NYS Music 20​13

Author: Jenni Wilson

  • Conspirator and Jeff Bujak Electrify Putnam Den

    Jeff Bujak was the perfect opener for a high energy act such as Conspirator at The Putnam Den on October 17th. He busted out new material from his album User Correction which stays upbeat in true Buj fashion, but has deeper and slower samples intertwined within heavy synth and upbeat drum tempos. Jeff Bujak has a way of pounding on his keys like the phantom of the opera with such passion and involvement that it is difficult to stand still during one of his sets. The crowd seemed to be loving it from start to finish keeping the energy at a constant high before Conspirator took stage.

    Conspirator took to the stage with impressive intensity as the crowd rushed back into the Putnam Den. The set started off slower with the down-tempo, heavy synthed “Velvet Red.” Starting slow and permeating the crowd with its groove, when the “Velvet” bass dropped, the entire venue came alive. Conspirator’s new drummer Torch left absolutely nothing to be desired. He brings a new sound and liveliness to the band and highlights aspects of each song that otherwise would go unnoticed. Watching Torch lay it down on the drums during “Liquid Handcuffs” proved that he was more than capable of keeping up with the rest of the guys in the band. Aaron Magner is more or less the Neil Pert of keyboardists and it is only a matter of time before he’s going to need to be airlifted into a full circle of his various keyboards. The intricacies he brings to each song is unparalleled by any other keyboardist in the electronic music scene. Chris Michetti shined throughout the entire set. Both Michetti and Marc Brownstein were completely in sync throughout each song, and where one took a step back the other took a step forward and the spotlight was equally shared by both.

    The hardest part for Conspirator is trying to shake the concept that they are trying to follow in the Disco Biscuits footsteps. Conspirator is comprised of four very talented musicians that all bring something new and fresh to the table that is new and different from the projects they have been a part of in the past. It is easy to be overly critical as a Biscuits fan of what Conspirator does, but as a true critic one needs to step back and recognize the talent and passion each member of the band brings to such a brilliant collaborative effort of music. Overall, the show was phenomenal and you can definitely tell each member of the band is truly passionate about the music they create.

    After the show Marc Brownstein stepped out from back stage to meet and snap photos with his fans. After a long, hot and tiring set, the last thing most musicians want to do is be swarmed by their adoring fans. It was definitely admirable too see a musician be so humble with his fanbase. At one point during the show, Brownstein mentioned that Saratoga held a special place for him because it was the place he saw his first Grateful Dead concert at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Sharing information like that with a crowd of people who are primarily from the Upstate region is what makes a show like this so personal and awesome. It was definitely an amazing experience to see this many talented musicians on stage together in such a small venue and it is evident that Upstate New York loves Conspirator.

    Setlist: Velvet Red ->Retrograde ->Liquid Handcuffs -> Bella’s Ball -> Up -> So Much More -> Legalize It-> Flash Mob -> Struts -> Fascinate -> Retrograde

    Encore: Oname-wa

  • Eastbound Jesus Will Join Lucid for A Halloween Costume Party, October 25

    On Friday October 25th Plattsburgh’s Lucid will be accompanied by the Capital Region’s Eastbound Jesus at the Waterhole in Saranac Lake for a costume party to celebrate Halloween. 

    This will be the first performance by Lucid at the Waterhole since their album release of Home is Where We Wanna Grow in June. Lucid has made their mark on the music scene with their unique blend of  blues, jazz, rock, ska and hip-hop. Eastbound Jesus will also bring their fresh sound to the stage with their six-piece acoustic and electric band playing bluegrass, Americana and Northern rock. The event is 21+, $10 at the door and doors will open at 9 pm. The Waterhole is located at 48 Main Street in Saranac Lake, so get your costumes ready for an epic night of music and dancing.

