looking forward to the EZOO experience. I don’t get nervous, being completely honest.
iHR: On a smaller scale, what are some of your favorite venues you’ve ever played? Any on your bucket list still? I know a lot of people are DYING to see you play the Brooklyn Mirage!
M: I'm a big fan of small/dark underground venues. Doing Brooklyn Mirage is def on my to do list. I would love to do a show at Red Rocks in Denver too.
iHR: I would be remiss if I didn’t ask you about YOUR DRIP. How would you describe your style? Do you design your own merch? And do you think you’ll ever dabble more in the fashion world?
I do like fashion and enjoy bringing that to my fans. My merchandise is represented by me and my creative designing team who are evolving my style and ideas all the time. With each tour I’m trying to show something new, fresh, something unique people might actually like to wear every day. We are always combining street fashion with elegance and a spark of Matroda. New merch is coming out this September 👀
You heard it here first! We’re looking forward to seeing (and wearing) the new collection and all the amazing things you have in store for the future of Matroda!
Catch him at Electric Zoo’s brand new stage—The Landing— alongside Tchami, Capozzi, BIJOU & the rest of the Confession crew on Day 1 or for his North American Jack The House tour this Fall/Winter!
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Ravers certainly took to the theme and the fashion spoke to not just the theme but to the city, the summer and the trends we’re seeing at festivals all over the country with an overall re colorful flair with all types of patterns and textures dominating and decorating each outfit.
The weekend brought with it a lot of sun and heat, and most were dressed in shorts, skirts, and super light clothing in order to not melt away with the last of an otherwise majestic New York Summer. Many brought along fans, sunglasses & bucket hats to beat the heat and as statement pieces for their already masterfully put together ensembles, which is not surprising for one of the fashion capitals of the world – raves are certainly no different.
Although it truly is all about the music, it’s always so fascinating to see how the fashion speaks to the times throughout history, from Woodstock in ‘69 to the way we transition through trends nowadays, all fashion ties into the overarching culture in the EDM world today, which is heavily influenced by the music, by the movements in different cities, by dances and dialects.
Here are some of the looks we saw at Electric Zoo 3.0 this weekend! Can you spot IHR? Wore IHR? Make sure to tag us @iheartaves to get featured!
savormeditation: Thank you for your time, CAPOZZI! First of all - you are an absolute legend. I’d love to start from the beginning! Tell us about your upbringing in the bay area and how that shaped your career as a musician! Who were your early influences, and when did you decide that music would be it for you?
CAPOZZI: The Bay Area has a huge independent music scene that was big in my upbringing. Both my mother and father have different taste in music and I feel like that also helped shape me. My father was a drummer and my mother had signed me up for piano lessons as a child. So music has always been very important in my houseHold. A lot of my friends growing up also worked in music and either had their own make shift studios at home or were being experimental with music.
iHR: What made you want to shift gears in your career to EDM & house music? Is there a defining moment in your life that gave birth to the concept of CAPOZZI? Who were some of your biggest influences there as far as sound? And was it easy for you to learn to mix/produce?
C: I decided to start Capozzi in 2018. I had always loved House music and since I had been previously exposed to “make-shift” studios it was pretty easy for me to mix/produce. I’ve been exposed to this since 2015, I’ve been around Dj Snake, Tchami, Malaa, and Mercer throughout the years so I’ve just been exposed to all different genres of electronic music and I just have always had a liking for House music.
iHR: Knowing how much you love fashion, I would love to hear about how you curated/landed on your aesthetic for CAPOZZI. How would you describe CAPOZZI fashion and what are some of your favorite festival fashion trends currently?
C: A lot of my fashion is inspired by my love for the whole word of the Matrix. When you come to my shows I want everyone to feel like they are experiencing that.
iHR: Ok back to the music! You first made a splash in the scene with your release SOS on Tchami’s Confession label, and now you’re going to be playing on the Confession Stage at EZOO! That’s a huge win! Tell us more about your connection with Confession - how did you first get connected with the label and how are you preparing for your FIRST EZOO? What are you looking forward to the most?
