thebiggaylion

[thebiggaylion]

The Big Gay Safari in 2020

Hey everyone, life’s been quite busy for the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, and I know I haven’t been sharing much, BUT I wanted to let everyone know you will get to see more of me this year than ever before... and I don’t mean more posts, I mean in real life!  I’ve always had to wait for EDC Orlando to come each year before venturing out, but this year I’ve decided I want to see more of the world!  My biggest fan and I came up with the idea of seeing every Electric Daisy Carnival in the Americas in 2020.  It was a fun dream, but daunting!  Regardless of how daunting it is, I’ve decided I’m gonna go for it!  I finally get to travel!  The plan is this:

- EDC Mexico 2020 in February - EDC Las Vegas 2020 in May - EDC Orlando 2020 in November I’m calling it The Big Gay Safari!  And just in case there’s any question with a name like that, I wanna say that it is in fact me that’s going on this trip.  Not the guy that’s behind me, ACTUALLY ME.  I’ve never gotten to travel before, so it’ll be a challenge to bring all this jewelry and such, but I’m up for it!  The guy behind me always wanted to go to Electric Daisy Carnival from back when it was in Los Angeles, years before he ever thought about me.  He later learned that the festival had moved to Las Vegas, but he knew that traveling to Vegas for the weekend would likely always be unrealistic (especially after that shuttle snafu from a few years back... remember that?).  But once idea was had, I decided I might as well go for it and consider it all a once-in-a-lifetime ordeal!

I hope I get to run into you folks, whomever you are, and get photos and trade kandi and dance under as many electric skies as I can manage!  🏳️‍🌈🦁❤️

[thebiggaylion]

Mercer @ EDC Orlando 2018 (Part 2 of 2)

Part two, ahoy! If you want part one, it's available, as well as everything together.

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram "You know what”, I told myself... “I am standing way too far back!”  Right as I get up there, he drops the A-Trak and Armand Van Helden classic, as Duck Sauce, that EVERYONE knows the words to:  BARBRA STREISAND! Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand https://soundcloud.com/ducksaucenyc/barbra-streisand-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram I didn’t know it at the time, but another one of my favorite songs I was hoping to hear is a Mercer original!  While I was recording, apparently I caught the eye of one of the Sparklepops, and that caught the eye of some rail riding disco fans! Mercer - Monte Carlo https://soundcloud.com/mercer/monte-carlo

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram In one of the catcher songs that could easily be heard in a non-disco set, I’ve learned that half of Pardon My French was joined by none other than Jermaine Dupri for this song?  There’s a name I didn’t expect to hear in this decade!  Anyway, the sun has gone down, and the vibe has gotten hotter! DJ Snake & Mercer feat. Jermaine Dupri - Let's Get Ill https://soundcloud.com/djsnake/lets-get-ill

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Speaking of names I didn’t expect to hear in this decade... I was surprised to hear an old Uffie track make an appearance!  Yes, I know this song originally came out in 2010, but this version from Armand Van Helden (can you tell Mercer likes him?) was a great way to round out this experience!  

Man, it is so nice to be able to post something again!  Again, I might not be around every week, but I promise I’ll do my best to never make you wait this long ever again!  Last thing, don't forget this was just part two of the original post, so if you want to see it all, go visit the part one next! Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Social media has changed a lot, but my links still work!  Follow me! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Mercer @ EDC Orlando 2018 (Part 1 of 2)

Hey everyone!  Yes, I am in fact still alive!  A lot has been happening to the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, and a lot has happened in the past few weeks for me as well!  But before I say too much, I've a need to split this post! You're reading the first half now, but make sure you check out the second half when you're done. Don't worry, I'll remind you! Both parts in one post can be found right here, if you'd prefer that instead! So, perhaps the most relevant news for the moment is the EDC Orlando 2019 lineup announcement that came last week on Night Owl Radio, and then the promotional imagery that confirmed the names we all knew from the broadcast.  Just in case I just happen to be the only line of news you have into the EDC world (I’m honored, by the way!), here’s that flyer below:

You may remember how jazzed I was with the 2018 lineup, as it was the best I had ever seen for our area’s event... this one, however, outdoes even that strong showing.  It always surprises me when artists make back-to-back appearances in Orlando, but it looks like we’ll be graced with the likes of Alison Wonderland, ADIN, Dombresky, Kaskade, and more... and no, Fury + MC Dino don’t count haha!  But, doesn’t this read like a “Best Of” for previous years?  Orlando hasn’t seen Afrojack in forever, since 2012!  Steve Aoki, Arty, and 3lau haven’t been around since 2014, and DJ Snake hasn’t been here since right after his car accident with Mercer in 2015 (remember that?)!  I’m also quite surprised that Deadmau5 is making an appearance, after all that heat he generated a few years ago with Pasquale.  I kinda figured REZZ was going to be what put Mau5trap back on Insomniac’s good graces.  I’ll let the big cat out of the big bag and give you some clues as to what I hope to post about in the future, and say that I was really hoping to get another shot at seeing Above & Beyond perform, and if I’m in the same mood as I’ve been these past few months, they’re going to be a must-see for me!   Also, I am SUPER excited to get the chance to see Charlotte de Witte, Da Tweekaz, and Nora En Pure, all for the first time!  I’m also eager to see Eric Prydz, Party Favor, Timmy Trumpet yet again (whoops, uh... spoilers!).  Finally, I’ve heard great things about EDX and Fisher from the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, so I’d like to be able to see them for myself!  I’ll be crossing everything I can from now until November that the set times don’t cause a large number of conflicts for me, but with one additional fixed venue / stage this year, that means one more opportunity for a schedule conflict... not to mention the unannounced boomboxARTCAR artists that Pasquale mentioned in his broadcast!  It’s a good problem to have, don’t get me wrong!

And before we get into this, the life of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion has gotten busier than it has been in the past, and I can’t promise I’ll be able to do weekly #TBT’s like I used to... but, the life of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion has made some things happen recently, and that’s going to mean some exciting stuff is on the way for me as a result!  Nothing to talk about yet, but I need to get going on sharing my life before any more life happens!  Is that cryptic enough for you?  Haha.  Now, how’s about we start out my grand revival of #ThrowbackThursday with my favorite set from 2018?  It’s time for Mercer!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Photo by James Dechert, originally posted by Orlando Weekly So right when I got there and took my position in a conservative location within circuitGROUNDS, I noticed that some Insomniac videographers were nearby.  I figure I’d make myself not look busy in case they decided to put me in the 2018 trailer haha.  They did not approach me (but the cameraman could not stop staring!), but I did get approached by a random photographer.  As it turns out, I was feeling exceptionally good that day!  I was able to get ready in record time, and it resulted in me arriving at the festival earlier than I had ever arrived before!  I was very much looking forward to this set, and then... this photographer rolls up.  I didn’t have to adjust much to get ready for him to snap a pic, and when he walked away quietly, I just knew... I KNEW, “that was the one”.  That was the pic I was going to love the most from 2018... and just LOOK AT ME!  I look SO GOOD!  Yes, you can see how my necklace stretched out a bit on that one delicate spot between the “H” and the “@”, but my new hair is so much easier to dance with, that I went pretty hard on Day 1!  Don’t worry, it’ll be in tip top shape for Day 1 of 2019!  This pic shows everything, though... hair’s looking right, you can see my Pulse ribbon (which I always forget to wear!), my nails are looking good... I am a very proud lion! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤️  Okay, okay, now on with the good stuff!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram So, right after the surprise photo shoot (which is a commonplace for me, of course!), I returned my water bottle to it’s screw cap, and started feeling the groove.  I knew what to expect with Mercer, and every minute was super fun!  I never knew exactly what the second song in this video’s lyrics were.  Apparently I was thinking too... narrowly, I suppose... to realize what the word before “control” was! Mercer - Studio 54 https://soundcloud.com/mercer/studio-54 Patrick Hagenaar - Boob Control https://soundcloud.com/patrickhagenaar/boob-control-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Like I said, I knew what to anticipate from a Mercer set, and this song was probably the most anticipated one for me.  I suppose it’s just the gay in me that loves ABBA! Charles J - Voulez Vous (Do You Want) https://soundcloud.com/charlesj/do-you-want-original-mix

Right! So, that's the end of part one. Make sure you check out the remaining bits in part two. If you're sick of this split post stuff, you can always try to view the full post here.