    Follow the Waterhole @SLWaterhole | Waterhole Facebook

  • Umphrey’s McGee 2014 Winter Tour Announced

    Umphrey’s McGee has released their winter tour schedule for 2013 and  2014. The band will be making a stop in Buffalo, New York October 26th at the Town Ballroom and continuing their lengthy tour into 2014. Later in their tour, Umphrey’s McGee will be making a stop at Upstate Concert Hall February 2nd in Clifton Park, New York as well as the F Shed at the Market in Syracuse accompanied by Kung Fu on February 8th, and the Harro East Ballroom in Rochester, New York the following day on February 9th.
    UMp
    They will also be playing two nights at the Beacon Theater in New York City on January 17th and 18th.

    This tour celebrates 16 years of touring coast to coast and will be shared with many special guests throughout the tour including, The Werks, Kung Fu, Moon Taxi, and more TBA.

    October
    10.21 State Theatre, State College, PA
    10.23 House of Blues, Cleveland, OH
    10.24 Sherman Theater, East Stroudsburg, PA
    10.25 Stage AE, Pittsburgh, PA
    10.26 Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY
    10.30 State Theatre, Kalamazoo, MI
    10.31 The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI (w/ London Souls)

    November
    11.1 The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI (w/ Cosby Sweater featuring Joel Cummins)
    11.2 The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee, WI (w/ Boombox)

    December
    12.16-20 Mayan Holidaze, Puerto Morelos, MEX
    12.28 The Fillmore, Denver, CO
    12.29 The Fillmore, Denver, CO (w/ Joshua Redman + Dumpstaphunk) SOLD OUT
    12.30 Venue TBA, Denver, CO
    12.31 The Fillmore, Denver, CO

    January
    1.17 Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
    1.18 Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
    1.29 Track 29, Chattanooga, TN
    1.30 Tennessee Theater, Knoxville, TN
    1.31 LC Pavilion, Columbus, OH

    February
    2.1 The Fillmore, Detroit, MI (w/ The Werks)
    2.6 Upstate Concert Hall, Albany, NY
    2.7 Lupo’s, Providence, RI (w/ Kung Fu)
    2.8 F Shed at the Market, Syracuse, NY (w/ Kung Fu)
    2.9 Harro East Ballroom, Rochester, NY
    2.13 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA (w/ Moon Taxi)
    2.14 Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, Asheville, NC (w/ Moon Taxi)
    2.15 The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD (w/ Moon Taxi)
    2.16 The Fillmore, Silver Spring, MD

    Follow

     @Umphrey’s Mcgee |Facebook |Myspace|Instagram

  • New York City’s Historic Roseland Ballroom To Close in April 2014

    One of the joys of being from Upstate New York is having New York City just a stone’s throw away. There is next to nothing as spectacular as seeing a performance live in a city as vast and full of energy as Manhattan. The wide array of venues, both small and large,  have hosted some of the biggest names in the world. The Roseland Ballroom is one of those venues and is set to close in April of 2014.

    The West 52nd street venue has been home to a plethora of different musical and non musical performances throughout the years. The venue was originally opened as a dance hall until it was torn down and relocated to its current location, which was originally  intended as an ice skating and roller skating rink. The hall held great amounts of character in its architecture and decor making it a colorful and quirky addition to the long list of historical venues in Manhattan.

    The venue has hosted all types of events from Hillary Clinton’s birthday party, to annual gay circuit parties, movie premiers, and every type of musical performance in between. The venue is also known as the backdrop to many of David Letterman’s outside skits, as his studio is directly next door.

    Roseland Ballroom is owned by Larry Ginsberg and booked by Live Nation, and in terms of capacity and location it is extremely ideal. According to Billboard Magazine the competition that is brought by AEG’s Best Buy Theater at about 2,500, the 3,500-capacity Hammerstein Ballroom, Bowery Presents’ Terminal 5 at 3,000 cap and the 2,800-cap Beacon Theatre, operated by Madison Square Garden is most likely not the reasoning behind shutting down the venue, but instead most likely attributed to property value.

