Tag - iris

Imagine 2019 Drops Round One Lineup

Imagine Music Festival 2019 Phase 1

Atlanta, GA – After giving fans a glimpse into Chapter Six of the aquatic fairytale, with the release of the theme for Imagine 2019- “What Lies Deep at the Bottom of the Ocean,” the first round lineup is finally here. Featuring a series of mind-blowing headliners, as well as talent that underscores the depth of this annual announcement, fans are once again invited back to this aquatic mecca September 20-22, 2019. Headlining artists joining previously announced Seven Lions, include: Diplo; REZZ; Above & Beyond; Alison Wonderland; Zeds Dead and Marshmello. With still more headliners to be announced, this initial collection of top tier names are joined by over 30 additional artists.

Featuring four main stages, with more stages and artists to be announced, Imagine’s immersive aquatic fairytale will permeate all areas of the festival- from the infield to deep into the early morning in the camping areas. Additional artists on the 2019 performer lineup include: Oceania Stage: Alan Walker; KSHMR; Matoma; 1788-L; Ghastly; K?D; Leah Culver; Said the Sky and Svdden Death. Amazonia Stage: Louis the Child; Tipper; Cherub; Detox Unit; Goldfish; Phantoms and Thriftworks. Disco Inferno Stage: Claude Vonstroke & Dirtybird Players Stage Takeover; Anna Lunoe; Dr. Fresch; J.Phlip; Justin Jay; Justin Martin; Nora En Pure; Rusko; Wax Motif; Grave Gang and HE$H. Aeria Stage: BT; Darude; AK1200 and Reid Speed.

“Finally we are able to let the cat out of the bag and show our fans what has taken many months to curate,” says Iris Presents founders Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand. “Each year we challenge ourselves to top the previous lineup and that is proving to be more and more difficult. We are thrilled with the initial lineup and have many more gems to reveal over the next few months.”

Returning September 20-22, 2019, Imagine continues to further evolve embracing the aquatic theme that has been its hallmark over the past six years. Fans can stay connected for updates on Instagram at www.instagram.com/imaginemusicfestival, Twitter at www.twitter.com/imaginemusicfes and Facebook at www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival.

General Admission is available now starting at $199 for a 3-day pass and $249 for a 3-day pass with camping. VIP passes with express entry into festival, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars and lounges, and private air-conditioned VIP trailer restrooms start at $299 for a 3-day pass and $329 with a 3-day pass with camping. Payment plans are available for a down payment as low as $57.00, where fans can elect for four low monthly installments. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

Imagine Music Festival is produced by Iris Presents. Visit www.imaginefestival.com for the most up-to-date information.

What Lies Deep at the Bottom of the Ocean – Imagine 2019

Black Tiger Sex Machine at Imagine 2017

Atlanta, Georgia – As we enter Chapter Six of the aquatic fairytale that has become such a big part of the festival season for fans across the country, the time has come to reveal the theme for Imagine 2019. Embarking on a new tale that leads to the deepest depths of the ocean and sunken treasures to be found, fans are invited to journey with the Imagine family to find “What Lies Deep at the Bottom of the Ocean.” Discover an underwater city, once lost, but now found as Imagine transforms the Atlanta Motor Speedway into an aquatic mecca September 20-22, 2019.

In celebration of this latest announcement from Imagine a special theme reveal video has been created, utilizing the Seven Lions track, “Ocean”. As fans are transported through depths of the deep blue sea and mysteries that lie beneath, one secret is revealed- Seven Lions will be the first announced headliner of Imagine 2019. Known for its monstrous lineups, Seven Lions is just the first of many to be announced over the course of the Spring as Imagine prepares to present its biggest lineup yet. For now, we invite you to come along on a beautiful aquatic adventure.

“Every year Imagine Festival has had an aquatic theme, but this year we wanted to dive deeper and tell a new story.” Says organizers Glenn & Madeleine Goodhand. ” The theme was inspired by one of this year’s headliners, Seven Lions, after listening to his track “Ocean”. With the lyrics “So now I hide my heart It’s buried somewhere deep at the bottom of the ocean” we were inspired to think about what lies deep at the bottom of the ocean and the world of treasures that can be found there.”

General Admission is available now starting at $199 for a 3-day pass and $249 for a 3-day pass with camping. VIP passes with express entry into festival, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars and lounges, and private air-conditioned VIP trailer restrooms start at $299 for a 3-day pass and $329 with a 3-day pass with camping. Payment plans are available for a downpayment as low as $57.00, where fans can elect for four low monthly installments. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

Imagine Music Festival is produced by Iris Presents. Visit www.imaginefestival.com for the most up-to-date information. Fans can stay connected for updates on Instagram at www.instagram.com/imaginemusicfestival, Twitter at www.twitter.com/imaginemusicfes and Facebook at www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival.

