Sneak Peek
The Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas is one of the largest celebrations on this side of the planet for the rave community. Living so close to the festival grounds, it holds a special place in my heart. This will only be my fifth time attending. It’s not a festival for children, unless you mean your inner child—in that case, it’s only for children who are 18 years or older.
My first time was with my best friend, Eli. He taught me everything I know about rave culture, helped me curate my music taste, and gave me my first introduction to raves. We started out as bassheads, through and through. In year one, we hardly ventured away from bassPOD at all. As we've aged, we've slowly moved over to trance and solidified our place as elder ravers.
My first EDC in 2016 had a different energy than the years that followed. The agreements of PLURR were strong. The stages had their niches but everything felt more inclusive. The people were versed in concert etiquette, and it was a full-time party. In the years that followed, it just felt different. PLURR is still alive and keeps us intertwined, but you have to seek it out. These agreements we make keep the community together, and losing them would ultimately feel like losing raving altogether.
This year is special, though. This year is my second time attending the festival with Eli. “Best friend” was a little misleading—starting off strong with narrator integrity there, Peach. Eli and I have been friends for many years, but in the past couple of years, we hadn’t even spoken. Our last festival together was eight years ago, EDC 2016. It was an asteroid. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the kind that burns up in the atmosphere, not the kind that keeps flying through space.
Life has a mysterious way of coming full circle, though. We get a second chance. We can right the wrongs of the past and realign. The stars don’t lie. At least they haven’t so far.
As we prepare for the festival, I can’t help but feel a sense of unease. The gravity of this opportunity is weighing on both of us. Eli would never admit it. He’s excited, but there’s a pressure he’s putting on himself to make up for the first time. I wonder if he knows I have just as much to make up for.
For now, we’re pre-gaming at Dreamstate Las Vegas. When we finally reconnected late last year, we did Dreamstate SoCal for my birthday. It was the perfect reintroduction to raving with Eli. Honestly, Quantum Valley is what we’re most excited. We already plan to hunker down there this year. Tonight is just a preview of what’s to come for the festival, and our celebration of the music that connects us.
Eli and I communicate through music. We’ve sent songs back and forth to one another as a way to communicate, usually cryptically, for all of our friendship. Even in our time apart, I kept a playlist of songs for him. There’s always been one that’s stood out above the others, one that felt personal to Eli and me—“Sun & Moon” by Above & Beyond. It doesn’t matter, though; they won’t even be at the festival this year.
I wonder what the stars have in store for us. Will this be the festival where everything changes? Can we actually make up for what happened in 2016? Only time will tell.
