A magical tour packed with some of the biggest names in electronic dance music stopped by Bristow, Virginia’s Jiffy Lube Live on July 28 to host an epic festival filled with loud, pulsing electronic dance music (EDM), flashing lights, sweat, and glitter.

While EDM concerts have long suffered a reputation as cesspools of drugs, alcohol, and general debauchery, Identity Festival brought the focus back to where it belonged: on the excellent music the electronic dance scene has to offer.  Featuring up-and-coming artists in the industry like Excision, Datsik, Eric Prydz, and Madeon, Identity Festival proved to be about more than dancing and pretty lights.

The lineup offered an intriguing mix of the popular and the obscure, allowing the audience plenty of choice about who to see and when. The festival showcased various subgenres of EDM as well, from the notorious dubstep to ground-shaking  house, electrohouse, and moombahton.

“I didn’t think it was going to be as big as it was.  There were three stages and a lot of people there,” junior Eamon Collins said.

The fest also offered a glimpse into the mesmerizing, otherworldly counter-culture of raves. The crowd was a kaleidoscope of color, a breathing, sweating, eclectic jumble of skin and neon. Sometimes it was overwhelming to feel like a part of the thrall, but there was an undeniable sense of community in that mass of young people who were all gathered for nothing more than to have a good time.

According to technical drawing teacher Cara Mosley, a veteran concertgoer, all concerts and festivals have a feeling of community and togetherness.

“A lot of people that go end up traveling together, going to a lot of shows.  Usually people stay east or west coast, while some people travel all around. I do think there is a large sense of community for any kind of music,” Mosley said.

As there always is in such a crowd, there was a certain degree of illegal activity. Anyone who has been to an EDM concert can vouch for the presence of rampant drug use. However, concertgoers were largely unaffected, thanks to the festival’s admirable handling of security.

“There were police on hand,” Collins said, “so I felt absolutely safe. Overall, the festival exceeded expectations, resulting in an unforgettably exciting day that punctuated the otherwise monotonous humdrum of summer.  For those who weren’t able to go this year, don’t worry.  ID Fest is an annual event, so don’t miss out next summer.

(Photos courtesy of David Nguyen of killthelight.com)