2014 has proven that electronic dance music has permeated the mainstream airwaves. This has had a major effect on the attendance of music festivals as they continue to grow in popularity and attract a younger demographic and more mainstream artists. One festival, however, continues to fly somewhat under the mainstream radar and has made it clear they want to stay that way.
The Burning Man Festival in northern Nevada welcomed a set from the Skrillex and Diplo supergroup Jack U as Seth Troxler was unable to play his set. I would imagine that a festival like Burning Man would be a great place from some futuristic, experimental, unreleased music from decorated producers like these two. That is exactly what it was, until Sonny handed the decks to Diplo who proceeded to drop the now infamous \”Turn Down For What\” from DJ Snake & Lil Jon. The crowded reacted so poorly to the tune that Jack U was forced to remove themselves from the stage.
There are some lessons to be learned here. First of all, we all make mistakes, so shake it off, Diplo. At the same time, with the exposure that EDM now has, it is imperative to know your audience. It just goes to show how excessive popularity of any song can essentially ruin it forever. We were very excited for DJ Snake when \”Turn Down For What\” first surfaced, and we congratulate him on the unprecedented success it has had. But again, the sensitivity of this genre is ever-increasing, and the situation at Burning Man is a great example of how much power an audience can have.
Source: Stoney Roads
