Brand New Daft Punk Video for 'Instant Crush'

Check out this brand new video Daft Punk just released! 

Music Update [12-05-13] - PART 2 - *27 Tracks*

Roland Clark, Tocadisco - Phoenix


Ferry Corsten - Many Ways (feat. Jenny Wahlström) [Will Atkinson Midnight Remix]


TEARS FOR FEARS 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' (The Cube Guys Bootleg)


Captain Hook & Ace Ventura - Alternate Universe (Darth & Vader Remix)


DJ Isaac - Groupie Love

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Music Update [12-05-13] - PART 1 - *25 Tracks*

MAYHEM x LOGAM - Orion


Gorgon City - Voltage


Mat Zo - Lucid Dreams (The M Machine Remix)


Alexandre Bergheau - Call Me Up




Disclosure x Nile Rodgers x Sam Smith x Jimmy Napes - Together

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Pretty Lights *Pay-Per-View* 3 HOUR EVENT VIDEO IN FULL!

DID YOU MISS THE PRETTY LIGHTS 'Pay-Per-View' LIVE CONCERT FROM LAST WEEKEND?!

HERE IS THE FULL 3 HOUR EVENT WITH FULL VIDEO! 

ENJOY GUYS <3

Counterpoint Music Festival 2014 -EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE-

That's right folks! Tickets for the 2nd edition of Counterpoint Music Festival are ON SALE NOW!! 

Ticket prices are as follows:

---------------GENERAL ADMISSION---------------

GA 3-Day Pass (NO CAMPING) - $160

GA 3-Day Pass (WITH CAMPING) - $185

---------------VIP PACKAGES---------------

3-Day VIP Package - $600

3-Day GOLD VIP Package - $899

3-Day PLATINUM VIP Package - $2000

****VIP Package Details can be found on the CP website HERE****

AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE A BIT STRAPPED ON CASH...

This year Counterpoint is allowing you to split your ticket into three payments instead of one to make it a bit easier for everyone to be able to attend this year! 

I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE!

[Event Preview] Infected Mushroom @ Coliseum, Tallahassee FL [11-21-13]

For those of you that are not familiar with Infected Mushroom, you have been missing out on one of my favorite artists of the past decade. Originating as a full band (which by the way is absolutely unbelievable live), I found these guys back in high school when I was big into rock/metal (along with another one of my all-time favorites, PENDULUM). What started out as mainly a psy-trance project has developed over the past few years into something so much more diverse. Paying tribute to their name, they produce some crazy tunes unlike almost anything else out there, but damn is that shit epic! I love finding artists like these guys that create such a distinct sound, classically influenced but so much more creative than most. Oh and don't forget they have one of the BEST visual production setups in the world right now. If you enjoy being blown away by a one of a kind 3-D mapping experience, then you are not going to want to miss this show THURSDAY NIGHT!

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:  www.tallytix.com

TOUR TEASER

My Favorite Tracks

Music Update [11-20-13]

KloneZ - RockitZ (Original Mix)


Peter Frampton - Do You Feel Like We Do (Psymbionic Remix)


Tiga & Audion - Lets Go Dancing (Breach Remix)


The Prototypes – Just Bounce


Moonbootica - I'm On Vacation feat. Redman (Fukkk Offf Remix)


Rank 1 - 13.11.11


UMEK & Groovebox - Rock It Out


Pegboard Nerds & Splitbreed - High Roller (Far Too Loud Remix)


Alexander Popov - Legend


Phunk Investigation - Raputan (Original Mix)


Martin Garrix - Animals (Broning Bootleg)


Pat B ft. Francois - Mix the master

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

[EP RELEASE] Freddy Todd - The Collabo Series: Vol. 1

PLEASE check this EP out from one of the most talented producers on the rise today. The whole EP is available for FREE on the bandcamp link below or you can choose to donate a few bucks if you can spare it. 

DOWNLOAD LINK: https://freddytodd.bandcamp.com/album/the-collabo-series-vol-1

Message From Freddy:

Welcome to the first volume of "The Collabo Series", a collaborative effort between me and some of my closest homies, colleagues, and comrades. Each of these tracks were made in only a couple of days during random time off from shows on tour, in completely different locations, at completely different times, with completely different genres and artists (besides myself, although one could argue I was a completely different self at each of these sessions, but, I digress). Thriftworks and I sat down at his chill studio in Berkeley, CA and ended up sampling his cabinet hinges and a music box for our tune in the not so distant past, kLL sMTH and I in his heady paulo santo rinsed studio in Boulder, CO, Robotic Pirate Monkey also in their studio in Boulder, CO with a beautifully hazy view of the Rockies, and Samples at Mikey Fisher's studio in the tenderloin of San Francisco, with Samples collaboration being the oldest, written in early 2010 when we were both booked together at our first show in California, with the other three written in the past year or so. 