    There is still yet to be an official announcement and it is still entirely unclear as to why the ballroom will close it’s doors come April, but it will certainly be sad to see a place with so much history, character and potential go.

  • Mountain Jammers Take Mexico with String Cheese Incident

    For all of you Mountain Jammers counting down the months until the summer festival season begins, you can catch the String Cheese Incident in Riviera Maya, Mexico to tide you over.

    Join the String Cheese Incident at the all inclusive Hard Rock Hotel for a musical adventure of a lifetime February 19-23. By day, enjoy the all-inclusive amenities of the Caribbean beachside resort, 12 world-class restaurants, pool bars, beachside cabanas and much, much more. By night catch three full shows by the String Cheese Incident, plus daytime and nightime shows by SCIde projects including EOTO, Kyle Hollingsworth Band, The Motet, Prophet Massive, and other additional artists still to be announced.

    This is sure to be an experience you won’t want to miss out on so buy your tickets now. If you’re short on cash, there is also an EZ-Pay option where you can pay over time, and make sure you’re ready for this International Incident. So if Mountain Jam is promoting The String Cheese Incident, maybe we can expect to see them in Hunter next June?

  • City Bisco Makes its Mark on The Festival Circuit

    Since Camp Bisco came and went in the early days of July, it seems all anyone could talk about was the return of City Bisco at the end of September and it only seemed right that the Disco Biscuits host the two day festival in their own hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   The Mann Center was the perfect venue to host the variety of fantastic artists that the Disco Biscuits brought together for the weekend.

    city bisco
    Disco Biscuits-City Bisco 2013

    The lots of the Mann Center were filled with people tailgating, looking for tickets and peddling various Philadelphia themed Disco Biscuits merchandise while the gates were packed with people creating a relatively long wait to get searched and get inside. Getting searched upon arrival to the festival was a lot like going through security at an airport – patrons were made to take their shoes, jackets and hats off while they were searched thoroughly by each security member. Every orifice of your backpack, purse or wallet was turned inside out to ensure you weren’t smuggling in drugs or weapons. It was definitely excessive, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Once inside of the venue, fans were in the middle of both stages with long winding stairs leading to both. Having two separate stages inside of a venue like this definitely worked for what was trying to be accomplished. The skyline tent showcased many up and coming artists while the main stage held all the larger acts and from the top of the hill standing outside of the tent, you could see a beautifully perfect view of the Philadelphia skyline.

    Philly based DJs Risky and Disko took on the skyline tent with their dance worthy beats that warmed up the crowd for the long night to come. Each song bounced between a heavy house influence and the underlying presence of disco – definitely an interesting pair to bring to the stage. Following was Twiddle, whose popularity and fanbase is ever growing as they finish their long and extensive summer festival run and begin their Fall Tour throughout the country. Their set was nothing short of phenomenal, as they busted out their fast and energetic tunes to get the crowd ready for the Disco Biscuits on main stage.

    The main stage at the Mann Center left nothing to be desired, as the entire area was completely open allowing a perfect breeze to sweep through the arena, with impeccable sound no matter where you chose to stand or sit. When the Disco Biscuits took stage the crowd was immediately alive with waves of intensity. Opening with “Basis For A Day”, which could have turned even the biggest Biscuits skeptic into a believer – what the band would break out of their jam into was impossible to tell until well into the song. The “Basis” that was played at City Bisco was one that will unarguably go down in Disco Biscuits history, as it was biggest highlight of night one and perhaps the entire festival. Fan favorite “Story of the World” followed to remind everyone in the crowd why they had waited so long to see these guys take stage again. The lasers that have become a staple to Disco Biscuits shows only intensified the brilliant jams the Biscuits were throwing down at the Mann Center. For an almost entirely open venue, the lasers spanned the crowd wall to wall.

