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Editorial: The Anxieties of Being An Electronic Music Event Promoter And How To Face Them

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It’s 7:30pm on a Friday night and I am waiting for a man I have never met outside of a venue I have never heard of, nor seen, before.

I have spent the last 7 days driving all over Los Angeles scouting for venues, looking for the right location for what could be the biggest event of my career as an electronic music event promoter. My other business partners have done the same, all to no avail. We located a few gems that will be available for future use, but haven’t quite nailed down the space we so desperately need at this very moment. And the brutal honest truth is that the clock is against us.

“Relax, be patient and you’ll find the right spot!” I’ve been telling myself over and over for the last two weeks, and while I believe it, it’s hard to remain optimistic as the hours and days fade away. Our event is tomorrow night, and with just over 24 hours to go we are running out of options. To top it off, the venue owner I am supposed to meet is 30 minutes late, which is making me and the three other people with me antsy at best.

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ADE 2017: Protecting Mental Health in the Electronic Music Industry

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Mental health is an issue that has been cause of concern in the music industry today. More so in the electronic music genre, where at least a staggering 30% of electronic artists have experienced mental health issues at one time or another.

With such figures, coupled with the highly demanding nature of the industry, there is a tremendous need to raise awareness on the importance of caring for mental health. Fortunately, organizers such as Amsterdam Dance Event have stepped in to help raise awareness and tackle these issues.

This year Amsterdam Dance Event will be holding a conference titled “Protecting Mental & Physical Health for Fans & Professionals”. Organized by the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM), this conference will bring together a panel of industry pros to share their views on subjects such as negotiating depression and anxiety, caring for hearing and dealing with tinnitus, and advice on where to get help if needed.

Expected to speak at the conference are DJs Ben Pearce of Purp & Soul, Juan Atkins, Pig&Dan and Christine Brown, Director of External Affairs at Help Musicians. Moderating the conference is Arash Shirazi, President of talent agency The Bullit Agency.

The conference will be held at the Delamar Theater in Marnixstraat 402, Amsterdam on October 18, from 12:20 PM to 1 PM. For tickets and other information on the event, visit the event page at the Amsterdam Dance Event website.

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Anxiety Causes DJ Skirt To Quit DJing

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The issue of mental health in dance music has been coming up more and more in recent months, finally moving from being somewhat of a taboo subject to one that is openly talked about and, consequently, addressed.

Texas-born Techno DJ Bethany DeMoss, who goes by the artist name of Skirt, has announced that she will no longer be DJing due to issues relating to anxiety. Making the announcement on her Facebook page, Skirt opened up about how anxiety has been affecting her career, “If the thought of an upcoming gig is making me actually physically sick and on verge of a nervous breakdown, then clearly something is wrong.”

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