SHOUT OUTS
follow these amazing dudes here: 

soundcloud.com/thriftworks
www.facebook.com/Thriftworks
twitter.com/Thriftworks

soundcloud.com/kllsmth
www.facebook.com/kLLsMTH
twitter.com/kLLsMTHmusic

soundcloud.com/roboticpiratemonkey
www.facebook.com/roboticpiratemonkey
twitter.com/ArrPM

soundcloud.com/bensamples
www.facebook.com/djsamples
twitter.com/djsamples

Amazing work from Jake at Matik Design (& Enig'matik Records) as well for the incredible album artwork: 
matikdesign.com /// enigmatikrecords.com
www.facebook.com/MatikDesign
www.facebook.com/EnigmatikRecords

Seriously so much love to everyone and everyone involved, I frckn LOVE my friends and their music, had so much fun delving into their studios and minds, and hope everyone enjoys this free or donation based release. This is just the tip of the iceberg though, releasing in the next few months we have my official Remix Album (with an all-star lineup to-be-announced soon) and then my TBA next mega solo album that has been in the works for a year... it will be worth the wait ;) so stay tuned 

STAY UP TO DATE: 
www.facebook.com/freddytoddmusic
twitter.com/freddytoddmusic
soundcloud.com/freddytodd

LOVE,
FT

credits

released 20 November 2013
Written by: Freddy Todd, Thriftworks, kLL sMTH, Samples
Mastered by: Omega
Artwork by: Jake Rose at Matik Design & Enig'matik Records

Music Update [11-09-13] - DUB/DnB/TRAP/TRANCE -

Dubstep/DnB/Trap

Yellow Claw - DJ Turn It Up


Yellow Claw & Tropkillaz - Assets feat. The Kemist


Yellow Claw, DJ Snake & Spanker - Slow Down


AJAPAI - Blow Up


TNGHT - Higher Ground [Lets Be Friends Re-Amp]


Happy Piils - Not to drunk to fuck (Http Remix)

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Music Update [11-09-13] - TECH/DEEP/FUNKY HOUSE-

Tech/Deep/Minimal/Funky House


**SPECIAL FAVORITE**   Marlon Hoffstadt, Dansson - Shake That



Belocca & Matthew Codek - That's How It Rolls (Original Mix)


Munk Feat. Mona Lazette - The Beat (Kolombo Remix)


Mineo - Turn Out The Lights (Jamie Jones Remix)


Quivver - Push, Pull (Original Club Mix)


Harry Romero - Find Your Own Beat (Original Club Mix)

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Music Update [11-09-13] - MAINSTAGE HOUSE/ELECTRO -

Mainstage House/Electro

Lefty - Fusion (Original Mix)

Filtercrush vs. Jack&Jordan - Asura (Tom Swoon Edit)


Rave Radio & Chris Willis - Feel The Love (Reece Low Remix)


Sean Finn & Jay Frog - Tetriz (Sean Finn Mix)


I See MONSTAS & Valentino Khan - High Life


Marco V - Sunset BLVD (Original Mix)


Darth & Vader - Empire Strikes Back (Original Mix)

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Music Update [11-09-13] - HARD DANCE ONLY -

Hardstyle

The Pitcher -Forever Young


B-Front & Frequencerz - Delusion


Alpha² - Kick Back (E-Force Remix)

The Vision - Pandorum (X Pander Remix)


Dash Berlin ft. Emma Hewitt - Waiting (Audiotricz Bootleg)


Wild Motherfuckers - The BPM Track


Tnt Aka Technoboy 'n' Tuneboy and Audiofreq - Screwdriver

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

[Event Preview] Flux Pavilion + Skism + Roksonix @ Coliseum Tallahassee [10-24-13]

