Identity Festival rages on in Miami

An electronic music tour has been making its way through the United States.

This tour, known as Identity Festival, is hosted by iHome, which is the No. 1 maker of award-winning clock-radios and speaker systems for iPod, iPhone, iPad and more.

On Saturday, August 4^th, Identity Festival took place at the Bayfront Amphitheater in Miami, the same location usually used for Ultra Music Festival. It began at 2 p.m. and continued on past 11 p.m.

Two stages were set up, the main stage and another side one most referred to simply as the dubstep stage. This side stage was surrounded by the downtown buildings of Miami, giving the setting a truly beautiful city feeling.

Identity Festival in Downtown Miami

Read related: Bassnectar headlines KahBang Music Festival

I arrived around 5 p.m. just in time for Le Castle Vania who I had never heard of before to be honest. He gave a stellar performance and has only convinced me to look further into his music.

Standing front and center, mosh pits began to appear and as the set went on, the pits only became bigger and more aggressive.

For those of you who don’t know what mosh pits are, they’re usually reserved for metal or rock shows and they are an empty space in the middle of crowds where people aggressively dance around, trashing, flipping,  tumbling and essentially “moshing.”


Anyone who falls down is immediately picked up by fellow moshers, making sure no one is severely or seriously injured.

I once was a part of a mosh pit at a punk show and there was one individual in a wheelchair moshing harder than anyone I’ve ever seen.

He would be slammed and pushed out of his wheelchair to the ground and immediately after, anyone in the near vicinity would stop to help him back into his chair.

Soon as he was back in, he would start thrashing around again and pushing people back just as hard. He was having a blast and everyone around him was as well.

Read related:  Review: Marco Solis delivers high energy performance at ‘Gigantes’ tour

Mosh pits aren’t too common at electronic music events but this was the dubstep stage, which has been referred to as the heavy metal of electronic music. Fitting.

I stayed at the dubstep stage for Le Castle Vania’s full set, not exactly being able to or even wanting to leave the sweaty and dirty mosh pits that surrounded me.

Doctor P was the next DJ and he had been one of the top reasons I decided to attend Identity Festival in the first place.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t stick around for the entire set but I can definitely say the part that I did stay for blew my mind.

At one point, it was far too hot in the front, which can happen in the middle of a packed crowd, dancing endlessly in the middle of the Miami summer heat.

I went to get water and made my way to the other stage where Madeon was performing. Another excellent performance. Noisia, Showtek and Excision also played on the dubstep stage later in the night.
 
Showtek surprisingly was my favorite set of the entire festival. At one point, he told the crowd to sit down! Everyone eventually listened and he explained he wanted everyone to stand as soon as the bass dropped.

I have never seen a DJ do this but it certainly worked as the crowd waited for that pivotal moment and all rose back to non-stop dancing and thrashing.

No DJ disappointed until the last set of the night when Eric Prydz took to the main stage. Few if any epic drops happened and the music was honestly boring.

At that point, I had miraculously managed to find the people I would be leaving the festival with and they agreed to leave earlier than planned simply because Eric Prydz was not doing it for us.

Overall, one of my favorite festivals so far even though it was only one day. The tour continues through Texas, California and Arizona until August 19th.

Photo Creds Identity Festival

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/identity-festival-rages-on/#ixzz22yM64zrY

Google Science Fair Hispanic contestants

For those of you that have not heard of the Google Science Fair, it is a competition hosted by Google (of course) intended for children and teenagers from all over the world to participate in.

Thousands of projects from over 100 different countries were considered and many of the final selections were in fact Hispanic kids.

 The Fair consisted of three different age categories 13 to 14, 15 to 16 and 17 to 18 and three different regional categories: the Americas, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and Asia.

30 finalists were selected from each region, 10 from each age group, making it 90 in total. 11 of these 90 entries were from children in Hispanic countries, two from South America and the other 9 from Spain.

Out of these 90, 21 of the world’s young and brightest scientists were selected to gather at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View in order to present their projects to a panel of esteemed judges.

Projects had very high standards and participants followed a science model similar, if not identical, to one all real scientists use when researching. Projects were expected to consist of a summary, step 1 (About Me), step 2 (The Question), step 3 (Hypothesis), step 4 (Research), step 5 (Experiment and Procedure), step 6 (Data), step 7 (Observations), step 8 (Conclusion), references and acknowledgements.

It is encouraging, if not inspiring, that such young kids are determined and motivated to try to make a difference in the world with their inventions.

One final winner was selected from each age group and a team of three boys from Logrono, Spain won the 15-16 age category with their project entitled “The Secret Life of Water.”

Ivan Hervias Rodriguez, age 17

 

Marcos Ochoa, age 16

 

  Sergio Pascual, age 15

The three boys, Ivan Hervias Hernandez, Marcos Ochoa and Sergio Pascual studied hidden microscropic life in fresh water, documenting and observing the organisms that exist in a drop of water and how these organisms work and influence our environment, at a larger scale.

Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres, age 17

Jessice Bibiana Alba Torres, age 15

 Other Hispanic contestants and winners included; Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres (17) and Jessica Alba Torres, (15) from Bogotá, Colombia, and Alejandro Andres Fuentes Herrera, (15) from Rancagua, Chile.

