Just like your typical rock concert, a rave party is a musical journey, but instead of having bands or musicians performing, you have a DJ or a producer – sometimes with an emcee or a hype man – on the mic, playing their mixes at booming volumes. EDM, or electronic dance music, is becoming mainstream with the prevalence of online streaming sites and the popularity of bars and clubs. EDM artists are also into remixing popular radio-played songs to the delight of rave-goers who want to sing along and experience ‘the feels’. As a growing fad in music, more and more EDM songs feature vocals and lyrics – a deviation from its roots of disco, beats, and electronic music.
Attending a rave concert is sure to leave an impression because it can get really wild. The two essentials to appreciating a rave are marveling at the lights and basking in the sounds.
Of course, what kind of party are you attending if you isolate yourself? A rave is also about enjoying the company, because as much as it is a concert, it is also a venue for partying and socializing.
An Aural and Visual Journey
Beaming gobo projector lights, laser light shows in vivid neon colors, strobe lights flashing in spasms, blasting amplifiers, and throbbing bass speakers generally characterize a peaking rave. You will see people jumping up and down, pumping their fists in the air, euphoric, skins touching and eyes wide open – these people are on a journey to happiness.
Feel your heartbeat race as you move to the music and have your mind blown as you try to catch the lights through your pupils. You then realize why people call these parties a ‘rave’ – they literally gush about how much of an amazing time they’re having. You will see people exchange hugs, thanking each other with arms around each other’s shoulders. This is the effect of a visual and aural experience, the convergence of two senses resulting in an extreme, trance-like happiness.
There are a number of music festivals lined up for the year. Some of these concerts go on for days, exclusively playing EDM, while others offer more diverse music, usually saving the EDM performances for when it’s dark out – usually the best time to enjoy the lights and sounds.