Yet another MASSIVE tour is about to make its way into Tallahassee. Flux Pavilion, one of the all-time dubstep greats will finally make his way to the Coliseum and he's bringing a couple of his friends with him! If you haven't heard of Flux, well, you are probably doing it wrong lolll. After countless huge releases and helping to start one of the biggest record labels in the industry (Circus Records), he is what I would consider a "household name"so to speak in the EDM scene. With all of the experience this man has under his belt, his set tomorrow will be nothing short of legendary. Oh and did I mention, the visual production they are bringing is absolutely AWESOME!!! (see pictures below)

Below I linked some of his most famous tracks from the past few years. I personally am really fucking stoked to get to see some of these tracks live that I've played so many damn times on my iPod :] 


Flux Pavilion - Do or Die [feat. Childish Gambino]



Flux Pavilion - Bass Cannon 



Flux Pavilion - I Can't Stop



Flux Pavilion - Got 2 Know



DJ Fresh - Louder (Flux Pavilion & Doctor P Remix)



DJ Fresh - Gold Dust (Flux Pavilion Remix)



Flux Pavilion - Blow The Roof




Joining Flux will be two of his good friends, Skism and Roksonix. Both of these dudes have already made a huge impression on the dub scene over the past couple of years, and they each could easily be headlining a show of this caliber. If you are one to usually wait until late to show up for an event, I STRONGLY recommend you break that habit tomorrow night and come EARLY. It is very rare that you will ever get to see such a stacked lineup for a club tour, especially a tour that is making it's way to Tallahassee! I posted a few of my favorites from both Skism and Roksonix below, please give them a quick listen if you haven't heard them. I promise if you like filthy tunes it's worth it :]


Skism - Experts



Flux Pavilion & SKisM - Jump Back



Skism - Rave Review



Roksonix - Music In Me



Flux Pavilion - Voscillate (Roksonix Remix)



Roksonix - Ready to Rumble




IF YOU STILL NEED TICKETS FOR THIS SHOW, GO TO THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE FOR THIS EVENT LINKED BELOW!!!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/events/183079251869446/

Music Update [10-15-13]

ENJOY THE MUSIC <3

Filthy Rich, Redondo - 60 Dollar Sauce (Original Club Mix)


Spenda C & Nemo - Lets's Get Raw (Twerk VIP)


Headhunterz Ft. Malukah - Reignite


Hot Since 82 - Hot’s Groove


Hot Since 82 - Chords


Will Atkinson - Hermosa

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

[10-07-13] Music Update

ENJOY THE TUNES <3

Crypsis - Break Down Low


Nom De Strip - Techno Saturday


Make You Do - (Kolombo Remix)


Skanky - 1 More Night (Amtrac Rave Dub)


Purple Disco Machine - Move Or Not


Criminal Vibes - Calabria (Sean Finn Remix)


Duck Sauce - Radio Stereo

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Music Update -PART 2- [9-23-13}

Will Sparks - Crazy



My Digital Enemy - Deep Down Inside (Original Mix)


The Cube Guys, Prok & Fitch - Don't Go


WhiteNoize - Check Baby


Deviant ft Kid Rascal - Bring Me Alive


Miss Faction - Just Dance


Wild Motherfuckers (Zatox & Tatanka) - Wild Wild West


Wild Motherfuckers (Zatox & Tatanka)  - Ruby Rain


Phrantic - In The Mix


Caked Up - Twerk Like Miley Cyrus


Sean Paul x Beenie Man - Greatest Gallis (ETC!ETC! Remix)


12th Planet, Protohype & KillaGraham – Brick


Andrew Rayel, Jwaydan - Until The End


Showtek & Noisecontrollers - Get Loose (Vanic VIP Remix)


Cyberoptics & Sub Antix - The Verdict


Wildstylez ft. Cimo Frankel - Lights Go Out


Sigma - summer calling


Tom Middleton - Goda Cee Yuu


Low Steppa - Clutch Original Mix


Coone Ft. Chris Madin - Our Fairytale (Theme of Tomorrow 2013)


Phunk Investigation & Groovebox - L.A.


