Glow President and CEO Pete Kalamoutsos (Photo by Doug Van Sant)
EDM and dance enthusiasts, rejoice! It seems a sure bet that two of DC’s top DJ venues are set to survive the pandemic.
Insomniac Events recently announced the acquisition of electronic music event promotions company Club Glow and iconic venues Echostage and Soundcheck in Washington, D.C.
The deal, which concluded in February 2020, pairs global promoter Insomniac Events with Pete Kalamoutsos, whose Club Glow is a power player in the DC electronic music scene, as Insomniac expands its reach on the East Coast while aligning itself with a longtime industry vet.
“Glow has been a champion of dance music culture for over 20 years, and Pete and his team have been instrumental in helping grow and shape the entire East Coast scene,” said Insomniac Founder and CEO Pasquale Rotella. “I couldn’t be happier to align our teams and continue raising the bar for live dance music experiences.”
Established in 1999, Club Glow has produced more than 150 events per year at Echostage and Soundcheck, as well as festivals Moonrise and Preakness InfieldFest, drawing fans from up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Glow has been at the forefront in bringing the biggest names in electronic music to East Coast audiences, including Martin Garrix, Skrillex, Tiesto, The Chainsmokers, Zedd, and countless others. Club Glow also places heavy emphasis on growing the future stars of dance music in the market by curating unique lineups with up-and-coming acts.
Glow opened Echostage in 2012 as a home to large-scale EDM concert-like production events with world-class artists such as Diplo, Armin van Buuren, Calvin Harris, Above & Beyond, David Guetta, and more. Fans have voted Echostage as DJ Mag’s #1 North American nightclub for four consecutive years.
Mimicking the acoustics of a recording studio but in a nightclub setting, Soundcheck opened its doors in 2015. The venue is the perfect complement to Echostage, serving as an intimate venue to develop artists.
“We are thrilled to be joining the Insomniac family,” said Glow President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos, who will remain at the helm following the acquisition. “After two decades of producing some of the biggest dance music events on the East Coast, it’s time to write a new chapter. Pasquale and I were cut from the same cloth, and our visions align when it comes to dance music. I couldn’t imagine a better opportunity to continue to grow Glow, Echostage and Soundcheck than with the team at Insomniac.”
In the wake of the news, the club has also announced a few key staffing changes. Longtime Glow talent buyer Heather Church has been named Vice President of Talent & Marketing, while Echostage’s Matthew Cronin has been promoted to Vice President of Venues & Sponsorship.