What Rave Culture Gets Wrong About Tolerance
To ravers across North America, “All are welcome here” is a familiar phrase with many meanings. Tied to the rave scene’s broader message of acceptance, the tagline adopted by continental concert giant Insomniac Events greets ravers from billboards, merch booths, and festival gates as they leave the toils of their regular lives behind. There’s an […]
Neurodivergence In EDM: Raver Brains Move To A Different Beat
Research shows Neurodivergence is often more common among ravers than in the general population, and brain science helps explain why. Studies exploring links between electronic music and brain science reveal a strong connection between neurodivergence and an affinity for the genre. A 2022 survey by the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) polled 137 electronic music […]
Festival Report Card: Same Same But Different 2025
Since 2018, Same Same But Different (SSBD) has made a splash in the Southern California dance music scene, and we can see why. As word spread about the festival’s quirky but wholesome vibes, crazy sidequests, and feel-good lineup, more newcomers than ever gathered at this year’s festival in Lake Perris from September 26-28. After our […]
5 Tips For Raving On A Budget This Festival Season
With economic instability on the rise, many people are feeling the squeeze in their wallets this year. Cutting back on expenses like festival tickets may become an unfortunate necessity, but that doesn’t mean the good times have to end, especially when times are already stressful. With a little thinking outside the box, ravers can make […]
Interview: Elohim’s Mental Health Journey Became An Inspiring Story Of Resilience
Enigmatic electropop singer, songwriter, and producer Elohim doesn’t just make music; she transcribes the human experience into it. Combining her electronic music production skills with her classical training, Elohim (aka Valerie Lee) takes listeners through a journey of raw emotion with her unapologetically candid lyrics, all while serving up beats that you can’t help but […]
The Hidden Challenges Of Sober Raving
Rave culture symbolizes different things for different people. Still, across all continents and every subgenre, raves are venues where individuals gather to party–and that typically involves alcohol and drugs. This statement feels like a dirty secret spoken aloud, as many ravers challenge historical stereotypes about drug use. Nonetheless, substance use at raves and within the […]