Down the Rabbit Hole
📸: Insomniac Events
Beyond Wonderland was my first massive (rave) that I attended back in 2011. The day my life as I knew it, changed. At that time, shy little Cyn had no idea just how much these events would be life life-changing. Not only because I was entering a world to which I had never experienced, but it helped me grow as a person. I can honestly say that I would not have the confidence and social skills that I currently have, had I not started going to these festivals.
Attending Beyond in 2023 as a seasoned raver and passport member, is a different feeling than when I began attending, but it’s still exciting. The difference now, is that I generally know what to expect,—the layout of the NOS Center, performers, art installations, rides, etc. Another difference being that I attend so many events, I forget who’s on the lineup. All I know is that there is always going to be good music, and I’ll be surrounded by my friends and passport family.
There was a lot of great techno on the lineup (too many to name) as well as some of my usual favorites who know how to keep the party going such as JSTJR, Deorro, Tiesto, and many of the house music artists such as Matroda, Noizu, CID, Mau P, and AC Slater. I closed out Saturday night with one of my favorites, who was also at the first Beyond I attended, Kaskade. Always gets me in my feels, and his euphoric melodies are soothing for my soul. Ask me who else I saw, I couldn’t name specifics as I was here, there and everywhere 🤪 Meeting up with friends and running into other friends, people who genuinely bring a smile to my face and fill me with love with every hug and embrace. It’s magical ✨
The Passport Lounge also had amazing people playing music, a few times I almost didn’t want to go back out into the festival. I love having the lounge because it’s our own little party and is not nearly as crowded as other stages. The lounge is home base for me and a lot of other passport members. I go there to meet up with friends, grab a discounted drink, get glitz’d by the complimentary Lunautics Beauty Bar (use discount code CynQuin on their website), hit the VIP restrooms, collect fun little gifts and other amenities.There’s also artist surprise sets, and meet and greets. Besides all those amazing perks, it has also become my safe space if I am feeling anxious or overwhelmed. It helps to have somewhere I could go to get away from the crowds or when I’m experiencing sensory overload. It is secluded and beautifully curated to always fit the theme of each festival. My +3 guests I’m allowed, always have such an amazing time.
Insomniac Passport Lounge hosted a meet and greet with 2 artists. The only one I went to was for JSTJR because y’all know I’m a huge fan. So I have some Jstjr booty shorts I bought years ago and have worn whenever he plays. I was going to wear them to beyond again and throw it back to his set, but once they announced his meet and greet, I decided to save them for him to sign for me. It’s about that time to retire them anyway. Everyone asks why I didn’t have him sign them while wearing them. He’s married and his wife who I’ve met before is sooo sweet. It didn’t feel appropriate despite his party boy DJ persona.
He was super sweet, and we were only allowed 30 seconds each, to talk to him and take a photo. I had already met him before (Daytrip 2021) so I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be. I told him I was retiring the booty shorts, if he could please sign them. He said yes, and said, “Oh, you’re an OG fan!” (Based on the booty shorts and when they came out.) Yes, yes I am 😌 He signed them, we took a picture, I asked to switch sides because my left is my good side *Hair Flip. I thanked him and walked out, as happy as a thottie IYKYK.
There’s some events that I’ll attend and while the music is always great, sometimes the vibes are off which can result in a not so amazing experience. Sometimes these events feel oversold, too crowded, cant even move, logistics can feel that they weren’t well thought out in terms of stages size, noise bleed, foot traffic, restrooms. Beyond wasn’t one of those events. It didn’t feel overly crowded, everyone was friendly and kind, and brought back more of the PLUR vibes that were familiar from when I first started attending events. I had missed that so much because at times it feels like people aren’t connecting, or are not as kind or courteous. It was nice that people felt more open to talking and vibing with one another, saying excuse me, please & thank you, and waiting their turn in lines. Seems like common and proper behavior, but sometimes people aren’t so nice so it was refreshing to see model behavior again.
My one constant for festivals is to refuel and there’s always so many options as to what to eat at festivals. My personal favorite is Express Hibachi. I love the chicken or steak bowl with rice and veggies. This time I wanted chicken and rice, to end the night 😋
If you didn’t attend Beyond Wonderland, you missed out because it was the perfect way to kick off 2023’s festival season. It’ll always be one of my favorite events. The theme, imagery, and overall energy of this whimsical festival brings the Alice in Wonderland theme to life, but with an Insomniac Events twist of course. It’s so beautifully curated, it’s part of why I fell in love with the rave/music festival scene to begin with. As soon as you walk in, you truly feel like you fell down the rabbit hole, and into another world. I could never fathom how once place could make me feel so many different feelings, but Beyond Wonderland is capable of that.
Unapologetically, Inconsistency is My Style
I started this blog during quarantine and did okay maintaining it. Then, I switched web hosts and lost all my blogs up until about November 2020. Trying to get them back and learning the new web host I was using, While working full time was not easy. I then posted a few more blogs on new site (this one) but then had to focus on my full time position and my mental health and personal issues.
So I am back to try this again, to bring you unfiltered, festival and beauty content from my POV. My inconsistency I attribute to many things, primarily being my ADHD but also making other things my priority. I refused to push myself to the point of burnout again, especially to promote brands that do not pay my bills. There are a few brands that are near and dear to my heart which I will promote whether I am paid or not or spend my own money on their products, because I believe in them and their mission. and their products are great. That’s a different topic.
I have also just been living life, enjoying festivals and shows with my friends, without the pressure of creating content. I have to say, this has been the best decision for me. It feels authentic and less stressful and definitely less anxiety that I’ve experienced. I love that for me.
Let me know what topics, questions, brands, whether it is festival or beauty related or both, that you may have so that I may explore these for blog posts. I know I’ve asked before, but time has passed so maybe you have other things you’d rather learn about or ask about. It could even be other topics, lmk I may address it.
