Posts

Best EDM Music Festivals in Canada

/in /by

Yes, turns out our sweet-natured northern cousins do know a thing or two about music festivals after all. From the land of moose and maple syrup comes some EDM magic to rock your world!

Escapade Music Festival (Ottawa, Ontario) – June

If an explosion of trance and techno strikes your fancy, this is the music festival for you. Watch the nation’s capital light up in a dazzling celebration of life, unfolding against the beautiful city landscape – a view matched only by the pure euphoria of being in the midst of it all. Since 2009, Escapade has established itself as a premier music festival and placed Ottawa on the map as a rave-enthusiast must-visit. With musical sensations like Markus Schulz, ZedsDead, and Chris Lorenzo taking the crowd by storm, you’re sure to lose track of time out there on the dance floor.

ileSoniq (Montreal, Quebec) – August

Informally crowned the EDM capital of Canada, Montreal can thank ileSoniq for securing its fanbase. Clearly an elite music festival in terms of both its star-studded line-up and complexity of décor, ileSoniq really offers a taste of what the future of EDM holds. Guess you have to see it to believe it. I mean hello, Marshmello, Bad Bunny, and Excision on the same stage? Sign me up!

Chasing Summer Music Festival (Calgary, Alberta) – August

As one of the coldest cities in the entire world, Calgary sure knows to savor the few months of sun it is granted. Therefore, it comes as no doubt that Chasing Summer Music Festival is fueled entirely by a genuine carpe-diem mentality that trickles into every element of this long-awaited event. Earning the title of Canada’s largest EDM festival in the West, Chasing Summer is committed to treating you to two days of unparalleled fun and festivity. And if the joy of finally sporting a natural tan doesn’t win you over, I’m certain that the jaw-dropping performances by The Chainsmokers, Slushii, and Alesso will!

MUTEK Montreal (Montreal, Quebec) – August

Calling tech-geeks and EDM lovers alike to Montreal this fall for the marriage of cutting-edge technology and quality music. Like a modern-day fairy godmother, MUTEK transforms the pride and joy of Quebec into a futuristic wonderland complete with elaborate stages and elegant sets. With the line-up regularly boasting up and coming artists like Akufen, Jlin and Gudrun Gut, even the hardest-to-please of ravers are sure to find new EDM idols to swoon over.

Bass Coast Music and Arts Festival (Merritt, British Columbia) – July

If you’re bored of big mainstream music festivals and would like something with a little more edge, Bass Coast Music and Arts Festival is the answer to your (musical) prayers! Since its inception in 2009, this festival has made the curation of a unique and diverse line-up its top priority. So prepare to be wowed by moving performances by trailblazers like Sticky Buds, Yheti, and Nightmare on Wax. Made for artists, by artists, you’ll feel right at home at this vibrant and inclusive homage to creative expression.  

Contact Winter Music Festival (Vancouver, British Columbia) – December

Witness the nation’s largest indoor stadium transmute into the littiest club you’ve ever had the honor of setting foot in, right before your very eyes. Complete with elaborate sets and backed up by high-production value, Contact is sure to have you cozy up to chilly Vancouver this winter! With a line-up boasting the world’s most beloved EDM powerhouses like Tiesto, San Holo, and Kaskade, this iconic music festival will have you losing contact with reality and wishing you could freeze time so as not to have to grapple with the withdrawal symptoms that will inevitably follow.

Shambhala Music Festival (Salmo River Ranch, British Columbia) – July

Voted ‘North America’s Best Festival’ by the readers of DJ Mag in 2019, Shambhala sure lives up to its reputation as a fan-favorite. Yes, I’m talking four days of party-rocking with six separate themed stages teeming with EDM goodness! Watch out for homegrown Canadian superstars like Black Tiger Sex Machine and Ekali, while you take a break from going gaga over international acts like Dion Timmer and Channel Tres. The best indie music festival to hit the shore this side of the Pacific, Shambhala will make you sham-holla at the Canadian EDM scene.

Igloofest (Montreal, Quebec) – January

You know what they say, when you can’t get to France, French Canada it is! But jokes aside, prepare yourself for a musical fiesta that stretches over twelve unforgettable nights this winter, because Igloofest is about to knock your socks off. Even bundled up in five warm layers to beat the Quebec chill, the jaw-dropping performances by powerful acts like Regular Fantasy, Lauer and Anjunabeats are certain to give you chills. And between sampling delightfully weird alcoholic concoctions at the ice-bar and killing it at the ‘Iglooswag’ snowsuit contest, you’ll forget that your teeth are chattering at all.

