A&E

Area15 expands its original series of EDM mini-fests

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Area15 has treats for your eyes and ears.
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Obvious statement: Las Vegas has become home to all manner of music festivals, some even stretching the definition of such events in new and different ways. Less obvious is what’s going on at Area15, the experiential arts complex located just off the Strip, which has created its own consistent series of dance music festivals featuring cutting-edge artists and merging old-school raves with modern immersive entertainment elements.

The programmers at Area15 call them massives, resurrecting a bygone term for large-scale, somewhat underground dance music festivals, and the next one is themed after Alice in Wonderland’s Mad Hatter on March 25.

The follow-up edition of We’re All Mad Here will feature a headlining set from electronic artist LSDream; additional performances from Eazybaked, Space Wizard, Tripp St., Equanimous, SuperAve., Tahùm and DJ Manifesto; and a full array of festival-style vendors, interactive photo displays and art installations, roaming characters and much more. Obvious statement: Costumes are encouraged.

“This year will be more of a theatrical, character-driven experience, more interactive,” says Kimberly Beneville, Area15’s head of experiences. “You might find yourself wandering around finding the Caterpillar, and you can actually ask him for advice or maybe have a conversation about your love life with him. You might follow the White Rabbit on a journey or play croquet with the Queen of Hearts. There are a lot of little surprises.”

Surprises are guaranteed at the massives, which span multiple venues at Area15. We’re All Mad Here, Neon Dream (May 27), Secret Garden (June 30-July 1) and Happy Camper (July 22) were all originated last year, and new events finding their way into the mix in 2023 include Odyssium, a pirates-and-sirens Halloween adventure set for October 28-29, and the cosmic rave-up Galactic Zoo on New Year’s Eve.

“I think we have something pretty special at Area15 where we have multiple stages with the A-Lot and the Portal, and we just opened the Wall,” Beneville says. “From the beginning, we wanted to create these mini-festivals … where you can really take a journey, with all different themes, performers and activities, but really [built on] the idea of different stages with multiple artists.”

Adds Noah Kessler, head of entertainment: “Each event is sort of a different universe or world as well, and they’re curated in a special, creative way in each space. You can have different programming at the Wall, a different style of music or genre in the Portal or out in the A-Lot. It really becomes dimensional.”

All the production for each massive is done in-house, a feat that further distinguishes Area15’s dance music programming from other day- and nightlife offerings in Las Vegas. Unbound by DJ residencies or the way the Strip’s megaclubs need to draw tourists, this creative team can move in any musical or conceptual direction it desires.

“We take a broad approach [to booking talent], but putting out a positive message into the world is important to us as a company,” Kessler says. “That’s a big part of it, and aligning [artists] with the event as well as who’s moving tickets. It’s important to book strong sellers to headline the event as we’re building the experience.” He also notes that data from recent events shows these mini-festivals are growing a strong local audience.

Since its pandemic debut, Area15 has quickly established a reputation for incorporating extra layers of storytelling and imagination into everything that happens across its sprawling campus. These colorful art raves are a logical extension of that vision.

“We’re a very playful environment. We really encourage you to get crazy with us, dress up in costumes, just have fun,” Beneville says. “The massives are all about play and fun and … taking you out of your reality. We don’t take ourselves too seriously.”

WE’RE ALL MAD HERE With LSDream, Eazybaked, Space Wizard, Tripp St. & more. March 25, 9 p.m., $45-$95, area15.com.

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Tags: Nightlife, EDM, Area15
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Brock Radke

Brock Radke is an award-winning writer and columnist who currently occupies the role of managing editor at Las Vegas Weekly ...

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