This month I’m going to Beyond Wonderland, then Coachella Weekend 1 in April.
Don’t forget to let me know what you want to hear from me about! Let me know in comments on the ‘gram. 😀
LOVEY’ALL ❤️
CYN QUIN 💃
RELENTLESS BEATS SUB-BRAND RBDEEP ANNOUNCES NEW THREE-DAY HOUSE AND UNDERGROUND MUSIC FESTIVAL
Body Language, Featuring Carl Cox, Boris Brejcha, Adam Beyer, Kaskade, and More, to Take Please at Rawhide Event Center, March 4 - 6, 2022
Body Language, Featuring Carl Cox, Boris Brejcha, Adam Beyer, Kaskade, and More, to Take Please at Rawhide Event Center, March 4 - 6, 2022Tickets On Sale Thursday, December 23, at 10a.m. MT
Phoenix, AZ (December 22, 2021) - In the spirit of letting your body do the talking, Relentless Beats’ sub-brand RBDeep presents Body Language, a brand new festival property catering to the growing demand for house, techno, and underground music. Taking place over three days, March 4- 6, 2022, at Rawhide Events Center, the event comes at the perfect time-shaking off the winter doldrums for a body-moving springtime lineup. This first-time festival features some of the world’s heaviest hitters in the underground and house music world, including world-renowned dance music pioneers Adam Beyer, Carl Cox, Boris Brejcha, and Kaskade (redux).
Additional artists on the lineup include Dombresky b2b Noizu; Drezo; Eats Everything; Hannah Wants; Kasablanca; Kyle Watson; Malaa; Rebūke; Shiba San; Sohmi; Teenage Mutants; Township Rebellion, and Wax Motif. A massive phase 02 lineup will be announced in early 2022, featuring more of the hottest names in underground music, several that have never had a home in Arizona until now, to bolster this already stacked lineup.
Body Language will feature three stages, next-level experiences, and production that has become a calling card for recent Relentless Beats events. Three-Day ticket options go on sale Thursday, December 23 at 10 a.m. MT. All ticket types are available online at www.BodyLanguageFest.com.
Body Language is produced by Relentless Beats and RBDeep. Visit www.BodyLanguageFest.com for the most up-to-date information. Stay connected on Twitter and Instagram at @BodyLanguageAZ and Facebook at www.facebook.com/BodyLanguageAZ. Body Language is an 18+ event.
Relentless Beats Brings Back Live Entertainment with a Vengeance with Fisher & Chris Lake
This was a vast difference from the Relentless Beats x Insomniac Events Seven Lions First Park n’ Rave. The difference being that during pandemic, social distancing was very much in effect and vaccinations had not yet completed the clinical trials. We were confined to a spacious area next to our parked car which was sectioned off to enforce social distancing.
This Memorial Day Weekend we got “Under Construction” with Chris Lake and Fisher which was a back to normalcy for live events.
Walking into the venue, seeing people all around me felt so surreal to me, as though my eyes were deceiving me and I would soon wake up from this beautiful LED Lit dream. The loud, booming. bass and lights and lasers immediately gave me a rush of serotonin and dopamine that I had been deprived of since the beginning of the pandemic. The way the music coursed through my body like jolts of electricity, a familiar warm sensation washed over me to let me know that I was happy and safe. I was in a musical utopia.
The first stop was the merchandise booth, where artist merchandise was available for purchase. I always make the merchandise booth my first stop as it is important to me to check out the merchandise and buy what I am interested in before it sells out either in my size, favorite style, or alltogether. I also had another purpose for hitting the merchandise booth. A fellow Insomniac Passport Member and Arizona Native was working at the merchandise booth. We had already been talking in our passport group chat for the event, and had a meet up planned for later that evening but I had to stop by and say hi while picking up a limited edition Under Construction Tee Shirt in black, and a Black Book Records Hand Fan.
As I went walking through the crowd, I made my way to the food and drink vendors to get some libations as I was parched from the heat that day. A lovely young lady by the name of Cna stopped and complimented my make up and face jewels (thank you Lunautics)!
She had this energy about her that was infectious and we started chatting. One of the interesting things that she mentioned was that she took her son to his first show! That is awesome, and as some of you know, I have taken my mom to events so that felt so special. She then proceeded to trade Kandi with me. When I tell you that I teared up, its true. I literally became that emoji 🥺 Moments like these warms my heart.
Cna with her best friend and her son
John Summit was such a good vibe, perfect way to start the night. His grooving bass lines got the party going and excited for the main event of the night. I was dancing and walking and taking in the beautiful atmosphere. Being able to see how excited and full of life everyone was, added to the already great energy of the show. I cannot even begin to tell you how beautiful everyone looked. Seeing all the new and saved up EDM fashion outfits from before, during, and after quarantine was one of the highlights of my evening. I recognized many of the cute outfits that I would want to wear, and some that were so stunning that I was doing a double take.
Alexis and Lorraine enjoying the VIP Viewing Deck
After exploring the GA show grounds, I made my way into the VIP section. I was already able to see the viewing deck from GA and that was where the best view was. I typically always recommend VIP and Relentless Beats provided an excellent section with a lovely turf garden, some white furniture to relax on, photo booth opportunities, bar, and nicer restrooms. There were standing tables up on the viewing deck as well as table service available for purchase. If you’re like me and those amenities make a difference in your experience, I highly recommend VIP.
Shirley & Marvin sharing a smooch in VIP
Testpilot (also known as Deadmau5 when not playing his techno alter ego) played a great set as well. I was really feeling the way that he stayed in the shadows only to emerge through the LED Lights and Lasers to transport you into another dimension.
The finishers and main event, Fisher and Chris Lake were immaculate from start to finish. The whole crowd was engaged and grooving to the beats. Shufflers were shuffling, People with their flow toys were gettin their flow on, the world was healing. My favorite part was when they dropped The Mama’s & the Papas “California Dreamin’ “ mix— I melted inside from the nostalgia. The vocals with all those lasers and then when they dropped the unimaginable remix and the lasers and LED went wild, Priceless!! I will never forget it!