It really feels good to be back! Make sure to follow me! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Mercer @ EDC Orlando 2018

Hey everyone!  Yes, I am in fact still alive!  A lot has been happening to the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, and a lot has happened in the past few weeks for me as well!  PAUSE! This is a two part post. Yeah, I'm coming back in with the good content haha! Part one is here, and part two is there. Now that that's done, perhaps the most relevant news for the moment is the EDC Orlando 2019 lineup announcement that came last week on Night Owl Radio, and then the promotional imagery that confirmed the names we all knew from the broadcast.  Just in case I just happen to be the only line of news you have into the EDC world (I’m honored, by the way!), here’s that flyer below:

You may remember how jazzed I was with the 2018 lineup, as it was the best I had ever seen for our area’s event... this one, however, outdoes even that strong showing.  It always surprises me when artists make back-to-back appearances in Orlando, but it looks like we’ll be graced with the likes of Alison Wonderland, ADIN, Dombresky, Kaskade, and more... and no, Fury + MC Dino don’t count haha!  But, doesn’t this read like a “Best Of” for previous years?  Orlando hasn’t seen Afrojack in forever, since 2012!  Steve Aoki, Arty, and 3lau haven’t been around since 2014, and DJ Snake hasn’t been here since right after his car accident with Mercer in 2015 (remember that?)!  I’m also quite surprised that Deadmau5 is making an appearance, after all that heat he generated a few years ago with Pasquale.  I kinda figured REZZ was going to be what put Mau5trap back on Insomniac’s good graces.  I’ll let the big cat out of the big bag and give you some clues as to what I hope to post about in the future, and say that I was really hoping to get another shot at seeing Above & Beyond perform, and if I’m in the same mood as I’ve been these past few months, they’re going to be a must-see for me!   Also, I am SUPER excited to get the chance to see Charlotte de Witte, Da Tweekaz, and Nora En Pure, all for the first time!  I’m also eager to see Eric Prydz, Party Favor, Timmy Trumpet yet again (whoops, uh... spoilers!).  Finally, I’ve heard great things about EDX and Fisher from the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, so I’d like to be able to see them for myself!  I’ll be crossing everything I can from now until November that the set times don’t cause a large number of conflicts for me, but with one additional fixed venue / stage this year, that means one more opportunity for a schedule conflict... not to mention the unannounced boomboxARTCAR artists that Pasquale mentioned in his broadcast!  It’s a good problem to have, don’t get me wrong!

And before we get into this, the life of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion has gotten busier than it has been in the past, and I can’t promise I’ll be able to do weekly #TBT’s like I used to... but, the life of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion has made some things happen recently, and that’s going to mean some exciting stuff is on the way for me as a result!  Nothing to talk about yet, but I need to get going on sharing my life before any more life happens!  Is that cryptic enough for you?  Haha.  Now, how’s about we start out my grand revival of #ThrowbackThursday with my favorite set from 2018?  It’s time for Mercer!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Photo by James Dechert, originally posted by Orlando Weekly So right when I got there and took my position in a conservative location within circuitGROUNDS, I noticed that some Insomniac videographers were nearby.  I figure I’d make myself not look busy in case they decided to put me in the 2018 trailer haha.  They did not approach me (but the cameraman could not stop staring!), but I did get approached by a random photographer.  As it turns out, I was feeling exceptionally good that day!  I was able to get ready in record time, and it resulted in me arriving at the festival earlier than I had ever arrived before!  I was very much looking forward to this set, and then... this photographer rolls up.  I didn’t have to adjust much to get ready for him to snap a pic, and when he walked away quietly, I just knew... I KNEW, “that was the one”.  That was the pic I was going to love the most from 2018... and just LOOK AT ME!  I look SO GOOD!  Yes, you can see how my necklace stretched out a bit on that one delicate spot between the “H” and the “@”, but my new hair is so much easier to dance with, that I went pretty hard on Day 1!  Don’t worry, it’ll be in tip top shape for Day 1 of 2019!  This pic shows everything, though... hair’s looking right, you can see my Pulse ribbon (which I always forget to wear!), my nails are looking good... I am a very proud lion! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤️  Okay, okay, now on with the good stuff!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram So, right after the surprise photo shoot (which is a commonplace for me, of course!), I returned my water bottle to it’s screw cap, and started feeling the groove.  I knew what to expect with Mercer, and every minute was super fun!  I never knew exactly what the second song in this video’s lyrics were.  Apparently I was thinking too... narrowly, I suppose... to realize what the word before “control” was! Mercer - Studio 54 https://soundcloud.com/mercer/studio-54 Patrick Hagenaar - Boob Control https://soundcloud.com/patrickhagenaar/boob-control-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Like I said, I knew what to anticipate from a Mercer set, and this song was probably the most anticipated one for me.  I suppose it’s just the gay in me that loves ABBA! Charles J - Voulez Vous (Do You Want) https://soundcloud.com/charlesj/do-you-want-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram "You know what”, I told myself... “I am standing way too far back!”  Right as I get up there, he drops the A-Trak and Armand Van Helden classic, as Duck Sauce, that EVERYONE knows the words to:  BARBRA STREISAND! Duck Sauce - Barbra Streisand https://soundcloud.com/ducksaucenyc/barbra-streisand-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram I didn’t know it at the time, but another one of my favorite songs I was hoping to hear is a Mercer original!  While I was recording, apparently I caught the eye of one of the Sparklepops, and that caught the eye of some rail riding disco fans! Mercer - Monte Carlo https://soundcloud.com/mercer/monte-carlo

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram In one of the catcher songs that could easily be heard in a non-disco set, I’ve learned that half of Pardon My French was joined by none other than Jermaine Dupri for this song?  There’s a name I didn’t expect to hear in this decade!  Anyway, the sun has gone down, and the vibe has gotten hotter! DJ Snake & Mercer feat. Jermaine Dupri - Let's Get Ill https://soundcloud.com/djsnake/lets-get-ill

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Speaking of names I didn’t expect to hear in this decade... I was surprised to hear an old Uffie track make an appearance!  Yes, I know this song originally came out in 2010, but this version from Armand Van Helden (can you tell Mercer likes him?) was a great way to round out this experience!  

Man, it is so nice to be able to post something again!  Again, I might not be around every week, but I promise I’ll do my best to never make you wait this long ever again!  If this post didn't load properly, check it out split into smaller portions that go easy on your browsers and apps! Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

Stage Lineups, ARTCARs, and new artists announced last week

Is it over?  Is the huge social-media campaign circling around the announcements of the stage lineups done yet?  Haha  It all started with a sudden video commercial / trailer style post on Facebook on the Friday before.  I told my biggest fan that it was definitely a sign that things are coming the following week, and I was right!  Here’s what we learned:

So, let’s do this in order of appearance, shall we?  I figured the boomboxARTCAR would make it’s way to EDC Orlando 2018, for the second year in a row.  Insomniac has slimmed the number of EDC festivals they do globally over the past five years or so, and the ones that stuck are Mexico and Orlando.  When they expanded the festival to four official venues (three “big stage” venues, and one “mobile” venue) last year, and increased the festival grounds to include Thunder Field, I knew they were solidifying Orlando as a permanent fixture in their yearly events.  But, what did surprise me was that some artists that had made the initial lineup were showing up here.  Namely, G-Buck, Jayceeoh, and YDG.  I’m not sure if they got bumped, demoted, or whatever, but at least they’re “in the door”, right?  Egzod is back this year (his EDC Orlando 2017 boomboxARTCAR set is available on his SoundCloud here!), and local artist Sloth is on the roster, congrats to him.  Insomniac did not brand the neonGARDEN stage with Dreamstate for what usually ends up being Day 1, and I think having this stage playing “one full day of TRANCE” is their way of not isolating everyone who was quite upset at the lack of trance options.  Given the other half of the names on this list, it’s clear the stage will be pretty much for bass music and it’s buddies on the other day that’s not for trance.  The research I’ve done on some of these new names to the roster (and new to my orbit) have me a bit excited!