Qrank Ft Laura Tesoro - Stolen Identity


Bad Seed VIP by Mark Instinct


Doorly, Soraya Vivian - Rush (Original Mix)


Daniel Portman - Galvanized (Original Mix)


Funtcase - Pussyoles

Music Update -PART 1- [9-24-13]

Cosmic Gate - So Get Up



Hardwell, Knife Party - Baghdad


Datsik – Oxygen (Feat. Zyme)


Eximinds - Euphoria


DJ Snake ft. Lil Jon - Turn Down For What


Phunk Investigation - Twisted Madness

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

[Event Preview + Ticket Giveaway] Lady Faith @ Baja's Beachclub, Tallahassee FL [9-16-13]

------TICKET GIVEAWAY INFO AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST-----

If you haven't heard of Lady Faith yet, you are missing out on one of my favorite artists in the industry today. Not only has she been releasing some of the dopest hardstyle to hit the scene this past year, she is also a drop dead GORGEOUS woman; an unbelievably hot combo if I do say so myself haha. This is going to be Tallahassee's FIRST EVER Hardstyle event and Lady Faith's first ever show in Florida!  If you have no idea what to expect from a Lady Faith set, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE take a look at this after movie from Defqon/EDC 2012... If that doesn't make you want to come out on Monday night, I don't think anything will lol :]

Hardstyle is a genre that has been around for over a decade, but has really only flourished in countries outside of the US. The upbeat tempo of hardstyle combined with those massive kicks and basslines result in one of the most energetic sub-genre's in EDM today. With how mainstream house music and the high energy "dirty drop" has become, I can't really understand how Hardstyle has remained underground for so long. Hardstyle offers a crowd that same style of high energy music that people love to jump around to at a much greater level, and I for one just can't keep myself from jumping all over the damn place when I hear it! If you have never had the chance to hear some REAL hardstyle on some quality club speakers, I implore you to come out to this show Monday Night at Baja's Beachclub here in Tallahassee.

Lady Faith @ EDC Las Vegas 2012 LIVE SET


Opening for Lady Faith will be one of my best friends here in town, KayG. I met this kid when I first got here to Tallahassee over four years ago, so its absolutely mind blowing to see how he is growing in the scene here in Tally. Playing a mixture of several genres, KayG always manages to feel a crowd out and play what they want to hear. Check out this mix of his I linked below, and be sure to catch him opening up for FLUX PAVILION as well!



Oh, and did I mention...

FREE DRINKS FOR EVERYONE UNTIL 11:30


Ticket Giveaway
In honor of Tallahassee's FIRST EVER hardstyle event, we are giving away a FREE TICKET to Monday's show!

Instructions:
1. Like the photo [LINKED HERE] on our Facebook Page.
2. Comment on the photo tagging THREE FRIENDS
3. Winner will be announced at 8PM.

Daily Update [9-11-13] *PART 2* **WARNING: CONTAINS HARDSTYLE**

ENJOY THE MUSIC <3


Erick Morillo, Harry Romero, Jose Nunez, Sunnery James, Ryan Marciano - Jungle Blood (Harry Romero & Erick Morillo Dirty Blood Mix)


Terravita - Bach Off


Bare - The Cut


Doorly, Soraya Vivian - Rush (Original Mix)


Carnage x Tony Junior - Michael Jordan (LOUDPVCK Remix)


Funtcase - Pussyoles


Brennan Heart - Scrap The System (Defqon 1 Australia Anthem)

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!!

Music Update [9-11-13]

ENJOY THE MUSIC <3


Kevin Drew - Halogen


Skream - Rollercoaster


Phunk Investigation - Check This Out


Nhato - Past, Then (Original Mix)


Ivan Gough & Jebu - Kukatu (Original Mix)


Demon Phunk - The Haunted Mansion


Headhunterz - Colors

MANY MORE AFTER JUMP!!!

Announcement: 'Andre Saint Albin' to Open for Zeds Dead in Tallahasseee!

On September 1st one of Tallahassee's favorite DJs is coming back to town, and for one hell of a fucking show! On a day when Zeds Dead will be playing two shows, an early show in Gainesville and a late show in Tallahassee, Andre Saint Albin will be the opener for what will be an absolutely INSANE night at Coliseum in Tallahassee. As an ex-Tallahassee resident, this dude knows how to throw it down for the kids in this town, and boy does he do it in style.

Andre Saint Albin, formerly under the alias DJ Cross, was one of Tallahassee's favorite resident DJs. Performing multiple times a week, this guys was everywhere in town; from the biggest clubs, to the dopest house parties, you were always sure to see this guy throwing it down behind the DJ booth. If you missed his last appearance in Tally since moving back to Miami, Andre absolutely slaughtered a massive crowd at Coliseum before Cedric Gervais (who was a disappointment in comparison lol). 

Andre Saint Albin murdering a massive crowd at the Coliseum in Tallahassee, Florida.