Imagine Goes All Out for 5th Anniversary

Bassnectar at Imagine 2018

Imagine Music Festival, hosted by Iris Presents at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, went all out for their 5th anniversary this past September 21-23, 2018, featuring some of the most popular artists in the electronic music world. The Oceania Stage featured a slew of artists like Bassnectar, RL Grime, Zeds Dead, Kaskade, Galantis, Adventure Club, The Glitch Mob. The Amazonia Stage stayed true to its roots, hosting a variety of electronic fusion and jam bands like Griz, Zhu, Jai Wolf, Cashmere Cat, Shpongle, Eoto, and Lotus. Meanwhile, the Disco Inferno Stage featured some heavy-hitting bass artists on the first night, like Joker, Koan Sound, Shlump, Noisia, Boogie T B2B Squnto, before switching up to primarily House music on Saturday and Sunday nights. Disco Inferno played host to Green Velvet’s Lalaland on Saturday night, joined by Tiga, Walker & Royce, and Latmun. Sunday night was witness to Oliver Helden’s Heldeep Records takeover accompanied by Chocolate Puma, EDX, and Wax Motif. A slew of other artists filled in the gaps throughout the weekend, ranging from all sorts of genres like Trance, House, Dubstep, Freeform Bass, Drum & Bass, Electro Funk, and everything in between, including a silent disco that hosted artists late into the night when the main stages ended for the night.

Jai Wolf at Imagine 2018

Jai Wolf Performing at the Amazonia Stage at Imagine 2018

In its fifth year, Imagine made some noteworthy changes to the stage and visual design. The Oceania Stage got a significant facelift with the help of Algorhythm Designs. The new design featured a wide footprint with an aquatic theme, complete with sea-creature-themed dancers and performers, some of which performed from raised half-dome shaped pools on either ends of the stage. Because of the cost of the enormity of the 5th anniversary lineup, Imagine scaled back the scope of other stages, like Disco Inferno, Amazonia, and Aeria. The Disco Inferno Stage still featured stage design and pyrotechnics courtesy of Incendia, although on a smaller scale compared to last year. Similarly, the Amazonia Stage looked more like the design from 2016 than 2017, although still staying true to its Amazon-jungle theme with vines and foliage draped above the stage. Additionally, there was a smaller presence of live painters and artists that often painted in the vicinity of the various stages. While the toned-down scale of the stage design was a bit of an adjustment, many would argue that it was a worthwhile tradeoff, considering the depth of talent of musicians and artists booked for the weekend.

It looks like Imagine wanted to bring out the big guns for their fifth anniversary. From a music standpoint, they succeeded on that front. After that banger of a musical performance, it could be worthwhile to change things up and see what Imagine would look like in the future with a little less money spent on pricey headlining artists, while reinvesting that money into unique stage designs, art installations, and up-and-coming musicians and artists.

Imagine Music Festival Dancebreak Photo Album

Imagine Music Festival Partners with Surreal

Imagine 2018 Surreal Partnership

Atlanta, GA – Imagine Music Festival has announced it will partner with Surreal, a fundraising platform that works with festivals and musicians to offer fans once-in-a-lifetime experiences with proceeds benefiting local charities for the September 21st through 23rd festival. Imagine and Surreal have created two exclusive artist-based experiences which fans can enter with one winner chosen for each. Each winner will receive a VIP ticket to Imagine Music Festival for themselves and a friend, roundtrip airfare courtesy of Orbitz, onsite VIP Glamping by Unity Travel, as well as the artist experience they entered. Net proceeds from the campaign will benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow.

The artist-based experiences are to include: a meet and greet with Armin Van Buuren; a side stage performance viewing with Kaskade; golf cart escort ride with Alesso; a side stage performance viewing with RL Grime and signed merch pack; hanging with Getter backstage; trailer hangout with The Glitch Mob; trailer hangout with 12th Planet; eat and greet with Bear Grillz and a signed merch pack from GRiZ. Running from August 7th through to September 5th, fans can enter by submitting a mail-in entry or through several different donation tiers.* Each package is valued at over $2,100 and donations start at $5 for any individual experience. Additionally, a fan can also donate $25.00 for 5 entries into each experience or $75.00 for 20 entries into each experience. Fans can visit www.givesurreal.com for full details and to enter.

