Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) UK 2016: In Pictures

More than 50,000 music fans united at Milton Keynes Bowl for the world famous dance festival Electric Daisy Carnival UK, which included triumphant sets from dance legends Paul van Dyk, Ferry Corsten, Martin Garrix, Eric Prydz and Axwell /\ Ingrosso.

 

 

Saturday’s EDC UK showpiece was the biggest and best yet.

Taking centre stage at the kineticFIELD and standing a massive 30 metres tall by 70 metres wide, the fully immersive Crystal Village spectacle towered over revellers during its first EDC UK showcase.

The stage’s unique design housed cascading waterfalls, a fog-breathing dragon and the unmissable symbolic owl, and hosted incredible performances by some of the biggest international names in dance music, with sets by Martin Garrix, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Oliver Heldens, Eric Prydz, Martin Solveig, Don Diablo and Alison Wonderland.

Throughout the day at the circuitGROUNDS, festival-goers saw outstanding DJ sets from drum and bass legends Andy C, Noisia, Caspa & Rusko, Roni Size, Goldie and many more.

Over at cosmicMEADOW, electrifying big room sets came from trance heroes Paul van Dyk and Gouryella, while the neonGARDEN stage was a constant party with sets by Duke Dumont and UK garage pioneer DJ EZ.

Electric Daisy Carnival wasn’t just about the music. The line-up of the world’s premier DJ’s and global acts were joined by dynamic displays, carnival creatures, performers and sensory sights aplenty.

“This weekend we hosted another amazing edition of EDC UK at Milton Keynes and we thank all of our headliners and performing artists for joining us in celebrating the incredible culture of dance music,” said Pasquale Rotella, founder and CEO of Insomniac.

“The UK is where so many genres of dance music were born, and it’s exciting to see the scene still growing and flourishing today.”

Melvin Benn, of Festival Republic, added: “We’re very proud to have celebrated the second year of our partnership with Insomniac with another successful Electric Daisy Carnival UK.

“Avicii delivered an incredible headline set and we’re thrilled to have had some of the biggest international acts spanning across all dance music genres performing this year.

“The Crystal Village stage was shipped over from the US for the first time and it was truly a phenomenal spectacle.”

 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE interview with Ferry Corsten at EDC UK

TopReviews4U editor Paul Christian talks to Dutch trance legend Ferry Corsten.

It was another fantastic day at EDC UK on Saturday as the cream of dance music descended on Milton Keynes.

In among the EDM were a few solid gold trance nuggets, encouraging signs that the genre is still surviving and thriving.

And trance superstar Ferry Corsten’s decision to reboot his epic Gouryella concept from the late Nineties/early Noughties is a sign that a renaissance could be on the cards.

Asked what made him bring back Gouryella Ferry said: “It was something that I wanted to do for a long time, that whole sound, I wanted it back.

 “In the last few years I was so fed up with everything that was happening in the scene.

I want to return to that 99-2000 sound.” 

So it is a case of back to the future for the amiable DJ and producer, who has been responsible for a gigantic back catalogue of bangers.

Speaking about the future of trance he said: “I can see almost two prongs to it - there's the EDM type of trance and there's these guys, a lot of them from Ireland and Scotland, which is more like the Gouryella style, that people are really loving.”

Gouryella was a project that Corsten started with then close friend Tiesto, who has departed trance and headed for the more commercial EDM akin to the style of young fellow Dutchman Martin Garrix (pictured below). 

Asked how Tiesto felt about the reawakening of one of trance’s most iconic acts Corsten said: “I haven't really spoken to him ever since [the return of Gouryella], I haven't really seen him since, even though we play the same festivals sometimes.

“I've just released number six - Neba - for Gouryella and he was there for the first three.”

And on his former production collaborator’s change of style, Corsten thought for a moment, then said that he likes to make music for the "art" of it.

He added: "I know where his [Tiesto's] heart used to be, I may agree or not (with his new EDM style).

“I went down that route for a little while and I've got to be honest it was very inspiring at first, going to the beginning of EDM.

“Punk and Rock Your Body, Rock were very electro.” 

But he said he was irresistibly drawn back to his roots.

“After doing that for a while the real trance lover in me really did start to resurface again,” he said.

On the strength of his tear-inducingly uplifting performance at EDC UK I don’t think Ferry Corsten will be moving away from trance again. 

BOOK REVIEW: The Diary of V. Frankenstein By Steven J Guscott

A slim volume that really packs a monstrous punch, The Diary of V. Frankenstein is a great achievement, writes TopReviews4U editor Paul Christian. 

Moving on the Frankenstein story in the finest traditions of the original this Steampunk reawakening of Mary Shelley’s masterpiece is a triumph.

Shelley’s proto-feminism is brought up to date in the alt-reality/Gothic horror reimagining.

It centres on the monster and his mate’s life and their brutal conflict with the human world.

Written in an engaging diary format as the title suggests it is a perfect read, which can be done in bite-sized chunks, or read through on a train or plane journey.

Speaking about the short story, Steven said: “It is an alternate-reality, Gothic/horror, steampunk, sci-fi with the main theme being feminism.

“That's a lot of genres in one story, but it appears to work. 

“This adaptation was originally a short story, which can be found in the published Charity Anthology 'Strange Tales From The Scriptorian Vaults.'

“Quite a number of those who read the Anthology said my story was their favourite so I decided to expand it into this novella.

“I really believe this is a retelling that people will find very interesting as it touches on themes that are important, plus there is some really captivating plots.”

• For more information click here

Yorkshire Tea - Much More Newsworthy Than Brexit!

What with Brexit and all National Cream Tea Day was rather overshadowed.

A fact not unnoticed by the bemused tea wallahs at Taylor’s of Harrogate, makers of the delicious Yorkshire Tea.So much so that on June 24 they tweeted: “We're very disappointed to see so little media coverage for National Cream Tea Day. It's easily today's biggest story.”

Eager to put this right – albeit belatedly – I have to say that if you want a cream tea make sure you opt for delicious nut brown Yorkshire Tea.

Fiercely sticking to square bags (I always preferred them) this traditional and satisfying cup of splosh with leave you purring with delight.

Those nice people at Taylor’s also sent me a lovely little model of their famous Little Urn – a converted ice cream van which tours all over making sure people have “a proper brew”.

• For more information on Yorkshire Tea click here