The contestants from Spain included Carlos Vega García (13) from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ana María Santos Espósito (13) from Montequinto, Isabel Medrano Sáinz, (14) from Logroño, Pablo González Recio (17), Alvaro Cuevas Alvarez (16), and Alejandro Sánchez Lechón from Madrid, Gonzalo Balbás Moñivas (16) from Madrid, Judith Calvo Rull (16) from La Garriga, Eduardo Sancho Calzada (17), Alejandra Bargues Carot (18) and Laura García Marco (17) from Burjassot, and Adrian Diaz (17), Sandra Garrido Romero (18) from Alcorcon.

Each winner received prizes from Google and their Science Fair partners such as CERN, LEGO, National Geographic and Scientific American.

To check out these contestants' projects and the steps they took to develop such astonishing results, visit Google Science Fair.

Accelerate: electrifying ancient Jeeps

The Philippines are working towards a greener future. Ancient jeeps are being transformed from fossil fuel run to 100% electric in order to clean up a megacity.

These jeeps, which were derived from American World War II jeeps, are iconic symbols of the Philippines’ ingenuity.

They are the most popular way of transport which is a problem because there are 250,000 diesel powered jeeps in the country, spewing pollution into air and creating something known as the nebulizer where babies are born with asthma and allergies.

University of Philippines reports that these jeeps are the #1 air pollutants. Drivers of these jeeps are the #1 victims of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Read Related: Food crisis: a new normal?

At first these electric vehicles were laughed at because they only ran on a battery and the drivers of the electric jeeps were giving free rides, a very noble and very new concept.

Yuri Sarminto is the CEO of Ejeepney Transport Corp. which began a project in 2007 where 20 electric jeeps took to the road.

They received permission this year from the government to charge passengers which will demonstrate that these jeeps are good for both the environment and businesses.

Their goal is to achieve sustainable transport systems and change the way things are thought about and done.

They have joined forces with a Dutch company, working towards charging the jeeps with renewable electricity such as solar energy from food outlets that then power generators which charge the motors.
The business model of this project also changes the way in which drivers are paid.

 Drivers are on a fixed salary with complete government benefits, health care, and housing benefits.
Sarminto is trying to modernize public transportation even further.

He hopes to establish an electronic fair payment system which would take a largely underground industry and bring it under government control.

This project and business model are now being copied all over the Philippines and Sarminto says change has allowed individuals to look at problems in different ways and to change the way do business.

Read Related: US agricultural exports to China costly in times of drought

Video courtesy of Global Post

Bassnectar announces 2012 tour dates

Bassnectar during one of his concert. Wakarusa Family. (Photo/ Cody Mulcahy/middlegraystudios.com/Bassnectar)

World renowned dubstep artist Bassnectar kicks off his U.S. tour September 27 in Greensboro, N.C.
Bassnectar tour dates for 2012 include surprise shows scheduled for October 12 and 19, and November 9 and 14; a three-day stop in Atlanta, Ga. September 27-29; Austin, Texas on October 13; Los Angeles, Calif. October 18; a Halloween show in Calgary, Ala; and a final stop in New York with his last two shows set for November 17-18.

His 2011 spring tour sold out every show including a New Year’s Eve show in Nashville, Tenn., where he played to 10,000 fans. This tour also included a sold out show in Boston where I witnessed him play an absolutely spectacular set at the House of Blues, leaving the crowd dripping in sweat and chanting endlessly for an encore.

Bassnectar during one of his concert. Caravan Family. (Photo/ Nick Vilanote/Bassnectar)

Bassnectar is best known for his light shows and incredibly engaging live shows, and his seeming ability to become one mind with his audience. His sets are never chosen ahead of time, as many DJs tend to do, and he plays based off of what he feels would move and inspire the crowd most.

Read related: Recharged Juanes pours soul into MTV Unplugged

His music was originally influenced by bands such as Megadeth, Metallica and Nirvana, which brought a heavy metal feel to the electronic music world.

Bassnectar has played at almost every major music festival in the United States including Electric Forest, Camp Bisco, Wakarusa, Lollapalooza, Coachella and Electric Daisy Carnival.

He will return to Electric Forest and Forecastle Festival for the summer of 2012. He sold out 10,000 tickets to the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo., so quickly that another date was added for that venue.

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/bassnectar-2012-tour-dates/#ixzz21dumGHKk

Check out all the tour stops and get your ticket!

The Dark Knight Rises and falls

This undated film image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Christian Bale as Batman in a scene from the action thriller “The Dark Knight Rises.” A gunman in a gas mask barged into a crowded Denver-area theater during a midnight premiere of the Batman movie on Friday, July 20, 2012, hurled a gas canister and then opened fire, killing 12 people and injuring at least 50 others in one of the deadliest mass shootings in recent U.S. history. (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Ron Phillips)

With expectations high and an emotionally charged atmosphere, I made my way to see a showing of The Dark Knight Rises. I had anticipated a jaw-dropping, heart-wrenching tear jerker but I came out disappointed having instead received a predictable and superficial Hollywood film.

