Digital Portfolio

From Woodstock to Coachella

Introduction

              Light shows that can be seen from miles, speakers blaring music at full volume, and an audience perfectly connected in harmony: these are three major components of the modern-day music festival or concert. Due to their attraction, they’ve grown popular in all genres over the years similarly to drug use at live music events. From events like Woodstock to the music festivals of today, there is no denial that the two have been combined for decades. The influence of drugs slowly crept onto the music scene, but it took off when psychedelia was born. Chandler Laughlin is considered a father of psychedelia for holding the first “hippy happening” (Sampson, 2008). He renovated a club in the desert into the perfect place for his free-minded concerts where he’d invite followers on stage to sip from the acid-spiked punch. This led to the increased popularity of recreational drug use and weakened the taboo society had put on drugs. Over the following decades, drugs would influence music more than Laughlin could have ever thought possible.

              The combination of drugs and music has become so popular that most live music events have some drug influence. The performers are either using drugs to ease stage fright or members of the audience are using drugs to enhance the experience. Could this be caused by the fact that a psychological connection exists between the two? Can this also explain why drug use is more common in certain genres than others? Questions like these are what led me to researching the relationship between drugs and music. I was able to find articles detailing the history of this relationship, scientific experiments, and surveys that connect the frequency of drug use to certain genres. Other information found in this research included how atmosphere of a live music event affects drug use and that music is a drug itself we’re all addicted to. All of this research led me to a grand question: do drugs influence musical preference or does music influence drug use? Through my research, I aim to confirm this relationship and come to findings of my own.

Music Releases Dopamine Similar to Drug Use

Many might say that the relationship between drugs and music is dictated by preference; however, this relationship has been scientifically proven by the release of a certain chemical in your brain: Dopamine. “Dopamine is a chemical that is commonly released in the brain as a reward for something you do, making you feel good so that you do that thing again. It’s an evolutionary process that makes you keep doing necessary things like eating to stay alive and having sex to keep the human race alive” (Fraieli, 2014). These are tangible rewards that involve the striatal dopaminergic system in your brain (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 257).

Studies are now showing that peak emotion to music also acts as a stimulus that leads to releases of dopamine (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 257). In a study at McGill University, participants that report experiencing chills when listening to music were recruited to determine if music can stimulate dopamine release (p. 258). From there, the participants selected their favorite songs. John Marshall’s article (2016) explains that dopamine release is dependent on if someone is enjoying the music or not. Those who reported disliking the music they listened to were found to have lower levels of dopamine than those who reported liking it (Marshall, 2016) or had a personal connection to the song from their memory (Fraieli, 2014).

Ligand-based positron emission tomography (PET) scanning was used to estimate dopamine release between dopamine receptors in the striatum (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 257). The experiment was conducted and they found that participants experienced chills after the PET scan showed increases in dopamine release (p. 260). This proves that the chills do not cause the release of dopamine, but more that the chills are an indicator of dopamine release caused by experiencing peak emotion to music. These results prove a lot for the relationship between music and drugs because “if music-induced emotional states can lead to dopamine releases, as our findings indicate, it may begin to explain why musical experiences are so valued. These results further speak to why music can be effectively used in rituals, marketing, or film to manipulate hedonic states” (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 262)

In his article, Andrew Fraieli (2014) explains how drugs like ecstasy don’t allow dopamine to be released and cause a buildup in the brain. This is what leads to feelings of euphoria and later depression once the drug wears off causing a hard come down. The release of dopamine that occurs while listening to music and taking drugs proves that this relationship exists.