I also never thought I’d be so excited to hear Fisher’s “Losin it” again since 2019 but it was the perfect way for the show to wrap up.
Unfortunately, I didn’t make it in time to see Dani Deal but I heard that she went off so major props to her and for being the only woman on the Saturday lineup. We love to see the female representation in the music industry.
Relentless Beats Rangers keeping everyone safe
I 10/10 recommend going to an event at Rawhide, it is such a large venue and so long as the music is good and you’re with friends, you can’t go wrong.
If you want somewhere to sit or chill, upgrade to VIP so you can have more places to sit, or check out the VIP viewing deck.
Also, if you like an artist enough, check out the VIP Decks on stage! I was back there for a bit, it is a guaranteed good time and who knows, you might get to touch Brody Jenner’s luxurious locks! ( I didn't , but I thought about it for a second 😂).
Thank you Thomas Turner and Relentless Beats for an incredible weekend. My heart is sincerely so full and it is all because of you and your hard working team. I’m looking forward to going back sooner than later.
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: HD-4884
Check out HD-4884 during his first virtual livestream performance on May 8-9, 2021 on twitch brought to you by The Abysss Experience. See below for info or you can go to @TheAbyssExperience on instagram
HD and I connected in a Clubhouse group chat about EDM Industry and rave culture. I can’t remember the exact topic because I’ve been a part of some amazing and needed conversations. I was moved by the level of love and connection in the group chat that before leaving I encouraged people to DM me on Instagram and add me.
HD and I have been conversing about their latest achievements, and I felt inspired to share with you all, the exciting and moving details of it all. Read our email interview below:
How’d you get into music producing?
HD: Music has always been a way of life for me, I think it was inevitable since day one that I’ll be producing music.
Describe your music style and name 3 artists that are similar to your music style
HD: Music style is a hybrid of Bass, IDM and Mid-tempo, and very unapologetic.
Who is HD-4884? Why have a secret persona?
HD: The “secret persona” is to push forth the music and art, and allow the listener to be more engaged with what the artist has to offer. I like to go about creating music without ego and make it all about the art.
How’d you choose/come up with your name & image?
HD: The Imagery behind HD is the space where the entity lives in. I like to think of it as a parallel universe to our own but on a metaverse plane mirroring the dark empty spaces of one's reality.
Check out this episode of Deadbeats Radio to listen to HD-4884’s single/collab Rapture
How has rave culture affected your life?
HD: I love the community and the people in it. I’ve learned so much about myself and to express yourself with hesitation. I encourage everyone to do so.
You have a new collaboration with Hvdes, congratulations! 🎊 How did that come about?
HD: I actually reached out through Instagram and she was kind enough to give me a chance to show my work. I actually sent out 2 tracks to her and she picked out Portals. I’m glad she did because the song came out beautifully.
What was it like to work with her?
HD: It was definitely an honor to work with HVDES, and for her to even give me the opportunity to show her some of my work, is a timeless moment I’ll keep close to heart. I’m definitely looking forward to working with her again.
Tell me about the song “Portals”
HD: Portals was created to be an audio gateway for the listener to temporarily break away from oneself's Social Isolation. Both mentally & Physically. Having that concept in mind, I set out to create a poetic and meaningful score so the listeners can relate and be able to break away from the chaos that one embraces on a daily basis. Escapism is one of the key elements that plays a structured role for both music and lyrics that, drives “Portals”, is to be more of a “poetic calling to the unjust consequences of others”, seeking to escape from those whose current reality is filled with repetitiveness, depression, mental fatigue, and isolation, as if we are trapped into an alternative reality.
What can we expect from future HD-4884?
HD: Currently working on some more releases, collaborations and official remixes for 2021, but what I’m most excited about is my US debut, can’t really say too much about it at the moment, but I’m excited.
Dream festival(s) to play at?
HD: Lost Lands, EDC Vegas, Bass Canyon, Shambala, and Escape
Festivals are coming back slowly. How do you think the impact of the pandemic will affect the music industry/live music, and how will it affect up and coming artists such as yourself?
HD: I think about this quite often. My main concern is that I hope individuals and the EDM community understand that mental health and safety during this time of re-opening needs to be heavily monitored. We must watch out for one another, and make sure we take every precaution before returning to “normal.” Know your limits, we are only human. Well, some of us.
Advice to yourself when you first started?
HD: Be unapologetic. Stay strong. Never lose faith within yourself and keep pushing.
Is there a short message you’d like to say to anyone who is checking out your new track?
HD: Listen to this with an open mind, heart and perspective. This is a piece of art / audio collage that I’m sharing with you. I hope you find inspiration within it to help grow and shine thru all this darkness that surrounds us daily.
You can find HD_4884 at his link here.
RELENTLESS BEATS PRESENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WITH FISHER + CHRIS LAKE, MAY 29 & 30, 2021
**1st show sold out and 2nd show added.
Sunday May 30 , 2021 show sold out, and Saturday May 29, 2021 show was added. Tickets for Saturday May 29, 2021 go on sale Monday May 3, 2021 at 10AM PST
Memorial Day Weekend Event Features a Stacked Lineup to be Announced
Tickets On Sale, Thursday, April 29th at 10AM PST
Phoenix, AZ (April 29, 2021) – Relentless Beats presents its first pod-free event in over a year on Sunday, May 30, 2021, with Under Construction, featuring Fisher b2b Chris Lake at Rawhide Event Center. This one-off b2b Arizona performance for the year is expected to follow in the footsteps of Los Angeles (3 shows sold out in an hour), New York City (sold out in an hour), and Denver (sold out in 24 hours) dates. And while Under Construction is being billed as a return to normalcy for live events, a special production is being planned to properly welcome fans back for this nighttime Memorial Day Weekend event. A massive support lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, April 29, 2021, at 10 a.m. PST starting at $50, plus fees. VIP passes, with express entry, commemorative lanyard, premium viewing deck, lounge area, premium restrooms, and more are available starting at $125, plus fees. Once live, tickets can be purchased online at www.relentlessbeats.com. This event will open doors beginning at 6.30 p.m., and the show starts at 8:00 p.m. Masks are required at all times while inside the venue. Under Construction is an 18+ event.