Featuring four main stages, Imagine’s immersive aquatic fairytale will permeate the grounds of Atlanta Motor Speedway – from the infield to deep into the early morning in the camping areas. The 2018 performer lineup includes: Headliners: Armin Van Buuren; Bassnectar; Kaskade; Alesso; Galantis; RL Grime, Zeds Dead and special guests: Adventure Club; Getter; The Glitch Mob. Oceania Stage: 12th Planet; Bear Grillz: Leah Culver; Liquid Stranger; Riot Ten; Zaxx; Eddie Gold; Kevin Flum; Midnite Panda; Ra; and Sunday Service. Amazonia Stage: GRiZ; ZHU; Cashmere Cat; Jai Wolf; Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ set); Ekali; Eoto; Lotus; Levitation Jones; Protohype; Yheti B2B Toadface and Ployd. Disco Inferno Stage: Green Velvet; Oliver Heldens; Boogie3 T; Squnto; Chocolate Puma; EDX; Joker; Koan Sound; Latmun; special guest: Noisia; Shlump; Tiga; Walker & Royce; and Wax Motif. Aeria Stage: Paul Oakenfold; Gabriel Dresden; DJ Dara; IVY Lab; DJ SS and over 70 local and regional acts.

Tickets to Imagine are available now starting at $219 for a 3-day pass and $285 for a 3-day pass with camping. VIP passes with express entry into festival, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars and lounges, and private air-conditioned VIP trailer restrooms start at $360 for a 3-day pass and $479 with a 3-day pass with camping. Several lodging packages are available, including GA Camping, VIP Camping, RV Camping, Unity Travel Qube village and Hotels. Payment plans are available for a downpayment as low as $66.55, where fans can elect for four low monthly installments. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

Imagine Music Festival is produced by Iris Presents. Visit www.imaginefestival.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/imaginemusicfes and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival.

ABOUT SURREAL:
Surreal is a fundraising platform that partners with festivals and music artists to offer their fans unforgettable experiences with proceeds going to the charity of their choice. To participate, anyone can donate as little as $5 for a chance to win the experience –providing an engaging way to create positive exposure, raise awareness, and make a difference in the world. Follow Surreal on Instagram.

ABOUT CHILDREN’S HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been 100 percent dedicated to kids for more than 100 years. A not-for-profit organization, Children’s is dedicated to making kids better today and healthier tomorrow. Their specialized care helps children get better faster and live healthier lives. Managing more than a million patient visits annually at three hospitals, Marcus Autism Center, and 27 neighborhood locations, Children’s is the largest healthcare provider for children in Georgia and one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. Children’s offers access to more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report. With generous philanthropic and volunteer support since 1915, Children’s has impacted the lives of children in Georgia, the United States and throughout the world. Visit www.choa.org for more information.

*A payment, purchase, or donation is not necessary for entry, nor will it improve your chances of winning. For details on how to enter without making a donation, see the official sweepstakes rules.

Imagine 2018 Phase 2 Lineup: Bassnectar & More

Imagine 2018 Phase 2

Atlanta, GA – Dropping a first phase lineup that set the festival world abuzz, the 5th Anniversary edition of Imagine Music Festival has released the full roster of performers for its 2018 event, which returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia on September 21st through 23rd. Once viewed as a burgeoning new festival filling a void in the Southeast, Imagine Music Festival has positioned itself as one of the nation’s most anticipated electronic dance music events, as well as one of the last remaining of the independent festivals. Joining previously announced headliners: Armin Van Buuren; Alesso; Galantis; RL Grime; and Zeds Dead will be Bassnectar and Kaskade. And, special guests The Glitch Mob and Getter will be joining Adventure Club on the Oceania Stage.

Additional new artists to the lineup include: Green Velvet presents: La La Land; Latmun; Tiga; Boogie T & Squnto; DJSS; Yheti b2b Toadface; Kenneth Thomas; Weiss; Andy Bruh; Laser Assassins; Mantis; and NOA|AON, as well as local talent: Alex Lucas; Babey Drew; Heyz; Lost Seekers; Vivid; Zen Selekta and over 70 other artists. Additional music blocks will be provided by: Tech This Out Cru; Bass Family Block; Bel Air; Torch x Elevate; Native Groove Block; Afro Acid Takeover; and Atlanta Trance Family.