On Tuesday, we got confirmation that The Factory93 Experience will be hosting this venue for the entire festival, on BOTH days.  Having more of a deep house and techno vibe is more in-line with what neonGARDEN seems to embody at EDC Las Vegas every year, so perhaps moving trance out of the tent (which may not be a tent this year for Orlando, either?) and over to the ARTCAR may be a move akin to introducing a new venue for Vegas, quantumVALLEY.  There’s quite the solid lineup for each day of the festival, no matter how you want to split up this listing!

As we move up the list of venue prestige, first runner-up is of course circuitGROUNDS, which is what we got on Wednesday.  I’m gonna be honest, this list had quite a number of surprises on it for me.  First and foremost, we have a new act listed!  “New” can be used lightly, as they combo are no stranger to EDC Orlando:  Fury + MC Dino are back.  I actually noticed their names show up on Tuesday on the website lineup, so I knew they’d be here ahead of this announcement.  What I didn’t anticipate is who ELSE got assigned to this stage.  Sure, all the riddim and such was always going to be at circuitGROUNDS, no surprises there... but I was on the fence as to where the 4B B2B GTA B2B Valentino Khan performance would be placed.  Now that they don’t have any pressures to play to a mainstage crowd, I’m anticipating that four-man set to go extra hard!  I’m also a bit surprised to see ALL of the Pardon My French boys (Tchami, Malaa, and Mercer) get booked here.  I suppose it shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, as this is absolutely the strongest EDC Orlando lineup I’ve ever seen.  EDC Las Vegas often puts massive names on non-kineticFIELD venues, and even Orlando has done it in the past as well (remember Zedd last year?).  I see that Nitti Gritti got bumped upwards from the boomboxARTCAR (and Corona Electric Beach) venue he played at last year, congrats to him.

Now here’s a super, super strong lineup!  First off:  Alison Wonderland got “mainstage” this year (which seemed to take her by surprise?  I guess she forgot that B2B2B she did the other year with Diplo and Jauz in Vegas?  Haha), so congrats to her on keeping her well-deserved hype going.  And spekaing of well-deserved hype, JOYRYDE is back for the second year in a row, and got an upgrade to kineticFIELD himself as well.  Vini Vici jumped from neonGARDEN to kineticFIELD.  Dillon Francis is back for the first time since my first visit to EDC Orlando, back in 2014.  My biggest fan immediately picked up on “and Friends?!” when the lineup first announced.  I, too, wonder who he’s gonna “bring”... or if he’s just going to have folks who are already at the festival join him for their respective collaborations.  Kaskade is back on kineticFIELD, but Tiësto’s “sunset” slot will ensure he’s playing well after the sun has gone down.  Surely Martin Garrix will close out Day 2.  Another new name got added, an act by the name of Kandy.  Which, as a gay lion I’m very surprised I haven’t heard of before... he sounds great!  I’d like to think that my big gay presence at the event has been read by Insomniac as a signal that a bit more LGBT+ inclusion is necessary at the festival, and bringing in this guy seems like a move in the right direction for sure!

Friday gave us a new graphic running down all of the artists at all of the stages.  The website has been updated to include all of the boomboxARTCAR names (although Kandy is still missing as of this writing!).  I thought PERHAPS we’d get a second ARTCAR or other surprise announcement during the week, but seeing how we did NOT get any new announcement today (Monday), I’ve decided it’s time for this round-up to happen!

Keep researching!  We’re not done finding our new favorites just yet!  Next up should be the lineups by day, as far as announcements go.  And don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about #ThrowbackThursdays!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

NGHTMRE @ EDC Orlando 2017

It’s time for another #ThrowbackThursday!  To be honest, I have no idea how this segment has slipped through the cracks.  Maybe because I didn’t take a lot of content from it, and these two icons that represented this half-set didn’t occupy enough of my interface to stand out and say “hey, what about us?” haha.  No real intro this week, so for the brief period before we enJOYRYDE’d the show at circuitGROUNDS, here’s a brief look at NGHTMRE at kineticFIELD!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Not only did they give NGHTMRE a “main stage” slot, but it was also a night time slot!  That means pyro was going off at every opportunity, which is always a great thing to catch from start to finish! Robbie Rivera - Forever Young (Lucky Date Remix) https://soundcloud.com/luckydate/wegonnapartytonight GTA & Stoltenhoff - Chicken (ID) https://soundcloud.com/user-526665766/gta-stoltenhoff-id-chicken

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Two crowd favorites, back-to-back!  And more pyro! Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØ - Lean On (Dillon Francis & Jauz Remix) https://soundcloud.com/majorlazer/lean-on-dillon-francis-x-jauz-remix Zomboy feat. OV - Get With The Program (Eptic & Trampa Remix) https://soundcloud.com/neversaydie/zomboy-get-with-the-program-eptic-trampa-remix-1

So, that’s that!  This is the last bit of NGHTMRE-related content I have, unless of course I’ve got a video of someone ELSE playing on of his tracks of course.  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

A-Trak @ EDC Orlando 2017

Hey ya’ll, I’m back!  I figured my post on the EDC Orlando 2018 lineup reveal from last week was enough posting for a week, so that’s why there was no #ThrowbackThursday.  I hope you all have been doing you research for the names they announced!  I’m finding QUITE a few names that are new to me which are really great.  Of course, right?  Everyone they invite is top-notch, even if the names don’t have widespread recognition yet.  I’m only up to the J’s so far, but ADIN, G-Buck, and Hito are all sounding pretty nice!  Just what we need, naturally... MORE reasons to have scheduling conflicts for when the schedule drops!  I’m on Jayceeoh right now, who I’ve known about for quite a while.  Jayceeoh does turntablism, and has won contests for it.  Just like this week’s #ThrowbackThursday artist:  A-Trak!

“Wait, at EDC Orlando 2017?″, you say... “didn’t he do a B2B with Diplo?  And didn’t you already post about that?!”  Yes, and YES... BUT, in typical sponsored-venue fashion, he played a second set which I caught a bit of at Corona Electric Beach, and THAT is what this post is about!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram As I figured would happen, the Corona Electric Beach venue was packed for this “headliner” act.  They had their big name of the day (much like Party Favor was on Day 1) play from 8:30 to 9:30, and according to my video time, this was taken directly in the middle of that set, at 9:00 on the dot! Youngr x Endor - Give It Up https://soundcloud.com/endormusicuk/youngr A-Trak & Baauer - Fern Gully https://soundcloud.com/foolsgoldrecs/a-trak-baauer-fern-gully-1

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Ah, good old crowd favorites!  A-Trak reached back FIFTEEN YEARS for this one, and then ran it into a song I know I’ve heard before, but just can’t put my finger on! Ludacris feat. Mystikal & I-20 - Move Bitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw429JGL5zo Unknown ID

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram I remember the first time I did this, and I try to get it every time since then.  This year I was never really happy with what I captured, so I kept trying it from different angles.  This one was the last attempt I made, and I think I did a decent job of it! Aazar - Different https://soundcloud.com/recordrecordparis/aazar-different

So there we go, one more week closer to EDC Orlando 2018.  Nothing fancy to say this week in closing haha.  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

EDC Orlando 2018 Lineup

Today surely was the day, wasn’t it?  The line up for EDC Orlando 2018 is finally here!  I know it’s earlier than in years past, but we’ve technically been waiting since April for this, so cut us maniacs some slack would ya?!  Here’s a copy of the promo:

Let’s tag this up first, so we can get that out of the way...