    In between sets from RedMan and Method Man were probably not the highlight of the festival, but it was still surreal to be seeing these two legends take the stage at a Disco Biscuits festival. The performance consisted of a lot of hype crew yelling but very little music or rapping. For a hip-hop performance the crowd had little to no energy at all, due perhaps to the excessive amount of energy that set 1 drained from the crowd, but it was still a little disappointing. The second set of The Disco Biscuits was much slower than the first and was highlighted by a quick tease of “Theme from Shaft” and a pretty decent “Reactor> Floes”, the latter of which got a little sloppy towards the end as it seemed like the entire band was trying their best to get back onto the same page by segueing back into the groove of “Reactor”. First night held no encore, which was disappointing but also perhaps for the best with the whole next day of music to be seen.

    Saturday was a beautiful day in Philadelphia and Fairmount Park was filled with people, eager to get into the Mann for part two of an epic weekend. The skyline tent was the place to be  throughout the afternoon, for every artist that took stage kept the energy levels high and the crowd dancing. Cosmic Dust Bunnies took the stage first, bringing their typical high energy bouncy, psychedelic grooves to the skyline tent. Pimps of Joytime and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong also threw down well-received sets in the tent from the large, energetic crowds. It was definitely great to see all of the up and coming bands get so much love from the crowd. Emancipator and Gigamesh both had amazing sets on the main stage before the Disco Biscuits took stage for their last two sets of the weekend.

    The Disco Biscuits appeared with another explosion of energy as the crowd filed quickly in from the outskirts of the Mann. First set was on fire opening with “Hope” and following it with a dynamic and energetic “Caterpillar”. There was never a dull moment during first set, at one point the band trailed off into a instrumental “Tom Sawyer” jam that was not only extremely surprising but also well executed. Jon “The Barber” Gutwillig slammed on his guitar in such a way that his ax channeled the vocals of Rush’s Geddy Lee while Marc Brownstein filled in with the epic unforgettable Rush bass line. They finished the set with a segue back into “Caterpillar” before setbreak.

    Simon Posford of Shpongle took stage during set break for the Disco Biscuits. Shpongle is perhaps one of the most eclectic and talented bands on the music scene these days and if you are lucky enough to get to see them perform with their live band, you’ll understand exactly what that means. Shpongle has made it an art form to capture abstract concepts and feelings so as to portray them through their psychedelic DMT fueled music. The set was great, Simon opened with a few of his new songs from the new album Museum of Consciousness and played some of their more popular older songs as well. The crowd seemed very lackluster about the entire set and most people stayed seated which was strange for a Shpongle show. It seems as though when playing this type of music for a crowd, DJ sets just simply cannot and do not to the music any justice. The intricate layerings of each individual song are so complex that simply watching Simon spin the tracks on stage does not actually put into perspective how phenomenal each piece of music is.

    The second and final Disco Biscuits set of the weekend ended on a high note with a set covering all facets of the Disco Biscuits talents. “Mindless Dribble” was certainly one of the highlights of the second set with a Daft Punk “Get Lucky” jam and a “Disco Inferno” bust out. They took stage one last time for their encore of “Frog Legs” into a tease of “Run Like Hell.” The encore was a little lackluster considering how full of energy the entire weekend had been, but you really can’t complain with a “Frog Legs.” All of the artists performed at such full force all weekend it was certainly worth the trip to the city of brotherly love. City Bisco is definitely a staple to the festival season and the perfect installment to the much-loved Camp Bisco. After waiting months and months in anticipation for City Bisco, it was a little sad to leave Philadelphia. Lucky for us all, New Years run is right around the corner.

  • Consider the Source says “F**k It, We’ll Do It Live”, Again

    Sci-Fi, Middle-Eastern fusion band Consider The Source has announced the release of their second live album. F**k it, We’ll Do It Live, Volume 2. The album will be a nine track release and the first official recording with new drummer Jeff Mann, alongside guitarist Gabriel Marin and bassist John Ferrara.

