Its Thursday night and the Summer Festival Guide crew is in the sunny White Isle otherwise more commonly known as Ibiza!
We immediately notice this morning that our hotel is much more busier than it was earlier this week which makes me think that Ibiza is going to be busy tonight. With so many amazing clubs here, there is one club and event that we would definitely not miss. Tonight internationally renowned Amnesia hosts global super clubbing brand Cream, this happens every Thursday during the summer months and brings together some of the biggest artists on the planet.
This year you will find the likes of Paul Van Dyk, Markus Schultz, Above & Beyond, Armin Van Buuren, Fatboy Slim, Steve Aoki, Knife Party, Laidback Luke, Pete Tong and many more gracing the decks at this award winning club which has been around since 1976!
This evening's lineup reads like something out of a music festival with Armin Van Buuren, Fatboy Slim, Aly & Fila, John O'Callaghan, Amine Edge & Dance and more providing the beats that the crowd are here to dance to.
Driving to Amnesia just as the doors are about to open (around midnight) we get a tingling sensation knowing that we are about to experience something we never have before. The bright lighting from the sign and floodlights immediately signal we are in on the right course and jumping out of the car and into the queue there is already music blaring out of the doors. You can just feel the energy from everyone around you as you start to walk into the main room with Ruben De Ronde already getting the crowd well warmed up with some banging trance.
We walk across to the Terrace, Anton Powers has a crowd grooving to some house beats. The VIP section is located on the floor above both dance floors with immense views of the crowd on the main and terrace dance floors. With our bearings all sorted we get settled into the main room with Australian artist Marlo given the job of setting up for trance master and A State of Trance (ASOT) head honcho Armin Van Buuren. Marlo's set is incredibly energetic and by the time 2.30am rolls around the main room is packed to the rim! Armin wastes no time getting into the groove as he kicks into top gear bringing his notorious trance sound to the hot and sweaty crowd. With CO2 cannons, incredible visuals and lasers in the mix, Anmesia really does live up to its name and reputation as one of the worlds best clubs.
Having already danced my feet off for over 2 hours in the main room, I head to the Terrace to catch the infamous Norman Cook aka Fatboy Slim. As with the main room, the terrace is also packed right to the back bar but there is still plenty of room to have an enjoyable dance. As the lights go down, the vocals of Praise You kick in with a huge applause and cheers from the crowd. The room glows yellow and Fatboy Slim pops up behind the decks. Immediately we are hit with the synths of Eat Sleep Rave Repeat and you can feel that Fatboy Slim is teasing the crowd, as soon as the bass kicks in, the CO2 cannons erupt and bodies are jumping all around the dance floor. I get a feeling this is going to be quite the workout if this is anything to go by.
Fatboy Slim's two hour set is fun and enjoyable, one of the best I have heard for a long time, full of tunes from his enormous back catalog including Renegade Master, Star 69, Praise You, Rockafella Skank and more.
As I head out the doors in the early hours with a huge smile on my face, I am massively happy that I came to Amnesia to witness the Cream experience. For anyone heading to the sunny shores of Ibiza, Amnesia and especially Cream is a night you should book into your schedule. Warning, bring your best dancing shoes because its guaranteed you will not move off that dance floor from the moment you enter those doors!
Cream comes to Amnesia every Thursday until the 15th September 2016.
Our ethos is simple: Try to provide the best line-up, the best venues, the best experience, whilst improving each year at the best possible price. Stereosonic is Australia's largest electronic music festival, now let's get to it…
In an interesting year for Dance Music, the final frontier has been reached with global domination, Our artists and particularly headliners lead this assault! With chart topping hits, to industry & public voted awards, to sold out stadiums / clubs and the World’s biggest Festivals, we’re very fortunate to have THE cream of the crop in electronic/dance music right now, all included in the one line-up. Australia get ready for your biggest festival to explode in 2012!
What a year for our Artists!
Quite simply one of the biggest names in Dance music, Tiësto has had some huge tracks out, headlined countless festivals and has a huge new compilation out ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ (see below for our special Ticketmaster offer). Avicii simply had the biggest track in 2011/2012 and headlined countless festivals and worked on new collaborations with artists such as Lenny Kravitz and is producing anthems such as ‘Silhouettes.’ He simply doesn’t stop!Calvin Harris synonymous with electro pop music is set to release another killer collab, this time with fellow Stereosonic artist, Example. Both have had huge years in touring and production. Celebrating ten years of residency on the White Isle last year, the prolific Carl Cox continues to impress. His legendary sets in Ibiza are still drawing thousands weekly. Major Lazer are back and ready to expose fans to their eclectic dance hall vibes with a new show. Dutch turbine Laidback Luke combines to make a power trio of Stereosonic artists with one of Australia’s favourite acts and tennis star Martin Solveig and Dirty Dutch superstar Chuckie delivering ‘1234,’ a mad crowd track that will surely be dropped during the tour. Dash Berlin has started 2012 with a bang, his latest album ‘#musicislife’ is already delivering chart success. Dash’s trance comrades: Infected Mushroom, Markus Schulz, Sander van Doorn, Aly & Fila, Simon Patterson & MaRLo continue to experience huge love from the trance family. Infected Mushroom are back with their awesome live show (and table tennis skills). The techno fraternity asked and we listened with a huge Techno offering featuring: ‘Carl Cox Revolution’ (brand new room) with Carl Cox, Loco Dice, Adam Beyer, Joris Voornand more. Rising stars Porter Robinson is one of the most in demand acts at the moment with Bassnectar both having a huge year in 2012. Aussie Tommy Trash has risen to become a huge global producer and DJ this year and is coming back to Australia for Stereosonic. ‘Holy Ship!’ and ‘Hard Fest’ owner Destructo is back after a huge Stereosonic 2011. There will be plenty of Bromance this tour with Brodinski and Gesaffelstein who will be partying with Zedd, Dillon Francis and Foreign Beggars. Bart B More has quickly become one of the brightest stars in the international electronic music scene. He has consistently been crafting dancefloor destroyers that have received massive support from prominent DJ’s around the world. Diplo’s latest record ‘Express Yourself’ has in typical Diplo fashion exploded across the world with its eclectic high-spirited feel. The rise and rise of bass continues, with Flux Pavilion, Caspa and Datsik all riding the wave of bass adoration in the last year. Australian indie kids, Van She, are finally back with a killer new album ‘Idea of Happiness’ which has already spawned two songs: ‘Idea of Happiness’ and ‘Jamaica,’ perfect for Summer. Kaz James is back, one of the artists who appeared at our first ever Stereosonic, withFeenixpawl after huge Beatport success and one of the anthems of the European summer.