Music is Designed towards Enjoyment on Drugs

              Can the increased drug use at live music events be explained by the fact that music and live performances are designed towards enjoyment while on drugs? It might not be possible to prove, but certain genres play it to their advantage. The history of music supports the idea that drugs have played a role in certain aspects. While Hector Berlioz first combined drugs and music with “Symphonie Fantastique” detailing the effects of an opium experience (Lombardi, 2013), the relationship didn’t become popular until a century after when pioneers of jazz music eased pressure with a heroin needle while making this new sound (Sampson, 2008). Miller and Quigley found that musicians report commonly using drugs and alcohol to reduce performance anxiety (2012, p. 391). In Jamaica, reggae music slowed the beat back down as though crafted for cannabis with lyrical references to marijuana according to Kevin Sampson’s article (2016). Sampson also speaks of punk bands like the Ramones and Sex Pistols and how they introduced two-minute garage thrash-bang that suited the increased use of “uppers” like amphetamine sulphate (speed) and amyl nitrate (rush). After the world found out about Paul McCartney’s LSD use in 1967, he released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club” that included psychedelic sounds like the use of sitar and studio effects like backwards tapes, panning, and reverbs (Lombardi, 2013). Today, rappers admit to using illegal substances every other line and even name songs after drugs such as A$AP Rocky’s “L$D” (Miller & Quigley, 2012, p. 391).

The hypnotic melodies and rhythms of “dance-trance,” or music designed to enter a collective state of bodily transcendence, are also seen in the genres of EDM and rave music (Havere et al., 2011, p. 22). These genres manipulate emotional arousal of their music by creating expectations, delays, tension, surprise, and anticipation (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 261). In a brain, the prefrontal cortex—responsible for decision-making—is most affected by “Party drugs” which explains why performers delay predicted outcomes and violate expectations (p. 261). EDM/Dance music is easily enjoyed while using drugs and this is proven by a study in the United Kingdom that found 64.3% of young adolescents who had ever used an illegal drug had a favorite music genre in the rave category (Forsyth, et al., 1997, p. 1320). Also, rave music isn’t heard on broadcast media nor is the latest trend in popular music which Forsyth relates to the fact that the majority of the population doesn’t use illicit drugs (p. 1324). Further supporting this idea, Rod Stanley, editor of Dazed & Confused magazine, said, “If a new drug were discovered today, a new music scene would spring up overnight” (Sampson, 2008).

Drug Use Mirrors Genre of Music

              In comparison to the last point, other research supports the idea that audiences use drugs to match the mood of a genre or performance. John Marshall (2016) explains this when he uses the comparison, “When you’re feeling gloomy, sunny stuff tends to bum you out even more.” He supports this statement with the statistic that suicide rates are highest in the spring and early summer because a bright world makes your feel isolated and alienated when your consciousness is dark.” This is basically the reason we have breakup songs because they provide support to the broken-hearted individuals (Sampson, 2008). “People do drugs for different reasons just like people listen to music for different reasons. Someone may do cocaine to give them energy and get them excited just like someone may listen to a pop song to get them pumped. Someone may smoke weed to relax just like someone may put on jazz to relax” (Fraieli, 2014). In the early 70’s, disco music was unpopular until the rise of cocaine that gave people the energy to dance all night and be promiscuous (Lombardi, 2013). Sampson (2008) explains that psychedelics at Woodstock in 1969 were used to match the “Flower Power” atmosphere that brought bold ideas of love and peace during an intensifying Vietnam War.

              Today, audiences use drugs to match the mood of performances at music festivals across the world. A study at the Big Day Out music festival in Australia recorded percentages of people who have taken a given drug and compared it to their musical preference. They found that the highest percentage of ecstasy and LSD use was correlated with a musical preference in dance or house music. Live music events with dance/house music commonly have effects like light shows that are more enjoyable under the influence of these two drugs (Lim et al., 2008, p. 441). Other research has proved that there is a link between drug use and nightlife recreational venues where festivals commonly take place (Havere et al., 2011, p. 24). Surveys at the Big Day Out music festival proved that drug use was higher there than the nation’s average for four consecutive years despite (Lim et al., 2009, p. 155). This was interesting to researchers because the genre of music changed every year at this festival, yet drug use didn’t. For these reasons, some believe that audiences use drugs to match the mood of a genre or performance.