C: Tchami is family, I’ve been watching him become a legend before my eyes and seeing that inspired me to want to curate my music to a sound that was not similar but in the same world as confessions. I’m totally prepared. I have always to represent the family on every stage i play. So it’s always exciting when we are all playing in the same place!
iHR: What would you say was the most defining moment in your career as CAPOZZI? What can we expect from CAPOZZI In the future?
C: I think my most career-defining moment was playing the Pink Tent at Hard Fest in 2021. It was 4 pm, and it was ram-packed, and everyone going crazy my set was next level for me. So yeah, I’d definitely say that was it. As for the future… I can’t predict that, but I can assure you I will be coming harder each year, and I plan on getting better with time.
iHR: Listening to your music and knowing there aren’t very many female producers in the scene, I can honestly say I feel so inspired by your sound and just your entire essence! What would you say to the gals out there who want to maybe get into music or work in the music industry in general?
C: I would say if you want to do it just do it but do not feel the need to be everywhere and in everyone’s face. Being picky and choosy with what you do and how you decide to spread your energy is VERY IMPORTANT. Not everything or every opportunity is worth your energy and or what your brand is about.
Very well said! It was amazing to get to know someone with the impressive background and trajectory that CAPOZZI brings on AND off the decks! CAPOZZI is true pioneer in her own realm as a female DJ/producer with a unique look and sound, I'm excited to not only experience a proper Confession set from her at Electric Zoo but to see her evolve and become the fullest expression of who she is!
You can check out CAPOZZI's music on all streaming networks here.
]]>Each year, it seems, the festival takes on a new form and evolves to become better than the year before – as any good festival should. However, unlike other large scale music festivals like EDCLV, which stays pretty consistent with their motif, Electric Zoo has had all sorts of themes starting in 2015 with “TRANSFORMED,” which boasted a much different look and feel than previous lineups while still maintaining the EZOO standard: an absolutely STACKED lineup.
Any veteran EZOO attendee knew that in the early days of Electric Zoo, you could almost always catch Kaskade, Eric Prydz, Skrillex (from Dogs Blood to his Jack Ü days), Above & Beyond, Alesso, Tiesto, Zedd, Deadmau5, Armin Van Buuren & so many more EDM OG’s. They have always stayed relevant with the times while making sure to infuse heavy hitters as well as emerging artists truly breaking through in the scene. It’s masterful, really.
The following year, in 2016, EZOO revealed their next theme: “Wild Island,” a year that introduced stage hosts and hosted a carefully curated stage by Anjunadeep, which at the time was one of the label’s biggest festival stage takeovers to date! From “undercards” like Yotto and Cubicolor who had just signed onto the label, to legends like Lane 8 & a live performance from Way Out West (Bristolian dance music mavericks Jody Wisternoff and Nick Warren), Anjuna really made sure to go deep & give the people what they wanted! Borgore also brought the heat that year with his BUYGORE stage, bringing on bass heavy acts like Getter, GTA, Valentino Khan & even adding Lil Dicky & Juicy J to turn up the vibe. 2016 could not complain!
In 2017 it was EZOO “6th Boro” where they began to tease the lineup by blurring out certain acts, and in 2018 they celebrated their 10 year anniversary with “The Big 10.” Event producers did not hold back that year with star-studded headliners like Marshmello, Martin Garrix, Alesso, Kaskade, Tiesto and Virtual Self and stage takeovers from Deadbeats, Brownies & Lemonade, Hypehouse x Nightbass, All My Friends & more! They also made some environmentally friendly additions to the festival, like partnering with Boxed Water is Better, introducing paper straws and having both Vegan and Vegetarian food options!
EZoo 2019 was “Evolved” and 2020 was “Supernaturals,” but it was canceled due to COVID-19 and rescheduled for Labor Day of 2021. Supernaturals – aside from Wild Island and this year's 3.0 futuristic/crypto motif – was probably my favorite branding/marketing/promo I've ever seen EZOO do.
