Join Disco Donnie Presents for the Official Ultra Records Showcase at South by Southwest
Last year, South by Southwest (SXSW) had 41,700 registrants and 155,000 fans attend showcases all throughout the city of Austin. Without question, SXSW is the largest event of its kind in the world. Always committing to forward-thinking ideas and innovation, this year’s SXSW promises to be even bigger than the last.
We’re teaming up with NightCulture and Dancing Astronaut to bring the Official Ultra Records Showcase to Haven on Thursday, March 13th. Since opening their doors in 1996, the Ultra Records imprint has successfully shared electronic music with the globe and has not only won a Grammy, but has also won Best American Dance Label from 2005 through 2011. Join us as we celebrate new record releases of:
- Flosstradamus
- SBCR DJ Set
- Le Youth
- Rebecca & Fiona
- DJ Green Lantern
- Henry Krinkle
- Solidisco
Those with official SXSW badges and wristbands will have priority entry but limited single day tickets will also be available at the door.
Celebrating 20 Years of Disco Donnie Presents: Zoolu
If you were to ask an old school raver to name some of the famous parties from the golden days of rave, it wouldn’t take long for them to mention the name Zoolu. Certainly one of our most-loved parties, Zoolu has become a mainstay to the city of New Orleans. As we wrap up the 20th edition of the event this past March 1-3rd, we’re opening the archives to see how the party has evolved from its humble beginnings.
Early Zoolu
Taking its name from the famous Zulu Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, the flyer for the first Zoolu, born in 1995, looked an awful lot like the poster for the parade – only with different colors and a quick rearranging of characters. Featuring many out-of-state DJs, the inaugural Zoolu brought in about 1,500 in attendance to the State Palace Theatre, marking an unusually successful first run. The legendary lineup hosted various pioneers of electronic music and its culture including Chicago’s rave mainstay Mystic Bill, turntablist extraordinaire Terry Mullan, DJ Astroboy, and Reese. Taking place on February 25th, the carnival atmosphere that surrounded the city was perfect for the event and it became a tradition to do forever hold Zoolu during Mardi Gras weekend.
The second Zoolu in 1996 was the first time the event expanded to two nights. By this time, the flyers for Donnie’s shows were almost as famous as the parties themselves and this one was no different, “It’s definitely one of the best flyers we’ve ever done,” Donnie says, “the flyer still to this day–if you showed it to somebody, they’re gonna be like ‘that’s a sick flyer.”
Zoolu 2 was also the first time that Donnie got Rabbit in the Moon to headline, “That was a game changer,” Donnie recollects, “they did performance art while they played [a live PA set] and it just changed everything for New Orleans. People don’t forget the first time they saw Rabbit in the Moon. It was a really special night.”
Remembering Zoolu Through the Years
Every Zoolu was unique – if not because of the great lineups than because of their creative flyers, mailed all across the country. Some of the flyers raised a few eyebrows – our favorite being the one for Zoolu 9, “I thought it would be funny to put my son on the flyer but as a raver.” With his being son only two at the time, Donnie got improvised with the costume, “I went to the store and bought Adidas sweatpants, Adidas shell toes… I went to the gas station and bought a 40oz Miller High Life, dumped it out and then filled it with apple juice. Then I put one of my chains around him. The designer added some tattoos to the final product… I’m sure [my son] will find it humorous when he gets older.”
Zoolu 6 is one Donnie remembers fondly. It was the last edition of the popular event before he was indicted under charges of being in violation of the so-called “crack house statute” a few months later. During the months Donnie was facing criminal charges, he admits Zoolu 7 was, “thrown together and kinda last minute.” Charges were eventually dropped in March 2001 and Zoolu 8 was the first time the party was able to return to its home of the State Palace Theater.
Even with a crazy history, the Zoolu parties still have a special place in the hearts of many who attended – even after 20 years. And if you were wondering the secret to how it lasted so long, Donnie explains it quite nicely, “We were just trying to do shit no one had seen before and we weren’t trying to repeat ourselves either.”
Zoolu Artwork
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Zoolu 2
Heading back to the State Palace in 1996, Zoolu 2 was the first time New Orleans got to experience Rabbit in the Moon.
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Zoolu 2
Heading back to the State Palace in 1996, Zoolu 2 was the first time New Orleans got to experience Rabbit in the Moon.
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Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
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Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
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Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5
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Zoolu 6
The flyer for Zoolu 6 should really be renamed a booklet. Featuring a vast treasure trove of talent, the lineup hosted names like Josh Wink, Aphrodite, DVS1, and Tommie Sunshine.
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Zoolu 8
Zoolu 8 marked the return of the Mardi Gras party to the State Palace Theater. Trance legend Paul Oakenfold took to the stage in February 2002 and was joined by Marques Wyatt, Ed Rush, Terry Mullan, and Dara.
