Insomniac Events today announced the initial list of speakers set to appear at the fifth annual EDMbiz Conference and Expo, set for June 14, 15, and 16 at Caesars Palace.
Keynote speakers for the 2016 event include DJ and producer Moby, Insomniac founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella, and Lefsetz Letter author Bob Lefsetz.
Rotella will sit down for an intimate, one-on-one discussion and share his thoughts on the current state of the industry, his plans for Insomniac’s growth, and where the culture is headed in years to come. While Rotella has participated in panels before, this will be his first keynote at a conference.
EDMbiz will host its first-ever hackathon this year, following the lead of similar events at SXSW, Bonnaroo, and Outside Lands. Partnering with CODEMKRS, the hackathon will take place in advance at Exchange LA, where the initial teams will be chosen to spend four weeks being nurtured by CODEMKRS and Insomniac’s digital team with access to the Insomniac Dream Lab. Those teams will then demo their ideas to a panel of industry leaders at EDMbiz, with the grand-prize winning team receiving a backstage tour of EDC and the chance to launch their technology alongside the world’s best electronic artists.
Other confirmed EDMbiz panelists include renowned artists Laidback Luke, Paul Oakenfold and Markus Schulz as well as breakout performers Jauz and Marshmello along with Junkie XL, the acclaimed composer of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Mad Max: Fury Road and Deadpool.
Additional speakers include BBC Radio 1 Producer and Director Danny Howard, Vice President of Marketing Communications for The Recording Academy Neda Azarfar, and Founder of URB Magazine and Head of Content for Goldenvoice Raymond Leon Roker. Jason Bentley, KCRW Music Director, will return as host and moderator.
Billboard will also unveil its Dance Power Players 2016 list during the conference, acknowledging the cultural impact of the most powerful tastemakers in dance music this year.
The official EDMbiz kickoff party will feature Afrojack at Omnia on Tues., June 14. The closing party will be held at Marquee Nightclub on Thurs., June 16 featuring Galantis & Loco Dice. EDMbiz badge holders will enjoy complimentary admission before midnight.
EDMbiz badges range in price from $149 to $399 and are available at edmbiz.com.