I really loved how EZoo went above and beyond into otherworldly realms as they revealed different facets of their theme, “calling all cosmic creatures, astral aliens, intergalactic illusionists, supernatural wizards, shamans, witches, and extraterrestrial beings for a once-in-a-lifetime experience on Randalls Island, in the heart of New York City.” Call me biased because I’m a Scorpio born near Halloween, but the mystical motif made so much sense at the time and called for so much creativity on behalf of festival promoters as well as festival attendees!
This year is no different with the amount of creativity poured into the festival, however, Electric Zoo is blasting off into the future with all kinds of upgrades like never before, including their recently announced stage: “The Landing,” replacing and retiring the legendary Hilltop Arena!
These upgrades come as Electric Zoo was recently acquired by NYC’s Avant Gardner, which truly is at the forefront of Manhattan nightlife, owning legendary spaces such as the Brooklyn Mirage and venues like Kings Hall, Great Hall and Lost Circus, some of which will be hosting this year’s EZOO After Parties - a no-brainer of course! So it comes as no surprise that they would go all out this year with next-level stage hosts like Confession, Bite This!, Carl Cox Presents & Odyzey.
There are afterparties you’re not going to want to miss this year, like Martin Garrix at the Brooklyn Mirage, Afrojack at Marquee and, closing out the weekend at one of Brooklyn’s best venues, isSuperior Ingredients. At this event you'll have house & tech house OG: Loco Dice, who will be playing Monday as well as at Carl Cox’s stage on Sunday!
From artists to fashion, to food, sustainability, and especially the art they feature throughout the festival, Electric Zoo continues to bridge gaps and drop jaws as they make strides to expand and revolutionize the music festival game on the East Coast and throughout the world!
Which set are you most excited about? Let us know if the comments and don’t forget to tag us @iheartraves !
]]>Although stage hosts at EZOO isn’t something new, as we’ve seen the likes of Ophelia, Deadbeats, Nightbass and other labels take over entire stages - this year brings an eclectic new mix of artists and sounds that have people really conflicted or really set on where they’re going to be – there is no in between. Personally, I have artists I want to see at all stages so I’m excited for them to release set times, but I know in my heart that I will be at one stage more than any other: Tchami’s Confession Stage.
Still, there is so much worth exploring and I have really loved diving into the artists I don’t know as well by sifting through Spotify playlists. This playlist is by far my favorite! So put on your headphones, kick back and learn more about this year’s Electric Zoo Stage Hosts!
Confession is a label started by one of the founding fathers of Future House himself, French-born DJ and producer: Tchami. Teasing the release of his label with this SoundCloud Minimix titled “What’s To Come,” he showcased 5 of Confession’s upcoming releases which had fans all over salivating and to this day has not stopped releasing straight heaters since. 6 years later, not only has he added an incredible roster to the Confession repertoire, but is now taking entire festival stages, gracing EZOO with some of the biggest names in house, including:
And himself, of course! Catch him closing out the Hilltop Arena alongside his friends to kick off EZOO Day 1!
No stranger to stage takeovers at EZOO and just festival stages and underground shows in general, EZOO welcomes Brownies & Lemonade for yet another year of absolute debauchery. Founded by a few house party music loving friends, the intention behind B&L in the words of Kush is that it “caters to the SoundCloud scene and focuses on a lot of acts that don’t usually get booked.” Although the artists featured on this year’s Brownies & Lemonade stage at are far from “basement DJ’s” and have quite a few festivals under their belts, they are artists who make moves in the underground bass scene with experimental sounds that are far from mainstream. Make sure to check them out on Day 1 at The Grove!
Artists:
Bite This! is a music label started by Sam Vogel, otherwise known as Jauz. Not only did he expand his artistic endeavors from being a DJ/Producer and designing his own line with savormeditation, but he started a label back in 2017, pushing forward and mixing artists playing genres like future bass, dubstep, bass house and trap. His choice of artists for this year’s EZOO x Bite This! Stage takeover come as no surprise then, recruiting some of bass music’s heaviest hitters that will have you gripping that rail and headbanging your heart out at the Hilltop Arena all of Day 2!
