More Than Just Music

By: Fay Castronova

Raves have been in society since the 1980’s and have grown into a huge scene in the 21st century.

The lights, loud music vibrating the ground, hazy aroma, and those butterflies that flutter in your stomach as you enter the venue.

The question I always get asked is, “Why do you rave?” I’m sure some of you reading this right now get asked that all the time.

Flashback to 2015, I was just a young naive 17 year old that didn’t know much about the EDM scene.

I always heard about the typical stereotypes of raving like how it’s all about partying and nothing more.

At this time I was a senior in high school struggling with depression and felt like I didn’t matter. I never clicked with anyone and never really found my “crowd.”

One day, I decided to be spontaneous and attend my first rave.

During this time these artists I loved named Odesza with opener Big Wild were performing at a local venue in my hometown of Boise, ID.

I fell in love with Odesza in 2012 when their first album came out, Summer’s Gone.

I didn’t know what to expect when I got my tickets for the show. I just knew I needed to go to it and see what all the hype was about.

There I was standing in the front row waiting for Odesza to come on.

The excitement took over me, the lights, the aura, the visuals. The feeling was unimaginable, it was magical.

It was at that moment I knew I was home.

It became an escape from reality and for once everything in my life seemed okay.

The people I met were so inviting, the outfits others wore were amazing and so unique.

It made me feel like I could be comfortable in my own skin and helped me gain confidence in myself.

Throughout my years in the rave scene I’ve met so many people just from shows or groups online.

I’m proud to say most of my friends today are from some sort of rave I’ve been to.

The culture is very welcoming and someone can always find something they like.

In the end it’s all so much more than just music.

About the author: Fay Castronova

Hey, I’m Fay Castronova. I’m a graduate from Boise State University with a B.A. in English emphasis in Writing, and a minor in Journalism and English Literature. Writing and music have always been a passion of mine. It would be a dream of mine to write for a company that involves the music scene. When I’m not at a show I’m hanging with my dog, Finn. Feel free to follow me on instagram: lady_libra__