Featuring four main stages, Imagine’s immersive aquatic fairytale will permeate the grounds of Atlanta Motor Speedway – from the infield to deep into the early morning in the camping areas. Previously announced artists on the 2018 performer lineup include: Headliners: Armin Van Buuren; Alesso; Galantis; RL Grime, Zeds Dead and special guest: Adventure Club. Oceania Stage: 12th Planet; Bear Grillz; Liquid Stranger; Riot Ten; Zaxx; Eddie Gold; Kevin Flum; Leah Culver; Midnite Panda; Ra; and Sunday Service. Amazonia Stage: GRiZ; ZHU; Cashmere Cat; Shpongle (Simon Posford DJ set); Ekali; Eoto; Lotus; Jai Wolf; SunSquabi; Higher Learning; Juju Beats; Levitation Jones; Protohype and Zen Selekta. Disco Inferno Stage: Green Velvet; Oliver Heldens; special guest: Noisia; Chocolate Puma; EDX; Joker; Koan Sound; Shlump; Walker & Royce; Wax Motif; Afro Acid Block, with: Salah Ananse and DJ Kemit; Ariel; Exit 9; Halogen; Ployd; and White Rhino. Aeria Stage: Paul Oakenfold; Gabriel Dresden; DJ Dara; IVY Lab; Bryson Taylor; and DaddyDough.

Imagine 2017 - The Funk Hunters perform at Disco Inferno

Flames go off at the Disco Inferno stage as The Funk Hunters perform

“Topping the prior year’s lineup has undoubtedly become a bigger challenge each year,” says Iris Presents founders Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand. “Through many special requests, our fans and the Imagine Family have helped to curate another dream lineup. Our fan support has been an integral part in the festival’s growth and we cannot wait to welcome you all back for our best year yet.”

Returning to Atlanta Motor Speedway for a third straight year this September 21-23, 2018, with early admission available on Thursday, Imagine continues to grow into the expansive venue further embracing the aquatic theme that runs throughout. Never ones to rest on their laurels, Imagine will be presenting fans with increased upgrades, based on feedback from its 2017 attendees. Imagine will continue to improve on the guest experience with more camping activities and services, additional entry and exits gates, improved VIP area, more custom stage designs and overall improvements to the site that will create better flow and shorter wait times. Throughout the aquatic wonderland there will be no shortage of aquatic creatures, dancers, cirque acts, art, workshops, the return of the Imagine pool and, of course, an even bigger and better lineup. As one of the country’s last remaining independent festivals, Imagine creates an all-encompassing, 360-degree sensory experience that blends music, circus troupes, performers, dancers, art, workshops, classes and more.

Tickets are available now starting at $219 for a 3-day pass and $285 for a 3-day pass with camping. VIP passes with express entry into festival, exclusive viewing areas, VIP bars and lounges, and private air-conditioned VIP trailer restrooms start at $360 for a 3-day pass and $479 with a 3-day pass with camping. Several lodging packages are available, including GA Camping, VIP Camping, RV Camping, Unity Travel Qube village and Hotels. Payment plans are available for a downpayment as low as $66.55, where fans can elect for four low monthly installments. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

Imagine Music Festival is produced by Iris Presents. Visit www.imaginefestival.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/imaginemusicfes and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival.

Imagine Music Festival Releases 2017 After-Movie

Illenium at Imagine 2017

Atlanta, GA – Ramping up to release their biggest lineup to date, Imagine Music Festival, a 3-day camping electronic dance music festival in Atlanta, Georgia, has released the 2017 Official After-Movie for fans to re-live the aquatic fairytale.

The 5th Anniversary of Imagine Festival will return to Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 21 through 23, 2018. One of the fastest growing festivals in the country, the 2017 festival hosted approximately 90,000 attendees over the weekend and anticipates even more guests in 2018. Located on 887 acres, with the infrastructure and amenities yet to be seen by a music and camping festival of its size in the U.S, Atlanta Motor Speedway is the ideal venue to support the rapidly growing event.

“Watching the After-Movie and re-living last year has us even more excited for what’s to come in 2018,” says Iris Presents founders Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand. “If there is one word that can describe Imagine, it’s magic and with our fan’s help- we look forward to creating even more in 2018. ”

As one of the country’s last remaining independent festivals, Imagine is an all-encompassing, 360-degree sensory experience that blends music, circus troupes, performers, dancers, art, workshops, classes and more. The festival will continue to build on its immersive aquatic fairytale with an abundance of performers, live acts, unique atmospheres, amusement rides, vendors and The Imaginarium’s variety of sacred teachings, ceremonies, and transformational workshops. Based on customer feedback, Imagine will continue to improve on lines and wait times to make sure their guests have the best experience and most efficient and safe entry possible. Other improvements include bigger stage designs, more art, and additional infrastructure and guest amenities. Fans can anticipate Imagine’s biggest lineup to date, early Spring.

