WHITE WONDERLAND, NEW YEARS CELEBRATION
This New Year’s Eve was marked by a big occasion in the EDM (Electronic Dance Music) world- Insomniac’s White Wonderland music festival- which was amazing! What separates White Wonderland from most NYE events is that it took place over two days, December 31st & January 1st (Anaheim Convention Center), and featured a ridiculous line-up including superstars Benny Benassi, Dada Life, and Steve Angello.
In the past, Insomniac has done a great job with their Electric Daisy Carnival so it was no surprise that a 2-day party to ring in the New Year would be as great. This 21+ event boasted an all-white dress code which made for some interesting entertainment. Fake snowflakes drifted from the ceiling onto the white-clad crowds, trapeze artists swung from ropes, intense laser light shows emanated from the stage, and dancers dressed in white rabbit costumes performed from pseudo-icebergs. It was a sea of people in all white, in every direction- a surreal experience- and PPLA got the photos to prove it.
The Line-Up:
Heading off Saturday night was Trent Cantrelle. He killed it- leaving the crowd roaring for more and starting the night off right. He had the crowd dancing for more than three hours leading up to the second act, Dada Life. Cantrelle is a Los Angeles-based house producer who has been seen at massive festivals like Coachella and all three days of Electric Daisy Carnival 2011. Cantrelle has been seeing a lot of big publicity lately, remixing artists like Maroon 5 and the Pussycat Dolls.
Following Trent Cantrelle is the crazy Swedish duo, Dada Life. Feeding of of Trent Cantrelle’s energy Dada Life kept the crowd dancing. Their music is definitely someting to look out for. Though Dada Life’s songs are unmistakably different than the rest of the pack, every new song they’ve released lately has been a massive hit. If you have a chance to see them live, I highly suggest you do. Their performance is so much fun to experience.
Though White Wonderland is a new festival, it seemed to be filled with headliners of a certain age including DJ’s Kaskade (40 years old) and Benny Benassi (50 years old). However, there’s a reason these seasoned veterans are still around and that’s because they know how to make a party move. And although Benny Benassi has seen a recent recurrence of fame with Skrillex’s remix of his song Cinema, he has been making people dance for years. He didn’t disappoint at White Wonderland as he brought in the New Year night one of the festival.
Finishing off the first day of White Wonderland was Paul Van Dyk. Hailing from Germany, this DJ/Producer has been seen playing clubs and festivals all over the world. His sound doesn’t really fit into any genre but it definitely was a great way to close out a show.
The second night was just as amazing as the first. Period.
To start off the evening, was the impressive Thomas Gold. Always finding innovative and exciting ways to develop tracks, this talented and musically gifted producer’s music is filled with energy, soul, and strength. A killer show and great mix made it a great start to day two. Following Thomas Gold was AN21 & Max Vangeli who fed off the energy of the crowd and jumped right in and continued the vibe of the music. With pyrotechniques, ice Queens, and acrobratic artists hanging from the ceiling, it was a spectacular set.
Next up came Steve Angello, An21’s older brother and Member of Swedish house mafia, bringing the night to end. His mixing and ability to keep the crowd moving proves why he is one of the top DJ’s to follow for this coming year. His set, just like An21 & Max Vangeli, was one to impress.
White Wonderland certainly made for a New Year’s celebration to remember and I can’t wait to see what Insomniac has planned for 2012.