Switching over to a more experimental, psychedelic vibe we have the Odyzey stage, curated by Clozee, so we can expect face-melting performances with wobbly tunes and perhaps even some live instrumentals. Clozee, hailing all the way from Toulouse, France, has been described as the “space queen” and has curated some fantastic mini-festivals in interesting places like The Caverns in Tennessee and Cheyenne, WY called Voyage. Her sound has large bass & trap-tribal influences so you know the artists she’s chosen to play her stage at EZOO will bring the noise & the vibes! Catch the Odyzey stage takeover at Riverside on Sunday, day 3!
Carl Cox is another absolute legend who is known for keeping the techno scene alive and THRIVING since the early 80’s! A true pioneer for Acid House and dance music in general, Carl Cox has graced stages all over the world with his infectious energy and passion for the music he creates and commands. You cannot go to a Carl Cox set and not feel the electricity he emits from the DJ booth and the artists he’s bringing with him to EZOO will be no different! Head over to the Hillside Arena on Day 3 to immerse yourself in a techno trance!
Which stages will you be gravitating to the most? Let us know and don’t forget to tag us in your posts/stories with @iheartraves
]]>One of the coolest things about Electric Zoo is that it's neon themed, which means you can get pretty creative when you come up with your outfits for the festival. I love incorporating neon pieces into my looks or even just adding subtle neon touches like neon eyeliner or glitter.
Here are some of my favorite looks for Electric Zoo 2021:
Tops:
It's My World Vinyl Crop Top in Green and Pink
In Charge of Looks Vinyl Underboob Top
Sky Full of Stars PVC Corset Top
Pretty Flirty Reflective Skater Skirt
Recycled Fabric Malibu BB High Cut Bottoms
In Charge of Looks Vinyl Cheeky String Bottoms
I Want U Spandex Keyhole Bodysuit
J. Valentine X savormeditation Glow Up Bodysuit
Nomad Kandi X savormeditation Space Babe Earrings
Nomad Kandi X savormeditation Space Babe Belt
Pastease Reflective Alien Pasties
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I thought this year’s headliners and closing acts were amazing as well; the lineup was so good that there were so many sets that I was able to check out! I also got to explore lots of stages since they had all of the artists spread throughout different stages. Two of the stages were in tents: the All My Friends tent and Hilltop. Both of these tents had amazing vibes and it was great to see so many fans of the artists that hosted those stages. The AMF stage had great house music playing all weekend long and it was crazy to see how many shuffle circles there were outside the tent.
The other side stage was Riverside, which was an open stage but had a really cool production and look to the stage.
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
My favorite part of this stage was day three when Ophelia Records, record label for Seven Lions, did a stage takeover here. I was able to get in my feels at the stage with Said the Sky, Jason Ross, Seven Lions and more. The lineup was absolutely stacked even at this small stage but the crowd was packed, yet lively and fun all day.
And of course, there’s the last stage, which is the main stage! Previously, main stage used to have a huge animal as the base for the stage. With many changes to the festival, this meant that the main stage was getting better and bigger and this year definitely did not disappoint.
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
There were so many screens on this year’s stage, which meant more space for crazy, trippy visuals. On top of that, there were tons of lasers at mainstage that spanned the entire festival grounds at night. One of my favorite set of the weekend was Eric Prydz at the main stage closing day one on Friday. His visuals, combined with the lasers and amazing buildups and drops, gave for an amazing set that blew my mind as well as the entire crowds’.
At Electric Zoo there are lots of art installments and decorations to take photos, even performers walking around as if animals on the loose!
Photo Credit: aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
Another great thing that I enjoyed about this festival was all the lounges that were free to guests such as T-Mobile customers as well as alcohol lounges. These lounges provided nice viewing platforms, freebies, and dope places to lounge around and chill with your friends! It definitely enhanced my festival experience for the weekend and gave me more to explore, which is always a fun part.
