The Cancelation of Electric Zoo

Electric Zoo: a place where we can all get in touch with our inner animal and just completely let loose. Countless DJ's were present at this years three day festival in New York, but so many, who had already arrived, had to suffer the disappointment of being unable to play and rock their fan's worlds for the final day. Not to only mention the DJ's disappointments, but imagine the fans? I would be heartbroken if I was in their shoes right now.

Last night (or this morning for the all-night ravers) two people died because of recreational drug use and four were hospitalized for the same reason. My thoughts go out to the families and friends of the deceased and of those in the hospital, but this is an on-going issue that seriously needs to be fixed. I was present at the second annual Digital Dreams at the Ontario Place in Toronto this past summer where one girl drowned just after the first day of the festival ended. I'm going to go ahead and assume she was high on some form of drug because that's the cause of most deaths at EDM festivals and shows. We're too much of a unified group to get violent with one another.

Honestly, I am really sad about the people who died. It is really tragic that they had to go out in such a manner, but you should not use drugs if you do not know your limits. I believe that most people who overdose are the ones who have never done drugs before. Firstly, if it is your first time using drugs, you should be with people who you are comfortable with and who you know will take care of you if you start tripping out. Secondly, if it IS your first time trying a drug then you probably should not be using it at a festival or show. Try it somewhere you're comfortable with, where you know the surroundings, all the people present, and where you know you can easily access help if necessary. I've been there, had a bad trip and was super overwhelmed, but I got myself out of that situation and calmed myself down so that I didn't drop to the floor. Since then, I have made sure that I am super responsible with what I am using and made sure to know my limits. That's the key: know your limits and what your body can handle.

Most people believe - because of the deaths at these festivals - that the EDM community is based solely around drug use. It really upsets me that this is how our loving, peaceful community is portrayed. We are some of the most humble, welcoming, peace-giving, accepting, and heart-felt people you will ever have the chance of meeting, yet we are all considered drug-addicts who just want to trip out on some pretty lights and loud music. There is so much more to our community that people on the outside just do not see and never will unless they submerge headfirst into what we call home.

It truly pains me that we are represented in such a negative manner. I mean, yeah, doing drugs is fun from time to time and it really enhances the feelings you get when you're watching your favourite DJ drop your favourite tracks, but that is not what it's all about. Going to shows and festivals, for me personally, is to get lost in the moment, meet new people, listen to upcoming talent, see my favourite DJ's for the first, second, or third time, spend time with my best friends and cruuu, and, most  importantly, forget about reality for a while.

The EDM community is a peaceful place. You don't have to feel judged or out of place. It is where all the eccentrics, the undoubtedly weird, the wild, the dreamers, the new-age hippies and ravers, and the people who have an insane love for electronic music come to be together and create a perfect atmosphere of good vibes. That is what PLUR is all about: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect. Our community thrives on this acronym and, personally, this is what I try to live my life by. The world needs more people like we have in the EDM community, but we will continue to be marked as drug-addicts and hopeless causes while we have people abusing drugs and not knowing when to call it quits.

Be responsible, people. You're ruining it for the rest of us who are trying so hard to build something so beautiful and magical.

Feel Good Rhythm

I don't know how many of you listen to EDM, but Avicii released a track called "Dance in the Water," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mwbz3ocKZM. I just heard it this morning and I fell in love right as the vocals began (they start right away). I can honestly say that this song instantly made me feel amazing and released me from my fatigue. It's true when people say that music can change your mood in an instant.

I've been in a little rut lately: wondering who I am, what I will do with my life, where I will go, but Avicii's new mix on Soundcloud, https://soundcloud.com/#aviciiofficial/avicii-promotional-mix-2013, has brought me into such a good mood and gave me such good feels. I'm promoting Avicii because he has always surprised me; he was the first EDM artist that absolutely blew me on my ass with excitement, appreciation, happiness, and love through his performance at the first VELD Festival in August of 2012. I've never been in such a state of Euphoria as I was when I was watching him absolutely kill it.

I will always have a special love for Avicii. No matter what new sounds he brings to the EDM scene, I will always be a very big fan. I'll never stop loving him for trying something new. EDM is always changing - Avicii just decided he would take a huge leap and bring it years beyond what anyone is ready for. I can honestly tell you this though: I was ready for it and I gladly embrace what he is doing for our raving culture. He's changing what we all know, and that is not a bad thing.

Old Friends

There is nothing worse than losing touch with someone you once held very close to your heart. I have lost touch with many people throughout the years; be it because of distance, moving away for school, traveling the world, or quite simply because we have drifted apart - it is never easy to accept. People have walked away from me, left me holding on to nothing but a memory and a sad hope of homecoming. Being walked away from, without a sideway glance and such willingness, is a sadness that cannot be described.

I have learned that people will come and go, you just have to take it as a learning experience and grow from the hurt you feel. Being hurt is a way to appreciate what you have; it allows you to truly know what it means to care for someone. You never know how much someone means to you until they are no longer in your life. You learn to never want to walk away from people. You learn to never treat people poorly. You learn to love the people in your life whole-heartedly and unconditionally.

But there is nothing more heart warming than when a friend you have lost touch with comes back to you. They found something in your relationship worth preserving. That is beauty. That is love. That is happiness. Feeling a weight lift from you as a part of your heart is sewn back in place.

Life

I'm unsure of what I need to do in life. I have yet to find my purpose, but you know what? I'm 22 years old. I don't think that I need to have it all figured out right now.

