I’ve been going to festivals since I was in 8th grade, with my first being Warped Tour. But in 2014, I was brought into the world of electronic music, and man, was it different. Although I wouldn’t call myself a seasoned veteran in festival-going, I will say the one thing I learned is that even though it’s a music festival, there’s so much more to it than making every one of your favorite artists’ sets!

Here’s why going to a festival is so much more than the lineup:

#1: You probably won’t make all of the sets in your schedule anyway

When I went to EDC last year, I was hyped AF about the thicc lineup. Everyone I’ve ever wanted to see was going to perform. And if they weren’t on the phase 1 lineup, they were announced to play on the Brownies & Lemonade Art Car about a week before the event. Saying I was excited about seeing everyone in my schedule would be an understatement.

That Saturday, I ended up mostly alone, stage hopping because I wanted to have a “trap day” all to myself, but my friends wanted more diversity. Did I make all the sets? Absolutely not. Did I have FOMO for all the sets I missed? 100%. And did the sets I actually made live up to expectation? Not always. I’ve learned that exploring different stages brings you to music you’ll love that you probably wouldn’t have found on your own. And sometimes it’s more enjoyable to experience sets with your friends than it is to be alone.

#2: Festivals work hard to create an immersive experience

While music is what brings people to the space, there are so many amazing things to do at a festival. You can play games, look at art, do yoga, shop at different vendors (not to mention festival food is always amazing!), and so much more. If you have time between sets, take the chance to walk around and see all that the festival has to offer. You’ll be surprised at what you can run into!

I know I keep mentioning EDC, but it’s one of the best curated festivals I’ve been to. You can take a stroll down a lighted up memory lane, take photos with bright flowers, and walk into another dimension depending on what area you’re in! But even smaller festivals like Greatest Day Ever have booths giving out free Adidas bags! I seriously missed out on free shit because I was too concerned about missing a set. Learn from my mistakes.

#3: You’ll meet some of your best friends

I lowkey have social anxiety, so I haven’t experienced this first-hand. But I know so many people who’ve made lifelong friends after meeting randomly at a festival.

What I can say, though, is that going to festivals with some of my friends have seriously strengthened our relationships! One of my go-to coping mechanisms, when I’m going through a hard time, is attending a festival. There have been countless times where my homies will pull up even if they’re not a big fan of the music—just because they want to be there for me.

Music just brings people together in a way that no other experience can.

#4: It’s one of the best excuses to travel

Not everyone has unlimited paid time off, but if you have the opportunity to take a few days off before or after the festival to check out the area—do it. I recently attended Gem & Jam and got to see the incredible natural sights of Arizona and was seriously shook. I would have never gotten to see how amazing Arizona is unless I was there for a reason. For me, Gem & Jam was that reason. Now I’m just waiting for an excuse to go back.

Plus, if you have some long-distance friends you want to visit, you can always plan it around a festival in their area. You could also just visit your friends without an event happening… But I like to multi-task.

#5: It’s an escape from everyday reality

Let’s be real. Life is tough. Like I mentioned before, festivals have been my way of coping when I’m going through shit. Immersing yourself in music instead of sadness or anger can be healthy! Festivals are a time to dress up, get excited, experience new things, and meet new people. The event throwers make it so that you step into another universe, away from the troubles of real life. And everyone deserves a break some time.

With that being said, know your limits. Going non-stop to festivals can cause physical burnout, and shitty things can still happen in these magical places. I learned that the hard way. So when you’re at a festival make sure to take care of yourself as well as those around you. That’s what it’s all about!

The post Music Festivals Are About More Than Just The Line Up appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

If you didn’t know this already, perhaps it’s time to turn off SoundCloud and get to one of those after-hours clubs you hear about…The kind of place that’s so dark you can’t see your drink, and so loud you are physically lifted by bass frequencies. The kind of place that plays music which numbs and expands your mind simultaneously.