4B B2B GTA B2B Valentino Khan ADIN Alesso Alison Wonderland BadKlaat Bassnectar Boogie T B2B SQUNTO Dillon Francis & Friends Dombresky Don Diablo G-Buck Ganja White Night Gryffin Henry Fong Hito Illenium Jamie Jones presents Paradise Jayceeoh JOYRYDE Kaskade Kayzo Kevin Knapp Lauren Lane LOUDPVCK Malaa Martin Garrix The Martinez Brothers Mercer Midnight Tyrannosaurus Moksi Moody Good NERVO B2B Alok Nicole Moudaber presents MoodZONENitti Gritti Paco Asuna Pan-Pot Patrick Topping Pendulum The Prototypes Richy Ahmed SAYMYNAME Sinopoli Space Jesus Tchami Tiësto Tiga Timmy Trumpet Vini Vici Vintage Culture YDG

I can't seem to get this text centered (like I have on my index), but there it is!  Obviously a lot of the newcomers to the festival won’t have any content, so I’ve listed the links above as tag listings instead of individual posts, or even text searches.  Some of the ones that have been there before will have posts of course (even though I still have a few #ThrowbackThursday’s left to post!), but I may only have a song play from another artist’s set for these folks.  But, if you want a quick reference to what I have from these acts in the past, then there it is!

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way... HOLY CRAP, this is the strongest EDC Orlando lineup I have EVER seen!  My jaw was dropped from the FIRST LISTING... a B2B2B with GTA (I love these guys!), 4B (did you hear his EDC Las Vegas 2018 set?  It’s amazing!), and Valentino Khan.  I almost hope that’s at circuitGROUNDS so they can go hard, but they’re definitely kineticFIELD level names, I’d think.  Alesso was the closer of kineticFIELD the night of my birthday, and I didn’t quite get a lot of content from him as far as video goes heh, so perhaps I can get better representation this year should I see him again.  Alison Wonderland is coming back, which I just knew was going to happen.  We already know I’m a huge fan of video during her sets, so as of right now, since she may be my #1 must-see for this lineup as of today, expect more great video in the future!  Our seemingly yearly residency with Bassnectar should make plenty of folks happy, myself included.  Dillon Francis was probably the most fun set I had experienced in 2014 (but to be fair, that title is a super close race!)... it’ll be nice to see him throw down again, even if I feel his style has gotten less dramatic since I saw him last.  My biggest fan begged the question... who are the ‘and Friends’ this billing hints at?  I suppose I’ll have to do more research to see who his frequent flyers are!  Dombresky has done great work for Insomniac recently at EDC Mexico 2018 and EDC Las Vegas 2018, so that should be a good set.  Hexagonians will delight in Don Diablo coming back after his 2016 appearance.

Now here’s where it gets interesting.  We’d normally see that Dreamstate would be returning to take over neonGARDEN on Friday, but instead we see that Factory93 has seemingly taken it’s place.  Bassrush is still there, so it must have been Dreamstate that got the boot.  Honestly, this is a welcome change for me personally.  Trance is really great, and I’m happy they’ve gotten their own venue with quantumVALLEY at EDC Las Vegas (that stage design was pretty awesome this year too!), but there’s a lot of cramming done at EDC Orlando with the Las Vegas stages and styles being merged into adjacent venues for us in the south.  Seeing a bit more the Las Vegas neonGARDEN’s style appear in the Orlando neonGARDEN’s venue is something I’ve always been quite interested in... and I think the extra weight in the deep house and techno names of this lineup are fantastic.  I saw plenty of unhappy potential and past Headliners on Instagram over this shift, and I feel them on that... but this change suits me personally, so I only have so much sorrow I can muster for them.  The neonGARDEN venue is gonna get it’s proper identity this year, I believe!  Maybe we’ll even get the new open-air design they touted at EDC Las Vegas 2018?  I’m not sure I liked that venue design better than the pyramid-style structure they used before, but forward motion and change are something we should expect to something tied to pop culture, right?

Alright, moving on!  I am excited to see Gryffin visiting us this year (as his EDC Las Vegas 2018 set was pretty great, too!), as well as Henry Fong coming back after his 2014 set that I missed (naturally, because the line was so long on Day 2!).  I’m happy to see Illenium making the cut, hopefully I’ll get a chance to check that performance out.  My gut was telling me we might get Porter Robinson, but I suppose it was trying to foretell of Illenium instead haha.  Jamie Jones is back for the third year in a row, and the second year where he’s bringing his Paradise brand, which most certainly will be gracing the neonGARDEN.  Jayceeoh also made it in, so congrats to him.  JOYRYDE is back, so perhaps I’ll have to catch more of his set than I did last year.  And a very big surprise for me is Kaskade returning for the second year in a row.  Kaskade seems to be on the bi-annual schedule that most big names are with Insomniac’s Sunshine State event, so he’ll be a huge draw for where ever they decide to stick him this year.  Kayzo’s hard hitting sound will be joining us again, and it’s a guarantee he’ll return to the circuitGROUNDS just like when he was here last in 2016.  I’m excited that LOUDPVCK is coming back, as well as Malaa making what I believe is a first appearance at this event.  Martin Garrix I had a sneaking suspicion would be one of the big surprise names for this year, and it seems my hunch was well-placed.  I’m very excited for Mercer (he was on my personal wish list for 2018 after that amazing EDC Las Vegas 2018 set!), so I’m hoping there isn’t a scheduling conflict for me in that slot.  I missed Midnight Tyrannosaurus when he was here last in 2016 (those opening sets are hard to reach in time, what with all this makeup and costuming!), but hopefully I won’t miss again.  Moksi did a really great set at EDC Las Vegas 2018 as well, so I’m excited for them.

NERVO is someone I’m very excited for, as is the husband behind The Big Gay Lion.  It’s unclear whether the husband will be coming for 2018, but he was happy to see the girls joining this lineup.  I could have sworn this wasn’t their first EDC Orlando appearance, but I can’t seem to find them on any of the previous schedules... perhaps I was thinking of Krewella?  Maybe Nero?  Either way, a B2B with them and Alok should be quite something!  Nicole Moudaber is bringing her MoodZONE brand to neonGARDEN... no, it doesn’t say that of course, but it’s hard to imagine her hair gracing any other venue than that one, right?  Nitti Gritti moves from an ARTCAR lineup announcement to the main lineup, so good work there.  Paco Osuna is back as well.  If we had Dubfire, we could get that awesome B3B that they do with Nicole, but it seems that unless we’re getting a surprise guest, they won’t be able to recreate those B3B moments... not that I’m complaining!  I get the feeling they may do one of those sets where one plays, they then do a B2B, then the other one plays... that would be great!  Pan-Pot is back, and thanks to my recent #ThrowbackThursday, my biggest fan is interested in checking them out this time around!