Overall, the lineup for Electric Zoo was what captured my interest. I had many favorite sets after a weekend at the Zoo. Some of my favorite acts included the Pryda set at the Pryda Arena, Dog Blood who closed out the weekend, Above & Beyond, Joris Voorn, and so many more. I was jumping from stage to stage all weekend and there were so many different styles of EDM that I got to see.
And even after the festival ended, there were tons of afterparties with stacked lineups as well all across NYC. Even when the festival stops, the party never stops in the city that never sleeps.
With so many people dressed up animal themed and the whole vibe of the festival like that of a zoo, Electric Zoo feels like one exciting, wild experience! It’s a festival that has the lineup, production, and crowd top-notch. I definitely recommend all ravers take a trip to NYC for Labor Day weekend for Electric Zoo! This is the festival to let your inner party animal out and go wild out in the Zoo!
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Luminous Leopard
Look vibrant in this bright leopard print set! Pair the Leopard Crop Top with the Leopard Biker Shorts and Leopard Print Boots and strap on the Leopard Fanny Pack to look bold in this bright outfit! Top it off with your favorite harness to bring the whole look together.
Ravin’ Rainbow Leopard
Want to look like a more colorful leopard? Throw this outfit on instead! This outfit screams rainbow in every item. Pair the Wild Animal Crop Top with the matching shorts! Complete the look with some Non-slip Rainbow Leg Wraps and stick on some bright, color face jewels and you’ll stand out in a pack of animals. If you want to rock a one piece, wear the Rainbow Leopard One Shoulder Bodysuit instead!
Fiesty Zebra
This outfit has the best of both worlds: colorful animal prints and edgy vibes with the Naughty Harness Top and Diamond Net Stockings! The Zesty Zebra Booty Shorts and Glittery Zebra Pasties are both eye-catching with bright colors and glitter, that contrasts so well with the black pieces. With this outfit, you can look like a unique, exotic rave animal that will stand out in the crowd!
Fierce Cobra
Going for more of an edgier look? Wear this fit to EZoo to stand out in the crowd of animals! The Fishnet Mini Skirt adds a super fierce look when combined with the Qween Cobra Top, that has snakelike print that’ll bring out your wild side! Finish off the look with Black Face Jewels, Black and Silver Leg Wraps, and Faux Leather Choker to bring the animal out of you at EZoo!
Groovy Zebra
If you want to be the star at Electric Zoo, this is the outfit to go for! This entire outfit screams style and will be such an eye-catcher, you definitely won’t camouflage into the crowd! The Zebra Chaps have so much groove, and when combined with the Lace-Up Faux Leather Top, you’re bound to steal the show at EZoo! Don’t forget to top of the look with the Zebra Cowboy Hat and Glittery Choker to complete this wild look!
There are tons of other animal print and inspired products available in savormeditation' Animal Print Collection. You’ll definitely fit right into the Zoo in the bustling city of New York! From snakeskin, to tiger stripes, you’ll definitely be able to channel your inner animal! Or mix and match and create a new, unique animal of your own. Whatever you choose to wear, Electric Zoo is the place to let your spirit run loose. With the crazy stacked lineup this year, insane production, and amazing vibes, this is the festival to let your inner rave animal wild!
Tickets for Electric Zoo are still available here!
]]>Get ready to evolve with this year’s theme which is Electric Zoo: Evolved. This festival has seen some major changes in the past decade with some of the biggest names of EDM making appearances throughout the years. This festival keeps getting bigger and better!
This year features some of the craziest DJ headliners and stage takeovers.
There are so many amazing headliners this year! You definitely don’t want to miss Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buuren, Diplo, Dog Blood, Excision, Kaskade’s sunset set, NGHTMRE b2b Slander. There are so many great supports as well that you need to check out including i_o, Boogie T b2b SQUNTO, Mitis, Riot Ten, Solardo and Yotto. I’d say this year has such a wide array of different styles: you can go from heavy bass and headbanging to shuffling and dancing from stage to stage!