Tickets are available now starting at $150 for a 3-day pass and $202 with camping. Payment plans are also available with monthly payments as low as $31.67. VIP passes, with front row pit access, elevated viewing area, VIP (no line) access, air conditioned chill lounge, bottle service, cocktail service, complimentary champagne toasts, private security, clean trailer bathrooms with running water and air conditioning, giveaways, meet and greets, and more are available starting at $299 for a 3-day pass. Camping Add-Ons including RV passes and Sky View VIP RV Camping are also available to purchase now. Tickets are available online at www.imaginefestival.com. Imagine Music Festival is an 18 and over event.

Imagine Music Festival is produced by Iris Presents. Visit www.imaginefestival.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay connected on Twitter at www.twitter.com/imaginemusicfes and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/imaginemusicfestival.

Disco Inferno Heats Up Imagine Music Festival

Imagine 2017 - Nora En Pure performs at Disco Inferno

Last month, Imagine Music Festival took over the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, GA, just outside of Atlanta, September 22-24, 2017. We gave a brief overview of the Imagine experience, which is hosted by IRIS Presents, Inc., the Atlanta-based dance music events and promotion company. This week, we dive deeper into the production and design of Imagine Music Festival, highlighting the iconic Disco Inferno Stage, a pyrotechnic work of art designed and built by the Incendia production team and their collaborators, led by Cory and Tyler Glenn.

Based out of Atlanta, Incendia has been heating things up lately on a national level as they utilize their artistic stage production talents at festivals across the country. The two brothers got their start in the Burning Man scene, where Cory frequently built art projects for regional Burns. After stumbling across the fire inversion technology that they now use in their stage designs and realizing they had a product that could appeal to a wide audience, they took it to the music festival scene, contributing to Imagine Music Festival from Day One. Tyler got an early start in the music business, running a club in Athens, GA at the ripe age of 20. It was this background in music business that gave him the opportunity to get involved with IRIS Presents just over four years ago, when he served as a talent buyer for the first year of Imagine, while also assisting the directors. While Tyler was focused on the music business, Cory was more involved in the artistic side of things. Together, they pulled Incendia into the first year of Imagine Music Festival, where they served a smaller role at the Historic Fourth Ward Park, Imagine’s original venue location. The first two years that Imagine was held at the Fourth Ward Park, Incendia setup misting systems for daytime cooling and fire lounges at night.

The lounges still make an appearance these days at Imagine, however, they are a small part of Incendia’s larger production. In 2016, Imagine moved to its current location, the Atlanta Motor Speedway, giving them a lot more area to work with. Disco Inferno made its first appearance at Imagine in 2016 and built upon its success this 2017. The 2017 stage featured a main half-dome decorated like a disco ball, where the DJs would perform from, as well as two small domes on either side of the stage. Each dome and the trusses above them sported various propane cannons for the pyrotechnic effects. In addition to the flames, the stage featured some more traditional productions like huge sound systems, LED walls, and other various lighting effects. The crew of 24 spent five days building the entire Disco Inferno Stage, working about 16-18 hours per day. It took about three days to break the stage down after the conclusion of Imagine. Of the 24, Cory’s team of about a dozen worked specifically on building the domes and pyrotechnic effects, as part of Incendia’s contribution.

Before the festival kicks off, the Incendia team goes through their safety check. Cory likens the detail and process to the pre-flight check that pilots conduct prior to flying an airplane. “We adjust everything to conform to all applicable standards. We do extensive system checks every day. We check for leaks. … We go around, we check the functionality of everything, make sure everything is dialed in correctly.” They do skin temperature readings with a laser thermometer to ensure that the pressure of the propane system is appropriately adjusted to the radius of the crowd. Once everything checks out, the crowd fills in and the flames start flying!

Imagine 2017 - The Funk Hunters perform at Disco Inferno

The Funk Hunters performing at the Disco Inferno Stage – Photo by Phil MacDonald

All of the fire controls are analogue. Cory expands: “We have like an arcade-style button box with different buttons representing different effects. We’ll sit there and try to anticipate the flow of the music,” adding that “it’s kind of crowd interactive as well; we can bring in friends, or other people in the industry … to play with the buttons and have fun with it.” There are a number of effects they can use, based on the build of the stage, but at Imagine this year, the main propane cannon behind the stage could shoot flames as high as about 100 feet in the air, a rough estimate, as Cory adds: “I’m not up there with a measuring tape, I like my eyebrows where they are.”