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Zoolu 8
Zoolu 8 marked the return of the Mardi Gras party to the State Palace Theater. Trance legend Paul Oakenfold took to the stage in February 2002 and was joined by Marques Wyatt, Ed Rush, Terry Mullan, and Dara.
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Zoolu 9
Though the flyer for Zoolu 9 is most famous for the "baby raver" depicted on the cover, the lineup was packed to the brim with so many talented artists like Doc Martin, Danny the Wildchild, DJ Monk, Nigel Richards, and DJ Craze. Even after 11 years, we would still go to that party in a heartbeat.
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Zoolu 9
Though the flyer for Zoolu 9 is most famous for the "baby raver" depicted on the cover, the lineup was packed to the brim with so many talented artists like Doc Martin, Danny the Wildchild, DJ Monk, Nigel Richards, and DJ Craze. Even after 11 years, we would still go to that party in a heartbeat.
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Zoolu 12
You would get a good history lesson in dance music just by looking at the names on the flyer for Zoolu 12. Techno pioneer Derrick Carter performed a special four hour set, joining bass visionaries Evol Intent.
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Zoolu 15
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Zoolu 17
The flyer for Zoolu 17 took us away to a magical fairyland while the headliners like Green Velvet, Ghostland Observatory, Tiësto, and Bart B More took us way deep into the underground.
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Zoolu 17
The flyer for Zoolu 17 took us away to a magical fairyland while the headliners like Green Velvet, Ghostland Observatory, Tiësto, and Bart B More took us way deep into the underground.
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Zoolu 18
The bass was very much alive during Zoolu 19 as we hosted Krewella, Seven Lions, Adventure Club, and Tritonal.
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Zoolu 19
The bass was very much alive during Zoolu 19 as we hosted Krewella, Seven Lions, Adventure Club, and Tritonal.
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Zoolu 18
For Zoolu 18, we spanned every spectrum of dance music with talents like Knife Party, Paul Oakenfold, and Araabmuzik.
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Zoolu 18
For Zoolu 18, we spanned every spectrum of dance music with talents like Knife Party, Paul Oakenfold, and Araabmuzik.
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Zoolu 20
We celebrated the 20th anniversary of Zoolu on March 1-3rd with talents like Krewella, Pegboard Nerds, and Mark Farina.
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Zoolu 20
We celebrated the 20th anniversary of Zoolu on March 1-3rd with talents like Krewella, Pegboard Nerds, and Mark Farina.
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Zoolu 2
Heading back to the State Palace in 1996, Zoolu 2 was the first time New Orleans got to experience Rabbit in the Moon.
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Zoolu 2
Heading back to the State Palace in 1996, Zoolu 2 was the first time New Orleans got to experience Rabbit in the Moon.
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Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
-
Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
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Zoolu 3
Now with the party starting to gain more popularity, Zoolu 3 brought back favorites Rabbit in the Moon, but also had DJ Dan and Mike Dearborn.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 4
Taking place in 1998, The Crystal Method made their Zoolu debut for the fourth edition and also had favorites like Rabbit in the Moon, Electric Skychurch, Donald Glaude, and Dieselboy.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5 All Stars
Zoolu 5 Allstars was a Valentine's Day edition. Veteran talent Danny Tenaglia headlined the night with a special four hour set.
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Zoolu 5
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Zoolu 5
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Zoolu 5
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Zoolu 5
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Zoolu 6
The flyer for Zoolu 6 should really be renamed a booklet. Featuring a vast treasure trove of talent, the lineup hosted names like Josh Wink, Aphrodite, DVS1, and Tommie Sunshine.
-
Zoolu 8
Zoolu 8 marked the return of the Mardi Gras party to the State Palace Theater. Trance legend Paul Oakenfold took to the stage in February 2002 and was joined by Marques Wyatt, Ed Rush, Terry Mullan, and Dara.
-
Zoolu 8
Zoolu 8 marked the return of the Mardi Gras party to the State Palace Theater. Trance legend Paul Oakenfold took to the stage in February 2002 and was joined by Marques Wyatt, Ed Rush, Terry Mullan, and Dara.
-
Zoolu 9
Though the flyer for Zoolu 9 is most famous for the "baby raver" depicted on the cover, the lineup was packed to the brim with so many talented artists like Doc Martin, Danny the Wildchild, DJ Monk, Nigel Richards, and DJ Craze. Even after 11 years, we would still go to that party in a heartbeat.
-
Zoolu 9
Though the flyer for Zoolu 9 is most famous for the "baby raver" depicted on the cover, the lineup was packed to the brim with so many talented artists like Doc Martin, Danny the Wildchild, DJ Monk, Nigel Richards, and DJ Craze. Even after 11 years, we would still go to that party in a heartbeat.
