Exclusive
How John Summit and Thomas Turner Built Experts Only NYC From the Ground Up
John Summit’s creative vision, Thomas Turner’s production expertise, and a lineup designed for both nostalgia and discovery, Experts Only Festival is shaping up to be the event of the year.
- By: Julianne Elise Beffa
When John Summit decided to launch the Experts Only Fest 2025 in New York City, it wasn’t just another date on the festival calendar. This was a declaration, a statement that dance music culture in the U.S. had a new home, and that John Summit’s vision was finally getting the scale it deserved. Behind the scenes, the festival’s journey from a simple conversation to a massive, independently produced event involved timing, friendships, and a deep understanding of the culture.
LOOP Mag sat down with Thomas Turner of Relentless Beats for an exclusive inside look at what it takes to bring NYC’s hottest new festival to life.
Turner recalls the first conversation that set everything in motion. “The conversation began with Wasserman Music and Ben Shprits when we were trying to book John (Summit) for Brooklyn Army Terminal, and evolved from there when I discovered that my long time friend Adam Richman at Medium Rare had the same date available at Randall’s Island. It all kind of just fell into place organically.” That moment of alignment between friends, promoters, and venues set the stage for what would become a festival insiders are already calling a cultural milestone.
Turner explains why New York City and Randall’s Island were the perfect choice. “New York is one of the epicenters of culture in the U.S. Randall’s Island has hosted some of the most iconic dance music events in the country, so putting Experts Only Festival there made sense when we are aiming to plant a flag in one of the most important cultural arenas in the world.” The decision to go big elevated the festival from a cool idea to a legacy-making event, instantly signaling that this was more than just another EDM show.
Pulling together a festival of this ambition required more than just a venue. Turner describes the collaboration between Relentless Beats, East Meets West, Medium Rare, and Wasserman as rare. “It’s rare to have so many powerhouse players working on the same project, but the chemistry is just there on this one. I have been long time friends with both Adam Richman of Medium Rare and Ben Shprits of Wasserman, and we have been booking John for many years on the Relentless Beats side of things. With EMW we have been scaling the size of our projects in New York City, and the timing of all of this coming together is just impeccable.”
Every decision helped shape Experts Only into more than just a festival. “Locking in Randall’s Island as our venue completely altered the scale and the ambition of the event, and all of the sudden this event became a cultural statement for dance music in the United States,” Turner says. “At the end of the day this is John’s festival and fans will really resonate with that. It’s curated, personal, and an extension of what he has built with his label Experts Only. In addition to that, this is an independently produced festival, built by people who care about the culture, so you will see that across the entire event.”
Fans arriving at Randall’s Island can expect two full days of immersive experiences. The festival runs September 20–21, 2025, from 3 PM to 10 PM each day and features two massive stages designed to showcase John Summit’s handpicked lineup. Summit himself headlines both nights, bringing his signature energy while also curating some of the most talked-about b2b sets in dance music. Confirmed acts include Kaskade b2b Cassian, Green Velvet b2b Layton Giordani, Kasablanca performing live, LP Giobbi, DJ Seinfeld, AYYBO, Enamour b2b Weska, Roddy Lima, Tini Gessler, Kamino, Weska, Eve Lauren, Lumia, Pete Tong, Tony Y Not, and TEED. Turner emphasizes that this is a lineup designed to surprise and delight fans, blending legends with rising stars to maintain that underground, curated energy Experts Only is known for.
“The real challenge is combining both,” Turner says. “You can’t fake authenticity. We have a team skilled in producing large scale events and an act who lives and breathes putting on the most genuine and authentic experience for his fans. This event is going to be very special for dance music fans.” From stage layouts to sound design, the festival has been engineered to give attendees a sense of intimacy and connection, even at a 50,000-person scale. Turner shares a peek behind the curtain: “There is a lot that goes into securing venues and getting all the proper permitting to put these types of events on. There are thousands of people that work together to bring something like this to life and people might not realize that.”
There are thousands of people that work together to bring something like this to life and people might not realize that.
Independently produced, Experts Only NYC thrives on the same culture that has made John Summit’s label and career stand out. Turner notes, “We are a group of passionate individuals who take this kind of work very personally. We’re building culture, not just filling dates. We move faster, we take big creative risks, and we listen to the fans.” That philosophy is evident not just in the lineup, but in every activation and detail, from decor to stage energy. “John curated the lineup for this one from top to bottom. He took the driver seat in ensuring the lineup was curated, shaping the vibe and energy of the event across both stages. He is influencing this festival to express the extension of the world he has created through Experts Only across decor, layout, and sound.”
Experts Only NYC is meant to be the first chapter in a lasting cultural legacy. “This event will set the foundation to grow over the years in NYC. We will learn from this first go-around, and the intention is to continue to build the culture around this event and what it means to fans locally, nationally, and even worldwide.” Turner’s takeaway for future artist-led festivals is simple: “Everyone has to be aligned. If you have all the right pieces and they all work well together, that is how things work and come together.”
John (Summit) has always had an amazing connection with his fans and that energy he shares with them will be directly reflected in this event.
Reflecting on the surreal moment when it all became real, Turner recalls, “When Adam from Medium Rare told me that he was up to producing the event together and that the city had approved the event, I knew something very special was about to happen.” He sees John Summit’s personal journey mirrored in the festival itself. “John has always had an amazing connection with his fans and that energy he shares with them will be directly reflected in this event. We want to build something real from the ground up with the fans at the heart, just as John has done with his personal brand.”
Ten years from now, Turner hopes fans will remember the debut as a defining moment in NYC dance music. “I want people to remember it as the beginning of something special. I want fans to feel like they were a part of something from its inception, and that they all helped to influence the direction of dance music culture in NYC.” With John Summit’s creative vision, Turner’s production expertise, and a lineup designed for both nostalgia and discovery, Experts Only Festival is shaping up to be more than a debut—it’s a blueprint for the future of artist-led events and a cultural touchstone for NYC nightlife.
Buy tickets to the first inaugural Experts Only festival here.
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