Disco Presents (DP) is an award-winning and recognized electronic dance music event production leader founded by veteran promoter James "Disco" Donnie Estopinal. Since the company's inception in 1994, DP has sold over 20 million tickets producing over 20,000 live events, arena shows, and outdoor festivals in over 100 markets worldwide, including the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Panama. Annually, DP is responsible for organizing and promoting nearly 1,000 club events across the U.S., ranging from Portland, Columbus, Houston, Tampa, New Orleans, Dallas, and St. Louis to name only a few. DP is also known for producing major festivals such Lights All Night, Sunset Music Festival, Ember Shores, The Texas Eclipse, Paradise Blue, So What!?, Freaky Deaky, and the "First Festival Back," Ubbi Dubbi.
Founder and CEO James "Disco Donnie" Estopinal, Jr. is revered as a pioneer of U.S. electronic dance music, shaping the scene over three decades to become a leading global promoter. Emerging from the 1990s New Orleans dance scene, Disco Donnie blended eccentricity with innovation, crafting intricately themed parties that captivated audiences and garnered international acclaim. His journey inadvertently sparked a national conversation on First Amendment rights when he faced DEA charges under archaic Crackhouse Laws, but he defended the right to artistic expression and ultimately triumphed.
Notably, Disco Donnie's innovative event concepts and boundary-pushing performances also intersected with the controversial Crackhouse Laws of the era, which aimed to crack down on illegal drug activity in venues but often had unintended consequences for underground music and dance culture. Disco Donnie's efforts to navigate these legal challenges while maintaining his commitment to artistic freedom further solidified his reputation as a trailblazer in the electronic music scene and a champion for the rights of performers and audiences alike.
In 1999, Donnie first partnered with Pasquale Rotella, CEO of Insomniac Events, and worked together on EDC Los Angeles, Nocturnal Wonderland Los Angeles, and Beyond Wonderland Los Angeles. In 2008, the duo officially merged, setting their sights on strategically developing the Insomniac brand worldwide and making Insomniac a household name. Working together, the pair ushered in events such as EDC Orlando, EDC Dallas, EDC Puerto Rico, EDC New York; Beyond Wonderland Seattle; Nocturnal Wonderland Austin, and co-founded Electric Forest. The partnership also produced hundreds of club shows annually in markets across the U.S.
In 2012, DP shifted its focus to the genesis and development of SFX Entertainment, as the first company to sign with founder Robert F. X. Sillerman; a media entrepreneur with a vision to invest nearly a billion dollars in electronic dance music to bring the world's leading promoters under one roof.
Disco became a part of LiveStyle in 2017, which housed a worldwide portfolio of top-tier event companies including, Disco Presents, React Presents, Life In Color, Made Events, ID&T, Tomorrowland, Sensation, TomorrowWorld, Beatport.com, Electric Zoo, Awakenings, Q-Dance, and more.
After shelving the Something Wicked and Something Wonderful brands, Donnie partnered with a sister company in 2018 to bring Chicago's Freaky Deaky to Houston, Texas, selling 50,000 tickets in its first year. The same year, Disco Presents released Ubbi Dubbi, which took us into a world curated by two whimsical imaginary characters known as Ubbi and Dubbi. The brand took the EDM world by storm, gathering 45,000 attendees in its inaugural year.
In 2020, James "Disco Donnie" Estopinal announced he re-acquired sole ownership of Disco Presents (DP), the namesake company he founded 26 years before. This historic acquisition concludes an epic eight-year journey through being the first company acquired by SFX, surviving SFX's subsequent bankruptcy, becoming a part of LiveStyle, and finally buying his company back and delivering fan refunds in the face of COVID-19 festival cancellations. Dedicated to continuing to serve the EDM community, DP created No Parking On The Dance Floor, a new brand that brought 25+ drive-in shows to fans across the U.S. through April 2021.
In 2021, Disco Presents could finally move forward with club shows and festivals again. In the first week of April 2021, he launched Ember Shores in partnership with Illenium. This announcement marked the company's first all-inclusive destination music festival, set for December 2021 in Cancun. Ubbi Dubbi returned in April 2021 as the first festival back in the US with 60,000 tickets sold and the company's first festival camping experience.
As Disco Presents celebrates its 30th anniversary, it's ushering in a new era by changing its name to "Disco Presents." This shift reflects the company's growth beyond any individual name and its readiness for a fresh start. With a commitment to innovation, Disco Presents is poised to expand rapidly with new festival brands and groundbreaking show concepts, marking its most significant years yet.
