Archive of ‘Passion Blog’ category

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

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

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

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