Rossi. Brings London to a Standstill With One Message

United Kingdom

Rossi

Italy

italian techno

minimal techno

techno

Joseph Capriati

deep disco house

melodic house

BLOND:ISH

Romania

romanian electronic

Mahony

Spain

Indira Paganotto

Germany

acid techno

Clara Cuvé

Amnesia Ibiza

Joseph Capriati presents Metamorfosi Week 7

Joseph Capriati Presents Metamorfosi

deep house

house

uk tech house

Jamie Jones

tribal house

Nic Fanciulli

uk house

TSHA

United States

HoneyLuv

Max Dean

Sidney Charles

deep groove house

german tech house

Kolter

Netherlands

M-High

Paradise Week 5

Paradise

dance pop

electronic trap

pop dance

DJ Snake

Australia

australian house

Dom Dolla

Tiësto

big room

dutch house

electro house

AFROJACK

Mita Gami

Sweden

progressive electro house

Alesso

Brazil

pop nacional

slap house

Alok

drum and bass

jungle

uk dnb

Andy C

Annicka

big beat

classic house

disco house

filter house

speed garage

uk dance

vocal house

Armand Van Helden

tech house

Ben Sterling

bass house

Biscits

progressive house

Kaskade

southstar

Mau P

chillwave

electra

indietronica

instrumental hip hop

wonky

TOKiMONSTA

dutch edm

Martin Garrix

 (EDC), originally founded by Pasquale Rotella as an underground warehouse event in Los Angeles, has grown into one of the most iconic electronic dance music festivals globally. From humble beginnings, EDC has evolved into a celebration that attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees, most notably at its flagship event held annually at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The festival blends music, art, and spectacle, creating a mesmerizing experience often described as dancing "under the electric sky."

At the heart of EDC's appeal is its remarkable production quality. Each edition transforms venues into fantastical neon-lit worlds, featuring massive, intricately designed stages equipped with cutting-edge sound and visuals. The festival is famed for its awe-inspiring main stage, Kinetic Field, where elaborate lighting, pyrotechnics, and large-scale installations create unforgettable moments for attendees. Beyond the main stage, diverse musical genres fill multiple themed areas simultaneously, offering something for every taste—from house and techno to trance, dubstep, drum & bass, and beyond.

Over the years, EDC has hosted performances by the world’s top-tier electronic artists, including renowned names like 

. These headliners consistently draw massive crowds, solidifying the festival’s reputation as a premier platform for electronic music’s most celebrated acts. But EDC is more than just music; the festival's immersive environment includes dazzling art installations, interactive sculptures, and roaming performers. Guests can explore towering neon-lit structures, ride thrilling carnival attractions, and encounter costumed entertainers weaving their way through the crowd.

Beyond Las Vegas, EDC's atmosphere and message of unity have spread worldwide, with festival editions held in Orlando and Mexico, and one off events taking place globally, from Brazil to South Korea. Each event embodies the festival’s core values of peace, love, unity, and respect—commonly known as PLUR—fostering a sense of global community among electronic music fans. This emphasis on inclusivity and creative expression resonates deeply within EDM culture, contributing to the festival’s lasting impact.

Today, Electric Daisy Carnival continues to set the standard for electronic music festivals globally, continually raising the bar in festival experiences. With its commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and unparalleled production, EDC remains a shining beacon in dance music culture, drawing countless fans to celebrate life and music together beneath the iconic glow of its electric sky.

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC)

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Electric Daisy Carnival 2025

PAWSA

uk funky

Rudimental

Mochakk

electronica

float house

future garage

uk bass

Joy Orbison

breaks

experimental house

Interplanetary Criminal

ukg revival

salute

ghettotech

Partiboi69

New Zealand

jazz house

nz electronic

Chaos In The CBD

Ireland

Sally C

dutch tech house

Luuk van Dijk

Paige Tomlinson

latin house

Enzo is Burning

Murphy's Law (UK)

Inafekt

Joëlla Jackson

’s roots trace back to a student festival known as 

, essentially an end-of-year party thrown by students at Platt Fields Park in south Manchester​. Over a decade ago, the first Parklife Weekender took place there, born directly from the Mad Ferret experiment. Realizing the event’s potential, the original student founders sought help to take it further - they teamed up with local music impresario Sacha Lord, famed for Manchester’s 

 club nights, to build a proper infrastructure and bigger lineup. With a new company and Lord as co-founder and curator, Parklife Festival as we know it was born. It quickly outgrew its humble beginnings, soon moving from Platt Fields to the expansive Heaton Park in north Manchester to accommodate the exploding crowds​. (Heaton Park, one of Europe’s largest municipal parks, had itself hosted legendary concerts by Oasis and The Stone Roses – a fitting new home steeped in musical heritage​.) To this day, Parklife is guided by the vision of the Warehouse Project team, ensuring the festival maintains its independent spirit even as it partners with major promoters to thrive​.

