Rave sounds teenage delinquent the same way keg-stand and hot-box sound delinquent.
How sad.
You ask any parent what they think when they hear the word "rave".. I'm going to make a blanket statement here and say that they might respond with:
- "Oh those teens and their loud music"
- "Drugs, lots of drugs and neon lights and tutus"
- "Those kids are out way past their bedtimes"
- "Death everywhere.. I heard someone died at a rave and therefore raves = dying"
-Well guess what parents, people die in car crashes too but that doesn't provide a good enough reason to forego driving.
Why is there such a terrible social stigma attached to raving? If it's because of the drugs, lets get real here: RAVING DOESN'T MEAN DOING DRUGS. You can go to any bar, any festival, anywhere, on the street, in a school bathroom, at the mall and people will be high on drugs -- drugs do not define raving. Obviously people get high at raves and that will always happen, but I personally feel like it's such a small part of raving that some people choose to partake in, and others do not, and that should not dampen all the amazing things associated with raving.
I'll tell you what a rave IS: Raving is about feeling love and community with people that you've only known for a matter of minutes. Isn't that a beautiful thing? To come together with so many people all with the same love of EDM and to never have met before?
Until you've experienced an entire stadium singing along to an Above and Beyond song, you haven't experienced raving. It makes your hair stand on end, it makes you feel like you're about to burst into tears and laugh at the same time. It's emotional. You close your eyes and hold hands with people around you and have these moments singing (rather screaming) with your new-found friends. Trying to hold hands with someone you just met at the grocery store would probably result in arrest.. raves are unique.
Until a show, we are all bed ravers. Couch ravers. Desk ravers. Car ravers.. we are plugged into soundcloud scouring out new music by ourselves. We share it on Twitter and Facebook. We talk about it with a friend here and there, but when it really comes down to it, attending a show is the piece de resistance. It's that place where we can finally feel at home and share this love (really really share it, in real life).
I think we need to free our inhibitions and jump around like we're 5 years old.
I think we need to shake our hair like crazy people and feel the music so deeply it shakes our bones and makes our heart pound.
I think we need to get dressed in a wild get-up and not give a shit about what anyone else thinks.
I think we need to sing really sing.... that kind of song where your throat is sore and your lungs ache after.
My mom teaches grade one and every morning she gets all of her students up out of their chairs and the whole class dances together to start the day. WHY AREN'T ADULTS DOING THIS? Do you have any idea how much better you feel after you dance around for one song? Now picture an entire night of dancing. Raving takes us back to the fundamental things that make humans happy.
Dancing. Singing. Loving.
When it comes full circle, raving is about enjoying EDM with that family of people who live and breathe it too. I listen to Above and Beyond Group Therapy on the regular, in my PJ's laying in bed, when I am out for a run, when I am driving, when I am studying, when I'm on the train.. it has integrated itself into my life as such an integral part of who I am, that without it, I would probably wither and die (no exaggeration).
EDM is pretty unique music. I would term it as "feel good" music. Do me a favour, and listen to the lyrics of any song thats popular right now. Sure some are about sad break ups, but for the most part, it fosters a sense of positivity. For EDM that is instrumental, it makes for happy ears and it'll put a smile on your face despite its lack of vocals.
And yes, at the end of a rave you are sweaty. You are thirsty. Your ears are ringing. Your clothes might be torn. Your feet are aching. But most of all, you feel like there's this energy inside of you. It's absolutely spectacular; it might last for hours, weeks, months.. It gives you the energy to get through your day, and to look forward to the next show.
Now, for those naysayers who want to bash EDM, how about this: one of the leader's in the industry Above and Beyond Group Therapy released an acoustic version album of their most popular trance vocal tracks. All of these "crazy ravers" that love typical EDM also have it in them to appreciate the beautiful vocals that play such a key in our raving music. (Click here to listen, it's absolutely beautiful).
It's my life.
Finally, to finish off this little rant, I am including a few awesome songs that have been stuck in my head for the past few weeks. I am always down for recommending new music. If you read this and want some, hit me up.