Or perhaps it’s time for a pilgrimage to the very birthplace of the genre: Detroit. Every year thousands of people descend upon the resilient Motor City for Movement Festival (previously DEMF, or Detroit Electronic Music Festival) – a vanguard and celebration of “the untz-untz.”

Five stages are spread out (or tucked away) over downtown’s Hart Plaza. With the city looming high all around and Canada perched calmly on the other side of the river, there couldn’t be a more central environment for booming 4×4 bass beats.

It was kind of surreal, actually, to see this type of music put on such public display. What really blew my mind was how freakin’ loud the music was – at every stage, but especially the main stage, you were fully immersed in the music by default. The speaker systems here definitely punch above their weight.

Far from being relegated to the underground, there is a city-wise sense of pride about the event. From Lyft drivers to coffee shop workers, event staff and even police officers, it feels like the entire population is ushering you into the festival grounds.

Sure, there are techno purists out there. People who say that if you don’t make music on a synthesizer, or listen to the stuff at night, or wear a black t-shirt, that you’re not doing it right. Take no heed of these haters – they are missing out on a hell of an experience. Also, these people were conspicuously absent from Movement; perhaps staying home to fiddle with their knobs and emerge in the night like pale vampires.

We purposely did very little research on the lineup before attending, knowing that if we followed our ears the right things would happen. Here we list the five artists that we discovered or loved already at Movement Detroit 2019.

**A WORD OF WARNING** If you’re not listening to this on big sub speakers, you’re going to have to use your imagination to add many layers of bass behind every kick. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, imagine that a small horse is hitting you in the chest with each thump. That’s techno.

And if this list doesn’t look very “techno” on paper, well… they sure went that way at Movement. Check our IG post for a taste of the real thing.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FUXWITHIT (@fuxwithitblog)

1. FISHER

Fisher’s become a big name in electronic music recently, and not without reason. This Aussie’s signature combination of splashy synths and bumping basslines makes for a catchy-yet-accessible dance experience.

2. VIRGIL ABLOH

Off-White. Louis Vuitton. Engineering. Architecture. Producing and DJing. Virgil Abloh is involved in some high-falutin’ activities and he’s a hell of a smart guy. How often does a YouTube search pull up a Boiler Room set alongside a speech at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design?

People give him shit as a DJ because his hip-hop sets are kind of janky, and I agree – though his house & techno selections were lush and well-curated.

3. ORBITAL (LIVE)

This English duo has been around since 1989, making computer music and rebuilding it live for audiences around the world. This was the least “techno” of the bunch (maybe more like “electronica”) but it was still enthralling and very worthwhile. They have an esoteric sound that really bumps on a soundsystem.

4. WAJATTA

While I’m usually not a fan of live vocals over electronic beats, this collab between Reggie Watts and John Tejada was totally different. Reggie’s bombastic voice fits perfectly over bouncy tech-house grooves and makes for a really dope party vibe.

5. AMELIE LENS

Pure, dark techno. That’s what this Belgium-based producer and DJ makes, and that’s what the people like – she was the most-requested artist for this year’s Movement based on attendee polls from last year. Another experience that’s sadly diluted by most speaker systems, but put on a proper one it’ll test your backbone.

The post 5 Artists We Loved Or Discovered At Movement Detroit 2019 appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

With craft beer accounting for 23% of beer sales, why do we have 0 options at music festivals?

While I may feel very strongly about this matter, I’m not the only one; demand for craft beer has increased greatly in recent time. In the U.S. craft beer sales grew 5% in 2017 while overall beer sales declined by 1%. Further, craft beers sales represented more than 23% of all beer sales. With craft beer accounting for 23% of beer sales, why do we have 0 options at music festivals? Sure corporate sponsorships from beverage giants bring in big dollars, but does every event need a headlining beer sponsor with exclusive rights? Are we okay with big brands monopolizing our beer selection at our favourite events? I certainly am not and you shouldn’t be either. Choice is something we should revel in, which brings me to my next point….