There is no question that the first two Batman movies in this famous trilogy surpassed the quality of the third and final leg.

Extreme plot twists occurred too frequently, leaving the audience feeling as if the plot of the movie was constantly changing. This also gave the movie a corny or cheesy feel even though it was evidently attempting a dark and somber atmosphere.

The cast did not disappoint as Tom Hardy, Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Gary Oldman gave stellar performances. It was most certainly an entertaining and interesting movie but it definitely lacked something.

The villain was one only known by die-hard Batman fans. Even someone who hasn’t read any of the comics has heard of the Joker, Cat Woman or even Two Face. But the masked villain Bane proved to be a simple yet terrifying and truly evil character.

Moviegoers should expect an intriguing two and a half hours. I recommend seeing the film as it is definitely worth the time and money but keep in mind to expect nothing like the first two movies.

The City of Gotham experienced a societal downfall similar to the state of the world today. An utter feeling of despair and lack of optimism was prevalent in most characters of the movie except the heroes who always had to hope for and work towards a happy ending.

I had anticipated that in the light of the Aurora shootings, this movie would convey a truly meaningful message and lesson about the evils and corruption of society so that these deaths and injuries would not be in vain.

 Read related: “Dark Knight Rises” shooter James Holmes: A matter of mental health?

If 12 people were to die because of a movie, I expect that film would do something to change society for the better and make it impossible for incidents like this to happen again. Whether this movie can make a difference in such a way has yet to be determined.

Police officers and security patrol were placed throughout the theater I attended (Coconut Grove Paragon Theater), which only served to remind the audience of the tragedy that had occurred because of this movie. I did feel safer knowing that some measures of safety were being taken to prevent another similar tragedy.

I can only hope that every theater playing this movie did the same in an attempt to protect innocent lives.

Read more: http://www.voxxi.com/dark-knight-rises-colorado-shooting/

Stirling You Will Be Missed

A truly beautiful person and beloved friend has left this world. Words cannot express the radiance Stirling possessed to influence everyone around him positively. His non-stop good mood was infectious and it was rare for a smile not to be glowing on his face at any time. What he meant to his friends and family is unmeasurable and impossible to convey but he will be forever remembered as a friend to all and enemy to none. I admit I did not know Stirling particularly well but I knew him well enough to realize what a profound loss this is to the world. My heart and love goes out to all the individuals grieving this loss. Be strong and carry on. The memory of Stirling will never die because he will always remain a part of our lives and of our memories that he so often filled with profound kindness and unimaginable caring.

A letter from President Kaplan has been published in The Charger Bulletin, University of New Haven's official student newspaper about Stirling. 

I want people to have a chance to read what Stirling's friends, family and loved ones have to say about such a brave and kind-hearted soul. Here is a compilation of everyone's words to Stirling. Most were originally written on the wall for the Facebook group East Coast Ravers, a community that is there to support anyone in need of anything in the face of this loss, whether it's a hug, kind words or a shoulder to cry on. Permission by the author has been given for each individual quote. I will posting more throughout the day. If you wish to say something or I have not yet posted your words about Stirling, please email me at sanchez.l@husky.neu.edu

Stirling at DRK's event Bass Cake.

"To everyone who is grieving the loss of stirling, i just wanna say i am deeply sorry for your loss. i have never met stirling, but i've always had a loving and caring heart, and no matter what i will always feel sorrow for the end of any life. i know how it feels to lose someone close to you. in the past 3 years or so i've lost my older brother to drug overdose, both of my grandparents, my brother-in-law to suicide, and mother-in-law to heart disease. in the chaos of all this, the rest of the family has slowly drifted apart, which is why during these tough times, at least we have eachother, our ECR family. all this negativity is starting to cause old feelings to resurface in me, but i'll continue to stay strong, as i hope everyone else is doing. never give up hope, and never EVER stop loving eachother. if anyone needs anything, a hug, a friend, or someone to talk to, i'm here for you. i love you all ♥ ♥" -Ray Tillinghast

"sending out lots of good vibrations to those who have suffered loss recently, being strong together is extremely important right now. I didn't know Stirling personally but from the looks of all the messages ive read so far, he was an incredible person and I will continue to cultivate and add to the love that's been surrounding him, his friends, and family. I have great ears for listening please talk to me if you need some extra love. rest in peace. love and light to you all♥" 
-Kim Ballou

"i never really took the time to get to know you, but the short time i had speaking with you a couple months ago, let me know that you are an amazing person... no doubt, Mr. Danskin, you are going places only some of us could imagine... have fun dancing with the stars ♥ mad love for u all ♥"
-Gian Ciannavei

"unfortunately I didn't get the opportunity to become as close of friends with stirling as I would of liked. however yesterdays news hit me pretty hard. my thoughts and heart go out to his family, crew, close friends and other acquaintances that are grieving. I just heard this quote the other day: "The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone." on that note I just wanted to remind everyone to never underestimate the significance you hold in others life and the impact you have on others. every single last one of you ate loved very dearly. I hope everyone has the best day that they can considering the circumstances. stirling is an incredible individual and he will forever live in our memory. hang in there fam. ♥"
"'There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness but of power. They are messengers of overwhelming grief and of unspeakable love.' I love you all. stay strong. ♥"

