Insomniac announced Moby and Pasquale to host the EDM biz and participate in keynote conversations. In addition, Bob Lefsetz, author of the popular Lefsetz Letter, will return to keynote the 5th Annual EDMbiz Conference & Expo, taking place Tuesday, June 14 through Thursday, June 16 at Caesars Palace Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. Dance music’s premier industry event will feature a diverse lineup of today’s most innovative leaders discussing topics and issues specific to the business. This year’s conference will now feature two distinct stages for a full programming experience touching upon the conference’s three cornerstones: Experience, Technology, and Aspiration.
“As the dance music industry continues to evolve, its influence is felt across mainstream radio, the festival scene, and pop culture in general,” said Pasquale Rotella, Insomniac Founder, and CEO. “This year’s conference will bring together top artists, executives, and experience-makers to share ideas and discuss innovative ways to continue the momentum and provide invaluable advice for newcomers on how to make their mark on the scene.”
During EDMbiz, President of Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter, John Amato, along with Matt Medved, Billboard Senior Editor, Dance Electronic, will unveil its Dance Power Players 2016 list, acknowledging the cultural impact of the most powerful tastemakers in dance music this year.
Rotella will sit down for an intimate, one-on-one discussion and share his thoughts on the current state of the industry, his plans for Insomniac’s growth, and where the culture is headed in years to come. While Rotella has participated in panels before, this will be his first keynote at a conference.
Other confirmed EDMbiz panelists include renowned artists Laidback Luke, Paul Oakenfold, and Markus Schulz as well as breakout performers Jauz and Marshmello along with Junkie XL, the acclaimed composer of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Mad Max: Fury Road and Deadpool. Additional speakers include BBC Radio 1 Producer and Director Danny Howard, Neda Azarfar, Vice President of Marketing Communications for The Recording Academy, and Raymond Leon Roker, Founder of URB Magazine and Head of Content for Goldenvoice. Jason Bentley, KCRW Music Director, will return as host and moderator. Speakers are subject to change.
Taking place at EDMbiz will be the first-ever hackathon designed to nurture innovation at the intersection of technology and dance music. In order to make this a one-of-a-kind event, Insomniac has joined forces with CODEMKRS, producers of the official hackathons of SXSW, Bonnaroo, and Outside Lands. Part code marathon, part all-night art rave, the hackathon will take place at Exchange LA and feature the country’s top hackers, designers, artists and music producers working side by side to create the next great music festival experience. Teams will be selected from this initial phase and given access to the Insomniac Dream Lab, where their ideas will be nurtured by CODEMKRS and Insomniac’s digital team over a four-week period. The Dream Lab teams will then demo their ideas at EDMbiz to a panel of industry leaders. The grand-prize winner will get a backstage tour of EDC Las Vegas 2016 and the chance to go live with their technology alongside the world’s best electronic artists.
As a kickoff to the week of programming, the EDMbiz official opening night party at Omnia will be headlined by Afrojack on Tuesday, June 14. All EDMbiz badge holders will have complimentary access prior to 1:00 am. The EDMbiz official closing night party will be held once again at Marquee Nightclub on Thursday, June 16, featuring Galantis & Loco Dice. All EDMbiz badge holders will receive complimentary admission before midnight.
KCRW’s Jason Bentley Returns to Host EDMbiz, Taking Place Tuesday, June 14 –Thursday, June 16 at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas
