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EDC’s ‘seriously happy people’ prove infectious

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Photo: Sam Morris

Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas Motor Speedway | June 8, 2012 | 9:04 p.m.

Electric Daisy Carnival isn’t really my scene. My personal soundtrack varies considerably more than 130-150 BPM. And with my kids’ schedule necessitating a daily 6 a.m. wake up, I didn’t know if I had an all-nighter in me. Fortunately, I really enjoy my job precisely because it puts me in situations I normally wouldn’t put myself in.

It didn’t start off well. Upon arrival at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, I was sent from the tunnel to Gate A, back to the tunnel and back to Gate A because of confusion about where media was supposed to enter. Now, hot, sweaty and seemingly in a flashback to a frat party from 20 years ago, I really wasn’t looking forward to the next 11 hours. Especially since I left my earplugs in my car. But then the people started arriving. The music (is it music or merely rhythm and melody?) started playing. The kids started dancing. My cynicism began melting away.

It was a long night of pretty lights and happy people. Seriously happy people. And there was something infectious about watching 100,000 people dancing and losing themselves in a sonic electronic maelstrom. How often do you get that many people together and not have one fight? I’m already looking forward to next year, and I might even shoot more than one night. Hopefully, I’ll remember my earplugs.

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