    Though officially releasing on Tuesday, October 22nd, the album will be pre-released to fans at the trio’s upcoming shows in Buffalo and Albany, NY on October 18th-19th.  A digital version will also be available for download on the band’s website, www.considerthesourcemusic.com

    Consider the Source is known for their improvisational fusion of jazz and progressive rock. The love that each member in the band has for the music they create, permeates through all of their performances. As a trio there is no missing link and no stone un-turned. They have made it an art form of blending the most polar opposite forms and styles of music and bringing them together on one stage, creating a completely unique experience. Their psychedelic blend of jazz, funk, heavy metal and Middle Eastern classical and folk music brings a musical intensity that has become the trade mark and driving force behind Consider The Source.

    Make sure to check Consider The Source out during their Fall tour  and grab their new album October 22nd here 

  • Hearing Aide: “Spark: A Burning Man Story” Soundtrack

    Since the first bonfire at Burning Man in 1986, the festival has grown and attracted world-wide attention. Burning Man is a week long annual event held in the Black Rock Desert in Northern Nevada, known for its utopian concept of society where the primary focus is radical self expression, community and art. “Spark: A Burning Man Story”, is a documentary depicting an inside look of the festival through the eyes of the “burners,” or creators, of Burning Man. The ideals that surround and define Burning Man resonate throughout the entire soundtrack of the documentary.

    The compilation of music set to the documentary is unbelievably powerful and completely captures the togetherness that Burning Man promotes. From the opening track, “Feel The Love” by Rudimental (featuring John Newman) a down tempo into fast drum and bass song fully equipped with horns, you can immediately pick up on the vibe and feeling of the album, documentary and festival as a whole. “Coastal Break” by Tycho truly portrays the range of music that is utilized to depict the emotion and love behind the creation of Burning Man. Far more ambient than “Feel the Love”, “Coastal Break” still perfectly encompasses the upbeat and progressive nature of Burning Man. People who have attended Burning Man in the past have spoken of the wide array of people from all walks of life that show up to Burning Man and reach a platform of unity and oneness with the entire community. That is what makes this album so unique. It truly covers so many different aspects of the Burning Man experience that even with each song being so different from the last, it still makes complete sense. Some songs are more literal within their lyrics like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, “Man on Fire” and Missy Higgins, “We Ride.” Higgins croons somberly about the coming to life of being in a desert surrounded by so much energy from the people surrounding you. Comprised primarily of electronic instrumentals, these tracks are filled in nicely with ballads related to the entity of Burning Man as a whole, whether they meant to be or not. Michael Franti’s “Let it Go” is such a high energy, feel good song that perfectly depicts the spirit of the festival, even to those who have never attended.

    The second disk of Spark has a much more somber theme compared to the upbeat dance tunes of the first. Leading with “Flutes,” the Sasha remix of the Hot Chip original is a down-tempo instrumental until about halfway through when the song where the tempo is picked up via vocal samples – it’s the kind of song you would hear in a European discotheque and not think twice before busting out some moves on the dance floor. A dance remix of Michael Franti’s, “Let it Go” by Stanton Warriors is as enjoyable as the first disk version featuring Ethan Tucker –  both songs are enjoyable and each portraying completely separate tones.  Along with Michael Franti’s split disc remix, the second disc also holds the remix for Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros – “Man On Fire”, the Adam Freeland Remix. Spark Music Supervisor Amine Ramer came up with an interesting notion to offer both versions of each song on separate albums to portray two very different emotions for the soundtrack. Each song brings a different aspect and energy of Burning Man to an extremely well put together album. Each song is different, and yet in the context of Burning Man, very much the same. This album is a perfect compilation to be set to the making of one of the best festivals in the world.

    Listen to “Spark: A Burning Man Story” here and buy it from iTunes here.

    Key Tracks: Disk 1 – Feel the Love, Let it Go, We Ride, Man on Fire, Going to the Desert; Disk 2 – Flutes, Let it Go, One Type of Dark, Scorpion Frog

  • 17th Annual New York Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair Returns; October 11-14

    The 17th annual New York Harvest Festival and Freedom Fair will once again return to Kutsher’s Country Club in Monticello on October 11-14. The Northeast classic will host five stages, 35 musical acts and entertainers, political speakers, lights shows, a vendor village, fire spinning, glass blowing, activist opportunities and a whole lot of good vibes.

