Passion Blog 9: Life in Color

One of my favorite electronic dance music events that I have attended is Life in Color. Life in Color is a world-touring concert series unlike any other. It refers to itself as “the world’s largest paint party” and it is just that. Formerly known as Dayglow, Life in Color hosts massive electronic music concerts in major cities all around thLIC-Picture1-SFX-Website1-1024x552e world with top-charting DJs playing alongside professional dancers and contortionists in a high-energy, neon crowd.
The idea behind Life in Color is that our bodies are a blank canvas just waiting to be filled and expressed. Everyone that goes to the concert is encouraged to wear white as a representation of a blank canvas, soon to be filled with color. The concerts usually feature three or more DJs, with a countdown till paint blast projected on the screen. When the count down reaches zero, the crowd goes crazy and neon paint is blasted into the crowd from every direction, raining down on all the concertgoers. From that point on, the paint is continuously sprayed onto the audience from the stage to the beat of the music. By the end of the night, attendees are dripping in paint.

I have attended a Life in Color show in Philadelphia twice: once in 2014, and again in 2015. In 2014, the DJs that performed were TJR, Nervo, and Quintino. That was first time at any event like this, so it was not something that I was used to. It was extremely crowded to the point where I was touching everyone around me and it was also very cold outside. My friends and I made our way to the front row in time for the initial paint blast and we got drenched in paint. Immediately I was soaked, cold, and rubbing against other wet attendees covered in paint. This does not sound like very much fun, but as the night went on I got used to it and embraced the paint as it rained down on me. The next year, in 2015, my friends and I decided we wanted to go again. The performers were David Solano, Jauz, and Steve Aoki. I knew what to expect going into it this time, so I was more prepared. I wore sunglasses to prevent paint from going into my eyes (a major problem) and I put my phone in a bag so that it did not get wet with paint. Life in Color 2015 was a lot more fun in my opinion because I was more prepared and I liked these DJs better.

life_in_color_miami_diplo_r3hab_benny_benassiI would not recommend this event for everyone. To enjoy this concert, you must really like electronic dance music and not mind massive, somewhat aggressive crowds. Also, if the idea of getting blasted with paint doesn’t appeal to you, you probably should not go to Life in Color because it is unavoidable. By the time I got home from the concert, the paint had dried and my hair was extremely stiff and my skin was multicolored. Life in Color is an event like no other and that is what keeps me coming back every time the show is in my area. Where else can you dance to your favorite music with thousands of other fans while getting covered in neon paint?

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_in_Color

Recommendations for Deliberation

My recommendation for dealing with the problem of stress among college students is to make general education classes pass or fail. This would relieve some of the stress students have to get good grades in all of their classes. Students would still have to participate and make an effort to pass the class, it would just be less demanding if it was pass/fail. Another idea is that CAPS should host group therapy sessions and bring in students majoring in psychology that want to help others. This would allow CAPS to treat more students and having the option of talking to a psychology major would make some students feel more comfortable because they are talking to another student and not an adult. I also think that during stressful times like finals week, RAs should host more events like offering free food or ice cream as a way for students to take a break from studying and reward themselves.

Paper 4 Ideas

Issue: State Patty’s Day

To: Burrow of State College

Argument: State College police should focus on damage control and containment of destruction of property, rather than trying to stop State Patty’s Day from happening by paying the bars to stay closed and being more strict than usual with underage drinking.

Deliberation Experience

I thought the whole deliberation process was interesting. It was a nice change from sitting in class listening to a lecture or writing a paper on our own. I liked how we had group discussions where everyone had a chance to voice their personal stake in the situation and add their own input at any time. It was interesting to hear where everyone in the group stood on the situations. We built upon each others ideas to form what we thought to be the best solution to the issues discussed. The deliberations were a lot more relaxed and informal than I anticipated them to be, but I liked it because it didn’t feel like work, it was more of just a conversation between peers about important issues.

My idea for the recommendation report is that State College police should not try to end State Patty’s Day altogether, but should rather follow the same procedure they do for football weekends. The two events draw similar crowds in terms of number and both events are filled with binge drinking and the bars make the same amount of money on the two occasions. It would be more effective to stop trying to end the “holiday” but control the crowd more by putting more police on duty to stop things from getting out of hand.

Ibiza: EDM Capital of the World

An island in Spain called Ibiza is considered the electronic dance music capital of the world. Being the largest dance centered resort, the island contains some of the biggest and most popular night clubs in the world. A few top charting DJs hold residency in Ibiza and perform shows there every week. Whenever a big-name DJ releases their tour schedule, you can be sure that there is at least one stop in Ibiza. Partiers from all over the world come to Ibiza to party every day of the week with top DJs in world famous nightclubs.

Ibiza is home to some of the most world-renowned nightclubs. One of these nightclubs is named Amnesia. Amnesia opened in 1976 and has been awarded Best Global Club four years in a row. The nightclub has a custom made sound system using “Expanded Amnesia Technology” that “hones in on frequencies that physically affect the bodies of the dancers” (resident advisor). With a capacity of over 5,000, Amnesia is always a good time.

Ibiza is also home to the world’s largest nightclub, Privilege, with a capacity of 10,000 people. This club is so unique because, aside from its size, it has multiple levels ushuaia-1of dance floors so everywhere you look, you are surrounded by partiers and music. One of the rooms in this club has walls and ceilings made of glass, allowing clubbers to literally party until they see the break of dawn. To top it all off, Privilege has a massive swimming pool right in the middle of the main dance floor.

A party capital like Ibiza is obviously
going to have the issue of visitors abusing drugs. Drugs are extremely common in Ibiza and are sold to tourists to fuel their week of hard partying. The hospital in Ibiza treats more overdoses than anywhere else in the world. On average, it is estimated that 40,000 ecstasy tablets are consumed every night in this island. A survey was given out to 200 tourists during their stay and had shocking results. 75% of men and women said they plan on having five or more drinks a night during their stay. Four out of ten said they plan on doing drugs most nights of their trip. The study showed that the most popular drugs among visitors are ecstasy followed by cocaine and ketamine.

Unfortunately, all of this top-notch entertainment does not comeclub cheap. The cover charge for these famous nightclubs typically start at €40 and only increase from there. On nights when a very popular DJ is performing (aside from the ones who have made residency there) you can expect to pay €80 cover. Alcoholic drink prices at these famous clubs are also very high. A beer will cost you €10 and a drink with liquor is typically €14 or more. Go to Ibiza
with the expectation that you will be spending a lot more money than you would to spend.

Sources:

http://www.ibiza-spotlight.com/night/clubs/privilege_i.htm

http://together.travel/ibiza-how-much-spending-money-to-take/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amnesia_(nightclub)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-402342/Come-Ibiza-sun-sea-drugs-drugs-drugs.html

My State Patty’s Day Opinion

I think that the city of State College should allow State Patty’s Day to happen naturally. This means that I believe they should not close the bars on this day. College students are going to find ways to drink regardless of what precautions are taken by police. If the profit made by the bars on football weekends is about the same as the profit made on State Patty’s Day, I don’t see why they deem this day as more of a risk than football weekends. I think that if anything, all the regulations and precautions surrounding State Patty’s Day gives students the idea that this is a major binge drinking day and that it is somewhat accepted to go crazy, because it is “tradition”. Also, by closing the bars, students will have to go to apartments or other houses to drink. I believe that this makes students more likely to drink more than they would at a bar, because they do not have to pay for each individual drink and it is harder to keep track of how many drinks you have consumed at an apartment party where they may be serving jungle juice. I believe that instead of closing the bars, the city of State College should just put more police on duty on the streets to make sure that things don’t get out of hand and that everyone is safe.

Electric Forest

Electric Forest is a four-day electronic music festival held in Rothbury, Michigan. It is co-produced by Insomniac Events and has taken place every summer since 2011, usually at the end of June. Every year this festival boasts a long lineup featuring some of the top names in EDM. It also features some famous rappers, alternative bands, and acoustic sets. Every summer an estimated 45,000 people come and set up camp in the whimsical Sherwood Forest to enjoy four enchanted days of high- energy electronic dance music.

The setting of Electric Forest contributes greatly to the overall experience. It takes place in Sherwood Forest in Michigan, but this is not like any other forest you may have seen before. The tall trees are illuminated with neon lighting to bring the forest to lifeef-cover. Lasers are projected overhead throughout the forest, adding an electric feel to the atmosphere. The festival hires performers and actors to roam the grounds dressed in all different costumes, ranging from woodland creatures to dancers and other performers dressed in eerie looking costumes. Intricate art installations can be seen all around. There is even a “spirit temple” where attendees can go to meditate and worship as one, regardless of religion or ethnic background. There are other intimate locations around the festival for fans to gather and relax after a long day of partying.

Most attendees of Electric Forest travel to get to the festival, so camping is very common. One camElectric_Forest_2015_aLIVE - 10ping option is called Back 40 Enchanted Camping, and this allows the visitor to bring back the theme of the festival to their campsite. They are given a private campground separated from the general camping area. They also get a tent with electricity, a fan, and a mattress, decorated whimsically with fairy lights. These people also enjoy catered meals, showers, flushable toilets, and golf cart transportation throughout the festival. This camping option is very expensive–as you can probably imagine–costing $1,750 per person.

This past year, the fifth anniversary of the festival, the festival sold out in record timing. After the release of the 2015 lineup, the festival sold out all of its tickets in less than 24-hours. This is three and a half months earlier than the tickets have ever sold out beforef_portale. This shows that the festival is in its prime and, with each new year, expansions are being made to make an even better music festival experience for attendees.

I have never been to Electric Forest but some of my friends have and I have heard nothing but great reviews from them. Everyone I have talked to who has gone said that they
want to go back again next year. I am hoping to make a road trip there this summer with a few friends, but if that doesn’t work out I am definitely going next summer.

Sources:

Click to access EF2015_Sold_Out-v2.pdf

http://www.electricforestfestival.com/ticket-information/back-40-enchanted-campground/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_Forest_Festival

Paper 3 draft

Dear Twitter User @Mark_May_espn,

 

On October 13, 2015 you posted a tweet that read “Penn State Frats are always in the news doing something wrong.” This tweet upsets me because, not only is it not true, but also because you seem to ignore all the positive things that Penn State fraternities do. After looking at your Twitter profile, it appears that you go to Ohio State University. I understand that our schools are considered rivals in football, but making false accusations about fraternities at Penn State—which have nothing to do with our school’s football program—for the world to see is just ignorant. My purpose of writing this is to inform you of all the good that Penn State fraternities accomplish, because it is clear that you are unaware.

I will acknowledge that recently, a certain Penn State fraternity was in the news for taking pictures of naked, unconscious girls and posting them in a private Facebook group. This disgusting event upset the whole Penn State community and disciplinary action was taken, resulting in the shut down of the fraternity responsible and a thorough investigation of all other fraternities at Penn State. Another recent news story was about a gay Penn State student who was brutally beaten by a “frat guy” on Fraternity Row after revealing his sexual orientation. After investigation, it was discovered that the suspect accused of beating the gay student was, in fact, not a member of a fraternity at Penn State. I can only assume that these are the events that you are referring to when you tweeted that Penn State fraternities are always in the news for something bad, but (although both events negatively represent Penn State) only one of these events actually involved a fraternity. The event involving the naked photos of girls was absolutely unacceptable and worthy of news coverage, but it is not representative of fraternities at Penn State as a whole. To say that they are always in the news for bad things is an exaggeration and incorrect.

Penn State fraternities take part in a variety of service opportunities–the most prominent being THON. In case you haven’t heard of THON in the news, it is a 46-hour dance marathon run by students at Penn State raising money for the Four Diamonds fund supporting children with pediatric cancer. Fraternities take part in canning trips where they go to a certain location for the weekend and stand on the side of the road all day holding cans to collect money from drivers and pedestrians for the Four Diamonds fund. Fraternities also have a THON child (someone who has/recently recovered from pediatric cancer) that they are paired with and form a very close relationship with–visiting them at their homes, inviting them to events, spending THON with them, and keeping in close contact with their families. In addition to canning trips, fraternities partake in a variety of other fundraising opportunities all to support the kids.

Each fraternity at Penn State has a different philanthropy that they are involved in. Each one benefits a different national organization or cause. There are also a number of smaller scale acts of service performed by fraternities. These include but are not limited to: sponsoring blood drives, tutoring children, organizing fundraising events, cleaning the football stadium after games, and collecting donations or putting together gift baskets for the less fortunate around the holidays. In most cases (besides THON) these acts of service receive no mention in the news, but that does not stop fraternity members from participating in them.

Contrary to popular belief, fraternities are not all about partying. Academics are of utmost importance and always come first in fraternities at Penn State. There are minimum grade point average requirements that must be met in order to be a member of a fraternity at Penn State. Mandatory study sessions are in place for all pledges and any members whose grade point average is just barely meeting the requirements. Progress reports are sent out to ensure that all members are maintaining good grades and tutoring is available to any members who want to take advantage of it. Incentives are put in place to reward the fraternities whose members have highest cumulative GPA. Maybe this is why, on average, members of Greek life at Penn State have a higher grade point average than those not involved in Greek life.

I am currently a freshman at Penn State and pledging a fraternity. Although I have not been initiated as a member yet, I already know that the brothers are genuinely good people that treat everyone—whether it be other fraternity members, alumni, women, or people not involved in Greek life—with respect. When joining a fraternity, you are taught to be a gentleman and act with class and maturity. Everything that any member does is considered a representation of your fraternity as a whole. There is such a strong sense of brotherhood among all members and everyone really cares and looks out for each other. You must remember, however, that we are all young college students, and everyone does stupid things at times and makes mistakes. Of course we are going to slip up occasionally but it is about recognizing your mistakes, owning up to them, and learning from them.

 

The fraternity members involved in the scandal last year got what they deserved. It is time to leave that situation in the past but use it as a reminder to treat everyone with respect. They are no longer a fraternity at Penn State so you should stop referring to them as one and stigmatizing all Penn State fraternities based on the their actions.

Zedd at Penn State

On October 9, 2015, Zedd played at the Bryce Jordan Center as part of his True Colors world tour. Anton Zaslavski, famously known by his stage name Zedd, is a twenty-six year old music producer and DJ from Germany. He is best known for his Grammy award winning song “Clarity”, in addition to “Stay the Night”, and “I Want You to Know”.

The show had two openers, including Madeon and Dillon Francis, with a surprise performance by Morgan Page. Madeon is a twenty-one year-old electronic music producer from France. Unfortunately, I missed most of his set at the concert because I arrived late. Dillon Francis, a twenty-eight year-old American DJ and producer, was a must see for me. This was my third time seeing him this year and his sets never disappoint. He produces moombahton, which can be described as a blend of house music and reggaeton. His set at the Zedd concert had a fun, high-energy atmosphere. Francis played most of his hit tracks, including “Get Low”, “When We Were Young”, and “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter”. His songs were accompanied by humorous visuals on the screen behind him, in addition to flashing, multi-colored lights. His performance was definitely one of the highlights of the night.

Zedd took the stage at around 9:30 and opened with his hit single “Beautiful Now” from his True Colors album. This got the crowd pumped up and lively because it is a newer, more popular song of his. The visuals that were portrayed behind Zedd were like nothing I have ever seen before. They were so clear and detailed that I actually felt as if they were real and a part of the stage design. His songs were accompanied with bursts of flames, confetti cannons, flashing lights, numerous lasers, and Co2 cannons. The whole venue was foggy, allowing the lights to be mIMG_2506ore visible and the lasers to make a dreamy, smoky effect. Zedd played a variety of songs—most from his True Colors album, some from his Clarity album, and other original remixes of popular electronic songs. My personal favorite song of the night was “Spectrum”, which he played twice throughout the show. After his last song, the lights went dark and the crowd chanted for more. Never one to disappoint his fans, Zedd came back on stage and played two more songs. He ended the night with his remix of the song “Alive” by Empire of the Sun. This was a lively, upbeat finale that had fans singing along and dancing under a seemingly endless shower of confetti.

This was my second time seeing Zedd perform. The first was at Firefly Music Festival in June of this past summer. Both performances were spectacular and unforgettable, but I would have to say that I liked his Firefly performance more. This is because, at Firefly, he played on a bigger stage and it was outdoors, allowing him to make use of fireworks and sparklers. It was also my first time seeing Zedd so it was all new to me and I was surrounded by a much larger crowd of people (so large that I could not see where it ended). Overall, Zedd shows never disappoint and I highly recommend that you go to one when the opportunity is presented.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zedd_(musician)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dillon_Francis#Early_life

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