Visit www.relentlessbeats.com for the most up-to-date information on Under Construction and all Relentless Beats events. Stay connected on Instagram and Twitter at @RelentlessBeats and Facebook at www.facebook.com/relentlessbeats.
EDC Las Vegas Pushed to October 2021??!
Image Credit: Insomniac Events EDC LV Website Photo Gallery 2019
Last Pasquale update, he said he submitted “Robust Safety Plan” to State Officials and that we’d know more on April 8th if EDC LV would be keeping May 2021 dates or would be pushed to October 2021.
Yesterday, a wonderful passport member let us know that while checking her passport account, she saw that her billing date was changed from April 2021 to August 2021. Why is that significant to EDC dates you ask? We were told last year by Insomniac Events that billing would restart for us passport members a month before events would begin. We would think it would be in April because of Abduction, but that event wouldn't justify the price of monthly billing.
Because of this information many of us are speculating that EDC Las Vegas will be pushed October and official announcement will come in due time. Which weekend? This we do not yet know. Stay Tuned!
Disclaimer: this does not mean this is official news this is merely our educated guess. Please wait on official News from Insomniac events and or Pasquale and EDC page.
—Cyn Quin Beauty
Insomniac Passport Holder
Great deals & savings from Ulta AND Sephora!??
Ulta has a huge yearly sale (I believe its twice a year actually) which they called “21 days of Beauty.'“ It kick-starts today, March 14th and runs through April 3rd. Each day of this incredible sale, they have some of the most sought after skincare and beauty items at remarkably low prices. You can shop this exciting sale online or in-store.
I highly recommend signing up for Ulta Ultimate Rewards program if you haven’t already, to earn points while you shop which can be saved up and cashed in for store credit. I have saved up my points and was able to get $100 in store credit to use, all from using my rewards account while shopping. Click here to check out Ulta’s 21 Days of Beauty 2021.
This morning, I got an email from Sephora announcing their special deals for today. Lo and behold, the items that were on sale are the same 3 items that are today’s beauty deals that Ulta has! How cool that no matter which beauty giant you shop, you can get the same deals from either one.
I typically prefer to shop at Sephora, the services, products, and experience is just my preference, but Ulta does have the better rewards system. Sephora shipping is better than Ulta IMO.
Today’s Sale includes my favorite eyeliner the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner which is normally $22 but today it is $11! Get it from Sephora or Ulta. This is my holy grails liquid eyeliner so I bought 2 so I could stock up. I would have bought 4, but I have other liners from other brands that I bought so I could try, that I need to use up first. Trust me, this felt tip liquid liner is easy to use, dries quick, and stays in place. I highly recommend it and if you want to try it, today is the perfect chance to try it.
Check out the rest of the sale items as well, I found a lot of great stuff in the Sephora sale section. Let me know what you got today, and if you bought the Stila eye liner, let me know if you loved it.
That’s all for now, time to do Sunday things 🙃
—Cyn Quin
The Not-So-Sponsored Influencer Opportunity
Let it be known that this post was going to be written regardless, only I had imagined it in a much different light. Not everything will be rainbows and sunshine, despite the Arizona weather being beautiful and sunny in the low 70’s. This is a post about my own experience and how I recall the series of events that made up an influencer experience that I would not wish on anyone. There may be things that contributed to these events, to which I may not be privy to and may logically explain a lot. Then again, there was a lack of communication so all I know is what I personally experienced, what I saw and heard, and what others have shared to me about their own experiences. This is going to be a long one, sorry there’s not audible version but I guess you’ll have to read like back in the day.
“I am flattered by the amount of interest in this post and how much you think my small-time blog may be impactful. ”
This is to make others aware of scenarios and the possible scenarios one may run into if attending a drive-in rave, and/or working with brands and companies. Check out these WTF moments that I had the honor to experience at my very first sponsored drive-in rave event. Not everything will be a pleasant, wonderful experience so I try to always convey my experiences, good and bad.
A little background on the Rave Brands I’ve worked with and shows I attended
This event was being put on by a production company which I will not name but will be referred to as simply production company. It was the rave fashion brand Rave Bae Couture (RBC) who initially reached out to me to see if I wanted to join them for this event. I am a brand ambassador for this brand and have also previously written for their blog. They allowed me to do an Instagram story take over for their brand last June for the first Park ‘n Rave in Arizona produced by Relentless Beats and Insomniac Events for Seven Lions event, so I have worked with them before. I also worked with Lunautics, as they allowed me to host a beauty bar for my group and I got to be the first blog post on her website discussing my experience at that event. For those events, the brands supplied me with products but expenses were paid for by myself. I’ve gone to quite a few Park ‘n Rave events at the NOS center in San Bernardino, California. I’ve also gone to a couple of events in Ventura County, California. First being Global Soundemic with Festival Addicts (check out their after-movie below) and the last one was for Kaskade show.
Back to this other event. RBC invited me and we were put into a group chat and representatives from the production company, and this was to go over the details of the event and what we would be doing and what not. What I can tell you which is relevant to the story is that we were promised by the production company, the following: an Airbnb, VIP passes which would allow us to have our own tented VIP section, A section in the front of the stage (we wouldn’t be in a car but I understood that it would be sectioned off or inaccessible to the public.), we would we given 3 to 4 bottles of alcohol or a variation of alcoholic beverages of our collective selection. We were also told we would be provided hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and other necessary safety items. We were also told that transportation would be arranged for us. Considering that we weren’t getting monetary compensation, this all seems reasonable, right?
