Creating the BassGod: a new home for bass music at EDC.
In May 2026, Electric Daisy Carnival celebrated its 30th anniversary at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Guided by Pasquale Rotella’s vision, EDC has grown from its underground roots into one of America’s defining electronic music destinations.
For 360 Show Design, designing for EDC had long been a creative ambition. When Leisure Expert Group introduced us to Pasquale and the Insomniac team, the opportunity came with a compelling brief: create a new bassPOD stage that honoured the dedication of its community.
A BassGod for bassPOD
The starting point was EDC’s connection between nature and technology—and our understanding of the people who gather in front of the stage.
Through our work at Lost Lands, we had experienced how deeply fans connect with bass music. The devotion felt almost spiritual: a shared belief expressed through sound. That observation sparked the BassGod, a futuristic figure at the heart of the new bassPOD design, framed by five circular portals.
Our earliest sketches explored a meditative character, with closed eyes and a gently bowed head. This was a deliberate contrast to the intensity of the music: a visual expression of stillness, imagining the quiet space from which every bass frequency emerges.
From Sketch to Structure
Once the concept was established, we developed the stage in 3D, refining its architecture alongside the character’s features and surface detailing. Working with Insomniac’s production team under Forrest Hunt and Jake Berry, we translated the creative vision into a buildable design.
The centrepiece was a monumental inflatable head. Matthew Whitehead and the Airworks team captured the realism we had envisioned with exceptional sculptural detail, giving the BassGod its unmistakable presence.
Stageco Belgium created the structural foundation using Layher scaffolding and black steel. Jason and the Statement team translated our artwork into custom-built scenic elements, bringing the surrounding architecture to life.
Five Months from Brief to Build
The greatest production challenge was time: just five months from the initial brief to a fully realised stage. What initially seemed impossible became a shared achievement. Our determination, matched by the dedication of the entire production team, carried the project from early sketches to its debut at EDC Las Vegas. Every partner played a part in making that deadline—and the design—a reality.
Giving the Architecture Light
Lighting was fundamental to the design. In collaboration with Tom Franken and Kristof Blanquaert, we gave every scenic element dedicated illumination, allowing individual details to emerge or the entire composition to transform.
Across three nights, this approach provided a rich palette of looks. The architecture could feel restrained and atmospheric one moment, then become an intense, radiant presence the next. Scenic design and lighting worked together to give the stage its changing character.
A Shared Achievement
Seeing the BassGod come to life was a highlight for the entire 360 team. The audience’s enthusiasm on site, followed by the stage’s viral presence across social media, made the response especially rewarding.
Our thanks go to Insomniac for the opportunity and to every production partner for the craftsmanship and dedication that realised this design. Just as importantly, we were welcomed into a team that trusted our ideas and empowered us to deliver our best work.
Watch the bassPOD show demo and livestream highlights below.
Credits
360 Show Design
Mark Rietveld — Creative Director
Pieter Truijen — Head of Design
Bart Straver – Project Manager
Kevin Box — Designer
Pjotr van Kan — Sketch Artist
Brian Koster — Technical Designer
Max van Roosendaal — Designer
Kristof Blanquaert — Lighting Operator
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