    Damn Sam has been politically active for years in the movement to bring medical marijuana legalization to the state legislature. Senate bill 4406 and Assembly bill 6357 will regulate regulate medical marijuana and provide New York patients with safe access to the medicine they need. The main goal is to educate and motivate law makers and citizens of New York state to enact laws that protect the interests of those involved in the uses, production and distribution of Cannabis hemp.

    Entertainment for the weekend will include:

    The Original Wailers, Ghostface Killah, Melvin Seals & JGB (2 Sets), Immortal Technique, Kung Fu Tony Vacca and The Senegal America Project featuring World Rhythms Ensemble, Bideew Bou Bess, and Abiodun Oyewole (of The Last Poets) (2 Sets), Marco Benevento, Murphy’s Law, Bang Bang (Todd Stoops & Adrian Tramontano of Kung Fu), Ronnie Penque Band (Ronnie is from New Riders of the Purple Sage, & a former member of: Melvin Seals & JGB, Ripple, Stir Fried and Splintered Sunlight), Awesome Mother Road Show, Gratefully Yours (All Star Revolving Line Up, playing fans dream Grateful Dead set lists), Riders on the Storm (Doors Tribute), EARTH (Classic Black Sabbath Tribute), The Phreaks (Phish Tribute), The DeadBeats (Grateful Dead Tribute), Midnight Ramblers (2 Sets, 1 Pink Floyd), Lucid, Fikus, Mun, Cosmal with live painting by Ali Laz, John Sinclair and Elliott Levin,Newton Crosby, CAPITAL Zen, Maaze, Maganahans Revival, String band, DITCH, Digital Storm, Leila, Mentally ILL, The Jack, Unexplained Bacon, Dr. Jah & The Love Prophets, Mothers Wine, Adam Amrod, Imaginary Friends, Kara Bennett, Lethal Injection, Hannah’s Field, Risen, Rob, Darren & Richie, The Bus People, The Legendary RT & Friends, Whiskey Reverb, DJ Ean Nice, Jiggawompz and Roo

    Speakers for the weekend will include:

    Pastor Kenny Glasgow – Ordinary Peoples Society
    Rob Robinson – Founder NY Harvest Fest & Damn Sam
    Jason West – Mayor, Village of New Paltz
    Isaac Abrams – “Visionary / Psychedelic” Artist
    Dan Goldman – NY Cannabis Alliance
    Steve Bloom – Celebrity Stoner
    Brian Kuprian -Gardening Is Never A Crime
    Lisa Roche – RN / Truth & Science Policy Project
    Jim Miller – Marijuana Activist & Patient Advocate
    The Real Radio Rahim – Hop Hop Pioneer
    Rich Morowski -MS Medical Marijuana Patient
    Burton Aldrich – Quad Medical Marijuana Patient
    Richard Williams – HIV Medical Marijuana Patient
    Jessica Abrams -Green in Greene
    John Skerit – Activist & Friend of the Harvest Fest
    Joe Barton – Freedom First Party
    Kurt Shotko -Common Sense Revival, Host WFTE Frack Report
    Trapper Flynn – Activist & Friend of the Harvest Fest
    Charles Edson Rogers Jr. – Pain Medical Marijuana Patient
    Johnny Pot Seed – OverGrow

    Plus many more!

    This year’s Harvest Festival is stacked so you definitely do not want to miss out,

  • Editorial: Molly vs. The Music

    “Where’s Molly?”

    “Party with Molly.”

    “Help Me Find Molly.”

