H: Alright first off, how old are you?
H: And when did you start listening to EDM?
T: I started listening about, truly listening to all different genres, about 2013. But my first like, probably Tiesto track was in 2000
H: And then, was there a specific artist or concert that got you into EDM?
T: I hate to say it, but Life in Color actually got me into it. My first one was when it was called Day Glow and it was when Alesso was performing and it dragged me right in to the scene, I couldnāt believe the turnout of the event, the love from everyone, it was crazy
H: Did your friends listen to it as well?
T: I actually was one of the first people to start listening to EDM in my hometown. There was a lot of underground EDM listeners, like techno and everything, but at least in my high school I was one of the very first people to know DJās like Alesso and people like that.
H: And why do you love EDM- is it the people, the music, the community?
T: I honestly, I am just a music lover. And before I was into EDM, I started going to metal concerts and rock concerts, and the difference between the two are like night and day. With going to EDM events, itās a lot more show based and more so, looking straight at the stage. With metal concerts, its like youāre there to have a good time with your friends, maybe drink a little bit, and if you see the show you see the show. EDM is completely different. Thereās the people that are always, 100%, about the show, and then thereās the actual show which DJās will spend hours practicing and putting on the show, itās just a true loving community and thatās what got me into it.
H: And right now, who is your favorite artist?
T: Ooh that is so tough! Umm, sorry are you talking about favorite producer or like, favorite live scene DJ?
H: Doesnāt matter, could be both
T: About like a year ago I discovered Eric Prydz and I canāt get enough of the guy.
H: And have you seen him live?
T: Iām hopefully seeing him at EDCLV, counting on it at least
H: Did you already get your Vegas tickets?
T: Ohhh yeah right when they went on sale
H: Umm, whoās the best artist that youāve seen live?
T: The best artist Iāve seen live is Keys N Krates. They really blew my mind- I didnāt even know you could do that with electronic music.
H: So how many shows or festivals have you been to, if you had to put a number on it?
T: Iāve definitely lost track, Iād say about 50
H: And do you prefer a show or a festival?
T: Depending on the artist, I would more so be for the show then a festival
H: And have you attended any big festivals?
T: Yeah, Iāve attended Ultra Music Festival, Electric Zoo, EDC Orlando and EDCNY H: And what did you like about the festivals? Looking into the community part of it
T: I definitely saw a really big difference with the community with Ultra in Miami and EDC, both EDC Orlando and EDCNY actually. For Miami, kinda the community wasnāt really connected as a show at EDC more so, with EDC I feel like that brings out the actual ravers that believe in the āPLURā acronym that is always getting said. They really really focus on trying to help people and making sure everybody is having a good time, rather than in Miami when I went to Ultra- I mean thereās people that will try to fight you just by touching them, so it definitely was night and day with the comparisons.
H: The EDM community is stigmatized in the media with drug use. How do you feel about the comments the media makes about ravers and drugs?
T: I, for one, I canāt stand it. You see, for example actually, I live in Rochester, NY and over the summer, it was the same venue, and they had Skrillex one month and Luke Bryan the other month. Skrillex had, I canāt spell the definite arrests, but they had way less arrests than the Luke Bryan concert. And I saw this, and I thought to myself, āWhy isnāt this getting blown up? Why isnāt the Luke Bryan concert being like āthere was so many arrests, there was so much public intoxication?ā But of course, with Skrillexās, they would definitely highlight that if it was a huge number. And to me, it doesnāt make sense. Itās just like they are trying to put ravers into this little category of drug users and abusers who donāt know how to hang without using so many drugs, when in reality itās any concert. Itās any festival. You can go to a hippie festival and see twice as many drugs as an EDM festival, guaranteed.
H: So, do you have a Twitter? T: I do H: And do you follow DJās?
T: Itās actually the only people I follow
H: And how often do you look at what they post?
T: I try to keep up to date with them. Iām probably on Twitter 4-5 times a day checking the DJās posts
H: Alright and do you follow them on other social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Soundcloud?
H: And then when you follow them, do you see how they interact with their fans and do you try to interact with them?
H: And do they ever respond to you?
T: Yeah. Uhh I would say more, not responding to me than actually responding to me. But when they do, I make a big deal out of it.
H: And then, do you usually find out about upcoming shows through the DJās social media?
H: Do you tweet about the shows you are going to go to?
H: While youāre at a show, are you typically on your phone? Are you snapchatting it, tweeting about it, taking vids?
T: No, Iād say a good quarter of the show I am taking some videos. But most of the show I canāt even have something in my hands or it will be thrown.
H: How do you feel about the people that are on the phone throughout the entire concert?
T: There is such a huge debate on that too. I donāt see a problem with it. If they want to pay $400 to go to a festival to just be on their phones, then go for it. Itās not bothering me. When it starts bothering me is when the person in front of me wonāt put down their phone for the whole duration of the show. And that, I can see why people donāt like it, but then again, they paid the money, and if they want to do that then they can do that. Then Iāll move to where I can see better.
H: And after the show, do you post about it on social media?
H: And do you tag the DJās in it?
T: More so about the hashtag then actually tagging them in it
H: And then why do you post it on social media? Is it more for you, is it more to show people that you went, is it more to get the DJās attention?
T: Itās more for me. I have an iPhone 4 still so I have no memory whatsoever. So I post a video on Instagram or Facebook, itās more of a security measure for me. I know that it is always going to be there on the Internet somewhere than if my phone was to break down, then Iām okay. Cause then my videos are on the Internet, my pictures are on the internet, and I can just download them again.
H: And then if you meet new friends at a show or festival, do you follow them on social media?
T: Yeah I try to keep in touch with a lot of the people I meet at festivals. Most of the time theyāre very genuine and unique people that I would love to keep in my life.
H: Do you belong to a rave family?
T: Kinda, yeah I would say so
H: So if you go to a show or a festival with your rave family do you take family photos?
H: To wrap it up, do you think artists take advantage of their social media presence? Do they take the time to respond to their fans?
T: There definitely are some DJās that are always responding to their fans, regardless of how busy they are. And then there are some DJās, who maybe will respond to a fan once every month.
H: And if a DJ responds to you, do you brag about it?
T: Uhh, well Deadmau5 retweeted me and tweeted to me so I definitely bragged about that but if Iām talking to someone who isnāt really known, but Iām borderline obsessed with them, Iām not gonna brag about it because people wonāt know who it is. But if it is a big name DJ, I like to post about it somewhere else.
H: Why do you love the EDM community and culture as a whole?
T: Again, when I went to my first rave with Alesso, umm I still try to make it a priority to see him at every festival because he was my first DJ that I ever saw. Like I said, when I go to a metal concert people arenāt like really screaming the lyrics or anything. But when I was at Alesso, you could barely hear the music sometimes. People were screaming so loud, people were humming, umm that was when āCallingā was just coming out. And that still has a special place in my heart because the amount of energy that was just coming out of the crowd and the overall love of music in general was amazing to me and it really just stuck me to this genre.
