The Perfect Rave Buddy

The perfect Rave Buddy –

Facts show that on average an EDM festivalgoer attends festivals with an average of 5 friends (Eventbrite, 2013). Sure it’s tons of fun going with a big group for festivals as everyone is going bat-shit crazy together and bonding further as a group of close friends. But any ‘seasoned’ festgoer will know that not everytime a group that enters together stays together. Eventually, we all end up separating, either due to having different DJ preferences or due to getting plain ol lost.

When separating, always remember to be with at least one friend so you’re not alone for the fest. Not that being alone is bad – personally having raved for most of UMF Miami alone due to diff DJ preferences – since you will always meet new people who clearly share the same interests in music and such. But it is always an asset to have someone you know personally around with you in case you need any kind of help.

Having raved/raged with different sets of friends in a number of different festivals it is at Tomorrowland 2014 that I actually found ‘The Perfect Rave Buddy’. Let me start by saying: No! Your perfect rave buddy does not, and most likely will not; have to be your childhood best friend (since chances are you both will have different – albeit at the slightest – artist preferences and arguments may ensue). Your perfect rave buddy can come from the most unlikely of sources and render your festival ‘ACE’!

A group of us friends went for TL2014 together and as predicted we all parted our ways a few hours into the fest. A friend, who I had only met 3 days before Tomorrowland, and I ended up sticking together since we had quite a lot of common DJs/Artists we wanted to see. Not knowing him personally for a long enough time I have to admit I was hoping it wouldn’t turn out to be one of those Rave Buddies who have the ‘My way or highway’ kind of attitude when it comes to their musical experiences.

To summarize in points, these are the steps that we took to ensure our festival experience went about smoothly:

• Plan and chart out the DJs/Artists each of you want to see that are non-negotiable
• Plan and decide the remaining DJs/Artists you guys want to see, but are flexible to missing out on, even if just for 30 minutes of the 1.5hour long set
• If unsure about clashing DJs/Artists, make sure each of you make the other ‘Rave Buddy’ listen to the music of the artist of your choice and discuss your experience of seeing that artist. After discussing and listening to the clashing Artists’ music, come to a conclusion
• In case of 2 favourite Artists of both buddies, i.e., both of you’ll love both the Artists that are clashing yet can’t decide who to watch, ALWAYS go for the artist that at least one of you haven’t seen live (In my case it was between Aleso & Knife Party. We both had seen Alesso and my ‘Rave Buddy’ had seen Knife Party; I hadn’t. Therefore, we saw 30 minutes of Alesso and left for Knife Party just to reach on time for the beginning of their set)

These were measures taken pre-Tomorrowland. During Tomorrowland, however, there were many actions that just sort of came naturally to each ‘Rave Buddy’, which just went to make sure we both had the time of our life in perhaps the biggest EDM festival in the world.

Each of us took turns holding the backpack of rave-necessities (water, flag, costumes, snacks, rave-gear, etc.). Each of us took turns giving shoulder rides when the other Rave Buddies’ favourite song was being dropped. Each of us taking turns to recuperate when tired and not moving so the dancing buddy knows exactly where to find you. Each one taking turns to go fill water, buy food and refreshments, etc. without stressing over who paid for what, etc. (trust me, this happens waaaay too often in India than I’d like to admit). But most of all the perfect ‘Rave Buddy’ lets you dance and be in your own personal musical space without disturbing you by making small talk and the like. After all you’ve gone to enjoy the music not sit and chit-chat. Sure, we would talk and laugh in sets, but we’d talk when the situations was perfect, i.e., a funny incident happening, a sick song being played, a friend needs a cigarette, etc. but majority of the time we were in our own musical bubble while also keeping an eye on our ‘Rave Buddy’ to ensure we had each others’ back.

I have raved/raged with some of my closest and dearest friends, yet none of them seemed like a more perfect fit than this new friend I barely met 72 hours ago, who I can now easily call my perfect ‘Rave Buddy’.