 

Methods

              The primary research for this project was simplified into three ways of gathering: surveys, interviews, and observations. I knew that these three would provide different information that can be combined to interpret the results and come to a conclusion.

              For the survey, I was able to gather 64 responses from the demographic getting the most experience with live music events: people ages 17-30. I wanted to put the survey’s focus not on the details of the answers, but more on the frequency of given answers. I split the survey up into three different sections for this reason. The first section’s goal was to uncover background information on the people taking my survey. I wanted to get statistics regarding the demographics of preferred music genre and compare it to how frequently they attend live music events of this genre. Also, I wanted to compare preferred genre to being extroverted or introverted. The second section of my survey focused on the last live music event attended. I made these questions about the latest event, rather than a favorite event, to avoid bias data if a majority had similar favorite experiences. Different from the first two sections, the last section was in personal response form. My plan with this section was to code the responses and discover frequent answers rather than me providing answers to choose from.

              My initial idea for an interview was to speak with an artist in the EDM/Dance genre to see how he or she manipulates an audience when performing. Sadly, I wasn’t able to find anyone who has this knowledge and is available for an interview. When changing strategies, I decided to interview someone with a lot of experience with live music events. This way, the interviewee could give me valuable information on how audiences interact with performances and identify the factors that affect this reaction. Given this, I decided to interview John Williams because he has spent a great part of his life traveling to EDM live music events and has even been to famous festivals like Tomorrowland, Burning Man, and Electric Daisy Carnival. Since he lives in another city, this interview was conducted over Google Hangouts video calling.

              When it came to making observations, I was obviously very excited for this portion of my primary research. The only way to observe live music events is to go to live music events! Two fraternities on campus put on two concerts during my time for primary research. Brasstracks played at the first concert and the Jakarta Band played at the second. My main observation goal was to study the audience and how they react to the music. This way, I could make connections between the performance and audience and not get distracted in enjoying the performance. My previous knowledge of concerts played to my advantage in predicting certain observations.

 

Results

       After conducting all primary research, I was able to analyze trends and prominent themes to come to new findings. Not being able to directly ask about drugs did have an effect on my results. This is proven by the fact that more than half of people surveyed checked that drug use was a common activity at the last live music event they attended, yet only 6.4% of personal responses included references to drug use. Without accurate results on drug use at live music events, my findings are forced to have more of a focus on the experience of live music events and why they are so valued. The only statistic I found on drug use was that the activity of drug use was most popular at EDM/Dance live music events according to my survey. The second most popular genre was rap and there were no reports of drug use at any country music concert or event.

To begin, I identified that certain genres are more enjoyable live than others. The first indicator of this was in the survey results. When asked about favorite genre, 29.69% of people surveyed selected rap making it the most popular genre. The second most popular genre was EDM/Dance at 25.00%, followed by country (14.06%), pop (9.38%), and other genres representing less than 7.00% popularity. Compare these stats to the genre of the last live music event attended and different results are found. EMD/Dance was the most popular answer to this question with 30.26%. My observations agree with this point because there were many people at the EDM concert I attended. The funk concert I went to after was not as crowded and had a mellow mood. This is not to say they weren’t enjoying the event, but I want to put focus on the amount of people who chose one versus the other.

People enjoy certain genres more when they’re listening to music at home, yet value the experience and enjoy EDM live music events more. This is supported by the fact that, of the people who selected rap as their favorite genre, 38.89% of those people had not attended a single rap live music event in the last year. Comparative, of those who selected EDM/Dance as their favorite genre, 52.94% of them had attended 10+ live music events of this genre in the last year. Also, of the people who chose EDM/Dance as their favorite genre, no one selected that they haven’t been to an event of this genre in the last year. This suggests that people value EDM/Dance live music events and enjoy the genre after attending one of these events. My interview with John Williams agrees with this when he said he enjoys listening to alternative music on his own, yet has attended more than 15 live music events where EDM was played in the past year.

