After falling in love with electro in his native Miami, Eric Estornel began deejaying in the early 90s. Like most EDM enthusiasts he later got into techno and began making house beats in 1996. He moved his family to Dallas where he made a name for himself as a local DJ, but it wasn't until he fled to the European dance music scene that things started to take off for him four years ago. He released an LP on the infamous Crosstown Rebels label and his appeal has since skyrocketed. Tonight, going by his DJ moniker Maceo Plex, the soulful, underground producer is headlining the official Insomniac Beyond Wonderland pre-party alongside Maya Jane Coles at Exchange LA and playing the Crosstown Rebels Rave stage at Beyond Wonderland Saturday only to make his way back to Miami for his Ultra Music Festival debut on Sunday!

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Myndset

There are some local artists who are destined for the lime-light, even if Orange County doesn't always have much to offer in that regard. This is something Myndset learned early on in his career as a hip-hop DJ. At the time he went by a different moniker and played every major club in OC feeding the masses their weekly dose of top 40 and hip hop beats. He felt hip hop was getting stale and was drawn by the sounds of electronic music - something that hadn't reached the popularity it has now and which he says "feed his soul." He enrolled in OC Weekly's DJ competition to play at Ultra Music Festival in 2008 and won, landing himself a coveted spot at one of EDM's biggest festivals in the world.

"That was one of the best days of my life and such a cool experience, Myndset says. "I was like it's there for the taking if anyone wants but I can do this. So I practiced the shit out of my routine and brought out all my tricks as a true turntablist." Yet the biggest thing he gained from that experience is that you can make it as a traveling DJ (something he had always dreamed of) and the world was his oyster with hard work and perseverance.

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Courtesy of James Moriarty

AZARI & III

On Saturday November 10th, "Sonar On Tour"--Barcelona's international and world-renowned festival of electronic music and new media art-- ends it's eight day circuit at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles. While the tour had an abrupt cancellation due to the impact of Hurricane Sandy at the New York Roseland Ballroom, the Spanish mega festival creators have been making their way through the East Coast and Canada with stops at the Chicago Congress Theater to the Metropolis in Montreal. Boasting a mix of live acts and DJ sets from Die Antwoord to Nic Fanciulli we decided to talk to the Sonar head of international media Georgia Taglietti and one of the bands on the tour AZARI & III about their coming to America.

"You already have a lot festivals in America so we choose to bring a tour to see how the public reacts and get a feel of how you perceive our brand," shares Taglietti the EA to the directors of the Sonar Festival brand. "What we bring on tour is a microcosm of what we do in Barcelona, which is 100,000 people over a three-day weekend for night and day parties." Established in June 1994 by the same three directors today, Sonar's principles were to blend artistry with entertainment while honoring the avant-garde and experimentation that comes with the possibilities of electronic music and it's culture. Hosting four outdoor stages, "Sonar by Day takes off pure entertainment and the feeling you get from learning about new music, media and art exhibitions," explains Georgia. "Sonar by Night goes into a 25,000 person venue which has a stage set up that supports our live acts as well as our DJ sets."

See Also:
Damian Lazarus Plays Music For 24-Hour Party People...Literally
Orbital Tell Us How to Make it in the EDM Scene
Top Five Worst Places to Get Your EDM News

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Halloween debauchery gets one more horrifying gasp tomorrow in downtown Los Angeles when the city is swarmed by electronic dance music fans attending HARD Day of the Dead. In an attempt not to compete with the many dance music festivals going on Halloween weekend, the HARD Haunted Halloween Festival has now been transformed into HARD Day of the Dead, or Dia De Los Muertos for you non-gringos. This Latin celebration is usually held on November 1st and 2nd to coincide with the Catholic All Saints Day and All Souls Day in remembrance of those friends and family who have passed. Starting tomorrow afternoon you can expect lots of kids dressed in Day of the Dead get-ups with a lot of face paint and very little clothing. Boasting four different stages, a Ferris Wheel and even a Holy Ship, the HARD brand has really stepped up it's game after being bought by Live Nation. With a stacked line-up featuring Major Lazer, Knife Party, Tommy Trash and more we put together a list of five must see acts you can't forget about under the Los Angeles city skyline and booming beats.

See Also:
*Top Five Best and Worst Parts of Escape From Wonderland - NOS Events Center - October 27,2012
*Major Lazer - The Observatory - October 18, 2012 [with VIDEO]
*Boys Noize Talks New Album, Working With Snoop Dogg and Skrillex

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Courtesy of Insomniac Events

Escape From Wonderland Was a Delightful Fright

This weekend, Insomniac Events hosted their second annual Escape from Wonderland music festival at the Nos Events Center in San Bernadino. The Wonderland parties have become a staple brand for the promoters and are becoming just as popular as Electric Daisy Carnival (their biggest event of the year). Built on a foundation of Alice and Wonderland themed performers and décor, Escape from Wonderland brought out the spooky side of this magical world we've come to love. We break down the night with the top five best and worst of our dark decent into this massive EDM event.

See Also:
Monster Massive Cancelled at the Last Possible Fucking Second...Again
Top 10 EDM Halloween Parties in OC
Nocturnal Wonderland: Our Recap From A to Z

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Courtesy of Identity Management Group

Beefam at the Sutra Masquerade

Halloween is less than a week away, but as you know the EDM scene can stretch out a holiday like nobody's business. And with the potential for slutty costumes and thematic whimsey being at an all time high in October, it's obvious that this is one of the biggest party weekends of the year.  No doubt you and your friends have already staked out the parties happening in the most exclusive (i.e. expensive) clubs and events in Los Angeles to San Diego, but why waste your money on gas? You're smarter than that. We broke down a list of the best Halloween parties for our avid electronic music fans right here in Orange County.

See Also:
*Sutra Throws a Seven Day Halloween Party
*Top Five Worst Places to Get Your EDM News
*Slander: Two Former OC Frat Boys Help Take TrapStyle Worldwide

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​On Saturday the Acrobatics Everyday crew throws on another inspired concert at UC Irvine, with Old Time Relijun member Arrington de Dionyso making another appearance after coming through 2010's edition of the Open Melody festival. 

De Dionyso's tour partner is the powerful Larkin Grimm, whose third album Parplar we reviewed a few years back.  Her latest, the self-released Soul Retrieval, is another lovely effort -- featuring among other guests legendary producer Tony Visconti -- and we caught up with her on the road by phone, with background interjections from her young son Otis:More »

TSOL back in the day

​The 4th annual OC Punk Rock Picnic is happening this Saturday, and the lineup of bands is epic. Six stages will showcase a few foundational American regional hardcore bands, as well as young up-and-comers that keep the scene alive today.
But first, we must pay our respect to our elders. Here are five locally grown bands that made their mark in the early '80s. (And yes, they are worth taking a break from drinking in the parking lot, I promise.)
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​Ahhh, the weekend, finally. From local bands to a nostalgia trip at Knotts' Studio K and Ice Cube at the Grove--there's never enough time to do everything you want.

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John Gilhooley/ OC Weekly

​Friday means another visit from the characters in The Adolescents at Alex's Bar in Long Beach--and why not, given how often they've made it a home away from home (or alternately, close to home?). But there's a further mix of familiar characters on the bill: Woodland Hills' The Grim are approaching 30 years, more or less, of cranking the amps and letting fly with punk's-not-dead bravado. More »