Facebook comments after Cedric Gervais.
Andre Saint Albin > Cedric 

There are few parties I look forward to more than when this guy comes into town, not only because of how hard he throws down, but because of his unmatched interaction with the city of Tallahassee. If you have yet to experience a set of his, I implore you to show up early to the Zeds Dead show, you WILL NOT regret it.

Below I linked his most recent mix for FG Radio and his newest Single 'Clap Clap Bounce' BOTH of which are available for FREE DOWNLOAD. Check out this mix if you want to find out what you are in for on September 1st!!!!!

YOUR GUIDE TO PASS THE GOOD! AUG 22-24

What, I ask, is better than a music festival? I mean, nothing is more fun than drinking, dancing, and kicking it with friends while making new ones, am I right?  Wrong.  Pass the Good is better than your average festival, and here's why: they support charities, and if you don't like charities, you're a grade-a douche bag. In fact, you might even be Voldemort.

S.M.T. Event Promotions is one of those awesome promotion companies that cares about more than just the music and overcharging for water bottles. S.M.T. is working with two charities: The Manna Food Bank of Pensacola, and The Wounded Warrior Project.   If you bring ten canned food items, you are entitled to one free limited edition poster, and all the cans stay local, feeding the hungry people of Florida.  And if you're feeling even a little more giving, you can purchase a 'Pass the Good' wristband, the proceeds of which go directly to The Wounded Warrior Project, which raises awareness and raises money to help wounded soldiers; that wristband is hella PLUR, way more than the candi you traded with the kid in the Pikachu Spirithood at EDC.  True to its' name, Pass the Good is a festival you can feel good about going to, and good about supporting. And it's only 50 dollars for a hardcopy weekend pass (55 at the door) and 20 for a day pass (unless you feel like balling out and going on Saturday, then it's 25 dollars.)

On TOP of that, if you're like me, and can't drive to save your life, ATMOSPHERE TALLY is offering a ROUND TRIP party bus, for only 20 dollars, and this bus ticket reduces your weekend ticket to only 40 dollars.  So let's recap.  If you're in Tallahassee, you can get a party bus AND your weekend pass for only 60 dollars. And it gets even better: camping on the beach IS allowed (or if you are a diva who would rather die than sleep in a tent like me, there are plenty of local hotels and condos you can stay at) and the festival will be offering discount bands for food and drink specials. S.M.T. might as well stand for Saving Me Tons. Doing God's work guys!

As for the festival itself, the devil is in the details, and S.M.T. definitely dotted their i's and crossed their t's for this one! Not only is the festival on the beach (if you don't like the beach that's another indication you might be Voldemort), but there will be three stages (one of which is in a CIRCUS TENT),  fire performers, LED performers, a FOAM PARTY, and a freaking firework show to keep you entertained in case you get bored with the music (yeah right.) Speaking of....

This is a music blog, so let's talk music.  Pass the Good is featuring a plethora of talented local DJs and bands, as well as a few from our neighboring party cities, like New Orleans and Atlanta.

ill.Gates is the headliner, and if you've never heard his stuff, then get on it, because it's all free so you no longer have an excuse not to check him out. Coming to us all the way from Toronto, Canada, ill  blends bouncy bass music with rap, acid hip hop, and bright melodies, resulting in a sound reminiscent of Bassnectar and Pretty Lights.

Greenhouse Lounge is also headlining, and like Big Gigantic, utilizes the exciting combination of live instruments with recorded electronic music. Also free to download, Greenhouse Lounge's music has a certain flow to their sound, making it easy to get lost in the cascading rhythms and pulsing synth. The Jacksonville trio consisting of Zach Weinert (check out his side project,  Zak the Blak, also performing), Dave McSweeny, and Scotty Zwang use light bass beats to keep the groove flowing, but layer melodic synths with live guitar riffs and drums. You definitely do not want to miss these guys and the effortless dance party they throw down. 

Aside from the two obvious picks mentioned above, there are a few other must-see artists performing. The first is Sir Charles, a Jacksonville native that plays some of the most interesting trap sets I have ever heard. SC chooses his samples wisely, using clips from the youtube series "Unforgivable," and classic throwbacks like "Play," breathing new life into our high school homecoming classics. Musically, the sounds and breakdowns Charles chooses are quality; sexy beats, thumping bass, and complex trap riffs that are sure to delight. This remix of "Ice Cream Paint Job" is a great example of what you can expect from Sir Charles, and his Soundcloud is full of energetic sets and freebies, so get on it!