Electric Zoo has upped their game with the stage hosts they have this year. Every year, they bring amazing branded stages to the smaller stages at EZoo, and this year definitely does not disappoint: All My Friends (AMF), Brownies & Lemonade, Gud Vibrations by NGHTMRE and Slander, Ophelia by Seven Lions, and Pryda Arena. I can easily see myself camping at one or all of these stages for the entire weekend! Every one of these stages will feature many different DJs under that label, so it’s a great opportunity to explore similar artists of your favorite label, as well as discover new DJs that you haven’t seen before.
Another one of my favorite aspects of Electric Zoo is the stage designs and production throughout the entire festival. Some of the years the stage was created to be a giant, lit up animal. The first year I went, it was an elephant and seeing the stage light up in sync with the music and drops were some of my favorite moments of EZoo. With this year’s theme of evolution, who knows what they’ll bring to the main stage this year: it might be a completely different mainstage!
One of my favorite aspects of EZoo is also the venue! New York City is such an amazing city with so much life and things to do. Although the highlight of that weekend is always EZoo, I usually plan a few days outside the festival to explore the city. It is super convenient to get to the venue by subway or bus and then you can shuttle across the Robert F. Kennedy bridge right to the venue. Tons of people also walk the bridge, which is my favorite mode of getting to the festival! It’s an amazing walk across the river and there’s always so much excitement and fun when walking with a bunch of other ravers.
There are also tons of decorations and art installations at the festival where you can take some Instagram-able photos! I love how the whole festival has a zoo theme to it. Tons of ravers go all out with their outfits and costumes, but it’s simple to come up with an outfit for this festival; you can never go wrong with animal print. Check out animal print outfits that savormeditation has to offer!
This is a festival you can’t miss! With all of the best DJs, amazing stage production, and great vibes, it is a great festival to end the summer with. Tickets are still available here. You can also check out all the info on their site to get more information about the venue, travel, lineup and more. See you in the Zoo!
]]>Now that it’s been around for over a decade, Electric Zoo is doing some revamping of their image and mission as a whole. The new lineup poster has a sleek and simple look, with the title “Electric Zoo: Evolved”. Their website encourages attendees to “just think about the metamorphosis that a caterpillar undergoes to become an exquisite butterfly”. Thus, is the idea behind Electric Zoo: Evolved. Now that we finally have the lineup, we can start making plans for this incredible weekend. Here are five artists I’m going to be sure to catch, and here’s why you should, too.
]]>Now that it’s been around for over a decade, Electric Zoo is doing some revamping of their image and mission as a whole. The new lineup poster has a sleek and simple look, with the title “Electric Zoo: Evolved”. Their website encourages attendees to “just think about the metamorphosis that a caterpillar undergoes to become an exquisite butterfly”. Thus, is the idea behind Electric Zoo: Evolved.
Now that we finally have the lineup, we can start making plans for this incredible weekend. Here are five artists I’m going to be sure to catch, and here’s why you should, too.
All the way from Arizona, Gerry is traveling to the East Coast to show New York how we do house music out west! Gerry’s single, “Bad Bitches”, was released on Confession in 2016 and earned him a name in the house music world. Since then, Gerry has continued to grind out incredible tracks and collaborate with other incredible artists like Destructo and Bijou. His original track, “Jackmode”, was one of my favorite releases last year. Seeing him on an East Coast lineup was unusual, so I’m excited to see what he brings to the Zoo this August.
I_o is an artist who jumped into the scene and gained a named for himself very quickly. He has done all this while still remaining fairly low profile, which has contributed to the mysterious brand he’s growing. We’ve recently seen him popping up on more and more lineups, including Ultra Miami, EDC Las Vegas, and Paradiso. His dark sound is strikingly ominous and he certainly delivers when it comes to the underground, techno warehouse party vibe. Go check out his tracks “Low” and “Warning” to get a feel for i_o’s unique sound.
