Since '93: Meet the 'Factory' and Insomniac, anew

At first glance, praising Insomniac as a chameleon might seem like a questionable choice of words.

The champion company behind the massive, expansive three-day spectacle and brand of Electric Daisy Carnival has blasted beyond niche recognition within the electronic music space and rocketed into widespread and commercial recognition as what many consider the flagship "rave" festival in the United States.

Just one glance at photos from the other-worldly stages and endless laser beams from the company's world-renowned flagship fest , and it's clear - Insomniac has been aiming (and achieving) major recognition as a festival in a league of its own in terms of production and experience over the past few years - quite the opposite of "blending in".

Since its heralded days in Los Angeles' famed Coliseum, Insomniac has fostered the constant growth of EDC. Even when struck down by unavoidable tragedies, CEO and leading force behind Insomniac Pasquale Rotella managed to turn a ill-fated happening into an unprecedented, prosperous move for the brand and its then-uncertain longevity.

2011 marked EDC's first expansion into Las Vegas - away from its once-comfortable home of Southern California and into unmarked territory - quite literally, the "Wild West". Most know the history from here: Las Vegas, in its sinful, embracing ways, soaked in all that EDC had to offer. A report from just earlier this year gave Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas' the credit of bringing in an impressive $1.3 billion impact on the local economy, a concrete stamp that Insomniac has not only found its footing within the modern dance music realm, but also planted itself firmly as behemoth festival promoter and brand with a long-lasting future ahead.

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But for fans that liaise on the opposing spectrum of dance music, what Insomniac has to offer can sometimes be a hard pill to swallow. Glittered clowns on stilts and tickets that graze from $400 to $500 were never parts of the rave for those more comfortable on a different spectrum of the sphere. Forget the multi-million dollar stage production projects, forget dressing down to your (accessorized) skivvies - the rave remains in a dark, dank room with a lone, persistent strobe light and a DJ that shies away from the spotlight rather than basks deep within it. There are no phones, no Snapchats, no inhibitions.

Just the dance floor and its people.

Despite the more obvious flashy components of Insomniac and the empire that has since blossomed underneath the umbrella, at the core of the entire operation is someone who knows - and I mean, really knows - the roots of the rave.

Long before he was crowned the "EDM king", Pasquale Rotella was once just another face in the crowd and world devoid of the massive spread of EDCs, Tomorrowlands and even before the first efforts of Ultra Music Festival in '99. But in 1992 following the controversial unfolding of the Rodney King riots, Los Angeles became an extremely hostile environment for many - especially those seeking a lawless, all-night party.

"When the scene died in the early ‘90s, I had a huge void in my life," Rotella reflects. "I had no choice but to take the reins and create those underground parties on my own."

Two decades later, Insomniac might be known more for its larger-than-life stages and top-shelf production and music curation, but in the beginning, there was just a warehouse and an undying love for the party.

Pasquale's first Insomniac event was a rave situated in a not-so-glamorous neighborhood of Los Angeles - but none of that mattered. What mattered was the result: the beginning of what would come to be a lasting dedication to creating parties that people - hundreds, then thousands of people - wanted to attend.

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Electronic music, like anything else, is cyclical. What old generations experienced, new ones will too, in updated and varied, but patterned ways.

In the late 90's, Insomniac rose to recognition thanks to its ability to tap into what people really wanted. At the time, it was as simple as a room and great talent to lead a couple hundred people into a late night on the dance floor. Since, the concept has blossomed and been accessorized with a handful of bells and whistles, but still, the idea stays true.

It would be oblivious to ignore the changing - and arguably, maturing - interests of young American dance music fans. Where big room blares and sets designed for an explosive, but short-attention span experience once satisfied now leaves fans yearning for something more.

And with the same method that they've mastered over the past two decades, Insomniac continues to remain attentive and perfectly in tune with exactly what the people want.

"There is nothing like the rattling of warehouse walls when the bass hits and the feeling of hearing amazing music in a non-traditional venue with like-minded humans. I feel it's important to recreate that environment and those renegade vibes for a new generation."

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And this year, Pasquale is doing exactly that with the introduction of Factory 93, the aptly-named warehouse event that dually serves as homage to the CEO's own, grungy roots that began 23 years ago.

Factory 93 is set to take place on May 21 at a still undisclosed location with a line up that could easily be comfortable in Ibiza or Amsterdam's illustrious nightclubs. Long time Los Angeles resident Doc Martin leads off the night ahead of Germany's own Santé and Sidney Charles who will lead in with a special b2b. Finally, UK's Hot Since 82, an appropriate and welcomed captain of the international underground circuit, is set to deliver an extended three-hour set at the show.

"I love coming to play in LA. There's something totally unique about the atmosphere at the shows," Daley Padley, better known as Hot Since 82, explains. "It's a city built on and famous for show business, so it's fascinating - even in the short time I've been visiting - to see the underground music I represent become show business in its own right."

The lights of EDC will likely shine bright for a long, long time, despite the changing tastes of dance music devotees... but in the meantime? Los Angeles is readying to welcome a back-to-basics shift with Insomniac at the helm.

For whoever you might be - a seasoned raver from the world of JNCO pants and party lines or a newer inductee more familiar with entire seasons of festivals and discovering music through SoundCloud - Insomniac has both a new and old story to share, and has no hesitation to welcome you in.

"It's important to recreate that environment and those renegade vibes for a new generation," Pasquale concludes. "In the end, I'm still just a raver who loves the culture."

Valerie Lee is Mixmag's US Digital Editor and still has her raver kandi stashed somewhere. Follow her on Twitter here

Factory 93 takes place in Los Angeles on May 21. Tickets are available here.