After listening to the heavy bass and trap Charles throws at you, I recommend checking out Gainesville artist Michael Maleki, or Kodak to Graph. As a Seminole, I hate giving credit to anything that comes out of Gainesville, but Kodak's music is something special.  Ambient, intriguing, and beautiful, his music is reminiscent of the song "Yellow Bird" off of the the new Pretty Lights album, A Color Map of the Sound.  His music may be extremely downtempo, but like Cashmere Cat, he throws unique sound effects and pops of energy into the mix to create something unique, interesting, and melodic.  You will be lost in Narnia when you listen to Kodak to Graph. Enjoy. 

It would be a shame if any of you missed Trillucination, a duo from Jacksonville, with a heavy industrial bass sound. The two are known for their Mesmerizing synths and basslines, sure to lull you into a heavy trance, and I'm not talking about ASOT. Gentle dubstep and laid back trap beats with experimental tones are sure to have you on your feet, just before their firework display will bring you to your knees.

Finally, another artist that must be seen is Eddie Gold.  Now I'm not really one for house music these days.  I'll go to an electro-house show if it's free, or there's really nothing better to do, but Eddie's house music is just weird enough to be interesting. With hyper buildups and heavy breakdowns, Eddie Gold audibly assaults your ears with schizo bass that leaves you wondering what the hell just happened to your head.  He throws in some loaded trap with excessive lazer noises for good measure, and has a very big sound that seems to be very much inspired by old school trap music that you would hear on a Gucci Album. Check out his tracks and prepare to lose it. 

Also be sure to check out Delicate Chaos's Pass The Good mix:

The European Festival Experience

For many of us, it has always been a dream to attend a music festival in Europe. Tomorrowland, Ultra Croatia, Mysteryland…they call our names and peak our curiosity. Luckily, I finally had this opportunity this summer. Thanks to a summer job, I was able to stay in The Netherlands for two months, which for me, meant the chance of a lifetime: Dutch festivals.  I carefully chose to attend Extrema Outdoor Live, boasting a lineup with A-Trak, Major Lazer, Porter Robinson, Nicky Romero, Knife Party, Justice, Modestep, and many others.   Although the lineup was nothing short of perfection, I was more excited to see what a festival in The Netherlands was like, and how it differs from the ones we go to in The States based on three categories: atmosphere, people, and most importantly, the music.

Atmosphere

Extrema Outdoor, also known as XO Live, was held at a water park called “Aqua Best.”  A quick Google search showed me that in The Netherlands, a water park just means a giant lake, so I opted to leave the bikini at home.  The walk to the park took what felt like a lifetime.  Trekking through the surrounding forest, I followed the other people chatting away excitedly in Dutch until we reached the gate where I ran over to the VIP line. After I received my band, I checked my bag into a locker, the first thing that I noticed was different, and in a great way.  For only five euro, you could store all your belongings in a locker by the entrance, and upon returning the key, you would be given your money back! Brilliant! After stashing my bag in a locker, I ventured inside the actual park to get my first look at the festival.              

  The first thing I observed was the sheer size of the lake itself.  With only thirty minutes left of Julian Jordan’s set, I was faced with the decision to go left around the lake or go right.  I chose to go right, praying he would be there, as the walk back around would take too long, and I would miss his set.  This was a serious annoyance for the day: it could take up to thirty minutes to get from one stage to another, and with a stacked set, that presents problems. As I walked around the lake, I saw girls dressed as fairies painting faces, people lying in hammocks, and mountains of colorful, oversized pillows under tie-dyed cloth pavilions. There were endless food offerings: doner kebabs, tapas, pizza, and even something called a "dutch weed burger," a burger made out of 100% weed (seaweed that is!) All around me I saw piles of mattresses on hills overlooking the "beach," which was a manmade sand bank next to the freshwater lake.  I though this was an amazing touch.  There have been times at music festivals, especially the three day extravaganzas, where I would have killed to lay on a pillow or mattress near a stage where I could just enjoy the music effortlessly.  It gave the festival a much more laid back vibe, and an understated energy.  I continued my search for the boy genius, Julian Jordan. To my disappointment, I realized he was on the other side of the lake, and there was absolutely no way I could make it to his set in time, so I decided to check out the VIP area.