I've always lived with a carefree attitude. I believe that you need to make the most of every day. One of my greatest fears, however, is falling into an endless routine where your life becomes static, where it does not progress, where you forget about your dreams and aspirations because that steady income is more comfortable than doing what really makes you happy. I do not want this fate to befall me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bek1y2uiQGA This is a video for Avicii & Nicky Romero's "I Could Be The One." This video is exactly what I'm talking about. You fall into a routine, you lose sight of the endless joys that are within your grasp, and essentially you die as your dreams do. You waited too long to do what you wanted and now you're stuck with responsibilities. I like to think that I have the type of personality that will never let responsibility get in the way of my dreams. I have many plans for myself - mainly traveling, seeing as many of my favourite artists as I can, meeting as many people as I can, doing everything on my bucket list. I'm too free spirited to be kept in an office for the rest of my life.

I do not believe in regret. Everything you do in life has a reason, and if you sit there regretting the things you've done or haven't done you're going to miss out on so much. I don't ever want to look back on my life and say, "there were so many things I could have, should have done while I was young. I really wish I had done everything I wanted to." I want to be the most bruised and weathered old woman when I finally grow up. I want to be the woman that has endless stories of adventures that I went on - like sailing on the sea, swimming with sea turtles, going to Tomorrowland and being so high on life. I want my life to have meaning. I want to experience everything that this world has to offer.

I am appreciative of the things that I have. I've done quite a bit in my 22 years, but I know there is an entire world waiting for me to explore. I have a heart for leaving. My soul is not meant to be held down by routine.

I am the master of my fate. I am free.

Swedish Invasion

On Saturday I finally got to see Swedish House Mafia in concert - and probably for the last time. They are doing a tour called "One Last Tour," where they are traveling the entire world to share their music one final time with their devoted fans. I honestly cannot even begin to stress how important and amazing this night was.

I've been a big fan of Swedish House Mafia for a while now, and their track "Don't You Worry, Child" is a really important song for me. Every time I hear it I instantly become overjoyed and cannot help but smile. The song is so inspirational, as I'm sure many of you already know, and really helps motivate me to keep strong when I'm feeling my weakest.

My friend Gen and I traveled to Toronto to spend the day. We were emotionally and physically preparing ourselves for the insanity that was surely going to ensue - we would be raging all night long. All we could think about was how amazing this show was going to be. We kept reliving moments from VELD last August, where we were blown away by artists like Kill the Noise, Nicky Romero, Bassnectar, Deadmau5, and our personal favourite of the weekend, Avicii. We had nothing but high hopes for Swedish House Mafia's show at the Rogers Centre.

Finally the time came when we had to race to the Rogers Centre to beat the 2 hour line up, just to get inside the venue, that the previous night apparently had. Luckily, we got inside in less than 10 minutes. We immediately bought t-shirts like we do at every show we attend, and decided to get some drinks. We had floor tickets, so while Otto Knows was playing we walked around talking to people about our homemade shirts and Grizzly hoods (so cool).

Gen and I had been anticipating this day for months on end. Otto Knows finished performing, and we forced our way through the tightening crowd so we could get a better view of the stage. We made it to about a quarter away from the stage - our usual distance at such big venues.

And then it began: the lights beamed and the music blared as the crowd roared with excitement. The energy from the crowd was so overpowering! Being that deep and consumed in the crowd is infectious - all I can say is you need to experience that for yourself. The light show that occurs at EDM shows is something amazing in itself. It adds a magnitude to the performance that most concerts lack. We had made friends with a few guys around us, Kevin and Aaron, and having never been on someone's shoulders before, I decided tonight was the night I had to try it out. I thought being in the crowd was an amazing experience, but being above the crowd where you can see everything so perfectly puts you in such a state of euphoria. I asked Kevin if I could go up again when "Don't You Worry, Child" came on and I received an immediate "Yes."

Being so close to so many people really makes you sweat, especially when you're dancing and raging to your favourite tracks. I feel like when you're at an EDM show, the excitement and energy is increased dramatically because the purpose of these tracks are to make your entire body and soul vibrate with joyous movement. Everyone was stripped down to their skin as the heat climbed with the beat of the music. I was so lost in the drops and bass, the lights and lasers, the intimacy of the crowd.


I almost cried when "Don't You Worry, Child" began to play. I couldn't get up on those shoulders fast enough! I've never had a more genuine, elated, or euphoric smile on my face than I did in this moment. I video taped as I was dancing in the air, high above the crowd, so content with life.  Everyone was singing along, belting their hearts out. Being so high for this song moved within me so many emotions - I was in such a state of peace.

I went to the show with high expectations, and left with every expectation entirely fulfilled. Swedish House Mafia really blew me away, and seeing them perform is a night I will never likely forget.

To Be Strong

I see myself as a go-getter: when I want something, I usually find a way to get it. Lately, however, that has not been the case. I've been trying to find a job or internship (in the literary field), but I have been unlucky in my attempts. No matter how much I put myself out there, no matter how many companies that I apply to, no one is biting at my lure. It just seems like I've used up all my efforts - I've almost admit defeat.

But I refuse to give up! I'm not the type of person to sit down when the ground begins to shake. My parents gave me the name Valerie, which means" strength" or "strong." I like to believe that this name was meant for me - it defines the way I will conduct myself, the way I will make decisions: with strength. I will live up to the definition of my name. I will be strong, I will have strength, and I will persevere through the challenges that are in my path.

Giving up is not an option.