-
Zoolu 12
You would get a good history lesson in dance music just by looking at the names on the flyer for Zoolu 12. Techno pioneer Derrick Carter performed a special four hour set, joining bass visionaries Evol Intent.
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Zoolu 15
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Zoolu 15
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Zoolu 17
The flyer for Zoolu 17 took us away to a magical fairyland while the headliners like Green Velvet, Ghostland Observatory, Tiësto, and Bart B More took us way deep into the underground.
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Zoolu 17
The flyer for Zoolu 17 took us away to a magical fairyland while the headliners like Green Velvet, Ghostland Observatory, Tiësto, and Bart B More took us way deep into the underground.
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Zoolu 18
The bass was very much alive during Zoolu 19 as we hosted Krewella, Seven Lions, Adventure Club, and Tritonal.
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Zoolu 19
The bass was very much alive during Zoolu 19 as we hosted Krewella, Seven Lions, Adventure Club, and Tritonal.
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Zoolu 18
For Zoolu 18, we spanned every spectrum of dance music with talents like Knife Party, Paul Oakenfold, and Araabmuzik.
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Zoolu 18
For Zoolu 18, we spanned every spectrum of dance music with talents like Knife Party, Paul Oakenfold, and Araabmuzik.
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Zoolu 20
We celebrated the 20th anniversary of Zoolu on March 1-3rd with talents like Krewella, Pegboard Nerds, and Mark Farina.
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Zoolu 20
We celebrated the 20th anniversary of Zoolu on March 1-3rd with talents like Krewella, Pegboard Nerds, and Mark Farina.
Zoolu 6 booklet
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Tickets for Atlanta's Electric Adventure are Now On-Sale
Tickets are now on sale for Electric Adventure, taking over Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta on Saturday, April 12th. Join Disco Donnie Presents, Area Event, and Liquified for a full day as dance music and amusement parks come together for a thrilling festival experience.
Come ride some roller coasters while listening to your favorite DJs. Tickets are now on-sale, buy your tickets now!
Limited Number of Single Day Tickets for Ultimate Music Experience On-Sale Now
In only 10 days, we get to experience the beach life on South Padre Island as the country’s largest Spring Break dance music event, Ultimate Music Experience returns to Schlitterbahn Waterpark on March 13-15th.
If you couldn’t get enough time off work or you made prior engagements that interfere with your would-be Spring Break plans, you’re in luck! We just released a batch of single day tickets for UME for only $60. Keep in mind, there are a very limited quantity of these available, so grab them before it’s too late.
And don’t forget! The celebration kicks off on March 12th at official UME pre-party with Steve Aoki, Deorro, and GTA.
Single day tickets to Ultimate Music Experience are now available, buy your tickets today!
Get Involved at Ultimate Music Experience and Volunteer
Volunteering is a great way to get involved with your the festival community – and there are tons of benefits too. If you sign up to volunteer at this year’s Ultimate Music Experience, you’ll receive access to the Spring Break event, get hands on experience by working at a major festival event and meet others with similar interests like yourself so you can network.
Sound like something you interested in? Email volunteer@umesouthpadre.com with your full name, email address, phone number, date of birth (to confirm that you are at least 18 years old) and attach your résumé. Once we have your application for consideration, we’ll contact you with more details.
Featured Updates
- Women of the Disco: Part 15
- From local scenes to worldwide signals, women are setting the industry's frequency.
- Women of the Disco: Part 14
- Women of the Disco is a celebration of these fierce women who are not just participants but innovators, defining the future of the scene.
- Women of the Disco: Part 13
- Women of the Disco is a celebration of these fierce women who are not just participants but innovators, defining the future of the scene.
- Women of the Disco: Part 12
- Women of The Disco is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- Women of The Disco: Part 11
- Women of The Disco is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- Women of The Disco: Part 10
- Women of The Disco is an initiative to highlight some of those powerhouses who are trailblazing the path and shaping the future of EDM.
- Announcing OUTLET - A Mental Health & Wellness Resource
- Providing information, tools, and resources relevant to mental health and promoting the continuance of mental health initiatives.
- Announcing Disco U!
- Disco Donnie Presents has always been in the business of furthering lives with the power of music, and we've recently extended that idea with the formation of our Disco U program.
- New Scholarship at Blair School of Music Honors Music Promoter Leon Jackson
- A new scholarship fund has been established at the Blair School of Music in honor of Leon Jackson, the late music and event promoter who introduced a generation of Nashvillians to electronic dance music.
- Disco Donnie Presents Honors First Responders, Veterans, and Gold-Star Families with $1,000,000 Ticket Donation
- Disco Donnie Presents Honors First Responders, Veterans, and Gold-Star Families with $1,000,000 Ticket Donation.
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