In Myanmar, a country of stunning landscapes, age-old traditions and really friendly people, you may be surprised to find thousands of teenagers shaking to synthesizers and tacky FL Studio reworks like the zombies from 28 Days Later.
No, I’m not talking about a heavy metal show: something even more talentless, EDM or electronic dance music.
With the exception of several talented and professional DJs, Myanmar’s nightlife scene has been robbed of its authenticity, leaving hordes of young hot-blooded revelers looking for hard beatz. Where did it all begin?
We Are Connected, November 23 2016. If you attended this EDM gathering and had a good time, this rant isn’t for you. It also won’t please satisfied customers who went to Invasiv, 808, and Waterzonic. Reader discretion is advised.
EDM festivals around the world are almost identical. There’s an immense build-up of hype, reassurance from the organizers that the festival itself is not fake—although there have been such cases—and last but not least, audiences that pay big prices for three or four sets of pre-recorded music. Many of them persist with the word ‘festival,’ which, to me, means a multiple-day sleepover affair and not an eight-hour noise ejaculation.
Despite rain, severe intoxication, and the odd street fight, Yangon’s fledgling ravers donned their best bomber jackets and slid into their tube tops to join party franchise Creamfields Myanmar yesterday (September 6).
Tickets were 35,000 to 85,000 kyats for a few hours of thump thump thump at Thuwunnabhumi Event Park.
I get it; I’m in the minority of Myanmar people my age, but I would rather spend that kyat getting filled on the good stuff. I mean food.
But when it comes to these parties, it’s like Myanmar people have had them around forever.
A wild drunken farce of pubescent boys and girls in close proximity with each other, something’s bound to go south. DJs ‘entertain’ them while playing pre-recorded sets. The kids swarm to those sets, desperate to be entertained.
The music matters to the extent that there needs to be a predictable drop to give hyperventilating kids a cue to throw their hands in the air and screech—while, of course, taking a video/photo for The Gram: Cheese! It’s mass entertainment but content and culture have become completely irrelevant.
For most of my friends, fun is when they fit in and “rave.” They certainly help grow events such as Creamfields, posting photos of themselves peak party, talking about how ???????????? it was on social media (don't lie to yourself folks!). I dare say the next Creamfields Myanmar will be bigger and even more hyped.
That’s bad news for many residents living nearby the event, which emits blistering sound. Friends from Thaketa, Thuwanna, and other townships surrounding the park have told me the racket has been an annoyance.
So Myanmar, enough with the EDM. Are you with me? If not, tell me why: [email protected].