The popularity of EDM/Dance events can be explained by the experience people receive from attending. John Williams supported this finding when he spoke of his experiences at Burning Man. This event takes place in the desert of Nevada and features many genres with EDM being the most popular. He explains how different this festival is compared to others because of the “care free” nature. My interviewee compared it to Woodstock and explained that “whatever the music makes you feel, you do. It’s a way to escape from reality and have an unforgettable experience.” The word experience, in fact, is mentioned frequently when speaking about live music events. I found that 32.08% of responses included the exact word experience when asked what makes a live music event different than listening to the songs on a speaker at home. Live music events are not just selling the music, they are truly selling the experience.

This experience that causes energy to skyrocket and people to scream at the top of their lungs is enhanced by the performers and can even make or break a show. From my interview, John Williams explains that artists often use the lights and visuals to play up audience using drugs. He did later explain that seeing one of these shows sober “would not be the same level, but still enjoyable.” I can support this being sober at the two events I observed. The upbeat energy of the music with the crowd responding quickly put me in a good mood; I even danced a little myself. It’s definitely an experience, yet isn’t guaranteed at every event according to my interviewee. John Williams spoke of a time he saw Zed’s Dead live in Kansas City, MO. My interviewee explained how the two openers performed first and had the crowd at peak energy when Zed’s Dead came out. He then paused for roughly three seconds and said, “Arguably the worst show or concert I’ve ever been to in my life.” He distinctly remembers the crowd’s energy rapidly dying and describes it as, “The breath went out of the room.” This is a great example of how an experience isn’t guaranteed at every event.

The audience is a way of measuring the success of a show and also plays a part in the experience. In my survey, 67.74% of people surveyed mentioned references to audience participation when asked what their favorite part about going to a live music event is. This implies that an involved audience leads to a better experience. Examples of audience participation that I observed include clapping, dancing to the beat, singing along, and jumping. Even at Burning Man where the art is the main attraction, John Williams told me, “The focal point of it all was still on the music, dancing, having fun, and letting loose. Hearing something live triggers something in you that Spotify just doesn’t.” These results prove that the audience is a key factor that influences the experience of a live music event.

My results also refute the argument that only extroverted people enjoy high-energy events because they are sensation seekers. My survey showed that EDM/Dance, known for having very high energy events, was the most popular genre among both extroverted and introverted people. The music and the experience are enjoying for all types of people.

 

Discussion

              My secondary research focused mainly on how drugs have an influence on music.  On the other side, my primary research was restricted in asking about drug use. This creates apparent conflict when making connections between the two. In retrospect, I wish my secondary research could have included an article on how an audience reacts to different live music events. However, I was still able to draw some connections between both sources of research to extend and support certain arguments.

              The first common theme or connection I identified was that live music events are an experience unlike any other. In the results section, I told the story of the time my interviewee went to Zed’s Dead in Kansas City. If you remember, the main performer came out when the energy of the crowd was at its highest and left when the crowd’s energy was the lowest. For a lack of better words, Zed’s Dead killed the show. My primary and secondary research proves that it was caused by several factors that can make or break any given show. One very important factor to this project is drug use because more than half of survey responses reported that drug use occurred at the last live music event attended. We learned from Salimpoor et al. (2011) that many performers delay predicted outcomes and violate expectations to manipulate emotional arousal of their music. This tactic is used at most events today, especially where drug use is common because decision making is impaired (p. 261). This is one way performers interact with the audience and encourage participation. My survey results even prove that 67.74% of responses report that this is their favorite part about attending a music event. Another important factor is the venue because it creates constraints to the performance such as visual and audio aspects. In fact, Havere et al. (2011) found that outdoor venues have a direct relationship with increased drug use (pg. 9). These factors and more are what contribute to people valuing the experience at live music events.