Don’t miss out! 2011 saw our biggest crowds to date with Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide selling out up to eight weeks before the festival. With the vibe already huge for Stereosonic 2012, it is predicted that we’ll witness big shows again this year thanks to our stellar line-up. We want to party with you, so make sure you purchase your ticket(s) early to avoid disappointment.
New Stages This year we welcome: Main Stage 2, plus a new techno stage with ‘Carl Cox Revolution,’ ‘Paris Social Club’ (first time in Australia) and the ‘Hard Stage’ (also a first time in Australia – Purveyors of ‘Hard Festival’ and ‘Holy Ship!’)
New Ticketing We are pleased to announce that all ticketing is now through our ticketing agency: Ticketmaster. Patrons can buy tickets online via Ticketmaster.com.au, Ticketmaster Outlets Nationally and by Phone 136-100
Back to Skoda Stadium, Sydney After extensive renovation, Stereosonic Sydney will be moving back to Skoda Stadium, Homebush and surrounds to ensure our patrons experience Stereosonic in the best possible environment. This is a state of the art venue with huge seating, main stage and as side stages have reduced capacity numbers, we are advising patrons to buy tickets to the Sydney show at their earliest convenience to avoid regret. We partied at this venue and surrounds 2 years ago and it was epic!
Thank you We would like to thank all those who attended Stereosonic in 2011 and to all who voted for Stereosonic at theinthemix.com.au Awards in 2011. Your valued support motivates us to bring you the most popular acts with a mix of new and diverse artists, to satisfy and educate whilst treading that fine line in between. This is Stereosonic.
Stereosonic 2012 boasts its biggest line-up ever featuring: Tiësto Avicii Calvin Harris Example Carl Cox Major Lazer Laidback Luke Martin Solveig Dash Berlin Markus Schulz Diplo* Sander van Doorn Infected Mushroom* Chuckie Flux Pavilion Mr Oizo Porter Robinson Loco Dice Bassnectar JFK MSTRKRFT Excision Adam Beyer* Aly & Fila Caspa Datsik Joris Voorn* Bingo Players Tommy Trash* Simon Patterson Gesaffelstein* Ørjan Nilsen Dillon Francis Foreign Beggars Bart B More Zedd Brodinski* Krewella* Nina Kraviz* Van She (not playing Adelaide & Perth) Alvin Risk* Destructo* MaRLo* Club Cheval^ Treasure Fingers* French Fries^ Beni# Duke Dumont^ Mickey# Kaz James* Feenixpawl* Acid Jacks* MC Stretch (will be hosting and MC’ing the Mainstage)* MC Gunner (will be hosting and MC’ing the Carl Cox Revolution Stage)
* = not playing Adelaide # = playing Melbourne & Sydney only ^ = playing Melbourne, Sydney & Adelaide only
Ticket prices in comparison to other festivals In staying true to our core ethos, Stereosonic continues to deliver the best line-up possible, at the best possible ticket price. We have raised the prices slightly this year to help improve our services to you on the day and to enable us to deliver the biggest acts in electronic music!
Ticketing (For all cities): Ticketmaster.com.au First Release tix are sold out Second Release tix are sold out Third Release tix $154.95* (includes booking fee), plus a $3.95 transaction fee per purchase (limit 8 tickets) *Perth patrons pay an additional $2.00 PTA (Public Transport Authority) fee (this includes free public transport with a valid Stereosonic ticket)
Exclusive Tiësto DJ Mix album ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ – offer for all Ticketmaster buyers Purchase a ticket to Stereosonic and you can also buy a download of the Tiësto DJ mix album ‘Club Life – Vol. Two Miami’ for just $11.00. Featuring: Ivan Gough, Gotye, Coldplay, Tiësto and Wolfgang Gartner, Afrojack and more.
On Sale Now!! – only from Ticketmaster: http://Ticketmaster.com.au/stereosonic or 136 100
Line-up is subject to change without notice. All events are over 18s, photo ID is required. Line-up varies slightly in each state. View state information at the stereosonic.com.au website for more details.
iPhone Application and mobile site We will be launching an iPhone and Android application. For other mobile users we will be launching a mobile friendly site very soon! www.stereosonic.com.au/iphone
