Electric Zoo Festival
 Electric Zoo Festival 2011 | |
| Location(s) | New York City, NY, United States |
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| Years active | 2009–present |
| Founded by | Made Event |
| Date(s) | Labor Day Weekend |
| Website | www.electriczoofestival.com |
The Electric Zoo Festival is an annual electronic music festival held over Labor Day weekend in New York City on Randall's Island. The festival represents all genres of electronic music, bringing top international DJs and live acts from multiple countries along with hometown favorites to four stages.
In its 2009 inaugural year, 26,000 people attended to see artists including Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5, David Guetta and Ferry Corsten. In 2011, Electric Zoo expanded to a 3-day festival and hosted 85,000 attendees. Electric Zoo has received International Dance Music Awards nominations in 2010, 2011, and 2012 for "Best Music Event",[1] as well as press coverage from major media outlets CNN,[2] New York Times,[3] Huffington Post,[4] Village Voice,[5] Time Out New York,[6] New York Post, and DJ Mag,[7][8]
Electric Zoo 2009
Electric Zoo 2009 was held during Labor Day weekend on September 5 and September 6, 2009. It was the inaugural launch of the event that turned out to be successful. It featured 55 artists over the course of the 2 days the event spanned.
2009 Lineup
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Source: Last.fm
Electric Zoo 2010
Electric Zoo 2010 was held on Labor Day weekend on September 4 and September 5, 2010. 66 Acts spanned the 2 day festival giving atendees a wider variety of music than the year before.
2010 Lineup
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Source: Trancesound.net
Electric Zoo 2011
Electric Zoo added one more day to the event from previous years, leading to the event being 3 days (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) instead of 2, which led to the performances of over 100 artists (expanding from the 66 of the previous year). The dates of the event were September 2, September 3 and September 4, 2011. The overall attendance for all three days is 85,000.[9]
2011 Lineup
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Source: Made Event
Electric Zoo 2012
Electric Zoo 2012 was the largest festival yet as over 110,000 people attended over the three days (8/31/12 - 9/2/12) with sold out crowds on Saturday and Sunday. The event was headlined by Above & Beyond, Pretty Lights, David Guetta, Laidback Luke, Dada Life, Tiësto, Porter Robinson and Skrillex.[10] Made Event offered free water refill stations, designated help points and employed security staff.[11]
2012 Lineup
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Electric Zoo 2013
2013 Lineup
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Deaths and cancellation
On September 1, 2013, it was announced that the final day of Electric Zoo 2013 would be cancelled due to "serious health risks," and that attendees who purchased tickets for Sunday would receive refunds. The cancellation came following reports that four attendees had become ill and two, Jeffery Russ and Olivia Rotondo, died during the first two days of the festival as a result of drug usage. The Government of New York City stated that "[while] definitive causes of death have not yet been determined, both appear to have involved the drug MDMA (ecstasy, or molly)." The organizers of the event and a number of performers provided their condolences to the victims. In response to concerns that the incident could affect future music events in the city, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's press secretary Marc LaVorgna stated that while the city would investigate the incident, live music events "have been part of the fabric of New York City for decades."[12][13] On September 3, 2013, Bloomberg made a statement on the matter, lauding organizers for being "nothing but cooperative" in the wake of the tragedy.[14] On September 12, 2013, the medical examiner's office confirmed that the deaths were caused by hyperthermia and an overdose of MDMA.[15]
Electric Zoo Mexico
15 December 2013 ad the first edition of Electric Zoo outside the United States. Electric Zoo Mexico that will take place this coming 3 and 4 May 2014 in Mexico City[16]
Initiatives
In 2010, Made Event donated $42,000 to FLOW, an outdoor art exhibition project in coordination with The Randall's Island Park Alliance (RIPA), The Bronx Museum of the Arts, and Rockefeller NYC Cultural Innovation Fund. The organizers of Electric Zoo also donated $2 from every ticket sale in 2011 to the project.[17] In 2011, Electric Zoo also partnered with Music Unites, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, to auction off a Pioneer CDJ-2000 signed by Electric Zoo artists, and helped bring music education to underprivileged children in innercity school systems.[18]
In 2011, Electric Zoo introduced an on-site recycling program for all trash, water in cardboard containers, compostable plates and utensils, began using 100% biodiesel alternative fuel from NYC fryer grease, and required that all food vendors source only organic, hormone-free, humanely raised animals.[19]
Notes
- ↑ 28th Annual International Dance Music Awards - Winter Music Conference 2013 - WMC 2013
- ↑ 'Electric Zoo' brings new light to dance music in NYC – American Morning - CNN.com Blogs
- ↑ Pareles, Jon (September 4, 2011). "An Island Sways to Dance Moves and Disco Balls". New York Times. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- ↑ Farryn Weiner: 85,000 Happy Fans At New York's Electric Zoo Music Festival
- ↑ "Electric Zoo" Archives - New York - Music - Sound of the City
- ↑ Live photos: Electric Zoo 2011
- ↑ Where the wild things are! | djmag.com
- ↑ Electric Zoo 2013: Press
- ↑ "Electric Zoo: 85,000 Electronic Music Fans Attend 3-Day Festival + Gallery of Photos". Plexi PR. 2011-09-22. Retrieved 2013-09-03.
- ↑ Official EDM Lounge Electric Zoo Preview - Blog - EDM Lounge | Electronic Dance Music, News, and Reviews
- ↑ Electric Zoo Marks The Perfect End To The Summer of Electronic Dance Music in America, WhiteRaverRafting
- ↑ "Weekend Revelry Cut Short After 2 Die at Electronic Music Festival". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- ↑ "Electric Zoo Festival Canceled After Two Deaths". Billboard. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
- ↑ "Mayor Lauds Electric Zoo's Record". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 19 January 2014. (subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Overdoses of 'Molly' Led to Electric Zoo Deaths". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
- ↑ "Electric Zoo makes the move to Mexico, May 3rd and 4th".
- ↑ Electric Zoo Gives Randall’s Island a Positive Charge | Observer
- ↑ Electric Zoo NYC (New York City) Live Set Downloads | Be The Rave
- ↑ Electric Zoo is Going Green!