Since all these factors have a connection to drug use, does that mean experiencing these events sober isn’t enjoyable? According to my interviewee, watching sober would still be enjoyable. I agree with this statement after conducting observations of an EDM concert while sober. The event was still pleasurable because music alone releases dopamine in the brain (Salimpoor et al., 2011, p. 257). Accordingly, when audience members take ecstasy, this small amount of dopamine being released continues to build up in the brain which leads to feelings of euphoria adds to the overall experience of the live music event. This explains the increased popularity of drug use at music events because something enjoyable can be doubled with one pill. Respectively, Lim et al. (2009) proved that people take drugs to enhance music events when they found that drug use was higher at the Big Day Out music festival than the nation’s average for four consecutive years despite the genre changing each year (pg. 155). John Marshall (2016) explains that the term tripping (taking hallucinogenic drugs) got its name because of the experience/journey people had from taking them. This implies that combining this experience with the live music experience creates an energetic, dopamine-fueled night that has become very popular in our society. It’s clear to see that drug use has increased at live music events.

The last connection I was able to identify in my research is that some genres are more enjoyable live than others. There truly is a difference in genre preference between watching it live or listening to it on a phone. My survey results show that rap music is the most popular genre (29.69%), yet EDM/Dance is more enjoyable live. This is most likely the result of the energy that the two genres give off. It’s difficult to stomach an energizing song when you’re in a tired or sad mood. Accordingly, a planned live music event allows attendees to prepare for the energetic music and audience. Andrew Fraieli (2014) supports this and makes the connection to drug use: “People do drugs for different reasons just like people listen to music for different reasons. Someone may do cocaine to give them energy and get them excited just like someone may listen to a pop song to get them pumped. Someone may smoke weed to relax just like someone may put on jazz to relax.” Correspondingly, my interviewee lived on a cruise ship for a year and completely changed his favorite genre of music to match the cruise ship mood. Something interesting my survey revealed was that EDM/Dance was the most popular genre to attend live and also had a positive relationship with drug use. This may suggest that EDM/Dance is the favorite genre to attend live because of the role drugs play on performances.

 

Conclusion

              While this research project was inhibited from researching every necessary bit of information, I still was able to support/extend some arguments with what I found. The biggest thing I took away is that people value live music events for the experience they receive from attending them. The combination of music, visual effects, and the audience around allow people to let loose and enjoy themselves. People also value the experience because it allows everyone who is a fan of a given artist to be together and appreciate the music. Another connection I made is that this experience is heavily affected by drugs with audience members taking them and artists developing their performances around them. EDM/Dance was also found to be the most correlated with drug use. Likewise, some genres are more enjoyable live and some are more enjoyable while listening casually. The similarity between the two is that people use both to affect their moods and energy levels. The last thing I found is that being extroverted or introverted has no effect on whether or not someone will enjoy a live music event. The data was all over the place proving that this trait is not connected to any specific genre.

              In retrospect, I wish I would have designed this research process more around the experience of live music events. While I was able to gather some information, my results could have been even more specific. My secondary research was completely based on the relationship between drugs and music and how they influence each other. This didn’t provide me with great information to connect to in my discussion. I should have focused my secondary research on the elements of a performance and what is done to enhance it. Also, it would have been very interesting to interview an actual performer. All in all, this research project was able to make connections and support arguments on the role drugs play on music. I can’t answer my research question directly, but I did establish a good understanding of the relationship between drugs and music.

 

 

Appendix A: Survey Questions

By completing the following questions, you are also granting consent for this information to be used as part of a research project that I am completing for a course at the University of Denver.  Your participation is completely voluntary.  The information you provide may be used in a project and may be published online and/or in print, but your identity will remain anonymous. While profile information you volunteer in this survey may be included in my writing project (i.e. your age, sex, class standing, etc.), your name and identity will NOT be used or reported.  If at any time you do not want to answer a question, or do not want to complete the questionnaire, you do not have to.

• Do you identify as an extroverted or introverted person?

  • Introverted

  • Extroverted

  • I don’t know

• What is your favorite genre of music? 

  • EDM/Dance

  • Pop

  • Rap

  • Rock

  • Country

  • Alternative

  • Indie

  • Other

• How many live music events of this genre have you attended in the last year?