Pendulum’s DJ set is something I need to research.  No, I totally get that it’s NOT Knife Party, but obviously it’s going to have some (or at least one) of the same folks... I wonder why they’re presenting as Pendulum as of late and not Knife Party like they used to?  SAYMYNAME has been getting lots of love recently, so I can’t say I’m surprised at all to see him.  Space Jesus will likely melt faces in the same way that Snails did last year at the circuitGROUNDS.  Tchami is making lots of people in my circles happy, and he’s plenty popular enough to get kineticFIELD booking... and since we have three-quarters of the Pardon My French crew in attendance, maybe there will be a special appearance for that gang during Tchami’s set... is DJ Snake gonna show up as well?  We haven’t seen him since 2015, so perhaps~!  Tiësto is back, and he’s got the now-legendary “sunset slot” this year that Kaskade officially pioneered last year... I doubt they’ll put Tiësto at circuitGROUNDS (and face it west at Thunder Field again), but they did have that weird mention of Camping World Stadium being their host venue this year... I’m thinking that was purely for the World Cup tie-in, but if it’s not... that’s gotta be where kineticFIELD will be going, and those high stands to the west will surely prevent a magical sunset experience, don’t you think?  Either way, perhaps I’ll get to catch him this year (cause I passed on it back in 2015).  Timmy Trumpet will bring his unique flare to kineticFIELD I’m sure, and Vini Vici will certainly return to neonGARDEN.

I am so jazzed for this!  There is always a boatload of names I need to familiarize myself with before the event... I’ve already started with listening to ADIN during his Camp EDC set, and it’s got me excited to scour for the rest of these new (to me) names over the coming weeks!  It’s official, we can get hyped now!  Love ya’ll, see you next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Countdown to Day 1 with me, all over my socials! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Ilan Bluestone @ EDC Orlando 2015

YA’LL.  DID THEY-... IS THIS-...

In honor of our host venue @CWStadium, here are our #EDCOrlando 2018 predictions for the World Cup games tomorrow: Uruguay vs. France: 7-10 Brazil vs. Belgium: 12-00 Can’t wait to see the starting lineups for the Semi-Finals on Tuesday! 😉 pic.twitter.com/QroDjJrYC3

— EDC Orlando (@EDC_Orlando) July 6, 2018

I think this is a teaser about the lineup dropping on Tuesday (7-10, meaning July 10th, this Tuesday) at noon (12-00, or 12:00pm)!  My biggest fan texted me in a flurry earlier, and he theorized this was a teaser.  I mean, why else would Insomniac be talking about the World Cup, with such odd final score predictions?  Furthermore, why are they calling out Camping World Stadium as the venue... and not Tinker Field?  Could they also possibly be expanding EDC Orlando 2018 to INCLUDE the stadium itself for a new place to house a venue?  Holy crap!  I was hoping that the event this year would be just as big as last year, but if they include the stadium’s interior... 2018 could be the biggest EDC Orlando ever!  I’m VERY excited!!

Now, let’s get into #ThrowbackThursday with a set for a guy I didn’t know at all at the time, and was quite happy to know this is who was playing during this mini section between arriving at EDC Orlando 2015, and walking the grounds... a man who goes by the name of Ilan Bluestone!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Find the original post on Tumblr The Dandelion Forest made an appearance this year, in between kineticFIELD and circuitGROUNDS.  While taking a picture of it, you’ll notice an adorable tiny blonde girl doing her best to get in my shot!  I should have invited her to take a pic with me, but I didn’t have my wits about me at the time!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram I originally posted this clip to Vine (RIP), but Vine has gone full archive mode since I last visited.  I can’t find my index of links I had on Vine, so I can’t link to the original post, so here it is again, posted anew on still-active networks!  This was a really neat art installation, and similar installations have been put in it’s place in the years since.  I can’t make out what that song is, so hopefully nobody’s needing to know!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram This stage design was the same as EDC Orlando 2014, but it was nice to see it during the daylight!  I only stayed for a little bit, but I caught a great mix of the classic Coco vocals on top of what I later discovered was one of Ilan’s own tracks! contains Ilan Bluestone - Cloudchaser https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw4uZAmMClo contains Coco Star - I Need A Miracle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0lYo1NGDhg

So, here we go!  I’ll have to talk about the line up next week!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

It doesn’t take a miracle, just pick your social platform and follow me! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Snails and Aly & Fila @ EDC Orlando 2017

Another Pride Month is coming to a close, my friends.  I hope you enjoyed the colorful hashtags and other technical nods that get implemented throughout various social media networks.  It feels like there was less nods this year, but that’s okay.  We’ve got the love inside us, so make sure you keep living authentically as much as you can for the other months out of the year.  This coming from a rave lion, I know, I know... but it’s true!  I figured a bit of uplifting as in order, so I wanted to post the bit I took from Aly & Fila this past EDC Orlando.  Logically, that should include what happened just before, and after, as much as possible... but that turns out to be just Snails haha.  This brief period of time is what happened between Party Favor and Diplo B2B A-Trak.  Here we go!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram This guy has to have some of the best sound design I’ve ever heard.  When Snails first caught my ear, the texture and detail he brought to the simplest of elements was pretty impressive.  I didn’t get to stay long, and this clip wasn’t that lengthy either, but he managed to squeeze in four songs during this clip!  That’s the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion near the end of this clip, with a total lack of respect for my shot haha Snails feat. Big Ali - King Is Back https://soundcloud.com/officialsnails/snails-king-is-back Far Too Loud & YOOKiE - Shockwave https://soundcloud.com/neversaydie/far-too-loud-yookie-shockwave-2 Flux Pavilion x Snails - Cannonball https://soundcloud.com/flux-pavilion/flux-pavilion-x-snails-cannonball Space Laces - Overdrive https://soundcloud.com/space-laces/space-laces-overdrive

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram These guys have played EDC Orlando before (in 2014, which you can actually listen to here!), but I didn’t know of their sound until much more recently.  They definitely deserve every bit of the following they’ve garnered.  The gorgeous Concorde was playing when I arrived, and I managed to catch the last drop at the start of this video.  That blended in beautifully with JES’ vocals in the Gabriel & Dresden classic collaboration as his follow-up.  The only problem with music festivals is their biggest draw:  so many great acts, you’re undoubtedly going to miss out on a few must-sees.  At least I got to see Fila do is thing for the group for a short while! Aly & Fila with Ferry Tayle - Concorde https://soundcloud.com/alyandfila/aly-fila-with-ferry-tayle-3 Motorcycle - As The Rush Comes (unknown mix) https://soundcloud.com/jes/01-as-the-rush-comes-radio

Be good to each other out there!  Things can be tough, and we all need to know we’re here for one another to be an uplifting spirit for those that need a boost.  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Follow me for year-round pride-ness! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Pan-Pot @ EDC Orlando 2017

Hello again to everyone!  Happy Pride month!  Last week’s #ThrowbackThursday was so easy, since Bassnectar has been outspoken about his stance on LGBT+ issues, but with this week, even with research I had a problem finding the ally stances on a few shows I’ve yet to post... so, I’m taking a different approach.  If pride had a genre, what would it be?  House music, of course, without a doubt.  But, I didn’t have any house music sets ready to go either!  But this is close, eh?  Haha... not buying that one, eh?  Okay, how about this:  I’m gonna post a short look at a brief stop I made at neonGARDEN to see Pan-Pot, where right after I met some headliners which I was pretty sure were family members.  There... a pride month tie-in!  Haha

But before we get into that, I got some random fan mail this week!  That might not seem like a big deal, but I don’t get a whole lot (outside of commentary from my biggest fan), so this definitely caught me by surprise.  I don’t know the whole story behind it, but I was sent this photo with no commentary by @katherine.sitland on Instagram:

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook I couldn’t believe what I was seeing!  Was this just something she found somewhere, and figured I’d want to know?  Could this possibly have been created FOR me?  Either way, I love it!