Imagine 2017 - The Funk Hunters perform at Disco Inferno

Flames go off at the Disco Inferno Stage as The Funk Hunters Perform – Photo by Phil MacDonald

Long before the festival starts, let alone is even built, Cory and Tyler plan the setup of Disco Inferno. Cory covers the pyrotechnic aspect of the build, while Tyler designs the stage and coordinates the logistics of LED walls, audio, truss towers, and crafting a budget.

When picking a stage location, Cory and his team have to be a little particular, as they have to take into consideration “flatness and proximity of flammable material.” The area must be flat for two reasons: 1) the dome structures they utilize do not have adjustable legs like many traditional stages do and 2) the inversion fuelings must remain flat to operate correctly.

Meanwhile, Tyler details his preparation, which includes a general high-level goal for him: “I really like to create a little bit more of the environment, a little bit more of an immersive experience.” He adds that a lot of bigger festivals tend to have two-dimensional stages. When he’s in charge of a stage, Tyler tries to “design something where people feel a little more comfortable,” so that that the attendants don’t “feel like they’re out and exposed in the middle of nowhere.” Tyler expands: “What I strive for is taking that out of there and getting people more of a space to feel surrounded and feel comfortable and therefore have a better overall experience.”

His process starts by creating a rough design in 3D format using Google SketchUp. His design is pretty close to the final product, but Tyler notes that his expertise only goes “so far in the realm of sound, video, lighting, and fire,” so he works with other people that specialize in those fields. Using Google SketchUp allows him to easily pass his 3D designs off to his specialists, as the SketchUp files are natively supported by Vectorworks, an industry standard product for stage design.

Imagine 2017 - Disco Inferno at Sunset

Sunset over the Disco Inferno Stage during Chris Lake’s set – Photo by Phil MacDonald

Tyler is able to bring his stage designs to life with the help of his industry specialists and collaborators: 4Life Entertainment provided lighting and video equipment and installation, while Liquid Lux Light Design and Adam Gray Lighting provided lighting design services, and Rhizome NYC took care of visuals. Meanwhile, Music Matters, a local audio company, provided the sound system for Disco Inferno, which included an array of Meyer Leopard speakers. He notes that this specific system was deliberately chosen for Disco Inferno due to its ability to project at a wide range. Tyler and his team wanted to make sure that, given the relatively large width and shallow depth of the stage, attendants would get the full range of audio frequencies regardless of where they were standing.

In addition to the main half-dome disco ball at the center of the layout were two truss systems that extended like wings on either side of the center stage, each hanging an array of speaker stacks and LED walls in ascending height. Further beyond the truss systems were two smaller pyro domes on either side of the stages—the smaller lounge-style setups that Incendia utilizes to fill smaller areas. The lounges feature misting systems during the day and flames at night. Two additional truss systems stood at the back of the dance floor, sporting additional lighting. The whole layout extends almost entirely 360 degrees around the dance floor, so that regardless of where attendants stand, they are able to look in any direction and feel immersed. The back lighting area served as the border of the Disco Infero dance floor, which featured live-painting on the first night from local artists, like Danny Sanzone, giving fans the opportunity to pull back from the main action, but still feel involved. The 360-degree layout was the brain-child of Tyler’s careful crafting and execution by his production team.

In spite of all of the planning, Disco Inferno did run into some issues this year. On night one of the event, the Disco Inferno Stage hosted a slew of bass and funk artists with a lineup that included Andy Bruh, Daily Bread, Squnto, Esseks, Yheti, Buku, ill.Gates, The Funk Hunters, Bleep Bloop, and Minnesota. It was then when issues with Disco Inferno’s power source became apparent. The stage briefly lost power several times on the first night, until the main generator was eventually swapped out with a backup one provided by the power production manager. It was later determined that the first generator had an issue with a loose cable connected to the engine control unit. Regarding the power issues, Tyler commented on the effect that Hurricane Irma, which made US landfall on September 10, had on Imagine:

“Being that we were just at the tail end of the hurricane coming through, our whole generator order that we already had in place got switched up, because everything gets dedicated down to disaster relief. As it should. So it was a little bit of a scramble there at the end to locate the power sources and everything like that. Thankfully, it was executed properly, and we did have a backup there to take care of that.”

