INTERVIEW: Michael Julian on the Evolution of Electric Zoo
New York City is home to a number of artful creations, like the Guggenheim Museum, the rainbow bagel and groundbreaking music festivals. Among those events is Electric Zoo, the east coast’s premiere electronic music festival, which will unleash its 11th roaring edition on Randall’s Island on August 30th – September 1st.
In year’s past, Electric Zoo embraced themes like Wild Island, which touted larger than life animal stage designs, and The 6th Borough which celebrated New York City and the magic of its longstanding venue. In 2019, Electric Zoo has “evolved”. This year’s multi-day megafest features a massive lineup with superstars like Kaskade, Eric Prydz, Above & Beyond and Armin Van Buuren leading the charge. Also new this year are never before seen back-to-back performances from bass heavy hitters like Borgore b2b Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal), Nitti Gritti b2b Wuki and too many more face melters to mention.
We caught up with Made Event’s Chief of Marketing, Michael Julian, to learn a little more about the history of the event, his favorite Electric Zoo moments and what thrill seekers can expect come Labor Day Weekend.
FW: Why is New York City the perfect location to host Electric Zoo?
MJ: “Electric Zoo has always been known for its diversity in music, production, food and, of course, the fans. We’ve brought EZoo to Shanghai, Tokyo, Mexico City, Sao Paulo – all major international metro areas with abundant culture and history where we’ve welcomed amazing fans who brought us nothing but love and positive vibes. However at the end of the day, our home is here in the cultural capital of the world – New York City – because this is where we belong. EZoo was created for New Yorkers by New Yorkers and we are never going to leave the Big Apple!”
FW: In what ways does the spirit of the city permeate the event?
MJ: “They call NYC the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ for a reason. We, New Yorkers, have endless energy and we love to party. That spirit is powerful and you can feel the Big Apple energy transforming Randall’s island into a massive festival for three days straight every Labor Day weekend.”
FW: What are your top 3 Electric Zoo memories?
MJ: “There were so many that on any given day I can give you different top three moments but here are some great ones:
In 2009, our first year, I walked across the full festival site right before we opened the doors to stand there and see the very first attendees of Electric Zoo enter the field. I can still feel those goosebumps.
In 2012, I witnessed a sea of fans storming away from all the stages to see a fairly unknown (outside of dubstep) artist by the name of Skrillex get on the decks of Riverside Stage (not the Main Stage). It was such an emotional atmosphere and watching a star being born right in front of us was incredible… I can’t wait for Skrillex to be back at the festival this year as a part of his Dog Blood project with Boys Noize.
2015 was the year of re-building for us. The festival ended-up being a smashing success and I will never forget a closing set performed by young Alesso that created an unparalleled atmosphere across Randall’s Island. That was one of the best closing performances in EZoo’s history as you could feel the love and connection between the fans and the Swedish artist. It was so unique – I remember feeling goose bumps and butterflies. To this day, I recall that moment as it will forever stay in my heart.”
FW: 10 years is a huge milestone for any event, and you surpassed it with EZoo last year. Does 2019 feel like the victory lap?
MJ: “It was an amazing feeling to welcome the big 10-year milestone last year, but the celebrations ended on Thursday following the festival’s weekend, as the team’s focus shifted on preparing to impress the fans at the 11th edition.”
FW: There are some artists that come back year after year – do they ever mention why Electric Zoo is an important stop-off for them?
MJ: “That’s easy – they all praise our food options and the healthy juices!!! Every artist has their own reasons. Many played their first big festival set at EZoo and that developed a strong bond with the festival, so they always want to come back. Others love it because performing in the heart of New York is special. We got a lot of praises from artists for the unique stage designs and innovative production over the years.”
FW: Is there a certain spirit animal that awakens inside you on the first day of Electric Zoo each year? What is that spirit animal and why?
MJ: “Yes! Cheetah awakens inside to help me move a lot faster as I have to cover a lot of festival grounds during the non-stop action over the weekend. We are ready to welcome you and all the fans. Bring your best dance shoes.”
FW: This year’s theme is Electric Zoo: Evolved – how has the event changed since last year?
MJ: “A lot of surprises, none of which I will reveal here, so come party with us this Labor Day weekend and see for yourselves!”
So you’re going, right? Single day tickets and three day passes for Electric Zoo: Evolved are still available on the official website HERE.
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