Then, as if that wasn’t awesome enough, she sends me this right after:

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook This is the first image someone’s ever sent to me via Instagram direct-message, and I didn’t want to lose it, so I figure I need to be a bit uncouth and screenshot it haha.  I’ve rotated it and watermarked it over that one dude’s face in the Blackhawks hat (sorry man!), but can you believe this?  A whole group of folks, with one thing to say:  “we love you!!!!”  Speechless, I tell ya!  Besides getting permission to post and tag, that’s all the exchange we had!  Brief, pure, wholesome... just lovely!  Love ya’ll! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤  Okay, now it’s time for the #ThrowbackThursday content you’re here for.

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram There was a lot of buzz around these fellas, and it was merited.  Genres tend to blend together for me and my lion brain... is it techno?  Is it house?  Turns out... it’s tech house!  Haha, at least I was in the ballpark, eh?  No, that’s not a Tinker Field joke.  Actually, fun fact... it seems that neonGARDEN always gets placed in the only unnamed field that’s around the stadium... go ahead, Google it!  Actually... *squints*... wow, don’t Google it.  It looks like Google Maps still has imagery so old that Tinker Field’s stadium is still present!  That means, the imagery is from early 2015 at the LATEST. And try as I might, I can’t identify the song that plays in both of these videos!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram I decided I wanted a straight-on shot of that LED screen that Insomniac gets to put imagery on.  I was a bit far away, so I tried some optical zoom.  You can see where I try to mess with the white balance before I pan over to neonGARDEN.  It may be a weird video composition, but all I’m trying to do is give you folks some idea as to what things look like all around the venues, not just the venues and stages themselves. Again, no clue what this song is!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook While heading away from neonGARDEN, these good lookin’ gents dripping in kandi stopped me to say Hi somewhere along Daisy Lane.  They had some really great stuff, and they ended up trading me some of the pieces I said were really cool!  But, I don’t have a picture of it (and can’t find it right now to take one), but it’s a really cool bracelet!  And, of course, we were all smiles, because that’s how you celebrate life at the festival!  Congrats on the engagement!  Make sure to visit @i.wilfred on Instagram and @mr_nash62 on Instagram!

So there ya have it.  It’s about as housey as I could get on short notice haha.  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

[thebiggaylion]

Bassnectar @ EDC Orlando 2016 (Part 2 of 2)

This here is part two of the original post.  If you missed part one, you may wish to go check that one first!

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram And who doesn’t love moving the glass inside a kaleidoscope around nice and slowly so you can focus on the subtle changes?  I really love how the bright white lights seem to be rotating as they strobe.  I wonder if that’s an effect of a rolling shutter, or if that’s the electricity / commands hitting the electronics for “on”, “off” at different intervals?  Either way, it’s pretty awesome! Bassnectar feat. Lafa Taylor - Speakerbox https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/bassnectar-speakerbox-ft-lafa-taylor

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Speaking of awesome, you know how I love tech.  And green lasers!  So during a huge green laser flood, I decided to see if the lasers were reaching the stadium that EDC Orlando usually wraps around in a big hug.  Not only were they indeed clearly visible, but they also looked really cool!  Since this moment, I will often look backwards during a performance, just to see what the laser pattern looks like on a flat surface haha.  The guy behind The Big Gay Lion says he’s been doing it, too! Excision & Downlink - Heavy Artillery (SKisM Remix) https://soundcloud.com/weareskism/excision-downlink-heavy-artillery-skism-rmx

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Bassnectar’s set is ending, and I wanna get a decent position for Hardwell at kineticFIELD, so on the way out, I get a new vantage point to circuitGROUNDS, and it’s looking good!  I paused for this video, and the next two as well.  Being up front is totally electric, but you usually miss out on some of the visuals being that close.  I think I noticed myself standing a bit further back for EDC Orlando 2017.  One, because the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion liked his breathing room, and my biggest fan and his friends never really got all that close either.  I think I might try to get a bit closer for EDC Orlando 2018, even if I have to trek up there by myself!  I’m sure I’ll meet some new friends, anyway! Proko - Make It Work https://soundcloud.com/prokobass/proko-make-it-work-1

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Those light sweeps were looking great, so I took this one in slow motion.  What a unique sound Bassnectar has!  At least to these lion ears, that is.  If he happens to come around again, I may just have to see him a second time! Proko - Make It Work https://soundcloud.com/prokobass/proko-make-it-work-1

Speaking of, did you see the kineticLOVE stage announcement for EDC Orlando 2018?  It’s not entirely unexpected, as EDC Orlando has gotten the EDC Las Vegas kineticFIELD design since kineticCATHEDRAL in 2014.  But, it’s nice to see them talking about us for 2018!  I’ve seen a few artists already announcing late fall shows for central Florida, so I know the industry is indeed planning for November and such... so, where’s that EDC Orlando lineup, eh Insominac?  Usually we don’t get it until August, but I’m hoping with the earlier-than-usual pacing of Insomniac’s behavior towards EDC Orlando 2018, that we’ll see the lineup sooner?  I just knew such an early announcement was going to test my heart health...  but anyway, this is the end of part two!  Go back and look at part one if you need, or to see it all and make your hardware sweat, go here!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

Bassnectar @ EDC Orlando 2016 (Part 1 of 2)

Hey everyone, I’m back!  Sorry for the delay, had to let the guy behind The Big Gay Lion take care of some business.  I hope everyone’s Pride Month has been going well!  While I had to take those few weeks off, I was wondering whose set would be “right” for my return, and I think the outspoken Bassnectar is the best choice.  He’s absolutely on the right page for PLUR, and that ain’t nothing new.  Enjoy this twelve video post!  And you guessed it... because there’s so many in this original post, I had to split it up.  There’s two parts, and this here is part one.  Part two is over this way.  There’s an equal number of frames (four) and videos (six, check the text links below the video frames) for each post!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Bassnectar’s got some dedicated fans, doesn’t he?  I think I’m remembering correctly that one of the first totems I remember seeing at EDC Orlando 2015 (but didn’t recognize at the time) was his logo!  I was very excited to catch his set, even though Nicole Moudaber was playing at neonGARDEN.  Shortly after his intro, I started taking this video, and... (spoilers ahead) THAT happened.  And this wasn’t the only time it happened, either!  There was an extended period of Bassnectar not having anything to play through, so I decided to take this opportunity to go get in the mood.  As far as timelines go, go ahead and insert everything from my Nicole Moudaber post after this video.  I walked down Electric Avenue, visited neonGARDEN for a while.  Continue on for where things pick up after that jaunt! Bass Against Machine - King Kong https://soundcloud.com/highchai/08-bass-against-machine-king-kong

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Once I started hearing very strange noises back at circuitGROUNDS, I knew the hardware problem had been resolved, and Bassnectar was back on.  I took the long way around Lake Beardall to get back, and decided I was going to keep filming some slow motion shots.  Unfortunately, I didn’t think about the need for quicker exposures when recording in slow motion, so the next two shots (and their "normal speed’ counterparts) are a bit dark, a bit fuzzy, and ultimately not terribly exciting. We Bang & Mister Black - R U Ready https://soundcloud.com/dubstep/we-bang-mister-black-r-u-ready-premiere

