This years Electric Zoo Festival was truly something to behold. It served some serious heat, both figuratively and literally. It was the 10th anniversary of the festival itself and being that it was the big ten, the event definitely proved to be a time well remembered for every fan in attendance. Set on top of the beautiful location of Randall's Island Park in NYC, it was a 3 day haven for any dance music lover.
Every aspect of the festival was planned and coordinated well for the most part, and I'm sure all the people going to the festival were happy in that regard. The music kept on bumping and the good times were rolling. Every artist proved to be a key part of the festival and with that they all brought something inherently unique to the event. The tenth anniversary also brought in some serious crowds which only made the experience that much better. Throughout it all it seemed to be well executed and there was a consistent air of good vibes present that made every person feel like a big part of something truly special.
But with that being said, I outlined some of the key points from the festival and what I, and I feel most people in attendance, got from the 10th anniversary of one of dance music's biggest events.
LINEUP/BEST SETS OF THE FESTIVAL:
aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
First things first I thought we would start with the whole reason why you probably went to the event in the first place, the lineup.
I think it's safe to say that Ezoo incorporated a diverse set of artists that all complemented each other pretty well. Nothing necessarily felt the same and each performance was well received by the audience. Although, that's not to say there weren't any specific artists that really stood out above the rest.
For me there were 4 acts that truly killed it. One of which is Illenium, I can't remember the last time I experienced a set that good. Whether you're a fan or not, I don't think anyone could deny how much he threw down on the last day of the festival. Another artist who definitely set the stage on fire was none other than Rezz. Although going into it I already had high expectations for her, she definitely did not disappoint. She truly set her mark at the festival as one of the best acts and put on a performance that was both interesting and inherently unique.
Some other artists that I feel really brought the big guns were Ekali and Graves. These two are both generally in the same musical space, but thats not to say they didn't each create a special and entertaining performance. They both showed up well, Ekali being more at night and Graves during the day, but regardless of their set times they added great moments to the event that really gave me chills at certain points.
WEATHER:
aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
Now we get to the one thing that most people generally hate talking about when it comes to music festivals, the weather. This year again what do you know the skies opened up and brought down some serious rain on the first day, but it definitely didn't inhibit anyone from having a good time. The weekend continued on and for the rest of the event most of the weather consisted of sun and beautiful blue skies. Although it did get quite hot at some points, that didn't really matter. There was more fire coming out of the speakers anyway (lol) so I don't think it really bothered anyone that much.
All in all, the weather didn't stop any of the music or the festival for that matter. It turned out to be a great aspect to an already great event.
FOOD/DRINK:
aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
Food and drink are of the utmost importance at a festival, and there is truly nothing like staying hydrated and full when you're dancing your face off. This time round Ezoo truly kept their game going in that regard, with easy access to large amounts of food and drink. Now don't get me wrong, buying some of that food or drink probably hurt your wallet but I think it was still worth it.
The fact that there were also water stations readily available for people to get their fill of hydration was much appreciated. I think any festival who doesn't have those has made a grave mistake, but Ezoo did not disappoint on that end and kept all their attendees well hydrated and in good spirits.
FESTIVAL LAYOUT:
aLIVE Coverage for ElectricZoo.com
Lastly, we come to the festival layout which I have to say was well done indeed. The stages were set up in a way that made them not necessarily interfere with each other at all. They were all also placed in a way that made it relatively easy for fans to get from one place to the next.
One thing I do have to point out though was the stage design. I definitely feel like Ezoo could have done better on that mark because compared to years past I don't think this one really stacked up .The stages themselves didn't seem that exciting or in the right theme of the overall event. Also maybe its time for the festival to consider increasing the space of the event itself. There were definitely some points where it was pretty hard to even walk 2 feet because there were so many people about. Nevertheless, everything was set well together and the festival flowed smoothly throughout. Keeping everything in mind, it was well planned and coordinated overall as we can expect from a festival of this magnitude.
Conclusion:
Electric Zoo 2018 was full of all the stops and enjoyment that one can enjoy from a music festival. The tenth anniversary really proved to be one to remember. Electric zoo is always a good time but this year came to be that much more special to all fans and artists in attendance. With memorable performances and the beautiful location of Randall's Island Park. It was a time that most fans will look back on with a smile and I hope to see all you guys there next year for the 11th!