  • 0

  • 1 -- 3

  • 4 -- 6

  • 7 -- 9

  • 10+

• What type of live music event was the last event you went to?

  • Music Festival

  • Concert

  • Club

  • Rave

• What was the genre of music?

  • EDM/Dance

  • Pop

  • Rap

  • Rock

  • Country

  • Alternative

  • Indie

  • Other

• What were common activities at this event? 

  • Alcohol consumption

  • Dancing

  • Drug use

  • Fighting

  • Socializing

  • Flirting

  • Singing along

  • Jumping

  • Eating

  • Pushing

  • Losing Friends

  • Pictures/videos

  • Social Media

• What do you do to get ready for a live music event? (Personal Response)

• What are your favorite parts of going to a live music event? (Personal Response)

• What makes a live music concert different from just listening to the music? (Personal Response)

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Appendix B: Interview

Questions

• Have you attended a live music event in the past year?

  • Who performed?

  • Describe the genre of music

  • Where was it held?

• What was the overall mood of the audience?

  • Was this audience similar to those at other concerts of this genre you've attended?

  • How did the audience compare to concerts of different genres that you've attended?

• Was there anything about this live music event that made it different from others?

  • What was this caused by?

  • What were the reactions of people around?

• Do you believe that music has the ability to change your mood or energy level?

  • List genres and associated emotion/feeling

  • Do you purposely use this to your advantage? (ex. Pump up beats before a game)

• Do you believe that some music is better or worse live compared to listening to it at home?

  • Is this caused by the live atmosphere?

  • Or more by the performance?

  • Other?

Notes

• Burning man

  • Different version of Woodstock

  • In the dessert in Nevada

  • Music isn’t the main goal, more the art

  • All genres, but most was EDM style

  • Impossible to get tickets

  • Audience

    • “The focal point of it all was still on the music, dancing, and letting loose. Hearing something live triggers something in you that Spotify just doesn’t.”

    • Whatever the music makes you feel, you do

      • People were having sex on the ground, doing whatever drugs

    • Never felt like someone was going to judge him

    • You’re expected not to judge, just don’t hurt anyone

  • You don’t know who plays because artists aren’t allowed to release if they are or aren’t

  • Stages are mobile cars hundreds of feet high with speakers attached

  • Very big and open 7 miles x 7 miles

  • There’s no schedule because you aren’t just there to see who’s performing

  • It teaches you to enjoy the moment

    • He met a girl that was beautiful and had a great time with, but never met her again

    • Appreciate the moment

• Music changing mood

  • “Totally. 100%”

  • There’s times he doesn’t want to go out, but his friends play music that gets him so excited that he said he “can’t say no”

  • EDM makes him want to go out and do activities (adds energy)

  • When he was on a cruise ship working, he started listening to more alternative because it gave him a different feeling that he could enjoy music and stay relaxed

  • Now he can appreciate both genres and use them to his advantage

• Live compared to listening

  • Some people can’t perform and some perform better

  • Makes a connection between experiencing an EDM show sober vs under the influence

    • He says artists obviously use the lights and visuals to play up audience using drugs

    • It would not be the same level but still enjoyable

  • Atmosphere of audience

    • Story of seeing Zed’s dead

    • The acts before did such a great job of getting the crowd hyped and increased the overall energy

    • Zed’s dead come out

    • “Arguably the worst show or concert I’ve ever been to in my life”

    • The crowd was so ready and he was not good

    • “What the hell, man”

    • “The breath went out of the room”

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Appendix C: Observation Notes

• Date: 5/12/17

• ZBTahiti

  • City Hall Amphitheater

  • This is a concert that utilized the opener to their advantage

    • DJ Koolfriends was just a DJ responsible for playing upbeat music that people could dance to and raise their energy.

    • By the time Brasstracks came on stage, people were screaming they were so excited.

  • They made a grand entrance with lights and “dramatic” music

  • People screamed and screamed and screamed

  • The music was a combination of genres including electronic, funk, rap, and R&B.