Here's the thing about VIP in Europe: it's actually worth buying. For only twenty euros extra, I was granted access to a private beach nightclub, with lounge chairs, a cocktail bar, private bathrooms, and hor d'ouevres catered by the country's top chefs! There were even MAC makeup artists giving free makeovers in booths to the side of the club, saving the ladies from a bad case of what I like to call "festival face."

  Aside from the painfully far walk from stage to stage, there was one other serious issue I encountered with XO Live, and that was the payment system. 

        Rather than paying cash for food, drinks, and souvenirs, guests were required to purchase chips that served as a substitute for currency.  The only fathomable reason to use this kind of payment is to make a bit more money off of the guests.  Chips were sold in set amounts: one, three, five, ten, twenty, and fifty. Chips could not be refunded, so whatever was left over at the end of the night was essentially garbage.  Another huge issue for me at least, was the complete absence of ATM machines at the festival. I came to the festival with only ten euro, and had to find out the hard way that my American debit cards do not work in the chip machines, leaving me with no money for food, no money for drinks, and a long day of dancing ahead of me. What a disaster.  Luckily, it wasn’t long before I met a group that took pity on me, and purchased me a water bottle, which brings me to the next category:

The People

            For me, the crowd and the people at XO Live created the biggest difference at the festival.  When I arrived, I instantly noticed that I was actually the most (or least) dressed up for the festival, donning a pair of high-waisted cheeky shorts and a bandeau studded with mirrors and decorative threading. The other attendees were dressed in jeans, tank tops, floor length dresses, and understated t-shirts.  There were no neon tanks, no RAGE hats, no fuzzy boots, or rave attire.   It was a breath of fresh air to see people dressed up as actual people, rather than wearing ridiculous tutus, and candi wristbands.  I quickly found myself in a group of Dutch bodybuilders and their girlfriends, ironically the closest in attire to what you would find in Miami: shirtless bros with gelled hair.  They were incredibly friendly and welcomed me, curious as to why I was completely alone at a festival.  

We joined the crowd for Nicky Romero, and I was shocked to see how sparse it was.  In Europe people are less aggressive and more mature.  I could walk right up to the front of the gate, and have room to dance up there without being pushed and stepped on!  When Nicky began playing I was surprised to see that I appeared to be the only person that knew any of the songs he dropped.  Even “Smells Like Teen Spirit” baffled the audience.  It was the biggest wake-up call of the experience for me.  In America, we all believe that Europeans live and breathe electronic music.  While it’s true they are raised on it, the truth is that they do not idolize it in the way that we do.  They do not criticize artists like we do.  They are there for the experience, and the joy of the festival.  I saw no girls begging to be noticed by DJs or making out with trees, and no guys pushing to get to the front for Skrillex, brah. They don’t care about what song is dropped, as long as the song is dropped. On that note, it’s time to discuss the meat of the festival:

The Music

            This is where I expected to find the greatest difference between the US scene and the European scene.  For years now, myself and others have written off boring, repetitive sets as “dumbed down for Americans,” and I expected to hear things I had never heard before: obscure songs, experimental drops, and different DJ styles.  What I found, however, was the equal commercialization of the music.  Each set was almost identical to the ones we hear at Ultra or in the nightclubs, which meant the bittersweet realization that while America is being taken seriously by the world and the music industry, the artists appear to be settling to make their music in predictable, albeit popular ways.  What the industry needs is a fresh reinvention of music, and artists willing to risk a few fans by stepping outside their comfort zones.  What we need are innovators.  Granted, A-Trak and Justice threw down exciting tracks, blended seamlessly and creatively, but that’s just their standard. 

 I was expecting so much more from others, like Nicky Romero, Porter Robinson, and Dada Life, but most of what they chose to play just sounded contrived and common. I was genuinely taken aback by the similarities between the sets they play in America compared to the ones they play in Europe, especially given the stark difference in audience.  I would like to mention that the people I was with tended to prefer the less original sets, and I found the same to be true during my recent visit to Ibiza, where I had trouble convincing my Swiss friends to choose Carl Cox and Nicole Moudaber at Space over Afrojack and David Guetta at Amnesia.  It seems as though the fans are almost a bit more generic than we are, however there is an understated beauty to their preferences, because unlike the trend in America, Europeans do not pretend to know anything and everything about house music or look down upon those who cannot wait to hear “Clarity” played at the club.  They are just happy to be there, and that’s the lesson I took from my experience with the European music scene.