    These are just a few of the ludicrous phrases plastered on EDM concert goers hats and shirts. Over the past two years the hype around Molly has been steadily growing and gaining national attention from major news outlets. Based on popular opinion, drugs and electronic music go hand in hand. After the debacle of Electric Zoo in New York City where the event was canceled on it’s last day due to overdoses and deaths, it seems everyone has something to say about this “new” drug called Molly.

    That’s the thing, though. This drug has been around much longer than these neon clad college students, just as electronic music has been around since before the rise of Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia and Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories. The ever growing popularity surrounding electronic music has drawn larger crowds than seen in history for most of these artists in the electronic music scene.

    After reading “Finding Molly: The Most Popular Name in EDM,” a few points are raised. The folks jumping on the bandwagon and further perpetuating the concept that drugs and substance abuse is the only reason these genres are currently popular, please take note.

    The article begins by saying that the most recognized name at an electronic music event is not the DJ, but instead Molly. Well that just isn’t true. As an individual who has been avidly attending electronic music festivals and shows for almost ten years, it is appalling to see the new wave of drug-addled concert goers. Drugs have always existed on the music scene since before the first acid test in the 1960s, something that no one should expect to change. The heavy focus on the drugs, however, has become almost unbearable.

    Until recently, Molly was never a household name, nor was it an epidemic, nor a trend. Although walking through festival grounds you could easily score whatever substance you so sought, it was not as prevalent in the past as it has become today. It seems every major name in the EDM world has made a statement surrounding the ever-increasing number of overdoses that riddle the crowds at these shows. Left and right, festival promoters are put through the ringer for the irresponsible decisions of the concert goers, and as a result, a rising tide of high tension has developed between society and the music scene. While the intentions behind the article are understood, “Finding Molly” should have kept it’s focus on what is truly important: the music.  Many of us have had times at a festival seeing someone around us go through a bad experience due to drugs, heat exhaustion or lack of hydration. This is not what highlights a music festival. It seemed throughout the entire article that music was completely irrelevant. The majority of these concert goers go see live music because they love music and always have. None of these people want to be stereotyped as a drug crazed “raver” because the genre of music they love has been overtaken by individuals who don’t properly educate themselves about the things they put into their bodies.

    At the end of the article the writer talks about a personal experience where he, more or less, saved an overdosing man’s life. While it was commendable of this individual to be there when perhaps paramedics and EMTs were not, highlighting a story like this only further perpetuates the concept that this is representative of the vast majority of individuals who attend these events. Although the percentage has certainly increased in the past few years, this is not always the case. Not everyone completely annihilates themselves publicly in the name of EDM. Years ago it would have been flooring to hear that a weekend festival could have any death count come Sunday morning. These days it has become the norm, and that’s not the music’s fault. Blaming the DJs, blaming the bands, blaming the scene or the music doesn’t make any sense. The bigger picture is the influx of people who are just looking to party and consume any substance handed to them. That old saying your mother’s always threw around, “One bad apple spoils the bunch,” that holds true in this case. The majority of these concert goers are paying good money to see the artists they love, not get completely inebriated and wake up in the hospital, and in the process, drag the reputation of EDM through the mud because of these isolated incidents. The music should not become a footnote to the drug culture the surrounds such a brilliant and ever expanding music scene.

    How can this change? More paramedics and more EMTs have been brought on site for almost every EDM festival nationwide and test kits have become readily available on almost every music scene to ensure that if you choose to take drugs, the ones you take are clean. Is this further promoting the excessive drug consumption that takes place at a concert? It’s hard to say, but at least it keeps these kids safe. This is not the first scene that has been overrun by drug use. Music scenes in the 60s in California,  the 70s during the disco/Studio 54 era and throughout the 80s and 90s have all had their accompanying drugs that in time shifted the focus away from the music to drug use among that scene.  It’s been the downfall of many bands, artists and scenes alike.

    Overall, it is important to know what you are putting into your body. Most of the time these situations stem from lack of education. There is of course the alternative – stay away from mind altering substances all together. Who knows, maybe you’ll find out you can actually have a good time without all the chemicals.