  • The set up was a DJ booth and a drum set to the right of it. A man was behind each.

    • The DJ guy also utilized a trumpet and keyboard

  • Peak emotion points in this song were easy to identify by the buildup in these songs.

    • This is when energy would increase to the climax and then everyone just went crazy afterwards.

    • A lot of jumping

    • There was not a lot of verbal communication

    • If there was dancing, it was fist pumping or very sexual with a partner.

  • At one point when Brasstracks was performing, I left to use the restroom. While in there, I personally saw drug use when people were using their phone screens to do lines of cocaine.

  • At past concerts, indoor or outdoor, I’ve always seen people smoking marijuana, but I didn’t seem to see people lighting up at this concert. Probably due to strict security

  • There was a bar that people could order drinks from if they were 21+

    • I witnessed someone get kicked out because he was underaged and someone passed him a drink that was 21+ years of age.

  • Very crowded and hot in front

    • There wasn’t as much dancing There. People were more watching the concert because they couldn’t move

  • What intrigued me?

    • It was very interesting to observe the way the music increased the crowd’s energy through what they said, performed, or did.

  • What surprised me?

    • I usually see the people in the front going the craziest, but at this event, the people in the front were so packed that it killed their energy and mood.

  • What disturbed me?

    • Seeing drug use being done in such a sketchy way. If you have to hide in a bathroom to do something, you probably shouldn’t do it.

• Mustache Bash

  • After ZBTahiti, I didn’t manage to stay at Mustache Bash long due to me being tired. (I was the only one not using substances)

  • The Jakarta Band, Playn Dirty, The Gulbranson Project, and White Russian

  • Funky music genre

  • 70’s Songs

  • Earth wind and fire like

  • I didn’t observe it, but I was told many times about people taking Molly and Acid. Surprised me that they actually told me.

  • Groovy dancing, vibing like psychedelics

  • Free flowing dancing, what you’d expect from Woodstock

  • It was not as crowded and there were way more social interactions between people.

  • People more just grooved to the music instead of going crazy for the performer. Much more obvious appreciation for music.

  • What intrigued me?

    • The completely different mood of the audience due to the genre change: different dancing, clothes, and interactions between audience members

  • What surprised me?

    • Even though the music didn’t purposely excite the crowd, the audience seemed to always be more than excited for the next song.

  • What disturbed me?

    • That people literally told me that they are on drugs, but I can’t use this for my research.

 

 

References

Forsyth, A. J. et al. (1997). Musical preference as an indicator of adolescent drug use. Addiction, 92(10), 1317-1326. doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.1997.921013178.x

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Fraieli, A. (2014, February 14). How music can affect the brain like a drug. Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.upressonline.com/2014/02/how-music-can-affect-the-brain-like-a-drug/

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Havere, T. V. et al. (2011). Drug use and nightlife: more than just dance music. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 6(1), 18. doi:10.1186/1747-597x-6-18

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Lim, M. et al. (2008). A cross-sectional survey of young people attending a music festival: associations between drug use and musical preference. Drug and Alcohol Review, 27(4), 439-441. doi:10.1080/09595230802089719

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Lim, M. S. et al. (2009). Surveillance of drug use among young people attending a music festival in Australia, 2005-2008. Drug and Alcohol Review, 29(2), 150-156. doi:10.1111/j.1465-3362.2009.00090.x

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Lombardi, M. (2013, February 17). History of Music on Drugs. Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.rockworldmagazine.com/history-of-music-on-drugs/

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Marshall, J. (2016, April 19). Why Music is Like Drugs & How to Use it to Impact Your Emotions. Retrieved May 23, 2017, from http://www.everup.com/2016/04/19/music-benefits-influence-on-emotions-and-mood/

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Miller, K. E. & Quigley, B. M. (2012). Sensation-seeking, performance genres and substance use among musicians. Psychology of Music, 40(4), 389-410. doi:10.1177/0305735610387776

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