The Five Best EDM Shows in April

Festival season is upon us and that means not one, but two weeks of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival with enough electronic dance music to keep aficionados fist pumping in their sleep with anticipation. With one of the biggest music events of the year just around the corner, why bother doing anything else all month? Well, for those not willing to shell out the $350 for three days or others who weren't lucky enough to score a ticket before it sold out fear not because there's plenty of EDM shows right here in OC and in LA to get your party music fix. We did all the research for you to ensure you don't miss the five best dance music shows of all genres to ensure you spend your hard earned money on the right events.

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5. Victor Calderone
Saturday, April 6th
Exchange LA

This Saturday, Insomniac and Exchange in downtown LA bring you New York's legend Victor Calderone supported by LA natives Tara Brooks and Steve Prior as part of their Inception Saturday nights. Calderone impressed everyone and kept things real this Winter Music Conference at all of the pool parties and club nights. That includes the best closing party at the world renowned Space nightclub where he played an awe-inspiring techno set with layers of everything from dark emotional beats to beautiful basslines that took guests into a journey well into the next day. That's what you can expect at Exchange this weekend. An East Coast-style party filled with house, techno and tribal sounds from a man who's been evolving in dance music for over 20 years that goes on until 6 a.m. Exchange is introducing new after hours Saturday nights and Calderone is playing a four-hour set. A definite must-see for those who couldn't make it to Miami.

4. RUN DMT & Flinch
Thursday April 11th
Yost Theater

Next week, the White Rabbit Group and the Yost Theater continue their slew of bass heavy shows as part of Havoc Thursdays with Texas' RUN DMT and OC's Flinch. In just two years, RUN DMT has touched on everything from dubstep, drumstep, trap, moombahton to atmospheric downtempo grooves on labels like Diplo's Mad Decent to Skrillex's OSWLA. Showcasing at this years SXSW and WMC RUN DMT is hitting the festival circuit hard with appearances at the Coachella Do Lab Stage, EDC Chicago and the Vans Warped Tour. Combine that with Flinch who is no stranger to bass music's dub and electro sounds this is sure to be a ratchet night in OC. A true veteran taste-maker in his own right, Flinch knows just how to read the crowd and gives you everything from UK funky bass to dubby electro club hits which make everyone's booty shake. The best part with all of his high profile Smog Records crew and friends who knows who might show up!

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3. Flosstradamus
Tuesday April 23rd
The Observatory

Speaking of ratchet, the duo who practically created the trap music craze with their remix of Major Lazer's “Original Don” is making it's way to Orange County at the Observatory to show us how Flosstradamus gets down in Chi Town. After playing at SXSW and Ultra–the Superbowl for DJs– they are making their way across the US on their Underground Nights Tour with opening support from DJ Spinz. Armed with some filthy dope tracks like “Roll Up” and their new release with DJ Slink “Nomads” they are sure to get the Observatory turned up and twerking to moshing all night long. With enough bass to make your body tremble we aren't sure if OC is ready for this epic event. We sure as hell aren't going to miss it! Plus since security is pretty lax here we're sure to see some crazy shit which includes a most likely contact high from all of the ganja smoking there is to be had.

2. Dirty South
Thursday April 25th
Sutra

Yugoslavian born Australian based Dirty South is currently on his “Speed of Life” North American Club Tour after the release of his debut full-length studio album which reached number one on the iTunes Dance Chart in early March. This 14 stop tour across North America takes the Grammy nominated producer across the US from stops at Ultra Music Festival in Miami to Orange County all in a month. After his sold out “City Of Dreams Tour” which blew us away at the Hollywood Palladium in November of last year we highly recommend Dirty South born Dragan Roganović's OC comeback to the posh Sutra Nightclub. Taking his almost 10 year career to the next level Dragan showcases his growth as an artist with this new album which also features Ruben Haze his band collaboration with Rudy. Expect big room progressive house and electro at the next level and an arsenal of new music at this show which we are sure is to sell out in typical Sutra fashion.

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1. Paul van Dyk
Saturday April 27th
Avalon Hollywood

Coming off his Ultra Music Festival return after a several year hiatus, Paul van Dyk was one of the stand out performances at the famed A State of Trance 600 Stage in Miami. Closing out the Mega Structure almost perfectly a lot of people may have missed it because they wanted to see the Swedish House Mafia finale (which was exactly the same as the LA show by the way). So this is your chance to see the legend again in Hollywood at the famed Avalon nightclub. Paul has been an influential pioneer in dance music and his latest album Evolution proves that he is here to stay as he rocks the stage as hard if not harder than this generations EDM favorites. With more than 20 years of experience, van Dyk became a big part of the trance evolution and no longer calls his music as such. Instead he plays banging electronic dance music that's sure to keep you dancing well into the next morning as Avalon also recently re-opened its after hours hot spot Bardot which goes until 7 a.m.

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