With this level of choice for food, why are we stuck drinking the beer equivalent of McDonald’s light, McDonald’s lime and McDonald’s Strawberita as our only beer options?

The disparity between beer and food options is baffling. With the rise of food trucks a new world of mobile culinary excellence was born. Long gone are the days of choosing between hot dogs and reheated pizza slices at festivals. Today options range from wood fire pizzas to jerk chicken, braised beef sandwiches with hand-made aioli, to lobster mac & cheese and every variety of poutine you could dream of. With this level of choice for food, why are we stuck drinking the beer equivalent of McDonald’s light, McDonald’s lime and McDonald’s Strawberita as our only beer options? Imagine if your only food options at music festivals were hamburger, cheeseburger or McDouble? That’s what we’ve got in terms of beer right now. I want a porter with that poutine, a session ale to fight the heat or even a crisp pilsner to go with that lobster mac & cheese. Don’t you?

When it comes to beer though, the money isn’t going back to the local economy, a vast portion of the sales are going the multinational beverage conglomerates already worth billions…

Beyond just personal preference and festival-goer choice, the addition of craft beer can have positive impacts on the local economy of host cities. From hotels and local retailers, to on-site vendors, aforementioned food trucks and more, music festivals bring a ton of money to the local economy. When it comes to beer though, the money isn’t going back to the local economy, a vast portion of the sales are going the multinational beverage conglomerates already worth billions. Imagine if instead of letting all that money filter out, festivals brought in local craft breweries. This would not only improve the beer selection vastly but it would ensure that the cities hosting the events reap further benefits. Not only would this impact the overall economy but it could help craft brewers grow and expand, further improving the beer community in that area.

On top of everything I’ve mentioned the addition of craft beer and real choice would help to elevate the festival experience. More and more festivals are scaling back in size and attempting to deliver a “boutique” experience. If there’s one thing that fits the boutique vibe these festivals are working to create it’s craft beer. There’s nothing sophisticated or specialized about a mass produced flavorless light lager.

The need for craft beer at music festivals is strong. But will it ever happen? The optimist in me says yes, but there’s no clear indication of improvement on the horizon. If you’d like to see craft beer at your favourite festival share this article, tag your local festivals and breweries, and talk to your promoters. Let’s make this a movement! Just imagine the possibilities…drinking an IPA as your favorite DJ throws down, crushing a pineapple sour while your dream band takes you into the evening, or sipping a chocolate stout to cap the night off. Cheers to a brighter future with better beer!

The post The Missing Element At Music Festivals: Craft Beer appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

The past year alone has seen some unplanned festival circumstances, for example:

• Brazil’s Atmosphere Festival experienced the tragic loss of DJ Kaleb Freitas, along with 3 injured, due to a high-wind storm on 17 Dec.
• T.O.’s own Electric Island, after an entire summer of being held on the mainland rather than at its home venue (Toronto Island) due to flooding, got to celebrate its 2-Day Labour Day season finale on the island – only to evacuate the island on the second day (4 Sep), thanks to an approaching thunderstorm.
• The 20th annual Shambhala Music Festival (11-14 Aug) was under heavy watch by the festival’s organizers and local government officials, because of the British Columbia wildfire situation occurring throughout the summer.

The latter state of affairs was quite an event in itself, to say the very least. As amazing as the festival undoubtedly was, being fully aware of the severity of BC’s wildfire situation really helped reality sink in, amidst all of the magic, surrealism and wonder taking place deep within the mountains that week.

Although the haze concealed the glorious mountain scenery, the smiles were inevitable and strong throughout the weekend.

As a quick refresher of what went down over the extended weekend: on Wednesday, the first evening of early entry onto the festival grounds, we received notice of an evacuation alert nearby – it didn’t affect us at the time, but was meant to make us aware, should the situation change. It wasn’t until Saturday that we received an update, which announced the evacuation alert extending to the festival grounds, as well as a full-blown evacuation order for the nearby Nelway area. Later that same day, Shambhala made the announcement that it was cancelling its third and final night.

