Electric Forest Festival 2013 - Ferris Wheel Views By Day

If you've ever driven through the states of Iowa and Nebraska on Highway 80, you can visualize the corn fields that seem to go endlessly in all directions. You can't help but be blown away by the immensity of it all. Driving through the general camping at a large outdoor music festival like Electric Forest has a similarly profound impact. The difference is that after five minutes of being awestruck by the amount of corn, you're bored as heck; whereas the scenery on a drive through EFF couldn't be more entertaining. Landscapes like these fill you with wonder about what the view is like from above. Lucky for those curious minds at Electric Forest, there is a super fun way to find out.

The Ferris Wheel towering above the main entrance is one carnival ride you'll never forget. The saying goes that 'A picture is worth a thousand words' which may be true, but it doesn't fully convey the powerful feelings that are experienced firsthand. You may enjoy, be impressed by, and even learn from the photos I've taken below but trust me, it's nothing like actually being there.

These photos are daytime views but sunset and night views are equally stunning. Keep in mind that they were taken on the first day - before ALL of the festival attendees had even arrived! If you weren't able to ride it this year, I would HIGHLY recommend you do it next year. The mass of organized chaos is a breathtaking sight and it's 100% worth it!

Inspirational Track: New World - Rise Above (Trance)
Listen on YouTube
Listen on Beatport

Thousands of Tents, Vehicles, and People

Security Check at Main Entrance

Arial View of Tripolee Stage

Electric Forest Festival 2013 - Finding Friends (Part 1)

When you arrive at an outdoor music festival, setting up your campsite next to total strangers is a game of chance like drawing names out of a hat, and in this case, a hat that contains over 25,000 names in it. You really have no idea who your neighbors are going to be for the next four days. Are they going to be inclusive, enjoy the same music, be considerate, etc? There is no way of knowing until you've already set up camp and begun a dialogue with them. By then it may be too late - and who wants to tear everything down and move somewhere else??

I would venture to guess that the general mindset of the majority of people who attend these festivals is similar in that they just want to have a good time, no drama, feel peace, freedom, love, and so forth. I can safely say that there is a greater likelihood than not, that you'll enjoy the company of your neighbors. If not, perhaps your karma is trying to teach you something... :)

In my case, I couldn't have ended up with cooler neighbors. I mean it - these three guys are rad. We had great conversation, enjoyed listening to the same music, shared our supplies with each other, looked out for one another, and I trusted them completely. At first we were strangers, and by the end of the festival we were friends. I'm confident I'll keep in touch with them for a long time and I hope we'll meet up again at events in the future.

Another amazing experience is when you are at a festival with that many people and yet you somehow unexpectedly run into friends of yours that you know from back home. Like somehow, a couple of needles in a haystack should suddenly meet somewhere in the middle, just because they're both needles and that commonality is enough to bring them together. Even when finding people you planned to meet up with it was like, "I'll find you in The Forest." and by some magnetic, cosmic energy - you would!!!

So what started out as a solo mission for me, ended up as my having experienced a great feeling of companionship throughout the Festival. Thanks to all my friends there, both old and new, for adding so much more to that wonderful adventure. See you next time!

Inspirational Track:  GQMF -  Friend (Dubstep/Electro)

GQMF - Friend --- Listen to it on YouTube

GQMF - Friend --- Buy it on Beatport

Walking to main entrance

Having a refreshing brew

Time for the after-party!

Finding friends in the crowd

Electric Forest Festival 2013 - Arrival & Camp Set Up

June 27th, 2013 - the moment was finally upon me, the one I'd been waiting for ALL year long. I had arrived at Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury, Michigan. The rush of pure adrenaline came over me like a tidal wave. I literally screamed out a "WOO HOO!" and a "HELL YA!!!" and probably a "F@#K YA!!!" too as I made my way to the entrance of the 'back 40' of the Double JJ Ranch/Resort. It probably seemed funny from an outside perspective as I was driving alone, practically jumping out of my driver's seat. It was way too difficult to contain my excitement. After all, I knew what last year's experience was like and I could only imagine what surprises awaited me in the Forest this time.

After picking up my media passes and getting through security, I set out to find a campsite, the perfect spot I would happily call home for the next four days. Considering I had arrived in the afternoon on the first day, I assumed it wouldn't be very hard; I couldn't have been more wrong. The place was packed! Driving through the sea of colorful people, cars, and tents was super entertaining though, and I finally found my spot at the far end of the campgrounds. It was quite a hike to the main entrance, but at least it was a straight shot from there, and I really liked the names of the cross streets - I was at the corner of Forest Lane & Jam St. The energy all around was amazing as everyone wandered to and from getting set up and preparing for the evening ahead.

Setting up my base camp was quite easy as I've had a lot of experience doing it. I clicked, snapped, tied, and secured everything together as quickly as possible because I was in a hurry to see one of my current favorite DJs perform - Morgan Page. He was only going to play one set at EFF, and I was NOT going to miss it!

Here are some photos of my base camp location:

Corner of Forest Lane & Jam Street

People Settling In

My Bass Camp

Forest Lane Leading to Main Entrance

Inspirational Track: Morgan Page (ft. Lissie) - The Longest Road (Deadmau5 Remix)