Once Disco Inferno got the backup generator rolling, the rest of the weekend went off without issue. After the bass-heavy first night at Disco Inferno, things changed tempo, as nights two and three exhibited more House and Techno artists. Night 2 had performances from Alex Lucas, Ariel, Chris Lake, Nora En Pure, Claptone, and Gorgon City. Night 3 was dominated by the Dirtybird Players Stage. After a performance from Atlanta local, Wiggle Factor, Dirtybird artists took over the remainder of the night. Ciszak, Dateless, Will Clarke, Shiba San, and Claude VonStroke performed throughout the night at Disco Inferno, with Claude VonStroke closing out the festival. The Glenn brothers are both quick to point out that putting together something like Disco Inferno takes a lot of coordination from a large group of talented people. Tyler points to the serious focus from all of the individuals, “it was a very large group of friends that came together” to make the stage happen. Adding, “it wasn’t a whole bunch of hired help. Everybody that was a part of it was a part of it from the get-go and all the way through. We’re all part of a larger group of friends making an idea happen.”

The culmination of Disco Inferno 2017 was especially exciting for Tyler Glenn, as he got engaged at Imagine on Night 2. On Night 3, Glenn Goodhand, owner of Imagine and IRIS, gave a congratulatory shout out to Tyler during the closing ceremony of Imagine Music Festival, at Cory’s request. The two brothers plan to continue building Incendia and Disco Inferno, as Tyler notes, the goal is always “bigger, better, and larger.”

Editor’s Note: In 2017, even weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the US, Imagine still felt the effects of the storm. Through the American Red Cross, they setup a donation campaign for the Hurricane Irma relief effort. In addition to Hurricane Irma, during the festival weekend, Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria, the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Puerto Rico since 1928. 3.4 million US Citizens were left without power and water, and limited access to food, gasoline, and other basic life necessities. It will take months to rebuild after the damage of Hurricane Maria. If you are interested in contributing to the relief effort in Puerto Rico, check this list of trusted organizations offering aid to Puerto Rico.

Imagine Music Festival: A Little Relief

Black Tiger Sex Machine at Imagine 2017

Imagine Music Festival, one of the largest independent music festivals in the United States, returned to Georgia’s Atlanta Motor Speedway, September 22nd-24th to give over 30,000 music-lovers and fun-seekers an experience they will never forget.

Founded by IRIS Presents, Inc. in 2013, the festival continues to thrive and attract a dedicated fan base.  Musicians, artists, performers, and merchants came together to form a festival themed around fire and water, with main stages Oceania, Disco Inferno, and Amazonia. Giant jellyfish floated through the air rippling as if they drifted along an ocean current. Mermaids walked the Earth, towering 10-feet tall, high above the heads of the crowd. Fire spinners put on flaming displays of spinning light that illuminated the grounds. This dichotomy created an atmosphere of balance and beauty.

Nore En Pure at Disco Inferno; Imagine 2017

Nore En Pure at Disco Inferno, Photo by Victor Tranfield (continue below)

The production alone was worthy of mention and the performances by a diverse group of electronic and instrumental musicians was not to be overlooked. Imagine boasted a plethora of headliners such as Above & Beyond, Tiësto, Pretty Lights, Big Gigantic, Illenium, and many more. The crowd was surprised by unique sounds and unreleased tracks. Illenium wowed the crowd with a taste of his unreleased collaboration with Kill The Noise and tracks off his newest album, Awake. The Floozies played a newly released remix with Kendrick Lamar. The list goes on.

Illenium at Imagine 2017

All of the feels at Illenium at Imagine 2017, Photo by Victor Tranfield (continue below)

Imagine Music Festival kicked off just 12 days after Hurricane Irma struck the coast of Florida as a Category 4 storm, knocking out power to more than 12 million people in Florida. The destruction spanned from the Caribbean through the southeastern US, affecting millions and nearly every patron and participant at the festival. This however, did not stop Imagine Music Festival or its fans. Imagine was able to help provide support to the response and recovery efforts in communities devastated by this disaster by partnering with the American Red Cross with a donation campaign.

The Imagine Music Festival community is filled with a brilliant variety of freaks, geeks, nerds, and weirdos who all bring something special to the event. Running into long lost friends or brand new ones is not just possible, it is inevitable. The community buzzes with a sense of care and love. Stop and chat with an artist, dance with a performer, hangout with your favorite musician; it’s all possible with a sense of confidence, friendship, and a can-do attitude. It is this collective joy and compassion from one another that helps catapult the crowds of music lovers into a beautiful world of life, love, and music where all cares are easily forgotten.

In light of the recent darkness, patrons of Imagine Music Festival came together for a weekend of fun, love, laughter, and music. Another successful year for the Imagine team and another great experience for all those involved.