Veld Music Festival (Toronto, Ontario) – August

If you have any doubts about why the east coast is the best coast, let Veld Music Festival convince you once and for all. Drawing over 60, 000 ravers each year to its gorgeous venue in the heart of Toronto like moths to a magnificent flame, Veld has proven itself as the perfect amalgamation of hip-hop and electronic music time and time again. Let show-stopping performances by musical powerhouses like Illenium, Don Diablo and Marshmello cement your love for the genre and make a lifelong fan of both EDM and Toronto out of you, this fall. You’re in for a s-Veld time!

AIM Electronic Music Festival (Montreal, Quebec) – July       

With its mission to bring ‘Art, Innovation, and Movement’ to the next level embedded in its very name, AIM Electronic Music Festival remains one of the largest hubs of free-spirited yet immersive artistic showcases. Armed with a plethora of multi-media performances and as Canada’s only festival currently possessing the highly-coveted license to play music for over thirty-two consecutive hours, AIM is guaranteed to treat you to an unforgettable feast for the senses. Let the likes of Danny Tenaglia, Pig&Dan, and Getter leave you dazzled and star-struck, as is their aim.

Think it’s time to drop by Canada for a quick EDM fix, don’t you? Check Discotech for the latest festivals in Canada!

Top 5 Best Snow / Winter Music Festivals in the USA & Canada

/in /by

Despite what California and Florida seem to suggest by their weather, most parts of the USA get really cold during the winter months of the year. And for a country that loves to party, the US has quickly followed Europe and their trend of hosting icy music festivals that bring skiing, snowboarding and other snowsports into the mix.. With 2020 approaching its end and the winter months quickly approaching, the snowsport music festival scene is coming alive, we thought there was no better time than to compile a list of the best snowsports music festivals to check out in North America.

SnowGlobe in South Lake Tahoe, California

Run by iconic MTV, the SnowGlobe festival is perhaps the most multi-purpose music festival in the world and also the most interesting winter wonderland. Set in South Lake Tahoe, with some of the continent’s best ski resorts, such as Squaw Valley, Heavenly, and Northstar, near striking distance of the festival, this is one festival where the fun never stops. Onsite the lineup of party-stating electronic artists like Zedd, Disclosure, Tiesto, and Kaskade ensure the dancefloor stays hot. Offsite, guests can enjoy the slopes in between rounds of their favorite artists performing. If that’s not enough, the festival is always set over New Year’s Eve, so you can get your ski trip, festival experience, and NYE plans settled in one fell swoop.  

Snowbombing Canada in Sun Peaks British Columbia

Snowbombing Canada at Sun Peaks began at the popular ski resort in the spring of 2017, bringing some of the world’s most notable electronic and Hip-Hop acts to British Columbia. The event has two outposts, one in Austria and this one in Canada. In Europe, where snowsport music festivals are much more common, Snowbombing is regarded as one of the premier festivals of its kind, and it is no different in North America with its sister festival. Expertly curated lineups of upbeat dance music from artists like Illenium, Cypress Hill, and Odesza take the après ski vibe to a whole other level after a day on the pristine slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler, British Columbia

NOS performing at the outdoor concerts series at WSSF

Coming alive in 1994 with the World Technical Skiing Championships, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival has brought together ski champions from various disciplines and attracted a large number of ski media to Whistler to enjoy themselves at the biggest snowsports music festival in North America. A quarter of a million attendees with ski and snowboard aficionados amongst them are able to witness premier athletes compete and partake in some activities themselves while also getting to enjoy live concerts and DJ sets. The cold doesn’t keep away the talent either. The event regularly has a stacked lineup with artists such as Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Old Soul Rebel, Little Destroyer, Skratch Bastid, Mat the Alien, and March Fourth playing.

WinterWonderGrass in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Photo by Molly McCormick © WinterWonderGrass Festival All Rights Rerserved 2019

This is another popular snowsports music festival that has branched out to take place in multiple locations amongst which are Squaw in California, Stratton in Vermont, and of course Steamboat Springs in Colorado. Unlike the other events on this list, this festival is a multi-day bluegrass and roots music festival. Their aim is to cultivate and nurture the relationship between nature, authentic music, and communal family, which creates a vehicle for inspiration. They believe that when people come together with open hearts and open minds, bringing all of their differences and unique opinions, they truly begin to dissolve the illusion of separation from one another. Their intention is to create a platform for artists, vendors, attendees, and our planet to unite as one – connecting the community. With artists like Greensky Bluegrass, Margo Price, Billy Strings, Keller Williams and the Keels, Nikki Lane, The Travelin’ McCourys, and Molly Tuttle playing, it’s suffice to say that WinterWonderGrass achieves their goals. If winter sports and bluegrass music are right up your alley then this is the perfect music festival for you.