I got my own hotel room which I paid for as my boyfriend would be going with me on the trip. We were driving up rather than flying. That made me feel better anyway because for the Airbnb they intended on some of the girls sharing beds, as there were quite a few of us in the group going. I mean, I know the RBC team got tested before going and we had to provide negative results to be allowed to go and attend, but I wouldn’t have been comfortable sharing a bed with someone, especially since it wasn’t mentioned until I asked about how the rooms would be split up. This is something I feel that should have been discussed sooner, but since I was going to get a hotel room, I let it be.
The day before the event, we get a message saying that the Airbnb fell through because the Airbnb owner didn’t want the girls there because of the mess glitter makes (I’m paraphrasing) and that they were scrambling to find somewhere else to stay, which would most likely be hotel rooms at the Hilton. Check in being at 3pm which is same as start time of the event, one of the producers offered his Airbnb to allow the girls to get ready. I also offered my hotel room for anyone to get ready just in case. As the ladies begin to arrive in Phoenix and needed a ride from the airport or the address of the Airbnb, I noticed the communication became less informative and less frequent. It took a while for one of the girls to get picked up from the airport, she had to text a few people to finally get a response. I asked for the address so I could possibly meet the girls at the Airbnb before leaving for the show, and I asked what time everyone is heading to the show and how they were getting there. No answer. I’m at a hotel, about 20 minutes from the Airbnb but 10 minutes away from the venue so I needed to know where to go and when, as that was never made clear. Mind you all the communication was done in that group chat with the influencers, RBC and 3 production company representatives.
My anxiety was starting to get to me. More girls were arriving and not sure exactly how things were going at that point or who was at the Airbnb getting ready because again, I hadn’t heard anything yet. I kept asking what time are we meeting? Where? what’s the address? Just trying to get some sort of answer. My anxiety was getting bad and I was starting to stress and get into that mental state where my anxiety then leaves me almost paralyzed and unable to continue getting myself ready. I didn’t know if I was being discluded, if everyone was too busy to respond, if maybe I wasn’t getting the details everyone else was because I wasn’t at the Airbnb with everyone and they just forgot to tell me, I don’t know. I was spiraling though, and it was taking a toll on me emotionally. Finally, I get a response to meet at venue at 5pm. I message one of the other girls and she said she just landed and was going to take an uber to the hotel to get ready since it was about to be time to check in anyway. She says to meet at hotel before 5 so we can meet up and go together. I start feeling relieved and continue getting ready. Except, my wig got tangled, and wasn’t going on right, and it takes time to brush out, so I was running late. I let them know I’ll just meet them at venue. There goes my anxiety again but this time because of making myself late and wig difficulties.
I message in the group chat that I’m on my way, and they respond asking if I could stop by and pick up some liquor as the bottles fell through. I didn’t know what that meant but of course I was willing to stop by. We head to the liquor store and my boyfriend goes in (because I didn’t want to go inside in a bodysuit showing my rave booty to non-ravers lol) and we buy a couple of giant bottles of liquor).
I show up, walk into the area described in chat, which I’m praying is not the “VIP” area but also, I don’t see much else. Everyone is sitting, huddled in a circle, talking to one another. A few of the girls do greet me with excitement which I greatly appreciated as my emotions were all over the place. Everyone is thankful for bringing liquor, and I meet all the lovely ladies and the RBC team, but I felt a weird vibe in the air. I’m also trying to take in the event as I had just arrived. I start hearing bits and pieces from everyone. I’m still not sure what happened regarding the liquor, but apparently there wasn’t any of the bottles we asked for, for us, or any bottles at all for us. The VIP section was in fact where we were all sitting, very off to the side. Folding white chairs and a tiny rectangular folding table that sat lower than the chairs. A tablecloth on it that they said they added recently. There was no hand sanitizer, no cleaning materials, nothing of the sort. I don’t ‘believe were offered face masks either. We all had our own, but you’d think they’d have some for us in case someone forgot theirs or maybe one fell on the ground or something. As for the event, I look around and it seemed as though there were maybe 4 to 6 rows of cars, but still some empty spaces towards the back. Nothing was sectioned off, there was a small crowd in the front, and I didn’t see much social distancing going on. Masks were on attendees for the most part, but some didn’t have them on, and it wasn’t truly enforced I felt like. At least not in the way that I’ve seen other events enforce it but who knows, as I arrived later. Other people may have different and safer experiences.
“VIP” with the drinks that we brought ourselves or Rave Bae Couture bought for us.
Some of the girls said that they didn’t know where they were staying for the night or duration of their trip, as they currently didn’t have a hotel. I wasn’t sure what the exact reason was, but from what I understood, as they tried to check in, the credit card that was used to reserve the hotels, was declined. I don’t know if that’s what happened or maybe I wasn’t given all the details but that’s what I heard. It didn’t seem that they were trying to get them another hotel or somewhere to stay was of major concern to some of the production company, as I didn’t see any further communication, I didn’t meet any of them officially. I offered a couple of the girls to stay at my hotel for the night as I had a sofa bed available, if needed. I had also missed some sort of confrontation, but I can’t imagine why anyone from the production company would be hostile with our group with all these things coming up. Can you imagine, a group of girls from out of town, not knowing where they’re going to stay for the night or the next when they were specifically told they would be given lodging? That is awful! Not to mention the lack of transportation and itinerary.
“Earlier the same day, when I kept asking when and where to meet, one of the questions I asked, was, “Are we getting our own rides to the venue?” One of the promotion company representatives responded, “ Yes. We have gotten drinks, your spots, your passes, and your hotels 😊 “ ”
That was a weird, patronizing AF response to get at the time. It felt as though they thought I came off as spoiled or privileged to ask for them to provide transportation to the venue after they gave us all those things. But think about it, even if that was what I was asking (which I wasn’t, I had my own ride), would it even be an unreasonable request to shuttle the people you invited as sponsored influencers, to and from your event? To ensure they make it there and back? I guess it is.