-Brookelynne Ruopp


"'Never met any of you... Never met stirling, but this really makes me sad. This horrible thing showed me that ecr really is a FAMILY, everyone's there for eachotbrr, sharing stories, wiping eachothers tears..doing what a family should. He seemed like a dope ass guy that's gone way too soon. Everyone keep their heads up and remain there for eachother. ♥ ily all! 'Only the good die young' Rest in PLUR, stirling ♥ ♥"
-Mel-d Franklin

"stirling, i only met you a handful of times, but each time was memorable :) i always loved to dance to your sets at drk events, so i decided today im decking myself in all the kandi i own and dancing to your set from April Ghouls the whole way through. i'll miss you friend ♥"
-Leah Parrott 

"I only met him a few times, it was more than a pleasure to have the honor to be introduced to a young man with great talent, a great smile, and ambition. He was more than welcoming as a friend. May you rest in peace... you will be remembered for eternity."
-Mohammed Ali Denny

"Stirling has been there for me, he's offered to help me with my baby I have on the way, he was the most amazing most kind hearted person I knew. He always made sure I was okaay and If I wasn't he'd do everything to make me okaay. I'm gonna miss him more then anything. He always told me, "chin up buttercup"... I'm gonna miss him ♥."
-Kaseigh Elisabeth Drescher 

"Stirling was a gifted individual, the two encounters we had were touching, he put a smile on mine and many others faces, it's a shame that excellent souls are taken away from us too early. May he rest in peace until we meet again."
-Stuart Zoidberg

"Stirling was a one of a kind individual whose smile and joy affected everyone around him. Always the first one to help a friend (new or old) in need, he will be missed more than he could ever know ♥"
-Danny Joseph 

"Stirling, I was just with you the 4 days before this tragedy happened man.. You did not deserve what happened, you were one of the few who understood, who learned, watched, listened, you would give the shirt off your back for someone. They took the wrong one man, you were A great friend, a true inspiration to all. You will be forever eternal in my mind - Love you brotha."
-Dave Guilmartin    

"I had always heard from people who knew him about how great a guy he was, and I got to see that first-hand during the only time we met. A cab bailed on my friends and I post-rave, and Stirling kindly invited us back inside from the cold even though the venue was supposed to be clearing out. Even during the cleanup when people want to just be finished and leave, he made our comfort and safety a priority and was so nice about it. Based on what everyone else is saying, it seems my personal first impression of him is accurate: he was a wonderful person and this community will never forget him. I am wearing kandi all day today in his honor."
-Nick Balsbaug 


"Never forget what we all mean to one another. Stop and think of those who care and the family we've made for ourselves and each other. We've got a lot of love, take what you need because the fountains never ending. ♥ Stirling, I'll always have a part of you."
"Hey kids. Today lets all appreciate what we have. Tell the people that you care about that you love them. Tell the people that you don't that you can't wait till you do. And above all, love yourselves and each other, it's the only way we're gonna make it. ♥"

-Miriabi Ambrosia Grzywacz (Mibs)

-Lance Allen

"Stirling helped me through a fair number of hard times. He never had a problem taking the time to talk, and he could always lift my mood by the end of the conversation. Any time he ran into me at an event, he'd greet me with a huge smile and hug before we danced to our hearts content. That's how I will always remember him, smiling and dancing and spreading his love to anyone who needed it."

"Hardest day I've had in a while. My sympathy goes out to everyone else who is also doing their best to act normal and fight back tears as they go about their day. We miss the shit out of you, Stirling."

 -Kelsey Morgan

"This must be a dream or some terrible joke. I close my eyes, as my tears fall and I imagine your beaming face. Where was that pain? It must have been hiding deep inside. Behind your eyes? Peering out only when there was nobody to see. Locked up in your room unable to breathe but never able to let us in. I cringe at this thought because I know how you felt. I still feel it too my friend, but I reached out. I know it’s not better and I know it was hard. It’s still hard for me. But I hoped that you could have fought this battle with me. I know it to be a very long and a very slow and very painful battle with the other side of free."
-Daisy Richardson

"i loved stirling so much. he got me through the hardest of times and i can't express in words how much he meant to me. he'll never be gone from my heart and i will never stop thinking of him. his smile, his face, the way he'd say "chin up, buttercup" when i was down, his love for music, his love for his family and friends.... he is one of the greatest people i have ever known."
-Nikola Vidnovic 

"stirling was a good guy and i will miss him. i remember staying at his house not too long ago and meeting his parents and i could see where he got his personality from as they were such friendly and caring people. i hope they are OK."
-Max Anderson  

"I only got to party with him a few times, but I will never forget his positivity, his good vibes, and his love for the sweetest house music. He had a good soul, and I'll never forget him.