One of Parklife’s greatest strengths is its musical diversity. The festival predominantly features electronic and dance music, but its stages champion everything from hip-hop and grime to pop, indie rock and house. It’s not unusual to wander from a thumping DJ set straight into a live band or a grime MC’s explosive performance. This broad palette means Parklife attracts a wide audience, united by a love of live music and a good party. Despite its massive scale, Parklife is a non-camping city festival, meaning the party winds down each night as attendees head home or into town (only to return the next day for more)​. This setup gives the event a unique day-party atmosphere and keeps it closely tied to the city. In fact, Parklife has been described as encapsulating the very energy of Manchester’s rave and music culture, with its high-BPM dance stages pulsing alongside blockbuster live acts. The vibe is electric, youthful, and inclusive - a celebratory mash-up of muddy sneakers, bucket hats, and hands-in-the-air euphoria.

The move to Heaton Park marked a turning point in Parklife’s evolution. What began as a 20,000-person gathering of students has swelled into a capacity of roughly 80,000 attendees each day at this vast park venue​. The festival’s expansion in size came with an expansion in scope: more stages (nine major stages running across the park​), more elaborate production, and a broader audience from all over the UK. Heaton Park’s rolling green fields and open space allowed Parklife to blossom into a full-fledged metropolitan mega-festival while still remaining within the city limits. Notably, local authorities and the Parklife organizers have worked hand-in-hand to manage this growth, from security operations to transportation plans. Over the years, the site itself has seen tweaks and improvements - new stage arenas, art installations, even the addition of carnival-style attractions like a ferris wheel - all enhancing the experience as the festival continues to refine its layout. Through these changes, Parklife has managed to keep its Mancunian charm intact: it’s a massive party in the park, but one that feels like part of the city rather than a remote island. The festival’s evolution in venue and scale mirrors the rise of Manchester as a music capital, proving that a homegrown event can explode into a world-class festival without losing its local soul​.

Over the years, Parklife’s stages have been graced by a who’s who of music superstars, reflecting its multi-genre ethos. The lineup is renowned for mixing huge international artists with breakthrough talent and local heroes​. For example, rap icons like Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent have delivered crowd-roaring headline sets, while legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan brought classic East Coast swagger to Manchester​. On the flip side, indie and pop royalty such as The 1975 (hometown heroes turned global stars) and R&B innovator Frank Ocean have captivated Parklife audiences in past editions​.

Electronic music is always front-and-center too - from the chart-topping house of 

 to the rave anthems of The Prodigy and drum’n’bass duo 

, dance acts consistently energize the massive crowds​. The festival also champions UK urban talent: grime king Skepta and Manchester’s own Aitch and Little Simz have all ignited the Parklife stages, underscoring the event’s commitment to homegrown music​.

Parklife is not just about big names, however, it’s about big moments. Fans still talk about the time dance legend 

 led tens of thousands in a moving sing-along of “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” turning a moment of local tragedy into a communal triumph of spirit​. They remember surprise guest appearances, like when Stormzy jumped on stage for an impromptu duet, or when supermodel-turned-singer Grace Jones defiantly performed while ill, hula-hooping onstage in true diva fashion​. Each year brings its own highlights, but the common thread is an atmosphere of shared joy and musical discovery. Whether it’s a blockbuster headliner closing out the night or an up-and-coming DJ throwing down beats at a smaller tent, Parklife delivers memorable experiences that have secured its place in Manchester’s music history.

In just a little over a decade, Parklife has solidified its status as a cornerstone of the UK festival circuit and a point of pride for Manchester’s music scene. It’s curated by a passionate team who keep the festival’s identity authentic and forward-thinking​. Crucially, Parklife never forgot its origins - the community vibe and fearless booking policy remain, even as international acclaim grows. The result is an event that feels both globally relevant and distinctly Mancunian. For one weekend every summer, Heaton Park becomes a mad microcosm of music culture, where graffiti-tagged bucket hats mingle with designer festival outfits, and underground club beats collide with mainstream hits. Parklife is more than just a festival; it’s an annual celebration of everything Manchester stands for: musical innovation, diversity, and an unyielding love of a good time. It’s no wonder Parklife is often hailed as a spirited cultural force for the city - a festival that started small, dreamed big, and continues to embody the loud, loving heart of Manchester’s youth and nightlife.

Rossi

Articles

Other artists