The Cultural Significance of EDM
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The Festivals:
One of the most prominent concerts in EDM today is Tomorrowland in Belgium. If you love the insane feeling you get when that bass drops this is a must-see. The top name DJs from all around the world come to perform on the intricate stages they build creating an atmosphere like no other. Tomorrowland first started back in 2005 when EDM was not quite as popular so not many people showed up, but then it exploded in the next few years. Ravers from all around the world flocked to Belgium to experience the extravegant event. People from over 80 different countries make an appearance here and it brings in a total of around 200,000 people each and every year. That is just one of the many popular festivals in the EDM community. Other popular festivals are Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, Spring Awakening, and Electric Forest just to name a few.
One of the most prominent concerts in EDM today is Tomorrowland in Belgium. If you love the insane feeling you get when that bass drops this is a must-see. The top name DJs from all around the world come to perform on the intricate stages they build creating an atmosphere like no other. Tomorrowland first started back in 2005 when EDM was not quite as popular so not many people showed up, but then it exploded in the next few years. Ravers from all around the world flocked to Belgium to experience the extravegant event. People from over 80 different countries make an appearance here and it brings in a total of around 200,000 people each and every year. That is just one of the many popular festivals in the EDM community. Other popular festivals are Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, Spring Awakening, and Electric Forest just to name a few.
![Picture](/uploads/9/5/1/7/95177710/1481165797.png)
The Fans:
The majority of EDM fans tend to range from ages 18 to 24 years old because this music represents the party life-style these college students are already a part of, however, electronic dance music is becoming more prevalent in the younger generations as well. It is also worthy to note that although there is generally a younger crowd, there are always groups of older ravers (35-50 years old) who come to relive their "golden days" because EDM and raves became popular during their youth. The typical rave wear is anything that has colors that pop, generally anything neon or bright. In the general audience, guys typically wear jerseys or cut-off t-shirts, while the prefered wear for girls is a skirt or shorts and a shirt that is breezy because it gets hot in the congested, mosh-pit like crowds. However, there are many EDM fans who like to dress up in "rave wear." For a female rave wear would consist of, but is not limited to tutus, bikini tops, furry boots, costume wings, and tons of bracelets made out of pony beads. Guys who dress up in rave wear will wear anything from shirts made with LED lights to furry hats, and sometimes even neon morphsuits. Anyone dressed in "rave wear" at these concerts are generally praised for their creativity, whereas day to day they would be scolded for wearing their costumes.
The majority of EDM fans tend to range from ages 18 to 24 years old because this music represents the party life-style these college students are already a part of, however, electronic dance music is becoming more prevalent in the younger generations as well. It is also worthy to note that although there is generally a younger crowd, there are always groups of older ravers (35-50 years old) who come to relive their "golden days" because EDM and raves became popular during their youth. The typical rave wear is anything that has colors that pop, generally anything neon or bright. In the general audience, guys typically wear jerseys or cut-off t-shirts, while the prefered wear for girls is a skirt or shorts and a shirt that is breezy because it gets hot in the congested, mosh-pit like crowds. However, there are many EDM fans who like to dress up in "rave wear." For a female rave wear would consist of, but is not limited to tutus, bikini tops, furry boots, costume wings, and tons of bracelets made out of pony beads. Guys who dress up in rave wear will wear anything from shirts made with LED lights to furry hats, and sometimes even neon morphsuits. Anyone dressed in "rave wear" at these concerts are generally praised for their creativity, whereas day to day they would be scolded for wearing their costumes.
![Picture](/uploads/9/5/1/7/95177710/1481165866.png)
The Drug Culture:
Despite the industry longing to get rid of the image of drugs being associated with their scene these party drugs have always been around. The famous DJ Christopher Leacock a member of the popular EDM music group, Major Lazer, brings up an interesting point in that "we need to teach kids how to do drugs, the same way we teach them about drinking and having safe sex." People are always going to find a way to obtain these drugs so it is better that we educate these kids to be safe. The most common party drugs that are found at these raves consist of ecstasy, acid, cocaine, marijuana, and obviously the liquid drug, illegal for some and others not, alcohol. Despite many eforts to control the drug problem in the EDM scene, there is no stopping the use of these drugs, it is simply human nature of the pleasure principle, people feel as if these stimulants are the quickest way to do so. The most commonly associated drug with EDM concerts and/or festivals is MDMA or better known by its street name, "Molly." MDMA is a psychoactive drug that promotes the feeling of euphoria, empathy, and heightened sensations. In other words, it makes the lights brighter, the music sound better, and rather than the revenues feeling overcrowded and stuffy their drug-induced sense of euphoria makes them feel amicable to the strangers surrounding them. As previously mentioned, it is extremely difficult to stop festival-goers from engaging in these activities, therefore, it is important to educate them on how to participate safely. DanceSafe, a non-profit organization devoted to making festivals safer, does just that by having volunteer booths at various festivals that hand out everything form drug testing kits to water bottles to ensure people stay hydrated if they are, in fact, using "Molly." It is important to note that there are many people in the EDM community that are committed to reducing drug use and simply enjoy these festivals for what they are; a music experience unlike any other.
Despite the industry longing to get rid of the image of drugs being associated with their scene these party drugs have always been around. The famous DJ Christopher Leacock a member of the popular EDM music group, Major Lazer, brings up an interesting point in that "we need to teach kids how to do drugs, the same way we teach them about drinking and having safe sex." People are always going to find a way to obtain these drugs so it is better that we educate these kids to be safe. The most common party drugs that are found at these raves consist of ecstasy, acid, cocaine, marijuana, and obviously the liquid drug, illegal for some and others not, alcohol. Despite many eforts to control the drug problem in the EDM scene, there is no stopping the use of these drugs, it is simply human nature of the pleasure principle, people feel as if these stimulants are the quickest way to do so. The most commonly associated drug with EDM concerts and/or festivals is MDMA or better known by its street name, "Molly." MDMA is a psychoactive drug that promotes the feeling of euphoria, empathy, and heightened sensations. In other words, it makes the lights brighter, the music sound better, and rather than the revenues feeling overcrowded and stuffy their drug-induced sense of euphoria makes them feel amicable to the strangers surrounding them. As previously mentioned, it is extremely difficult to stop festival-goers from engaging in these activities, therefore, it is important to educate them on how to participate safely. DanceSafe, a non-profit organization devoted to making festivals safer, does just that by having volunteer booths at various festivals that hand out everything form drug testing kits to water bottles to ensure people stay hydrated if they are, in fact, using "Molly." It is important to note that there are many people in the EDM community that are committed to reducing drug use and simply enjoy these festivals for what they are; a music experience unlike any other.