I'll be wearing my DRK shit all day in honor of Stirling and the whole group, who've worked their hardest to bring their best to the rave scene. Keep it up, and to everyone else, I'll see you at a party someday soon!"
-Davey Frew

"I love u all. Stirling I will miss enjoying the finer things with u"
-Adam Twist Mahoney

"It took me awhile to figure out who stirling was by name. After realizing who he was I V.V . I did not know him personaly but i have seen/danced with him at enough raves to know he was awesome. When ever i seen him he was always pumping the crowd up and motivating people to dance hard. He was a good man and part of the family, he will be missed RIP Stirling"
-Aaron Shippee 

"i dont think i've ever met stirling as ive never been to a DRK event(because i suck obviously!!!) but i know many of you that knew him and loved him dearly. as someone who just lost a dear friend a few weeks ago i can only imagine how all of you are feeling and the loss that you have growing inside of you. Please don't hesitate to call me, text me, message me whether i know you or not. Time's ahead will be tough but we can stay strong together as one. That's what friends are for. I love you all and sincerely wish i could hug all of you right now. I know that's impossible but just know that i'm doing my best that's for damn sure!!! much love friends ♥♥♥♥♥"
-Theodore Charles 

"Rocking the drk shirt today for Stirling. R.I.P. brotha. Drk showed me what plur was and essentially changed my life for the better. I am forever thankful for that. I'm gonna spread the plur and the drk way everyway I can."
-Marc Perkins



"Stirling, I knew him in highschool before he even worked with DRK and even before he knew what plur ment he abided by it Stirling was a great man who would help u in anyway he could and always could make you feel good when needed. He was a bright light that in our memories will always shine strong I love u Stirling ♥ PLUR"
-Nick Granell

"Stirling I knew you to be a happy and positive friend. I feel like our friendship had just started and I'm sorry you had to go. You touched a lot of people in a positive way. To you I pay my respects, tonight and always."
-Colin Williams 

"i didnt know stirling very well, but this is what i do know: we all originated from the stars. though he left early, he will shine longer in our hearts and be returned to the skies where he can watch over us from above and continue to fill our lives with light. much love to all ♥"



-Grace Magnusson

"I still don't want to believe it... Tonight, I will dream of his smiling face and his warm hugs and, if only in my dream state, I will be with him once more.
♥ RIP Stirling ♥
I was truly blessed with your presence in my life, thank you for sharing yours with me. You will be missed, but will forever live on in our hearts."
-Nicole Walden

"So in memory of our lost friend, we are going to make ECR for only happy and nice thoughts. this means promoters your post will be deleted, it is not cause we dont love you, its just out of respect for a lovely soul that was lost.
-Carlo DelDonno


"I just met stirling last week at take off. I am fairly new to the scene but ive been accepted by everyone, and stirling was no different. He came up to me said hey im stirling you look liek you could use some water. And we just started talking after that. Let me know who was playing that night and told me who to go get a light show from he was an awsomme person from what i met and i didnt know him that well but i will always remember him. Rest in Paridise Stirling i'll see you on the othaside♥"
-Jordan Desmond

"<333333333333 this iz for everyone in our ECR family who is down. I cant say I was lucky enough to meet Stirling but I already can tell how grwat of a person he was. Everyone on this page has helped me in ways theu dont even know. Coming from someone who had a lot of people leave this earth ahead of there time all I can say is stay strong keep fhe love flowing and above all stay a family and stay supportive. So at these upcoming events in support of Stirling and his family we all keep a smile on our faces and we dance and sing and DJ our little hearts out until we cant anymore. RIP Stirling though I never had the blessing of meeting you I can tell you were much loved <33333333333"
-Jake Mayer 

"Stirling was just an incredible person. I was never truly close with him, but he has been a part of my life for 4 years. I remember when he would sit in front of me in Chemistry class, we'd complain about the class and talk about forming a ska band. A few years later, I was dancing around the auditorium to Emu Crossing. Then he went a brand new direction with the formation of DRK. In a short time, it brought life to Connecticut and people from all over New England come to his events. It's incredible how far they've come and if anyone could do it, Stirling definitely could. I didn't know him very well, but I knew that he was a person who loved life. Wherever he went, people were happy to see him and he was genuinely happy back. I don't think I've ever seen him frown a day in his life. He was very much loved by everyone, whether you knew him for years or only a few minutes. He's not one of those people you look at in the yearbook and simply think they look familiar. He's made an impact on all of our lives. Stirling...I still can't believe what happened. They must have needed you up there to make the party happen. Say hi to DJ AM for me. I'll be shuffling up there with you one day, so you better practice! RIP"
-Sydney Kaitryn Marcks 

Nero show review

            Nero and Dillon Francis did not disappoint at their performance at the House of Blues as a part of Together Fest. This fest is taking place during the first week of April and is packed with electronic DJs and music artists performing throughout Boston.

            Nero is a British music band consisting of Daniel Stephens, Joseph Ray and their female lead singer Alana Watson. They are most well-known for producing dubstep and drum and bass. Earlier in the year, Nero played at the Paradise at which only one of the three musicians was in attendance.

            Dillon Francis began his set a little earlier than the 9 o’clock scheduled time but the floor soon turned into a mass crowd of sweating, dancing, screamed and simply entranced audience members.