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Yeah, like I said.  Not terribly exciting.  But hey, at least this one has a bit more color!  And you can see the flickering LED inside the floating daisies on Lake Beardall going back and forth to create a purple light.  Neat, eh?  At least, I THINK that’s what’s causing that... Corporate - Ice https://soundcloud.com/dirtyduckaudio/corporate-ice-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram After a while, I pretty much got my old spot back.  Man, this was a really great circuitGROUNDS stage, wasn’t it?  Real talk, it’s been my favorite so far.  Sure, the “2.0″ of this design that we saw at EDC Las Vegas 2017 and EDC Orlando 2017 had larger trapezoids, but the accompanying screens to either side--and the 360-degree design--really made this a phenomenal venue!  I’ve seen what Insomniac has done for the EDC Las Vegas 2018 circuitGROUNDS stage and wrap-around elements.  It’s growing on me.  If EDC Orlando 2018 gets that design for it’s venue, I hope it can fill enough of us Headliners’ views to not seem lacking.  Regardless, these visuals are doing the most, so I wanted to get a video of it all!  Who doesn’t love a kaleidoscope? Bassnectar - Loco Ono (Bassnectar & Stylust Beats Remix) https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/loco-ono-bassnectar-stylust Bassnectar feat. Lafa Taylor - Speakerbox https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/bassnectar-speakerbox-ft-lafa-taylor

Don’t forget to visit the second part now that you're done with the first, seeing how you're avoiding everything all crammed into one post!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

For some extra pride this month, follow me some place new! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Bassnectar @ EDC Orlando 2016

Hey everyone, I’m back!  Sorry for the delay, had to let the guy behind The Big Gay Lion take care of some business.  I hope everyone’s Pride Month has been going well!  While I had to take those few weeks off, I was wondering whose set would be “right” for my return, and I think the outspoken Bassnectar is the best choice.  He’s absolutely on the right page for PLUR, and that ain’t nothing new.  Enjoy this twelve video post!  And you guessed it... because there’s so many in this original post, I had to split it up.  There’s two parts, and each have four embedded video frames.  If you��re paying attention, you know that doesn’t add up.  That’s because this time around the slow motion ones don’t have their own embedded frame.  Make sure to look at the links underneath each frame for the “normal speed” versions!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Bassnectar’s got some dedicated fans, doesn’t he?  I think I’m remembering correctly that one of the first totems I remember seeing at EDC Orlando 2015 (but didn’t recognize at the time) was his logo!  I was very excited to catch his set, even though Nicole Moudaber was playing at neonGARDEN.  Shortly after his intro, I started taking this video, and... (spoilers ahead) THAT happened.  And this wasn’t the only time it happened, either!  There was an extended period of Bassnectar not having anything to play through, so I decided to take this opportunity to go get in the mood.  As far as timelines go, go ahead and insert everything from my Nicole Moudaber post after this video.  I walked down Electric Avenue, visited neonGARDEN for a while.  Continue on for where things pick up after that jaunt! Bass Against Machine - King Kong https://soundcloud.com/highchai/08-bass-against-machine-king-kong

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Once I started hearing very strange noises back at circuitGROUNDS, I knew the hardware problem had been resolved, and Bassnectar was back on.  I took the long way around Lake Beardall to get back, and decided I was going to keep filming some slow motion shots.  Unfortunately, I didn’t think about the need for quicker exposures when recording in slow motion, so the next two shots (and their "normal speed’ counterparts) are a bit dark, a bit fuzzy, and ultimately not terribly exciting. We Bang & Mister Black - R U Ready https://soundcloud.com/dubstep/we-bang-mister-black-r-u-ready-premiere

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Yeah, like I said.  Not terribly exciting.  But hey, at least this one has a bit more color!  And you can see the flickering LED inside the floating daisies on Lake Beardall going back and forth to create a purple light.  Neat, eh?  At least, I THINK that’s what’s causing that... Corporate - Ice https://soundcloud.com/dirtyduckaudio/corporate-ice-original-mix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram After a while, I pretty much got my old spot back.  Man, this was a really great circuitGROUNDS stage, wasn’t it?  Real talk, it’s been my favorite so far.  Sure, the “2.0″ of this design that we saw at EDC Las Vegas 2017 and EDC Orlando 2017 had larger trapezoids, but the accompanying screens to either side--and the 360-degree design--really made this a phenomenal venue!  I’ve seen what Insomniac has done for the EDC Las Vegas 2018 circuitGROUNDS stage and wrap-around elements.  It’s growing on me.  If EDC Orlando 2018 gets that design for it’s venue, I hope it can fill enough of us Headliners’ views to not seem lacking.  Regardless, these visuals are doing the most, so I wanted to get a video of it all!  Who doesn’t love a kaleidoscope? Bassnectar - Loco Ono (Bassnectar & Stylust Beats Remix) https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/loco-ono-bassnectar-stylust Bassnectar feat. Lafa Taylor - Speakerbox https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/bassnectar-speakerbox-ft-lafa-taylor

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram And who doesn’t love moving the glass inside a kaleidoscope around nice and slowly so you can focus on the subtle changes?  I really love how the bright white lights seem to be rotating as they strobe.  I wonder if that’s an effect of a rolling shutter, or if that’s the electricity / commands hitting the electronics for “on”, “off” at different intervals?  Either way, it’s pretty awesome! Bassnectar feat. Lafa Taylor - Speakerbox https://soundcloud.com/bassnectar/bassnectar-speakerbox-ft-lafa-taylor

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Speaking of awesome, you know how I love tech.  And green lasers!  So during a huge green laser flood, I decided to see if the lasers were reaching the stadium that EDC Orlando usually wraps around in a big hug.  Not only were they indeed clearly visible, but they also looked really cool!  Since this moment, I will often look backwards during a performance, just to see what the laser pattern looks like on a flat surface haha.  The guy behind The Big Gay Lion says he’s been doing it, too! Excision & Downlink - Heavy Artillery (SKisM Remix) https://soundcloud.com/weareskism/excision-downlink-heavy-artillery-skism-rmx

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Bassnectar’s set is ending, and I wanna get a decent position for Hardwell at kineticFIELD, so on the way out, I get a new vantage point to circuitGROUNDS, and it’s looking good!  I paused for this video, and the next two as well.  Being up front is totally electric, but you usually miss out on some of the visuals being that close.  I think I noticed myself standing a bit further back for EDC Orlando 2017.  One, because the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion liked his breathing room, and my biggest fan and his friends never really got all that close either.  I think I might try to get a bit closer for EDC Orlando 2018, even if I have to trek up there by myself!  I’m sure I’ll meet some new friends, anyway! Proko - Make It Work https://soundcloud.com/prokobass/proko-make-it-work-1

Slow Motion:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Normal Speed:  YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Those light sweeps were looking great, so I took this one in slow motion.  What a unique sound Bassnectar has!  At least to these lion ears, that is.  If he happens to come around again, I may just have to see him a second time! Proko - Make It Work https://soundcloud.com/prokobass/proko-make-it-work-1

Speaking of, did you see the kineticLOVE stage announcement for EDC Orlando 2018?  It’s not entirely unexpected, as EDC Orlando has gotten the EDC Las Vegas kineticFIELD design since kineticCATHEDRAL in 2014.  But, it’s nice to see them talking about us for 2018!  I’ve seen a few artists already announcing late fall shows for central Florida, so I know the industry is indeed planning for November and such... so, where’s that EDC Orlando lineup, eh Insominac?  Usually we don’t get it until August, but I’m hoping with the earlier-than-usual pacing of Insomniac’s behavior towards EDC Orlando 2018, that we’ll see the lineup sooner?  I just knew such an early announcement was going to test my heart health...  Don’t forget to use the split posts if you need to go easy on your memory by avoiding everything all crammed into one post!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Out and proud in as many places as I can manage!  Join me, would ya? Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Slander @ EDC Orlando 2017

It’s a big day tomorrow in Insomniac land... arguably their biggest day of the year:  Day 1 of EDC Las Vegas!  For all of us not in attendance, we get to participate in the hype thanks to the EDC Las Vegas 2018 live stream that got officially announced earlier this week.  No Red Bull TV this year, but instead they’re using a newly-branded Insomniac TV moniker, along with a partnership with a different third-party company (that surely focuses on live event video broadcasting).  I can’t wait to see what they do with this year’s stream!  Having multiple channels would be nice.  We’ll have to see what goes down tomorrow night!

