Electric Daisy Carnival’s numerical impact; Goss doc hits US
Yes We’re spending the next three days photographing Electric Daisy Carnival and putting the vast EDC festival into words.
But first, we’ll use numbers. A quick statistical spin through the event, running Friday through Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:
3 million-plus: How many people have attended EDC Las Vegas since it moved to Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2011.
2,000: Hotel rooms booked for EDC staff and crew.
100: Countries where ticket buyers have originated.
1,200: Acres at LVMS.
90: Percent of LVMS acreage transformed for EDC.
2.5 million: Square feet of artificial turf used to cover Camp EDC.
16: Streamer and confetti cannons stationed just at Kinetic Field.
80: Pieces of interactive art commissioned for this year’s event.
80: Feet in height for the largest installation, Flower Tower, by Kevin Clark.
Nine: Years Bill Nye “The Science Guy” spent working as an engineer at Boeing (1977-86). Nye and founder Pasquale Rotella are hosting the official opening Friday, adhering to the event’s “Kinetic Energy” theme.
8: Rotella’s age, in years, when he walked the Venice Beach boardwalk and was swayed by street performers and artists. “Walking along the boardwalk, you’d see skateboarding, surfing, graffiti art, music performers, roller skaters, muscle builders, freaks (laughs) … it was just crazy down there,” he says, and that planted the seed for EDC.
‘Screaming’ for the U.S.
“After The Screaming Stops,” the enlightening documentary of the Matt and Luke Goss reunion as Bros, is set for a U.S. release May 28. It is available then on multiple platforms, including iTunes, where you can pre-order the film at Brosthefilm.com.
The film was nominated for the the Specialist Factual (or, best documentary) award at annual BAFTA TV Awards in London on Sunday, losing out to “Suffragettes. But the Bros boys did come away with the best-editing nod. The film is a fascinating look at fast fame and brotherly relations in the public eye.
Matt Goss continues to headline Sundays at 1Oak Nightclub at the Mirage, and the duo plan an original release this year. A favorite quote from the film, from Matt: “I’m obsessed with the news, it ironically relaxes me, if I don’t see the news, I don’t feel informed, then I can’t go about my day properly.” Goss also wrote the tune, “When Will I Be Famous?” which is centered on news consumerism.
Fortenberry lauded
Vegas piano virtuoso Philip Fortenberry is in his home state of Mississippi on Friday night to receive an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss.
Fortenberry, lest we forget, was the headlining pianist at the Liberace Museum in the attraction’s “Liberace & Me” showcase. He was also Michael Douglas’ hand and body double in the Liberace biopic “Behind the Candelabra.” More recently, he starred in a tour of mainland China, performing in 14 cities in three weeks, helping introduce that country’s schoolkids to Broadway tunes. He also performed “Great Walls of Fire,” and I joke of course …
Rizzo rules
Susan Swanson of Broadway West Studio and co-producer Ann Ross are bringing a “Grease, From Rizzo’s Perspective” to Saxe Theater at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. The youth production begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
This is the first version of “Grease” as told through the Rizzo character (Roxi Perez first night and Skylar Zaugg the second), and also the first to feature a black Sandy (Tashell Campbell the first night, Alexa Garcia the second) and a transsexual Kenicke (Jewel Motley). Bold!
Tickets are $20, a mere pittance, available at 702.810.5807.
ShowBuzz!
Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox dance master Aaron Turner celebrated his birthday at the show May 9 at 1Oak. That meant he was given a celebratory lap dance by host Ariana Savales. The crowd, which included Turner’s parents Earl and Christine Turner, went nuts … We’re gearing up for broadcast and vocal great Al Bernstein’s next show at Piazza lounge at Tuscany Suites at 7:30 p.m. May 25. Bernstein was doing some research Tuesday night, hanging with pianist/band leader Kenny Davidsen and yours truly at Ashley Fuller’s gig at Piazza.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His PodKats podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.