            Most individuals had come for Nero with little prior knowledge of Dillon Francis but were blown away by his ability to sense the crowd’s energy and play songs that sent the audience into non-stop fist-pumping, arms-waving motions.

            Nero finished their set and exited the stage after many bows and thanks to everyone for coming out. Of course, the crowd wasn’t ready to see them go. Cheers and applause for an encore brought all three members of Nero back on stage for a few more songs.

            House of Blues security could be seen asking people to leave throughout the night for various rule violations such as underage drinking, marijuana, disorderly behavior and drug intake. Underage drinking is generally easier for security to spot because drunk individuals give much clearer and more obvious signs in regards to their sobriety versus individuals on drugs, who are much more difficult to detect.

            Fortunately the concert went through its entirety without any serious injuries or harm done. Nero and Dillon Francis put on a show that few were disappointed with.
            Nero's set was accompanied by an absolutely stunning display of lights and production quality. A screen behind Nero displayed constantly changing backgrounds such as a sunset, space with beautifully portrayed planets and galaxies, and many other sensory-pleasing scenes.
            Dillon Francis' set seemed to be on the lower side of the volume scale while Nero's set turned the volume up past the point of being able to hold a normal volume conversation in the audience.
            However, a few complaints arose from individuals who had seen Nero in shows or concerts before. They insisted that their set list barely, if at all, changes show to show. As good as their music may be, hearing the same set list at more than one show or two can be a big let down to otherwise hard-core fans.

           

             

Growth, Development and Dangers of Raves

            The underground rave scene began in Europe in the 1980s, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Locations consisted of big, empty warehouses that could hold hundreds, even thousands, of individuals.

            Raves came to the USA in 1990 with promoters doing their best to bring new participants and young people to their events.

            Big, dance parties would take place into the early hours of the morning. Raving, essentially, was more dangerous in these times because of how misinformed participants were of the drugs they were taking and of the general precautions one must take to enjoy a healthy and safe rave.

            The real dangers from raving are not what they appear to be at first glance. For one, not every rave drug is dangerous if taken in moderation and precautions are taken to protect the body from side effects.

            When raves began, pills and capsules of ecstasy were circulated through the parties without anyone really knowing what they were taking. Drug dealers, sometimes, were even unaware of what they were selling.

            This uncertainty has morphed into an almost obsessive need to know what a drug is and how it works. Nowadays, ecstasy pills are almost unheard of.

            The true danger of ecstasy is not the drug MDMA itself but other drugs that the pills end up being cut with. Heroine, cocaine, meth and simply unhealthy ingredients were put into ecstasy pills to increase their effects and effectiveness.

            “Molly” and “M1” have become the go-to drug for raves. Both are a white powder taken orally, either by capsules or direct absorption in the gums and mouth.

            These drugs make it harder for individuals to place unnecessary ingredients in them because of how distinctive the qualities of M1 and molly are.

            Drug dealers (and most ravers) now know how their drugs are supposed to look, taste, smell and feel. This knowledge gain has been one of the most distinctive features of the increasing safety in the raving scene.

            Raves have been growing in popularity for many reasons. For one, the Internet makes promotion for these events extremely easy and efficient. Now instead of hearing about a rave through a flyer or word of mouth, Facebook invites to events are literally as easy as the click of a button.

            With the advancement of technology comes cheaper means of implementing this technology into everyday (or night) activities. Raves are actually extremely cheap to put on. The DJs are generally not paid unless they are famous or extremely well know. Lights are usually donated or provided by the event planners or promoters who already have a wide array of rave equipment.

            Promoters are the driving force behind raves: they inform everyone of the location (which they had picked), schedule djs, set up the venue beforehand, among other tasks. The Internet has increased the number of promoters needed for an event but decreased the overall knowledge and actual interest of any one individual promoter. Now some people promote for the sole purpose of receiving a free ticket to that event.            

            Parents are sometimes conned into the idea of thinking a rave is safe if it is warned that no alcohol will be served. This however only increases the number of individuals participating in illegal drugs and doesn’t necessarily detract from anyone’s need or desire to sneak in their own alcohol.

            As mentioned before, drugs may be a considerable danger to ravers but they are not the biggest danger. Dehydration, ignorance of precautions, drug pushers, property damage, sales of pharmaceuticals for nonmedical purposes and individuals seeking to engage in nonconsensual sexual acts are all factors that combine to potentially make raves dangerous environments. 

            Date rape drugs are rare but not unheard of. These drugs include ketamine (which is now taken willingly as a rave drug), GHB and Rohypnol.

            Because raves are focused more around drug culture rather than drink culture, fewer individuals will participate in consuming alcohol, which decreases the overall chances of being slipped a dangerous drug in one's drink.

            Combining alcohol use with drug use is an extremely dangerous combination. This mixture is the one that can cause fainting or even death. Everyone at these events in generally in their own world, so attending to a friend in need is sometimes overlooked because the individual is not even aware their friend requires assistance.

            New drugs have begun making their way into the USA raving community. These drugs are known as the 2c series, which include 2ci, 2cb and 2ce. These are experimental and research drugs that scientists have been working on in order to decrease the side effects of natural drugs. The 2c series tries to bring the best qualities of a drug into effect and leave the nasty side effects out of the equation. Long-term effects of these drugs are unknown.