Another artist we’ve been seeing on more and more lineups lately is Lick. Receiving lots of support from huge names like Zeds Dead, Slander, and more, this Deadbeats artist has exploded in the bass music scene. In addition to a huge announcement that he’d be playing Electric Forest, Lick has also secured spots at Chasing Summer, Paradiso, Ilesoniq, Ever After, and Sunset Music Festival. Just this week he’s already announced two more huge shows: Dead Rocks VI and the Bassrush Pool Party during EDC Week. His deep, haunting bass sound is certainly one that has caught on quickly within the genre, and I’m excited to see him continue excelling throughout this year. If you’re not familiar with his music, try listening to “Blood Rave” or his VIP flip of Illenium’s “Needed You”.
If you like to be put in your feels, there’s certainly going to be plenty of that during Kaivon’s set. An Icon Collective graduate, Kaivon is a master of chill and captivating drops that initiate intense emotion from the listener. He just made his festival debut about a year ago, and has begun making bigger and bigger appearances since. Electric Zoo will be a massive one for him! If you’re not familiar with Kaivon’s music, check out some of his tracks such as “First Love” and “Anything” -- you won’t be disappointed.
Shadient is an artist I just started hearing about fairly recently, but he certainly deserves this spot on the Electric Zoo lineup. Though Shadient is no rookie to producing, his name is starting to spread more thanks to support from huge artists like Porter Robinson and the release of his Divide EP on Slander and Nghtmre’s record label, Gud Vibrations. His sound is hard-hitting and heavy, but it presents an original angle on bass music that I haven’t heard from other producers. “Numbers Station” is my favorite track from the new EP, and I suggest you check it out and add Shadient to your list of artists-to-watch.
Though these are some up-and-comers that I’ll be sure to see at Electric Zoo, there are tons more incredible artists on the lineup that weren’t mentioned above. This event will take place August 30th - September 1st at Randall’s Island Park in New York City, New York. For more information and tickets, head to electriczoo.com. Hope to see lots of you there!
p.s. Check out this blog post if you're looking for some animal-inspired outfits for E Zoo 2019!
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Over the years, Ezoo has stuck with their notorious animal and NYC themed aesthetic, which falls in alignment with its unique name. You can see the evolution of each stage dating back from the 2015 bird stage to 2016 - 2017’s Cobra and Elephant stages (all of which all have increased in size over the years). We are excited to see what Ezoo brings this year with their new and exotic birthday theme!
They aren’t kidding around when they say the lineup is stacked this year! With highly anticipated sets from artists such as Virtual Self, Porter Robinson, Martin Garrix, Kaskade, Marshmello, and Rezz (to name a few), we are expecting a seriously fun weekend. Stay tuned for the Phase 2 lineup announcement, coming soon!
Elrow, a European entertainment movement originating in Barcelona (seen before at EDCLV and Ultra in the U.S.), has expanded its residency to the NY festival scene and will make an appearance at Ezoo this year again. Expect tons of inflatables, confetti, outrageous costumes throughout the crowd, and fun time!
The food and it’s vendors are without question some of the best festival food I have yet to indulge in. They also have many vegetarian and vegan options which as you know, aren’t always readily available at festivals (let’s change that, please)! In addition to the food variety between vendors, the lines move super fast for those of you in a rush to get to the next stage.
Ezoo requires you to load up your wristband with money in order to proceed with transactions, which really comes in handy when you want to avoid losing your wallet and or cash in the crowd. You won’t be able to try all the tasty food without it, so the cashless wristbands help to prevent that tragedy from happening.
Ezoo has been in correspondence with NYC and has been listening to and answering our requests. Guests now have a multitude of commuting options such as ferries, subways, and walking over the 125th St bridge (my personal favorite because you have such a great view of the Island before you enter).
Not all heroes wear capes! Between the NYPD on patrol at all times, free water refill stations, and the staffed “zookeepers”, Ezoo definitely ensures security and safety to all of it’s festival goers. This should be reassuring for anyone attending this year!
Overall, Ezoo brings a great party to Randall’s Island (which is already a really cool venue). The 10th birthday celebration should be nothing short of awesome!
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