Big Festivals Go Commercial; Others Turn “Transformational” – Why?

If someone asked you to picture a “transformational” festival, what comes to mind?  Chances are that, if you’ve heard this term before, your mind’s eye might muster up something like this: A crowd full of body paint-clad people dancing, doing yoga, and camping out in the desert–or perhaps a forest or a jungle. Afro/Indigenous rhythm-infused […]

You Have Gays To Thank For House Music

Passion, acceptance, connectedness, and liveliness are feelings we have come to adore about music festivals and the rave community. But it hasn’t always been that way. House music has a deep history of facing hate, discrimination, violence, and riots. In the face of adversity, DJs like Frankie Knuckles worked tirelessly to build the underground house […]

Did Taylor Swift Fans “Steal” Kandi From The Rave Scene?

Beyond the music, rave culture is defined by traditions that run deep in the genre’s history, and kandi is one of the most iconic pieces of this history.  The brightly colored bead accessories have been a staple image of US rave culture throughout multiple decades, and ravers still pour precious time and love into the […]