One of the best things about music is the overall experience you go through when you listen to it live. It is definitely something you have to experience if you haven’t so far. When you go to a music festival, concert or rave, the music genre is not important at that moment. You will be overwhelmed with the music and atmosphere and the people around you even if you are not a big fan of that specific music genre. However, it can be a bit confusing to make a difference between a music festival and rave, so in the following article we are going to cover that but first let’s take a look what each of them represents.
What is a Rave?
We ca define raves as large dance parties where electronic dance music is being played by live performers or DJs. On the other hand, music festivals can be described as community events with live themed music being performed.
Although there are many similarities between these two there are some key features that make a difference. It might be a bit confusing to make a difference at first but if you have the chance to attend both you will easily notice the difference and their specific qualities.
The Differences Between a Rave and a Music Festival
As you are approaching a rave you will feel the kick drum constantly beating. Once you enter the rave you will see a lineup of various DVs and EDM artists. The scene offers various types of electronic dance music and you will feel each type differently.
Music festivals are not limited to electronic dance music only. Yes, you can see your favorite DJ but you will hear other music than electronic dance. Music festival are often themed events so you will hear music belonging to the selected theme only.
Additionally, music festivals are more about live music and the quality of music, you don’t have to dance. On the other hand, the purpose of raves is to make the people get up and dance as the loud music comes from the powerful speakers.
What to wear at a rave or music festival?
Music festivals and raves also have another difference – the clothing. It is easy to notice the specific outfits for both events and some of them are pretty cool. It isn’t unusual to see lots of colors and matching outfits, even themed costumes.
When it comes to rave fashion everything is concentrated about expressing yourself. There are no limits and you can wear whatever you want and make it as interesting as possible. Neon colors and holographic clothes are nothing strange and you can wear whatever comes up to your mind at a rave.
What are you going to wear at a music festival greatly depends on the theme of the event. However, you can wear anything casual and stylish and you can’t get wrong with it. There are no age limits for music festivals and this is the reason why you aren’t going to see people dressed in crazy outfits most people would consider inappropriate.
So, depending on the music event you plan to attend you will see that there are things you can wear for both of them and feel fine.
Stage Art Installations and Activities
Another interesting thing about music festivals and raves are the cool art installations and performances.
While music festivals are usually held during the day there may be more games and interactive activities than on raves. You will often see some amazing art installations which would look perfect on your photos.
Music festivals can also last for a few days you can camp there if you want. This makes a perfect atmosphere for numerous activities for the people attending the festival. Some festivals lately offer workshops like meditations or yoga to make you have a better lifestyle.
Raves on the other hand are held during the night or underground and this is why the art installations have to be vibrant and loud, packed with LED lights and UV colors. Bright lights are the signature of a rave and you will often see stunning shows various performers create with their LED toys.
Stage Visuals
The stage visuals at both these events are incredible. They generally represent the artist’s vision and turn it into reality. The good thing is that the stage visuals are getting better and better every year. Although these visuals can be similar at raves and music festivals, there are still some differences.
Since raves are held in the dark the visuals and sounds get another dimension. If you are going to a rave for the first time in your life you better be prepared to experience something awesome which will definitely blow your mind. Amazing lights and lasers combined with some heavy bass will make you remember it forever.
The vibe and feel of each electronic dance music genre are different. The stages are different and you can practically see everything there from enormous structures to shooting fire.
The same thing can be seen on music festivals as well when electronic artists are performing, but live performers will give you a completely different experience. They pay more attention to the quality of sound of their vocals and instruments. The visuals are definitely not that powerful as at a rave, but colorful lighting setup and a huge screen displaying the artist is something you will see most often.
While music festivals and raves have their similarities the complete experience when you attend them is not the same. However, it is definitely worth going to both these events and experience the differences personally. You are definitely going to have an amazing time. No matter what kind of music you are into there is a music festival or rave ideal for you.