A Raver's Responsibility

            The biggest event of a raver’s life and career approaches. Ultra Music Festival graces Miami’s presence once a year as it brings 150,000 attendees throughout a three day non-stop explosion of electronic dance music.

            This festival is the culmination of what any raver dreams of attending while they participate in other activities. Their thoughts are always filled with the idea that maybe next year they will have enough money for an Ultra ticket and flight to such a strange land. I thought for a while that I would be able to fulfill that wish.

            I have thought this since I bought my Ultra ticket in November 2011. I just now find out, March 21^st 2012, two days before Ultra is scheduled to begin, that I will not be in attendance this year.

            Many factors contribute to this unfortunate outcome. For one: money. Money and financial stability is something that ravers strive to eventually achieve. Organized chaos and collective dissatisfaction at an unstable life are common themes throughout the raving community. Most do not realize that this constant state of influx is a desire to keep change flowing, to avoid the constant and reliable from taking place.

            Sameness and normalcy seem to be the lifestyle that ravers take great effort in avoiding. It isn’t because they seek drama or because they always need something to be happening in their lives. They simply believe that life is more exciting and diverse that way. Anyone can find a comfortable lifestyle and settle down but it is the hard and emotionally-draining experiences that build an individual’s character and make them learn more about what life really has to offer.

            Ignorance is bliss and this applies to the general everyday life of most people: they are ignorant to negative consequences and outcomes that can arise from certain decisions.

            Ravers are not afraid to take these risks and occasionally make poor decisions, deep down knowing that the result will be negative. But no one ever learned anything from an easy life. The individuals that are believed to be the wisest are generally the ones that have experienced life in the most diverse and unconventional way.

            Ravers seek to establish that belief as a life-long principal, always seeking out the experiences that won’t necessarily benefit them in the best way but will help them learn more about what they are truly curious about.           

            I could say that raving has been a part of my life for two years. It only became a majority of my life about six months ago when I discovered the people in this community that I truly belonged with.

            Raving has been a part of every weekend unless I had to make an unusual and generally infrequent exception. One of these rare exceptions will occur this weekend when I do not attend Ultra 2012 because I am choosing to put the rest of my life ahead of raving, a decision few and far choose.

            Attending Ultra would leave me in debt, potentially (most likely) decrease my participation and overall interest in school upon my return, increase the stress already prominent in my relationship with my parents AND cause severe exhaustion and health concerns post-weekend. And the best reason I could give for all of this is because I want to have a good time? Doesn’t seem to weigh evenly.

            The general populance thinks of ravers as lazy, modern-day hippies that don’t do anything productive with their time. I want to point out that this is a lie and social misconception. I am making the choice to put my responsibilities ahead of what I truly feel I would most enjoy doing, a choice I rarely, if ever, have to make.

            Raving isn’t about drugs, partying and getting it on. It’s about the bonds built with strangers that later turn into lifelong friendships. It’s about the trust and confidence built in past friends by experiencing an entirely different atmosphere with them.

            My discontent from missing Ultra isn’t because I will miss out on three days of rolling face and getting wasted on ecstasy. It’s because I will not meet the countless new friends I could potentially have integrated into my life and more broadly simply missing out on experiences and interactions that would help me learn more about both the world and my perception of it.

            I choose to take responsibility in my current life because in the end, raving isn’t my life: it is the phase that I am currently experiencing. Keeping in mind the general concept of how my life will eventually turn out helps me realize what is truly important and necessary for me to do.

            Festivals will happen again, Ultra will go on next year, new friends will be made. For now, figuring out what is best for my overall life status takes preference and this is something generally believed impossible for ravers.

            This genre of person is the most judged and presumed but they surprise more than any other. They know when to truly stop compromising their real life for the side life they wish to extend to all facets of their moments.

Ravers and Their Jobs

Ravers and Their Jobs

Rise 2/24/12

Another night of wonders happened as ravers trickled into Rise Afterhours Boston for Friday's usual White Rabbit event.

Gogo dancer Emily Webber sports her artfully made rave outfit.

Ravers clad in outrageous but stylish clothes, dance the night away to their favorite genres.

 Every week, more and more ravers have been attending Rise's Friday event, a night that used to be reserved for top 40. A miraculous change with a shift in ownership and responsibility for Fridays has created a legitimate and decent venue for raves in Boston.

Alice in Wonderland can't contain her excitement in front of the camera

More and more amateur photographs are present every week, adding their own unique flair to people's enjoyment.

Ravers are not the only ones increasing in numbers. Originally, only one photographer could be seen lurking around the floors of Rise but this Friday, the club was full of least five photographers, all having never met. That isn't to say their friendship didn't commence over their shared love for this art form.

Yet another photograph strikes a similar, almost instinctual pose that almost every photographer reverts to.

The night ended fairly early for most, seeing as it was a beloved raver's birthday and he was throwing a party in Providence for his raver family. Most left at 2 from Rise (yes that's early for ravers) and all proceeded to safely make their way to their destinations. The date for Dance Dance Rave-o-lution is slowly approaching and many anxiously await for that day to come soon.

