No exaggeration: Electric Daisy Carnival is one of the hottest tickets in town. Las Vegas’ largest electronic dance music festival sells out months in advance, well before any artists are even announced. But with a packed EDC Week (May 13-19, edcweek.com) of shows spread across a number of iconic Las Vegas venues, there are plenty of places to get your party on if you’re skipping the fest. Here are some of our favorite sets of the week.
Porter Robinson In 2011, a teenage Porter Robinson commanded audiences with the high-octane, pulsing, electro-house flavors of the time. That early success paved the way for his highly influential first studio album, Worlds, in 2014, which saw him take a more introspective turn towards nostalgic, atmospheric synth-pop. The North Carolina native went on to drop 2021’s Nurture and 2024’s Smile! :D, with another impending release seemingly on the horizon. An EDC veteran who last played there in 2022, Robinson hits Tao Beach on Thursday ahead of a Friday set at EDC’s Kinetic Field. May 14, 11 a.m., Tao Beach, taogroup.com. Listen to: “Language”
Armin van Buuren Over three decades, Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren has garnered accolades and influence through both his music and the ongoing A State of Trance radio show that’s made him a godfather of the trance subgenre. This year’s Sunday set at EDC’s Kinetic Field main stage marks his fifth consecutive and 12th overall appearance in the lineup—more than all but Tiësto and Cosmic Gate—but not until after the master of euphoric anthems sets the pace at Omnia this Thursday. May 14, 10:30 p.m., Omnia Nightclub, taogroup.com. Listen to: “On & On”
Hardwell Hardwell is another Dutch DJ with a long history at EDC, playing the festival six times between 2012 and 2018. This year’s Saturday set at Kinetic Field marks his first EDC Vegas appearance since 2018, following a hiatus that broke with the 2022 release of Rebels Never Die. His Thursday night headlining set at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center—a back-to-back billing with fellow countryman Maddix—is fittingly also part of the official EDC pre-party. May 14, 9 p.m., Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, dlvec.com. Listen to: “Call Me a Spaceman”
Bolo the DJ After a Friday warmup, San Diego-based Latin soundsmith Bolo the DJ is also doubling up on Saturday sets—hitting both Virgin’s pool and EDC’s Stereobloom stage in the same day. Best known for blending the percussive flavors of his own Hispanic heritage with EDM subgenres like house and techno, his catalog last grew with the 2026 single “Move Like That.” Everything seems to be pointing to a breakout year for the local favorite, who’s set to share the Virgin stage with Bradeazy, Jaden Bojsen, No Thanks and Rommii. May 16, 11 a.m., Virgin Hotels, edcweek.com. Listen to: “Vámanos De Fiesta”
Mathame Brothers Matteo and Amedeo Giovanelli—the former a film director and the latter a trained violinist—united under the Mathame moniker in 2013 while living in near-total isolation at the foot of Mount Etna in Sicily, where they helped their family run its bed and breakfast on the slopes of the island’s active volcano. That origin yielded the moody and cinematic sonic landscapes of their 2023 debut project, Memo—a high-concept, story-driven sci-fi escapade. The next leg of their journey starts Saturday at Ayu Dayclub, ahead of an appearance at EDC’s Quantum Valley later that night. May 16, noon, Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com. Listen to: “Believe”
Noizu U.K.-born, LA-based producer Jacob Plant—better known as Noizu—isn’t yet as prominent a name for casual fans as other artists on this list. But many savvy ravers in Las Vegas are already well aware of his grinding, grooving tech-house stylings, thanks to the consistent local presence he’s built as a Zouk Group resident. On Friday, he’ll pair up with Bolo the DJ to bring the house from the familiar confines of Ayu Dayclub, followed by a Saturday billing at EDC’s Stereobloom stage. May 15, 2 p.m., Ayu Dayclub, zoukgrouplv.com. Listen to: “Summer 91 (Looking Back)”
John Summit Chicago-born John Summit quit his accountant job to pursue music full time in 2019, dropping his debut single “Deep End” the following year. By 2024, Summit’s reach extended to Coachella and Madison Square Garden, with Rolling Stone crowning him “the hottest name in dance music.” After releasing his second album, Ctrl Escape, last month, the anticipation for his bass-laden, tech-house jams has never been greater. He’ll hit EDC’s Kinetic Field stage on Saturday and LIV Beach on Sunday, with the intimate setting of the latter offering a compelling argument for skipping the Speedway. May 17, 11 a.m., LIV Beach, livnightclub.com. Listen to: “Where You Are”