Imagine me, thinking back to that very response that was made, when I started hearing about all these things falling through, at the event? Girl….
Shout-out to Rave Bae Couture’s owner, Victor, and Assistant Brand Manager, Amy, coming through and saving the day. Amy helped with communication for us the rest of the weekend. Victor ordered us pizza, ordered food via Postmates for one of the girls who has a gluten allergy, bought us water, and offered to send me money for the liquor when they asked me to go to the liquor store. He also apologized profusely and felt awful for the situation we were in, and he couldn’t be any nicer. He also stayed with us at the event both days, so I felt more secure at that point. I would have felt more awkward if he wasn’t there, as we would have to fend for ourselves with the production company and who knows how that would have gone with that hostile vibe we were feeling. Victor also brought us food and drinks the following day, after RBC asked in the group chat if the production company would be providing drinks, and there was literally 0 responses from them about that or anything at all, the next day. Not surprising at that point, but still perplexing to say the least. I was glad to also have gotten the opportunity to get to know Amy and Victor better and talk at length. He listened to me, and I was able to talk face-to-face about my concerns and talking points. This was one great takeaway from that weekend.
One of the girls ended up getting a hotel room, after standing her ground that she should get one. I admire her tenacity for doing so because as a female alone in another state, late at night, there are so many ways that could go wrong. Another girl had a friend who had an Airbnb, so she stayed with them. One person without getting into so much details, stayed at the Airbnb for reasons that are not mine to discuss but rest assured it was nothing bad and if you follow her, you may have heard her story or what happened and that she was fine. The rest of the girls stayed with a friend who had an Airbnb. I’m glad everyone found a place.
The next morning, we picked up my friend who got the hotel room, and we went to pick up our other friend from the Airbnb, because she was going to stay with our friend at her hotel. I offered to make stops for breakfast, the store, whatever they needed as they didn’t have a car available to them and if we could help, why not? She graciously paid for our breakfast as her appreciation for going to pick her up. It’s little things like that, being kind to one another, that I appreciate. We give and we receive when it is our turn.
Alright let me start wrapping this up. Day 2 the vibes were still kind of off, but I noticed that the RBC team focused on making the best of the situation. While we were blindsided by empty words and broken promises, we had each other and that was incredible. The liquor aside, leaving a group of girls without somewhere to stay, and not prioritizing making it right, or showing any empathy, is a huge concern. That is a safety issue as well. What if things didn’t work out (because we took matters into our own hands), where would they have gone? That is not okay. We also weren’t given anything to help keep us safe at the event, and by the end of the night, attendees from the back rows, were all in the front of the stage all dancing together as though it wasn’t a social distancing event. Also, I randomly saw kids running chasing each other?? Was this not an 18+ event as advertised? I can’t explain that or even begin to figure out why and how that happened.
It’s unfortunate that these series of events kept me from talking about the great music and incredible acts, because that’s what this post would have been about. It would have highlighted the acts that I enjoyed, the up-and-coming artists, local talent, predictions for the future, all the smiles and feel good vibes. I can only hope that they do better in the future with other events and coordinate better. I did not feel comfortable taking many pictures or video this weekend because of what was given to us. Quite frankly, it was embarrassing. I rallied hard for this event and was severely let down. Had RBC and great friends not been there, it would have been a complete waste of time and money for me to have gone. It is important to note, that after the event/earlier this week, the production company agreed to reimburse for food/drinks.
I hope the people who are reading this, who were checking my stories and feed waiting for this post, in particular the ones who did not want me to post it, understand this. The promises that were made, that we didn’t ask for but were told we would be given, was all we expected and leaving us in the dust felt extremely disrespectful. I suppose you could call this a compromise as all parties involved were dissatisfied. This wasn’t posted as revenge or to cancel anyone. I don’t believe in that. What I do believe in is making concerted efforts to do better in the future. I believe in giving the opportunity to change. To make things right. I wish your company the best of luck in the future. This was a learning opportunity for me, as I hope it was for you as well.
With that, I leave you with some other words that a few of the girls wanted to contribute, all chose to remain anonymous. These are direct quotes from people, so these are not my own words.
“Aside from the event itself being unsafe and being lied to by those who threw the event, what had upset me the most was that I promoted this event to people under the guise of it being safe.
I wound up lying to people I care about, due to the event planners’ poor decisions. I told people this event would be safe, and it was not, and I feel awful.
The people who threw this event were not local event throwers to Arizona, and I feel like they saw this event as a quick money grab. I am happy it was not for them, because they did not deserve.
I was also told by one of the people who helped plan the event that, myself, and the others who promoted the event, were asking “too much,” in regard to receiving a spot for promotion, and a place to stay.
Asking for a safe spot at an event is too much? When that is what we were promised in the beginning? Are you kidding me?”
“At first, I was kind of excusing their lack of experience of hosting drive-ins for their faults that weekend. I was trying to see things from their perspective, and why they stopped being transparent with us as the weekend progressed. I would have probably felt embarrassed too in their situation, but I would have at least admitted fault and communicated with the influencers if things went wrong, such as their credit card getting declined for the hotel (which was told to me through the grapevine, not directly by them). At that point, it seemed deliberate. It felt as if they manipulated the influencers and using them for attention. I have noticed that the whole time up until the event, they were the most passionate about the influencers promoting their event on their stories and feeds and saying things like “we love and appreciate you” in return, alongside the empty promises of providing a place for them to stay, food, and alcohol. Let’s just hope they don’t do this to anyone again”
“I had a very serious medical emergency on day 1 and there was no one there who could help me, the company didn’t hire a medic team for the event. Most of the event was pretty unsafe in terms of the pandemic but the fact that there was no one hired to assist in an actual medical emergency other than two very aloof police officers was sad, terrifying, unprofessional, and careless.“
Daft Punk broke up today
We’re not okay 😭 If you’re like me, Daft Punk is one of the fundimental dance music staples of our childhood and/or adolescence ( or made an equally important impact on your life no matter when you were introduced to them.