Stay tuned for additional Imagine coverage, detailing the experience of the Disco Inferno Stage, with commentary from Incendia owners Cory and Tyler Glenn. Scroll below the editor’s note for photos from Imagine.

Editor’s Note: Imagine Music Festival and its surrounding areas were directly affected by Hurricane Irma in the weeks leading up to Imagine. However, during the festival weekend, Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria, the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Puerto Rico since 1928. 3.4 million US Citizens were left without power and water, and limited access to food, gasoline, and other basic life necessities. It will take months to rebuild after the damage of Hurricane Maria. If you are interested in contributing to the relief effort in Puerto Rico, check this list of trusted organizations offering aid to Puerto Rico.

Imagine Music Festival 2017 Day 1 Photos

Imagine Music Festival 2017 Day 2 Photos

Imagine Music Festival 2017 Day 3 Photos

Imagine 2017 Schedule, Map, & App

Imagine 2017 Schedule

Imagine Music Festival is just days away, taking place this September 22-24 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Georgia. In preparation for the event, IRIS Presents has released the official map of the venue and the full performance schedule, both of which are available from the Imagine Music Festival app, which is available for download from the iOS App Store and the Android Google Play Store.

In addition to the above festival information, Imagine has partnered up with the American Red Cross, which is now accepting donations for Hurricane Irma relief. Earlier this month, Hurricane Irma made its way through the Caribbean and the Southeast US, causing widespread destruction, especially in Imagine’s neighboring state of Florida. Donations will be used by the American Red Cross in its efforts to help bring relief to those affected by the hurricane.

Dirtybird Players Stage at Imagine 2017

IMF 2016 Disco Inferno

2016 marked the first year of Imagine Music Festival taking place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The larger venue allowed for an impressive layout of stages catering to specific styles of music: the Oceania Stage hosted an assortment of big names and headliners, the Amazonia Stage trended towards live music, funk, and glitch, the Aeria Stage had a slew of heavier drum & bass and dubstep, and the Disco Inferno stage naturally showcased an assortment of disco, house, and techno artists. Imagine will be building upon the success of the curated stages, notably with the Disco Inferno Stage, which will feature Claude VonStroke and the Dirtybird Players Stage.

Barclay Crenshaw, AKA Claude VonStroke, has been building the Dirtybird Records brand since 2005, specializing in a brand of house music that he’s dubbed “tech funk.” Some of the quintessential characteristics of the Dirtybird brand seem to revolve around having fun, being chill, and just doing your own thing. This is immediately evident given the events that Dirtybird Records has been throwing lately, namely the Dirtybird BBQ series and Dirtybird Campout. If the event names don’t make it clear, a primary goal is to elicit a laid-back feel, with a funky soundtrack of course. After Mixmag voted Dirtybird Records as the number one record label of the decade, Claude VonStroke was surprised and humbled, commenting that “We’ve always done our own thing, even if it wasn’t popular. It definitely wasn’t popular for a while, and it might not even be popular now, but we’re still just doing our own thing.”

Much of the success of Dirtybird could be attributed to this laid-back style of focusing on what’s fun and unique, not necessarily what’s popular or trendy. This style of recruiting artists, running a label, and throwing events should make any house music fan excited to see what’s in store this year for the Disco Inferno Stage at Imagine Music Festival. This year’s Disco Inferno Stage has an impressive lineup, including Dirtybird artists: Claude VonStroke, Shiba San, Will Clarke, Ciszak, and Dateless, as well as Gorgon City, Chris Lake, Claptone, and Nora En Pure. The Dirtybird Players Stage will take place on Sunday, September 24, while the remaining artists will perform at the Disco Inferno Stage throughout the rest of the weekend.

In addition to the music, the festival producers are expanding the stage. Glen Goodhand, Co-Founder of Imagine Music Festival explains what’s in store for this year’s Disco Inferno Stage:

This year’s Disco Inferno Stage will feature a giant disco ball center piece that shoots a 100 foot flame out of the top of it. Along with many other disco domes sprinkled in the crowd that will have water misting during the day and fire roofs at night. These will all be tied together with an elaborate truss system and massive D&B Audiotechnik sound system so everyone can hear and feel the beautiful sounds. A true 360-degree immersive experience.

Between the music, atmosphere, and stage production, the Disco Inferno Stage at Imagine Music Festival should certainly heat up the dance floor and get the crowd groovin’ and we can’t wait! If you haven’t purchased tickets yet, GA and VIP tickets are still available through the ticketing website. We hope to see you there!