The first thing on a lot of our minds, after literally months of saving, budgeting, planning, dreaming, creating, and sharing on social media how ecstatic we were to celebrate such a milestone, was a despondent wave of sadness. Nonetheless, we fully understood the situation- it was to ensure our utmost safety; being shrouded by heavy smog from the constant wildfires helped us grasp the gravity of the situation. Still, there was a small glimmer of hope deep within, which told us that “maybe it could somehow come back on.”

10:00am Sunday morning, after sleeping through my 9:00 alarm, my buddy ventured deep into the forest to find my tent, shake me awake, and inform me that the festival didn’t come back on – thus we all needed to leave. Just as he and I dismantled/packed up my tent and belongings, we heard two people screaming and dashing through the forest, hollering that the organizers have decided that the show will go on for the final evening after all!

What if the conditions didn’t turn out like that? What if, through some unfortunate turn of events, they got worse?

What’s more is that later that night, after 50 days of drought, we were doused with heavy rainfall, 3 minutes to midnight. All we could think to do was cheer incredulously, dance in the rain, and hug one another as we cried into each other’s shoulders. Monday morning, as we packed up and left the farm, I took a long, hard look at the first instance of a clear blue sky, since arriving in the province almost a week prior.

Such a happy, magical fairy-tale-like ending is undoubtedly perfect for a place such as Shambhala. But back things up a bit, in regards to the reality aspect once more. What if the conditions didn’t turn out like that? What if, through some unfortunate turn of events, they got worse? There were those who, like me, slept scattered throughout the forest because we stayed up ’till sunrise to catch Calyx & TeeBee and Spiral Architects at The Village, well past sunrise, knowing it was in our best interests to leave as soon as possible for safety’s sake.

On the other hand, those who took heed of the weekend-long warnings and left early to avoid traffic for the evacuation were reasonably upset by the “change of mind”, if you will. Some claimed to have already gotten as far as Kelowna, an approx. 4-hour drive from the farm, and well beyond. Despite the option to return to the festival hassle-free (with wristbands intact), it wasn’t feasible for some – which led to some inevitable disdain, missing out on the final night.

There’s no such thing as a perfect situation when it comes to things like these. And the decision to hold the final night after all was far from an easy one for the coordinators to make, given the artist cancellations/replacements that followed, as well as potential financial losses – for attendees, workers, festival organizers, and everyone in-between. From an attendee viewpoint, there were some costumes that likely never got worn. (Yes, some of us came with a different costume for each day!) Flights/trips back home were probably thrown out of whack for some, especially those who left early.

And to top it all off, it was damn near impossible to take in one particularly hard truth. Shambhala is so wondrous, to the point that it doesn’t seem like it’s real. As I mentioned following my first Shamb experience last year, “everything is like one continuous dream which you know is actually occurring“. To have that knowingly taken away/cut short was a brutal wake-up call – being deprived of its loving sense of farmily/community, along with some of the absolute best of the underground (Shambhala itself is quite a tastemaker in the electronic music scene), was quite a dampener on an extravagantly-hyped summer.

Despite all these setbacks, the way in which it was handled by the Shambhala team, from pre- to start to finish, was top-class, given the situation’s unpredictable nature. Staying on top of the wildfire updates every single hour, for multiple days on end, was an arduous task in itself, especially while simultaneously ensuring that the festival was running smoothly and to schedule. And as much as the wildfires were raging in the back of our minds, there was a general feeling of safety throughout the week, which helped put some, if not most, of our minds at ease for the better part of it all.

Looking towards the 2018 season, no matter what may go down this summer, I wish to say have fun, be safe, and let’s continue to be there for one another in whatever way we can – let’s prove that PLUR isn’t truly burnt out. <3

PIctures courtesy of Alex Pflaum – check out the full Shamb 2017 gallery on our Facebook page!

The post “I Survived The Great Shambhala Fire of 2017” [Festival Evacuations] appeared first on FUXWITHIT.