Insomniac (promoter)

Last updated
Insomniac
Company type Private
Industry Event promoter, electronic music
Founded1993
Headquarters
Beverly Hills
,
United States
Key people
Pasquale Rotella (founder)
Divisions Insomniac Records, Insomniac Radio, [1] Bassrush, Basscon, [2] Dreamstate, Hard (music festival), Audiotistic Music Festival, Factory 93 [3]
Subsidiaries Club Glow [4]
Website Insomniac.com

Insomniac (formerly Insomniac Events) is an American electronic music event promoter and music distributor. Founded by Pasquale Rotella, it is the organizer of various music festivals, including its flagship electronic music festival Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) in Las Vegas.

Contents

Alongside EDC, Insomniac runs the electronic music events Beyond Wonderland and Nocturnal Wonderland, as well as drum and bass and dubstep-oriented events under the brand Bassrush, hardstyle events under the brand Basscon, and trance events under the brand Dreamstate. The company also owns a stake in the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival.

Insomniac is also involved in the operation of nightclubs across major regions. The company manages three Los Angeles venues—Create (in partnership with SBE), Exchange L.A., [5] [6] and the underground warehouse Factory 93. [7] In 2019, it acquired Miami's Club Space, and in 2020, Washington, D.C.'s Echostage and Soundcheck nightclubs, along with their operator Club Glow, which also oversees Project GLOW Festival and Moonrise Music Festival. [8]

In 2014, Insomniac introduced a co-branded EDM record label known as Insomniac Records, initially in partnership with Interscope Geffen A&M. In 2018, Insomniac took its A&R and distribution operations in-house as Insomniac Music Group .

Overview and partnerships

Insomniac has been described as placing a larger emphasis on fan experiences over profits and ticket sales, [9] [10] with Rotella having argued that music festivals did not require "big acts who sell out arenas" (going as far as to praising Burning Man for being an "event by the people for the people" where "the organizers just provide an open space" and "people go all out"). [11]

In June 2013, Insomniac announced a number of partnerships, including one with Dick Clark Productions to produce a dance music awards show, and a "creative partnership" with Live Nation that would give Insomniac access to Live Nation's resources, while leaving them creative control over their events. While specifics of the deal were not revealed, Rotella emphasized the deal was not an acquisition. [12] [13]

In August 2015, Rotella announced his new radio show, Night Owl Radio, on SiriusXM's Electric Area. [14] Electric Area was later replaced by Diplo's Revolution in 2018. [15] In the summer of 2018, Insomniac Radio launched on SiriusXM. [16] In May 2019, Insomniac partnered with Dash Radio as its flagship station. [17] In June 2019, Insomniac acquired a controlling stake in Soundslinger, LLC, the organizer of the Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival. The event returned from a one-year hiatus in 2020 with a revamped production, carrying artistic aspects of other Insomniac festivals. [18] [19] In July 2019, Insomniac acquired a majority stake in Miami's Club Space nightclub. [20]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic (which resulted in the postponement of all of its in-person festivals), Insomniac began to stream a rotation of sets from previous editions of its festivals on its YouTube and Twitch channels under the "Insomniac Rewind" banner, and live "virtual" festivals. [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] In late-2020, Insomniac began a residency of drive-in "Park 'N Rave" concerts at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, [27] and announced a "drive-through audiovisual experience" event known as the "Electric Mile" at Santa Anita Park—featuring installations separated into "worlds" inspired by its main festival brands. [28]

In February 2021, Insomniac announced a number of new brands, including Lost in Dreams—a record label and upcoming festival that will focus upon future bass and melodic dubstep, and a bass music event at The Vanguard known as Abduction. [29]

In March 2022, Insomniac announced a partnership with Unity Technologies to develop a "persistent" online world for virtual concerts. [30] [31]

Insomniac Music Group

Insomniac Records
Founded2014 (2014)
FounderPasquale Rotella
StatusActive
Genre Electronic dance music
Country of origin United States
Official website insomniacrecords.com

In May 2014, Insomniac announced the formation of Insomniac Records, an EDM record label created in partnership with Interscope Geffen A&M. The label aimed to attract both "undiscovered" and "established" producers. Arty was announced as the first artist to be signed to the label. Other artists such as Bingo Players and Chris Lake were also signed. [32]

In December 2018, Insomniac announced the formation of Insomniac Music Group, which provides A&R and distribution services for its in-house imprints (which includes brand extensions of some of its festivals) and other electronic music labels. Alongside Insomniac Records, its imprints include:

