Arts/Cultural Event: Barstool Blackout

For my Arts/Cultural Event I chose to write about Barstool Blackout.  Electronic Dance Music, also known as EDM, has become extremely popular.  What have become even more popular are concerts, raves, and musical festivals to celebrate EDM.  Barstool Blackout was created by barstoolsports.com, a website “by the common man, for the common man.”  Occasionally I do read some of their articles because they are pretty humorous but my interest in their website started last March when I heard they were having one of their “blackouts” in New York City.

             I’m a huge EDM fan, I’ve known about it since I was in middle school and I thought my sister was a huge guidette for constantly listening to it.  I had an amazing time when Barstool came to New York so when I found out they were going to be in State College at Levels I had to get tickets.  I got a ticket for October 23^rd but little did I know I’d be going the second night they were around as well.

            The reasons their concerts are called “blackouts” are because they use black lights and other lighting so certain colors glow in the dark.  When I stepped into levels I was met with a bluish glow and a multitude of colored flashing lights and loud dance music.  The place was packed to the point where I really just wanted to scream I was so tired of being shoved and feeling like a hot sweaty mess.  I found relief by dancing on stage, which was SO much more fun then being surrounded in a crowd of raging, sweaty people.  Some of the guys working the rave would shoot water and fog into the crowd, all while dressed as power rangers, Darth Vader, and other classic characters I’ve seen through my life. 

            As 2 am rolled around the concert was over and as we sadly begin our departure from Levels, one of the workers stopped me and told me Dante, the DJ, wanted my number.  I figured “what the hell” and gave it and in return Devlin, the worker, gave me his hat!  Yay!  I figured I’d never hear from Dante but as I finally make it to bed ready to pass out, he texts me inviting my friends and me back to tomorrow night’s show.  For free!  I just got a free hat AND ticket all in one night, score one for me!

            The next night was the same playlist, same lighting, but still a great time.  I love EDM, it’s music I love dancing to and I’m so happy it’s become popular because I love celebrating it.  Overall, Barstool Blackout was a great time where I got to experience something I love.  I have now been to three shows but they had different feels because of the venue.  In NYC it was so much bigger and I generally had a better time there just because I felt like I was suffocating in Levels.  Would I go to Barstool again?  Probably not, unless it was one of their foam parties.  I’ve had my fun with Barstool but definitely not with EDM.  I hope to go to Electric Zoo this summer as well as the Electric Daisy Carnival.  Barstool will always have a special place in my heart because I had a great time at every show I’ve been to.

I know this is super creepy of me but as I stood on the upper level of Levels I saw these two people making out and I thought it was funny/cute so I took a picture.  Actually I took three but this one is the cutest.