Music

10 past performers to get you hyped for Bud Light's Sensation

by Marcus Laflamme

With a reputation for killer production value and a huge soundtrack provided by world-class DJs (right as they’re on the tipping point of mainstream success, so you can brag that you saw them here first), Sensation has become one of Europe’s biggest parties, regularly bringing crowds of 35,000+ to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Ibiza, Dusseldorf, and other world class cities.

Anticipation is mounting for June 1st when Bud Light will bring Sensation to Canadian soil for the very first time at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. Even though the lineup is secondary to the sheer massiveness of this party, the yet-to-be-revealed top secret list of performers will surely help make Bud Light’s Sensation the most insane party of 2013. (Act fast if you want to lock down tickets before the final lineup announcement, deluxe passes are already sold out!).

To get you hyped, here’s a list of 10 past performers who’ve made it their mission to make tens of thousands of party-goers dressed in all-white dance their faces off.

1. Tiësto (Amsterdam, 2006)

Dutch progressive house ambassador Tiësto played Sensation in 2006 and went on to become one of the most popular DJs of all time, and you’ll know why when you see a crowd of thousands bobbing up and down to one of his signature explosive build-ups. Tiësto keeps the energy level so high during his sets, you’ll feel like you ran a marathon when he’s done with you.

2. Armin van Buuren (Amsterdam, 2002)

Armin van Burren is the Beyoncé of DJing. That is to say, he’s widely considered to be the best at what he does. Armin has topped DJ Magazine’s fan-selected year-end list of the top DJs in the world a record number of five times, and he’s a legend in the EDM world, known for performing marathon sets of his spine-tingling take on progressive trance.

3. Swedish House Mafia (Amsterdamn, 2010)

This now-defunct mafia was never interested in breaking your legs to settle pesky gambling debts, they were in the business of making those legs DANCE. Progressive house trio Swedish House Mafia played their final set at Ultra Music Festival in March of this year, but they graced the Sensation stage as a group and individually several times during their rise to the height of mainstream popularity. Just another example of the countless performers that have used Sensation as a career launchpad.

4. ATB (Poland, 2006)

André Tanneberger is a German DJ and producer who performs under the name ATB, specializing in vocal-based trance. Over a nearly 20 year career, ATB has released eight studio albums, and stepped out out on countless globe-spanning tours, solidifying himself as one of the world’s most elite trance DJs.

5. David Guetta (Prague, 2007)

French house DJ and producer David Guetta is one of EDM’s mainstream crossover success stories, spawning four top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the past four years alone. David Guetta’s production style has been hugely influential in the pop music world, with his crisp, tight, four-on-the-floor style approach to house music permeating the charts with every mainstream vocal collaboration.

6. Felix Da Housecat (Amsterdam, 2008)

Before you start to feel like EDM is dominated by European DJs, let’s take a second to shine some light on Felix da Housecat. This Chicago-based house/electroclash DJ gained some widespread notoriety via collaborations and remixes with Diddy, Britney Spears, Madonna, and Kylie Minogue, but to fans of house music, Felix’s genre-bending mixes need no introduction.

7. Laidback Luke (Amsterdam, 2005)

Filipino-born, Netherlands-raised DJ Laidback Luke started out as a graffiti artist before turning to music, and his hybrid approach to house music gives any crowd unlimited energy. His name might contain “laidback,” but you’ll be the polar opposite of that if you’re witnessing one of his hyper-driven house sets.

8. Paul van Dyk (Amsterdam, 2004)

German-born producer Paul van Dyk is widely considered to be one of the top trance DJs in the world, and his transcendent club sets and remixes have defined him as one of the most influential DJs of all time.

9. Dada Life (Belgium, 2012)

Dada Life have an over the top sense of humour that separates them from your average EDM act. With song titles like “Never Bring Your Brain To A Rave” and “The Great Fashonista Swindle,” it’s easy to see that this Swedish electro-house duo are as funny as their drops are ferocious.

10. Martin Solveig (Belgium, 2011)

French electro-house DJ Martin Solveig has enjoyed mainstream success collaborating with Dragonette and Madonna, and his infectious and bouncy production work has captivated fans of pop music and EDM alike.

Over the next few months, AUX is partnering with Bud Light as they revolutionize what it means to party in Canada. We’ll be breaking down the elements of any successful party into an exact science, culminating in the most mathematically perfect party of the year, Bud Light Presents Sensation (seriously, the Partyodic Table doesn’t lie) at Toronto’s Rogers Centre on June 1. The eight-hour experience will see an estimated 30,000 fans Light It Up in ways they’ve never done before. Tickets are available now! You must be 19 years or older to attend. Meet fellow revelers on Twitter via the Bud Light Presents Sensation hashtag: #budlightsensation.