A fellow raver expresses his delight at having had such an amazing night.

Intense stares tend to always be an accompaniment to light shows

Bassbassbass...cakecakecake

DRK (Dirty Raver Kids) proved to be crowd-pleasing party organizers when their event Bass Cake on Saturday Feb. 18 was a great success.

Glovers show off their skills to willing viewers.

            The event was held at the Northampton Center for the Arts in Northampton, Massachusetts. Troops of ravers could be seen making their way to the venue while normal people walked around wondering why there was a girl dressed in a Pikachu pajama onesie or why the streets had suddenly become overrun with an abundance of rainbow attire. 

Pikachu (Meaghan Gardner) walks the streets of Northampton, Massachusetts.

Rainbows everywhere!

            Bass Cake was scheduled to last until 1 a.m. but the bass was too much to shut down until 1:30, an unexpected but delightful surprise for most.

            Most raves and events require a minimum age of 18 but Bass Cake did not involve an id checking process. Because of this, a large portion of the people in attendance were ptots or “prostitute toddlers,” a slang term used by ravers to describe the underage kids, specifically girls, who dress in outfits far too revealing and skimpy for their age. Prostitots is another term used interchangeably.

"Ptots" getting their rave on

            It isn’t the age that bothers older ravers but the mindset that most younger ravers seem to have towards raves and raving nowdays.

            “It’s regrettable that the younger ravers aren’t mature enough to realize there’s more to the scene than drugs and loud music and neon clothes,” said a fellow raver who is a second year chemistry major and math minor at Northeastern University.

A fellow raver embraces her friend after giving him a light show.

            Older and experienced ravers do their best to embrace everyone that integrates into their culture but it becomes difficult to do so when fourteen year olds are yelling about what drugs they did last weekend at a rave or where they bought their neon pink and orange striped shirt with yellow polka dots.

            Other than the numerous complaints about the ptot population, opinions about the rave were overall positive.

            “Bass Cake was a frikkin crazy time. It was filled with super awesome people and amazing music. Truly a night I wish didn’t have to end,” said Kyle Bamford, age 20 from Beverly, Massachusetts.

 Bamford in his rave uniform: polar bear spirit hood and tie dye t-shirt

 Wlochowski, also known as "JDubz", dances to DJ Elation music.

"That's my holy moly face!" said Schlchtingg as she received a double lightshow from her fellow ravers.

            After the music eventually quieted down, ravers slowly began making their way outside to their respective cars. DRK members had rented a room at a nearby Quality Inn so it was decided the after party would take place here.

            The morning after was a humorous one as ravers could be seen exiting their rooms and converging in the parking lot, only to be greeted with more stares by strangers.

DRK and ECR (East Coast Ravers) members meeting after a long night of shenanigans.

           Good byes are always the most difficult. Leaving without a hug from almost every member of the group is considered blasphemous.

Pikachu and Brobee ( Daigle) became friends instantly upon meeting, making the good bye even more difficult.

 Parker and Decosta exchange a man hug.

          Ravers say their final good byes and scatter to various parts of the northeast. The next event that most will be attending is Tight Crew's Dance Dance Rave-o-lution on Saturday, March 10th in Southbridge, Massachusetts. Hope to see everyone there!

EDM celebrates its growing popularity at the 2012 Grammys

Electronic music seems to be growing in popularity if the 2012 Grammys are any indicator. Deadmau5 and Skrillex, both top djs of their genres. Skrillex was nominated for best new artist, losing to Bon Iver but won Best Dance Recording against Deadmau5, Duck Sauce, David Guetta and Avicii, Robyn and Swedish House Mafia. Skrillex also won Best Dance/Electronica Album with Cut Copy as a viable competitor. He took in yet another Grammy, winning Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his remix of Cinema, originally by Benny Benassi. This song has been a crucial part of Skrillex’s set, rousing audiences to full volume when played. Afrojack, Photek, Rosabel Club and Deadmau5 were also nominated for this category.  Deadmau5’s performance was the one to look forward to for any electronic music fans. His performance was one welcomed by teenagers adorning glowstick mouse ears. Earlier in the night, Deadmau5 decided to pull a prank on his good friend Skrilex and adorned a shirt with a phone number and underneath the words “u mad bro?” Turns out this phone number was Skrillex’s cell number. Skrillex, or Sonny Moore as he is known to his friends and family, was highly amused by the joke, simply saying that his phone was no longer any good. One of his highly retweeted tweet stated “If I can win grammys than that means all you yet to be seen bedroom geniuses will one day TAKEOVER THE WORLD”. Skrillex’s message seems to be that dubstep and electronic music have slowly but surely taken root in popular culture and it is up to current fans to spread that popularity even more. David Guetta was another top dj that was impressed by EDM’s growing popularity, reflected by its role in the Grammys. “It’s amazing for our scene to finally get the respect that I think it deserves,” Guetta told MTV News. He performed before the Grammys, commenting to MTV news that "It's like having a rave outside the Grammys, and I love it!"