Under The Electric Sky

Netflix did the great thing of updating the shows and films that are in their autoplay vaults and one of them is a documenterary about EDC 2013 called Under the Electric Sky.

As previously discussed I enjoy me some EDM. However, throughout the entire show I was underwhelmed because it was more about the crazy costumes, the 'art' exhibits, and everything else that goes on in EDC besides the amazing vibe and the feeling of community that is there. That was, until they got to the final night at the Above and Beyond set.

Throughout the entire thing she was just sort of a background character compared to the crazy group of six couples that had "open relationships" or the group of frat boys who were roadtripping to EDC because of one of their lost buddies because of an OD. Her story just sat in the background and didn't get much attention.

Her story was lame, but she always said that Above and Beyond was the set she was looking the most towards, and how much she loved their music and the vibe of them. Finally, last day of EDC, it's their set, she's dead center, front row, loving every second of the music. Her face alone showed just how much she was at home, how she was surrounded by a few hundred thousand people, but the music put all apprehensions or anything else to the side and she was at home. Just her enjoying the music and watching that feeling of the music washing everything away was worth the entire movie, but then came the moment that got me.

Above and Beyond even admit that what they do is a simple gimick, it's not that complicated, but it means the world to the crowd and the individual that does it, they call it "press the button". Pretty much they get the song just about to the peak of the song, right when the crowd goes crazy, and his pause. They get one of the people in the party to get up behind the decks, and press the button play. It's that simple. They just get a person from the audience to hit play after they have everything set up. Of course, Sadie is that person and to her, it changes everything.

To watch her face, to see the enjoyment, to see just how much the music and the scene has given her a place to be, and then to see something like international stars reaching out to the community and involving them (if even in a cheap gimmick) really got me. At that point, they got it. They got the point that EDM, raves, events, whatever else you want to call them, isn't about people grinding, isn't about druggies, isn't about crazy colors, it's about being who you are and accepting everyone for whatever crazy world they are in. It's about that undesirable moment of bliss where everything fades away and you feel at home. It's not about people doing back flips on trampolines while dressed as disco balls, it's about each and every person finding that moment where they are accepted and can be themselves, loving what they love.

I don't have the words or the time to explain what that culture is like, but in the forgotten and subverted story of Sadie, they nailed it right on the head. The EDM scene is like a second home.