For me, it started when I was really young. My mom and aunt listened to them, but my fondest memory was seeing my late aunt (who was like my sister) dancing around the room waving the rag we used to clean the wooden furniture with, and singing to “Around the World.” While those 3 words were the extent of the lyrics of the song, it was so fun to listen to. The catchy beat made us dance around the house. Same thing with '“One More Time.” To this day, hearing these songs gets me misty-eyed, but in a good way. If I hear the song ‘Around the World’ at a festival or when I’m even slightly inebriated, the tears will come for sure.
Nocturnal 2018 - Right to Left: My Mom, My BFF Minela and myself
My mom and I ugly cried together when I took her to her first music festival which was Nocturnal Wonderland, and we heard that song. We both looked at each other, and silently started bawling, and hugged each other. We knew my aunt Eva was there with us at that time, enjoying the moment with us. It was such a special moment for us to share, and that made me so happy to have taken to her a music festival. (If you want to come close to those feels, click here to see DJ AM playing Daft Punk, I think 2009.)
Another great song which isn’t exactly Daft Punk but close enough and for me is the same vibe, is the 1997 song “Music sounds better with you — Stardust. Now, Stardust is 1/3 Daft Punk with Thomas Bangalter, DJ Alan Braxe, and Benjamin Diamond. This was the only song the trio ever released which I think is freakin’ cool. I think that’s a pretty cool story tied to such a great song. I last heard it this past weekend at Insomniac Event’s Park ‘n Rave Chris Lorenzo, and it was amaze-balls. It hit me right in the feels and I felt so alive.
They have so so many great songs that I love listening to and if I talked about them all, we’d be here all night. So let me cut to one of the last ones I want to talk about. Get Lucky - Daft Punk Ft. Pharrell Williams. First of all, I’ve always been in love with Pharrell. So for them to have collaborated, it was a dream. Now with this one they released the album Random Access Memories. My mom took my nephew, niece and I (she’s technically my cousin but she’s the oldest and the first born cousin and I took care of her as a baby) to the OC Fair and AMP Radio had a booth there, they were giving away CD’s. I was shook. I saw Random Access Memories, and I saw Calvin Harris. I wanted both, so my mom grabbed Random Access Memories and I grabbed Calvin Harris. On the way home, we played them both and sang the whole way. Hearing my 13 yr old niece sing, “We’re up all night to get lucky” was pretty funny at first. Such a wholesome trip ❤️
Music will always be such a huge part of my life, and you’ll be hearing more about the artists that contribute to my profound love of music.
I’m sure many of you have memories that tie you to this duo, I’d love to hear them. Comment them on any of my last 2 Instagram posts, and I’ll read and respond.
Alright, now I Gotta go do some more writing but on something else. Until next time 🙃
-Cyn Quin 👸
Watch the emotional good-bye video from Daft Punk
Can I Have Your Attention Meow—Q&A Sesh With Kritter Klips
Nocturnal creatures Cyn & Steve @ Nocturnal Wonderland 2019
Most of you know by now that I am a crazy cat lady, and that’s putting it mildly. So when I found out there was a brand that sold hair clips that were cute furry ears that resembled cat ears, you know I was more excited than a cat with a new cat nip toy. Being able to have somewhere to wear these adorable clip-in ears (music festivals) was even better because people wouldn’t be doing a double-take because I was an adult with cat ears on, but because they’d be wondering who created these fun and cute accessories. If you ever wondered how these kitschy Klips came about, well, I have the inside scoop so curl up with your fur baby and keep reading.
I reached out to Kritter Klips during this Quarantine to ask them some questions that festival goers and people who don’t know about Kritter Klips (but need to know) would be interested in hearing about and this is what Justin the Meow of Kritter Klips had to say.
Justin Lennon of Kritter Klips
How would you describe Kritter Klips?
We are a small business with an EARnormous impact! We PURRmote self exPURRession with handmade clip on animal ears. Two snaps, and your cuteness is doubled. They bring out the best in those around you. Charitable donations to non-PURRofit organizations supporting wildlife, human rights and education are the backbone of our company.
How would you describe the customers of Kritter Klips?
We have geared our brand to be accessable to all ages and walks of life. Our PURRoducts are non gender specific! Our music festival deMEOWgraphic has grown iMEOWnsley (immensley) in just 4 short years!
Where are some of the places that Kritter Klips have been spotted or sold online or in person, where people might have seen your brand?
We have vended nEARly 250 events across the country ranging from small street markets to huge Festivals and Rave like EDC, Electric Forrest, Bass Canyon, Lightening In a Bottle, Shambrala, Envision and so MEOWny more...
Where do you find materials that are upcycled to create such fun and unique ears?
Upcycling utilizes a network of sewers and MEOWnufacturers collaborating to collect furs and fabrics that may have been unused or thrown away.
Where do you draw inspiration for creating new ears, to keep it fresh as well as eco-friendly?
Variety is a top PURRiority! Our ears are often small batches and it keeps us on our toes looking FUR the next design! Our customers speak and we listen. We also have the aMEOWzing Kritters to create these MEOWsterpieces.
I understand that Kritter Klips donates 5% of its proceeds to Amazon Watch. What can you tell us about this organization, why is it an important organization to Kritter Klips, and what are some other non-profit organization groups that Kritter Klips donates to?
EarthJustice takes on many of the biggest environmental and health challenges of our time and sticks with them. The laws make changes. We love them because the earth needs a good lawyer.
