Imagine Music Festival is just over 3 weeks away, with time quickly closing in the hype continues to grow in anticipation.
Imagine Music Festival is going on its 4th year, and its 2nd year at the Atlanta Motor Speedway venue. Last year was the first year at the venue and first year with camping, and it was a unique experience for all. They brought an impressive lineup with artists like Above and Beyond, Deadmau5, Tiesto, Illenium, Nghtmre, Seven Lions, Zomboy, 12th Planet, Black Tiger Sex Machine, Big Gigantic, Pretty Lights (Live), STS9, G Jones, Hippie Sabotage, Bleep Bloop and many, many more.
We reached out and had some questions for the founders of Iris Presents and Imagine Music Festival Glenn and Madeleine Goodhand.
“Imagine has always been about the experience”
Q&A
I’ve noticed how much I see the name “Imagine Music Festival” around this year. Whether it’s the banner hanging from a plane flying around Okeechobee, Shaky Beats, or Electric Forest (and I’m sure other festivals as well), or the blue/white “livestrong” style silicon Imagine bracelets I still see some people wearing on a regular basis. What can we expect this year, based off seeing Imagine doing that amount of advertising and other festivals not so much?
“With so many festivals competing for their market share, as a producer you can no longer toss out a lineup and expect the fans will come to you. Imagine has always been about the experience which may seem cliche, but has always been a part of who we are. When we came to AMS last year we knew we had a blank canvas to make this more than a mantra. This year you will see activations, such as: daily yoga classes run by our friends at Exhale, amplified sound in the campgrounds- bringing the inside out, an over-the-top VIP experience, including the Skydeck Experience from the folks at Insomniac… I don’t want to give too much away. You just have to come experience it for yourself. “
What other festivals/events do you get inspiration for Imagine from?/ what are your favorite festival(s) other than Imagine?
“That is such a tough question. If you do what we do it is hard not to get inspiration from pieces of any festival we attend. Even the club shows have a heavy influence in what we do, allowing us the opportunity to pull a bit of the underground into Imagine.”
What was your favorite moment at a festival?
“I can only comment to Imagine, insomuch as we plan ever bit and know what is going to happen. While we have our favorite artists and activations at Imagine, for us it has to be at the end when we can come out on stage and thank all our fans and just take it in. It is a culmination of months and months of work and in that moment we can feel it all.”
Did you ever “Imagine” that Imagine would grow to what it is this year when you started 4 years ago?
“Absolutely. Why get into it if you haven’t already seen what you want- 1, 2… 5 years out. That being said, we are completely humbled by the growth of Imagine and the support of our fans. We have one of the best teams out there, but it is always going to come back to the fans.”
We know Atlanta has a great music scene and people come from all over to party there, but why did you guys choose Atlanta? Was there something special about the venue that when you saw it you knew it was the one, and are you considering other cities for future events/festivals?
“We have been all over and had our hands in the music industry, everywhere from New York to Florida. Atlanta for us is home, though. We were part of the scene at its early beginnings and were able to tap into those relationships to make sure we were going to create something that would be appreciated and respected. On a bigger scope, look at what this city has become in such a short time. We are a hub for music, creativity and growth, so we would be missing out if we did not embrace it.”
“. . . just being inside the grounds will transform you.”
Headlines refer to Imagine taking over as the new TomorrowWorld, especially with the move this year to TomrrowWorld’s old dates, how do you feel Imagine compares to TomorrowWorld?
“I don’t like to compare the two. What TomorrowWorld brought to Atlanta was great and it served the purpose. It was also somewhat formulaic, which is more a product of its size than anything. Imagine is organic and accessible. We want to appeal to the underground and hardcore dance fans, while also inviting those whose experience may not go beyond what they hear on commercial radio. Again, Imagine is an experience… just being inside the grounds will transform you.”
Where do you see Iris and Imagine Music Festival in 10 years?
“Onward and Upward. We have some things in the works which we cannot speak about just yet, but will dictate how your question will be answered. Hang tight and keep an eye on us. We think you’ll be happy you did.”
Imagine Music Festival is September 22, 23, and 24th, and you can get tickets here.
MusicFests365 