Events


Inactive

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Insomniac Radio
  2. ↑ Basscon
  3. ↑ Factory 93
  4. ↑ "Insomniac Buys Club Glow, Washington D.C.'s Echostage and Soundcheck". Billboard. 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  5. ↑ "Insomniac and SBE announce new Hollywood EDM club Create". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  6. ↑ "Insomniac works to keep Exchange L.A. up all weekend". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  7. ↑ Brooks, Dave (2020-10-30). "Insomniac Buys DC's Club Glow, Including Echostage & Soundcheck Venues: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 2025-01-03.
  8. ↑ "Afrojack, Illenium And Insomniac's Pasquale Rotella Talk EDC And EDM In 2018". Forbes. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Live Nation Teams With Insomniac Events in 'Creative Partnership'". Billboard.biz. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  10. ↑ "From Molly to Moon Tribes: Inside Electric Daisy Carnival's New #Vanlife Era". RollingStone.com. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Electric Daisy Chain: Insomniac and Dick Clark Prod. Plan 2014 EDM Awards". Spin. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
  12. ↑ "Live Nation to Purchase 50% Stake in Insomniac Events (Report)". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  13. ↑ "Insomniac's Pasquale Rotella Launches Night Owl Radio on Sirius XM". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  14. ↑ "Sirius XM listeners not happy with replacement of Electric Area". Dancing Astronaut. 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  15. ↑ "Insomniac Radio Debuts On SiriusXM". All Access. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  16. ↑ "Dash Radio Announces New Partnership With Insomniac Radio". All Access. Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  17. ↑ "Meet the Billionaire DJ Who's Reviving Okeechobee Fest With Insomniac". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  18. ↑ Hilberath, Franz. "Everything We Loved About the Reincarnation of Okeechobee Music Festival". EDM.com. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  19. ↑ Cameron, John. "Insomniac is Now the Majority Owner of Club Space Miami". EDM.com - The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2022-11-17.
  20. ↑ "Insomniac uploads full set of vintage Beyond Wonderland sets from 'Virtual Rave-a-thon'". Dancing Astronaut. 2020-03-22. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  21. ↑ "Dance Music Live Streams Getting Fists Pumping This Weekend". Billboard. 2020-03-20. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  22. ↑ "Insomniac reveals upcoming Countdown Rave-A-Thon lineup for another virtual festival weekend". Dancing Astronaut. 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  23. ↑ "HARD Summer goes digital with Rave-A-Thon livestream". Dancing Astronaut. 2020-04-02. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  24. ↑ Heffler, Jason. "Insomniac Announces In-Person 2020 Halloween Event". EDM.com. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  25. ↑ Moyer, Matthew. "New Orlando venue Vanguard to debut on Halloween weekend with 2-night outdoor show". Orlando Weekly. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  26. ↑ "NOS Events Center to host Deadmau5 for New Year's drive-in concerts". San Bernardino Sun. 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  27. ↑ "Insomniac details new socially distanced audiovisual experience, 'Electric Mile'". Dancing Astronaut. 2020-12-05. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  28. ↑ "Insomniac caters to future bass and melodic dubstep enthusiasts with launch of Lost In Dreams". Dancing Astronaut. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  29. ↑ Shutler, Ali (2022-03-11). "3D tech platform Unity announces partnership with rave events company Insomniac". NME. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  30. ↑ Bain, Katie (March 11, 2022). "Insomniac to Create Dance-Music Metaverse World Via New Partnership". Billboard. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Pasquale Rotella's Insomniac & Interscope Geffen A&M Launch New Imprint (Exclusive)". Billboard.biz. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  32. ↑ "Insomniac Launches a Label Services Group - Introducing Insomniac Music Group". Digital Music News. 2018-12-07. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  33. ↑ "Insomniac Launches Music Group to Offer Distribution, Label Management: Exclusive". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  34. ↑ Gilmore, Grant (2020-08-12). "Insomniac Records Partners with CTM for Worldwide Publishing". EDM Identity. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
  35. ↑
  36. ↑
  37. ↑ Countdown
  38. ↑ Dreamstate
  39. ↑ Forbidden Kingdom
  40. ↑ EDSea
  41. ↑ "How It All Began – Insomniac". www.insomniac.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  42. ↑ Hereford, André (25 April 2023). "Project GLOW's Secret Garden of Dance". Metro Weekly. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  43. ↑ Bay Nites
  44. ↑ Crush
  45. ↑ Middlelands
  46. ↑ We Are NRG
  47. ↑ Holy Ship!
  48. ↑ Project Z
  49. ↑ "Electric Daisy Carnival". Amazaon. Amazon. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  50. ↑ "Electric Daisy Carnival, Vol. 1 (Mixed by Kaskade)". iTunes. Apple. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  51. ↑ "Electric Daisy Carnival Experience". IMDB. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  52. ↑ "Under the Electric Sky (2014)". IMDB. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
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