We have also donated a PURRcentage of our PURRofits to Amazon Watch, an aNEOWzing nonprofit that defends sacred space and indigenous rights in the Amazon. We donate to The Trevor Project who PURRvides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth. Oh, and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's MEOWssion is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and PURRotect ecosystems and species. They use innovative, direct-action tactics to investigate, document, and take action when necessary to expose and confront illegal activities on the high seas.
How did Kritter Klips get into the rave scene/music festivals and how do you impact the rave community?
KritterKlips was founded in 2015 by Quinn Ja. She started sewing ears out of upcycled teddy bears and old textiles. She would sew on the weekdays at home with her little boy and sell them on the weekends at craft fairs and festivals. Eventually with the help of her mom, grandma and friends who know how to sew we were able to start producing better ears at a better price and the rest is history! Now there is a team of 6 us who vend festivals, work on the website, make ears, pack orders and do creative stuff. If you happen to see us somewhere say hi!
If I were to come to the Kritter Klips booth at a music festival and couldn’t decide on a pair to purchase, how would you help me select the perfect pair of Kritter Klips?
As a PURRsonal stylist I utilize eight years of cliptology schooling to MEOWch your Purrrsonality and find your Kritter Spirit! I’d consider your color scheme and accessories and use PURRfect placement to double your cuteness!
Cyn as a Purr-Maid
Please describe your current ambassador program MeowKult, and what are the cool anticipated changes coming to the unique ambassador program.
Our ambassador program connects like-minded animal, art, and music lovers to each other, while sponsoring amazing causes like community beach clean ups and donation drives for nonprofits fighting for social and environmental justice.
We are inspiring, positive, creative and build momentum in our pursuit to a better, more inclusive world.
More brands in the rave community are becoming more environmentally conscious and making changes to how their products are created and sent to consumers. What is one of the important items customers should pay attention to when shopping eco-friendly brands?
Support slow fashion brands! Slow fashion brands focus on quality over quantity so it’s ideally made to last longer. Unlike the fast fashion industry, slow fashion companies have fair wages, smaller carbon footprint, and little to none waste. Another solution is to buy less. Often times we get things because they are on sale/cheap or it looks PURRetty, but reMEOWmber to think about if it is something you’d wear out and how often. A third way could be to buy used instead of new. If the deMEOWnd for fast fashion decreases, fast fashion industries will have to stop PURRoducing large quantities in short time spans. Lastly try PURRticipating in clothing exchanges. We've found some great facebook groups that exchange or resell festival ware.
What has Kritter Klips done to evolve and thrive during the global pandemic of Covid-19, where selling at music festivals or boutiques is no longer practical? What would you say to KK consumers who have been hesitant to make a purchase during this time of conscious frugality?
Covid-19 has had a sEARrious impact on us as a community and business. Since the beginning of the outbreak we have been busy sewing and donating thousands of non- medical masks to nurses in our hometown of Sonoma County. We’ve had so MEOWny countless friends reach out asking for masks. We had to OfFUR them to the public! Each mash is handmade and sterilized with love. For each mask purchased, we will donate another to a nurse and/or vulnerable population in need. We love you, be well & stay safe!
The most recent civil unrest and development in the social justice movement was sparked by the unfortunate homicide of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. I think your followers would like to know what was/is Kritter Klips role in the Black Lives Movement and what does it mean for the brand?
Racism isn't controversial unless you are a racist. We feel it is absolutely necessary to speak out against systemic racism to uplift and protect Black communities. We have been a long time supporter of NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). It is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We also support the ACLU which has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
Kritter Klips says it is open to all genders, sizes, orientations and colors. How has Kritter Klips demonstrated this, and how will it continue to show it’s inclusivity?
KritterKlips is all about self-expression, playfulness and simply spreading smiles in your everyday life. As a women owned company we include ALL body types, gender identities, races, nationalities and orientations. We donate to Amnesty International fighting discrimination. We all have the right to be treated equally, regardless of our race, ethnicity, nationality, class, caste, religion, belief, sex, gender, language, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics, age, health or other status.
Can we expect to see other kinds of kritters (animals) klips other than kitties?
Although I PURRtray a cat, KritterKlips can be what you iMEOWgine them to be. We ofFUR ears in mini, short and long fur, round and angular with tons of handmade variations.
Thank you Justin and Kritter Klips for your time and answering these questions for our followers and the curious. You can follow Kritter Klips on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Let me show you a few of my favorite pairs of Kritter Klips at the moment.
These cuties are a bright pop of Sherbert colors with a star design and Silver foil. The fur is a mixture of pastel rainbow colors. I’ve had my eye on these for a minute. (click name to buy)
If you love a black light the way I do, I def recommend these! You will glow like you fell into a vat of radiation!
I wore these to Hard Summer last year, check out my outfit here. Sadly, I lost one of the ears so now I only have 1 ☹️ Click name above to go get a pair.
I’ve also been eyeing this pair because I have a few outfits that would go with these. So…. come payday I gotta make these mine because I don’t want to wait too long and they sell out. Outfit Inspo’ for these, here. Click name on photo for link.
If you are wanting to help support one of the many amazing causes referenced above, and get a cute pair of ears, go to the Kritter Klips website to peruse and shop. They offer AfterPay so if you wanted to snatch up a few pairs before they sell out but don’t have all the funds up front, totally select that option. Oooh! Before I forget, some of the ears come with cute little piercings so if you’re into that, check if the ears you want have a piercing option. You can also add your ears to baseball caps. You know the little holes on the top of the caps? Well, you can snap open the clip and slip it in there for a snug fit on your hat. Pro-tip: secure ears with bobby pins no matter how you wear them, because if not you’ll lose a few like I have at festivals because I was too lit and they probably flew off while I was dancing or maybe I knocked them off, I honestly have no idea. I just remember being big sad when I lost them. I always end up with just one, which is bittersweet.
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The biggest smile I had was when I met Pasquale Rotella of Insomniac Events