Alright, here comes another short post, and this week it’s Slander!   Yeah I know, I keep saying I’m out of quick posts... and yet, I happen to find another moment (or three) that is indeed short, but can stand well on it’s own.  It’s all videos, so enjoy!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Here’s part of the intro, where they used a pretty great remix of an Eminem classic.  I don’t think anyone expected a Slander set to stay low key, and they brought the energy up to par quickly! Eminem - Lose Yourself (Hank's Rek Yo Self Remix) https://soundcloud.com/hank-music/eminem-lose-yourself-hanks-rek Zomboy - Like A Bitch https://soundcloud.com/zomboy/zomboy-like-a-bitch Slander & Sullivan King - Welcome To The Fire https://soundcloud.com/slanderofficial/welcometothefire

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram See, I was expecting to catch The Drop, but instead they dropped Lil Uzi Vert in it’s place.  Which is fine, it’s a great jam.  I’m glad I kept it going, for the song that came after was indeed pryo-worthy (even though they head-faked the techs, too, by burning some pyro at the drop that never was haha). Gammer - The Drop https://soundcloud.com/djgammer/thedrop Lil Uzi Vert - XO TOUR Llif3 https://soundcloud.com/liluzivert/15-xo-tour-llif3 Slander & Stoltenhoff - We Out (PhaseOne Remix) https://soundcloud.com/neversaydie/slander-stoltenhoff-we-out-phaseone-remix

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram On the way out, they played a very recognizable song of theirs, so I decided it would be a good opportunity to catch more of the venue with this wide shot!  I wasn’t sure I was going to love the blown-out stage design that wasn’t completely 360-degree, but I think facing a lot of the tech “downstream” like this was really a smart choice.  Bravo, Insomniac! Slander - Dead https://soundcloud.com/slanderofficial/dead

And that’s it, baby!  Let’s hope Slander does well this weekend during their kineticFIELD Day 3 set.  If you’re at the festival, have fun and be safe!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Never miss the fire!  Follow me anywhere you fancy. Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[thebiggaylion]

Walking down Daisy Lane @ EDC Orlando 2017 (with Corporate Slackrs)

So, my biggest fan and I were talking earlier this week about some costuming ideas for him.  He had the idea of me making him a necklace for EDC Orlando 2017, since I was making myself a new necklace, but that didn’t pan out.  After sharing a meme of a lady in full “kandi armor”, he got the idea of making something kandi for himself...  well, to be real, lean on my skills as an artist/designer, but he’s very polite and didn’t presume I’d simply make it for him.  But, what he’s come up with is pretty easy, pretty quick, and the hardest part will be for us (read:  him) to decide what design he wants to incorporate into the article he has in mind.  As the conversation progressed, I could tell he was getting into his usual train of thought, and by that I mean he was wondering when we’d hear about the lineup for EDC Orlando 2018.  Last year we got it on August 15th, he discovered, which was about two months after EDC Orlando 2017 was announced (during the EDC Las Vegas 2017 live stream, which I caught--and questioned--immediately!).  If that’s the case, then I wonder if we won’t hear something around the time of EDC Las Vegas 2018 (either before, during the stream, or right after the event is over)?  The timeline is all screwed up this year, so I really have nothing but a bunch of ‘what would I do if I was Insomniac?’ type thoughts at this point!

And speaking of timelines being screwed up, the schedule of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion has been pretty tight, so I haven’t had much time to prepare these #ThrowbackThursday posts... so, it’s another short one this week!  Continuing the theme of weird spans of time, remember how I mentioned there was a weird bit between a few shows that I wasn’t sure how to break up?  I think this is the last of it.  There was a weird space between leaving neonGARDEN and Infected Mushroom and heading to kineticFIELD for Seven Lions that I wasn’t sure how to deal with.  It wasn’t quite enough to stand on it’s own, I didn’t think, but if I tacked it onto the performance before or after, either one of those posts would be a little convoluted and make those already long posts way longer.  So, here’s another period of time that’s a bit of a reprise from a previous post with a very similar title:  Walking down Daisy Lane!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Ah, the traditional, portrait-orientation extended arm selfie!  Makes for good formatting for Tumblr, though, eh?  Haha  And nope!  I don’t have a line on this lovely lady.

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Stop and take a photo with one, and then you get some others that want in on the opportunity!  If you needed a front and back view of the moment above, then look no further, for this view is facing east!  East and a bit north, actually.  Had the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion turned just a bit to the right (where the blurry headliner is apparently entering another plane of existence), you’d probably catch a glimpse of the lights from circuitGROUNDS!  And this was a quick pic, so no info on these rave babes, either!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook And here’s back west again!  You can see a tall purple and blue tower-looking thing at the “end” of the road, that’s the ferris wheel that’s behind the boomboxARTCAR, or at the far end of the kineticFIELD area (and I may VERY far end, depending on how you draw your dance floor lines!)

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook In the past they’ve put globe-like art installations in this space (which I realized, when doing research for this post, I never posted!  So I do actually have at least one very small post from EDC Orlando’s past that I can use if schedules get busy haha), but this one appears to be human-powered!  So much so, that I decided it needed an atmosphere video:

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram So yeah, Daisy Lane is always very busy, especially now that circuitGROUNDS is down the way from kineticFIELD.  I’m actually facing west still, and I’m quite close to the entrance to Corona Electric Beach (that bright spot between the light posts is the venue logo and entryway, for reference).  Corporate Slackrs are playing during this clip! Excision & Space Laces - Throwin’ Elbows https://soundcloud.com/excision/throwin-elbows

I’m running low on super-short posts like this, so I’ll have to step my game up soon and get future week’s #ThrowbackThursday posts ready earlier than day-of!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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[thebiggaylion]

W&W @ EDC Orlando 2016

Say Hey to May, ya’ll!  I’m sure plenty of you are counting down until EDC Las Vegas 2018 later this month.  I’m excited to see previews of stages we may see coming to EDC Orlando 2018 (I think the circuitGROUNDS stage design that EDC Mexico 2018 saw in February will end up being the latest offering for that venue)!  I’m sure they’ll announce streaming soon, but I eagerly await that because I love being able to experience bits and pieces of EDC’s globally that I can’t attend.  And before you ask, no, I haven’t gotten my EDC Orlando 2018 ticket yet.  I think we’re at Tier 3 or something like that, and no threat of raising to a new tier has been made, so hopefully the remaining tiers will be based on quantity, and not time.  Alright, time for a quick #TBT with W&W!  I didn’t spend too long listening to them (which you’d know if you had seen the index page’s schedule), so this is all from the first moments of their set.

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Now here’s a light-up toy I hadn’t seen before!  It’s some sort of fiber optic illuminated whip!  The headliner was doing a bit more with it before I started recording, but I knew the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion would love this thing.  I didn’t have a #ThrowbackThursday in mind when I recorded it, BUT since my W&W content is pretty lighter this time around, I figure I might as well bring it on in! W&W - Put EM Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0eGuGXHcvs

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Apparently this song and the one above it are the same song by W&W.  I was surprised both clips contain music from the same track!  Not because the videos were spread apart in real time (they were not at all, and practically taken back-to-back), but because they have totally different vibes all together!  This one never made it onto SoundCloud it seems, so here’s a rare YouTube link! W&W - Put EM Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0eGuGXHcvs

Download High Res (47.2 MB) | Download Low Res (4.4 MB) They were doing some pretty cool light sweeps on kineticTEMPLE, but I missed most of them.  Here’s part of the last one they did.  Most of the full length GIF’s linked above don’t show too much other than an idle (but still very much illuminated) stage.

Short and sweet for the shortest named month in the English language!  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

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