What exactly were we dancing to, though? Zed's Dead took the stage for his set at 1 AM, but it's all some sort of surreal, extraterrestrial cacophony of deep, chest-thumping bass and tingling noises in the upper noise spectrum. Neither of us knew what the hell we were listening to, but there was still dancing and revelery and a good time, because that's just what loud music in a setting with a lot of people is: A good time.
Albeit, a blurry and indistinguishable good time. As a genre it certainly deserves it's respect, but can't we just look at it for what it really is: A soundtrack to party to that doesn't take alot of cognitive processing to enjoy.
EDM is blurry and indistinguishable. It's basically jazz made by computers, for people who embrace being a natural byproducts of a digital era.
There are two problems with EDM: (1. The computer-generated mathematical precision of EDM's live performance makes it pretty soulless. Think about what it's like to watch Aretha Franklin or Mick Jagger or Robert Plant or Greg Allman or Elton John breathlessly hold a note for just the right moment with a crowd lapping it up with massive smiles in the palm of their hand. Great live muscians are capable of sublime moments that make hearts melt in the way no drop can, because it hits this dusty corner of your soul. And 2.) There's a massive disconnect between the artist and the audience. There wasn't really a whole lot to pay attention to besides bright flashing lights, people dancing, and two dudes pressing buttons. Showmanship of the performer is a big X-factor that's really missing from the EDM concert spectacle. In fact, it's basically non-existant, sans a couple of fist-pumping hand gestures.
Unlike the rock concerts I've been to that I wished would never end, I couldn't wait to get out of there.
After a while, it got repeative and tedious. I've had a similar experience at almost every other EDM show I've ever been to: Steve Angello, Sebastian Ingrosso, Pretty Lights, A-trak. I needed... Normalcy. I had fun, but then I got bored.
I respect the hell out of the genre and admire the devotion many have for the music, along with the community. I don't classify myself as an EDM basher (hell, I listen to it every now and then just to get the blood pumping), yet I'd never lionize it above hearing David Bowie squawk or the Talking Heads jam or driving down the Garden State Parkway on the summer weekend blaring Bruce, just because it's conditioned behavior.
Someday maybe I'll grow robot ears and start enjoying it even more. Or a robot heart to appreciate it's barely-existent soul. But until then, this video from Rolling Stone sums up my feelings.