Snowsio in Frisco, Colorado

Snowsio was launched in February 2020 in Colorado. From the rock, electronic, and jazz fusion artists Papadosio, this three-day event came to life bringing a more intimate feel to snowsports music festivals. The event trades in big mountain skiing for the more collective activity of tubing. Attendees are also able to enjoy special après sets, multiple appearances from Papadosio, and an all-star Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin jam sesh as well as artists like Joel Cummins (of Umphrey’s McGee), Eminence Ensemble, Stan Kitchen, Brether, and Earthcry for its inaugural show. At Snowsio, festival goers are able to enjoy the casual air of friends hanging out and enjoying good music while having fun in the snow, making for the perfect winter experience.

Best EDM clubs in Vancouver, Canada

/in /by

Today we’re taking a trip up north. Way up north. All the way to our lovely neighboring Canadian nation. As promised, we are going to look at some of the hottest EDM spots in the great city of Vancouver. Grab some warm clothes and lets get going!

Looking for the hottest clubs in Vancouver? See upcoming events sign up for guest list, and book table service directly on the free Discotech Mobile App. Or reach out to our help line directly at 4157356716 – we can help you pick a spot for your next night out in Vancouver.

Harbour Event Centre

Harbour Event Centre was dubbed Vancouver’s first ever “SUPER CLUB” as this massive room boasts the best in sound production from D&B, over 100 state of the art visual LED panels and lighting, as well as special effects with CO2 cannons and confetti. The exceptional details throughout the venue will provide a unique nightlife experience. Nervo, Tritonal, Tujamo, Ummet Ozcan, Borgeous, Showtek and DJ Carnage are all gearing up to perform at this venue in the coming weeks. Make sure to check out Harbour Event Centre’s upcoming events so you don’t miss your favorite DJ.

From the moment you enter the room, you will feel the energy of the dance floor to the VIP ambiance that every customer will encounter. With a world-class lineup of talent slated to come through the doors, come and experience what Vancouver’s nightlife has been missing on a weekly basis for the past decade.

Celebrities

Celebrities is a nightlife icon in Vancouver, a premier dance club on the West Coast, and has been around since the 1980s. It has grown along with the community as a mainstay for entertainment and seems it will always continue to push boundaries. In early 2013 Celebrities received the major renovation that its supporters and visiting artists deserve.

2 luxury VIP sections equipped with top tier bottle service, the latest Funktion-One sound system, over-the-top visuals and light shows all added, in the spirit of making the most of every experience. The storied venue has hosted everyone from David Guetta to Tiesto and Avicii to Boy George, and will continue bringing forth an array of diverse, trendsetting entertainment from all over the world. Celebrities have some insane DJs performing soon! Make sure to check out upcoming events to see who’s up next!

Levels

Levels strives to be the pacesetter in propelling Vancouver dance music scene forward and leading Vancouver to the forefront of global clubbing culture. Levels is a relatively small location, but don’t let that fool you.

Many say Vancouver desperately lacks a nightlife scene. Levels looks to curb that. This up and coming venue also aims to provide a great party atmosphere while not breaking the bank of the customer. There are three levels at this venue, each dedicated for dancing, drinks, and selfies. Yes there is a selfie bar.

So does Levels have what it takes to curb these ridiculous rumors concerning Vancouvers struggling nightlife scene? There’s only one way to find out. Go see for yourself.

M.I.A.

M.I.A. offers an inclusive space for alternative & avant strains of electronic dance music – whether rooted in r&b, hip hop, house or techno – all of which presented in a well-heeled setting. Guests tunnel into the space from 350 Water Street to be greeted by a lush room boasting a mix of futuristic yet timeworn details; M.I.A. carries notes of dark, burnt wood and rich tones of purple and red while abstract L.E.D. installations across the ceiling create pulse-like light patterns connecting all corners of the room.

The intimate dance floor and compact DJ booth are ringed by plush communal seating as well as private seating for bottle service, while winding past the main bar will bring guests to a separate sake bar. Committed to keeping the best clarity and quality in sound, the club uses Funktion One as its preferred sound system. Be sure to check upcoming events at M.I.A.

TwelveWest

Undeniably the hottest spot in Vancouver, Friday and Saturday nights at TwelveWest are wild. Reserve a VIP table or relax in one of three main VIP sections as we introduce you to the city’s greatest nightlife entertainment and hospitality experience. Two nightclub powerhouses Twelve West and Funktion-One come together to bring you North America’s first EVO-6E sound system.

Twelve West has been recognized internationally by the Top Bar Design Awards. Rated among the top nightclubs in the country, Twelve West continues to prevail an unrivaled hospitality experience similar to none. The 7,500 square foot multi-use entertainment venue is ideal for film production, corporate events, and private functions. Be sure to check out upcoming events for special offers and promotions!