sarinastyles

[sarinastyles]

Skrillex still gettin' it

[sarinastyles]

Mind-melting, eardrum-popping surprise set by Skrillex at an OWSLA party in Los Angeles!

[sarinastyles]

Wave Racer af at The Roxy, Los Angeles

It was a tropical house x future house x trap heaven at The Roxy the other night as Wave Racer took us for a high speed ride through his mind. 

Opening for him was this fantastically nerdy 16-year-old dj named Mr. Wasabi who was mashing up pokemon songs with trap drops at lightning speed. This headache inducing style had the “all ages” audience jumping up and down like it was their junior prom--which they probably haven't attended yet. To my relief, once Wave Racer came on the crowd settled into a cooler groove. 

While the venue was intriguingly intimate without a bad spot in the house, the visuals lacked luster and made the show fall a bit flat. I found myself exhausted by the repetitive sounds I was hearing as Wave Racer settled into his set. While I enjoy hearing a few of his songs play at a party or while I’m driving down the coast highway on a summer day, I decidedly do not need an hour and a half of straight Wave Racer. I say hold off and wait for him too develop as an artist. 

[sarinastyles]

Flume at #30daysinLA by Redbull Sound Selects was an unforgettably epic show. 

The anticipation filled the room--and so did the weed-- as fans eagerly awaited their Australian savior, Flume. His set started with his signature dreamy vibes with surreal visuals to convince you that someone slipped you some acid before he came on stage. For his second half of the 90 minute set, Flume quickly turned the room into a grimy trap party that no one could recover from. He proved his keep as an absolutely revered god of EDM music who guided us on a musical journey that left me emotionally exhausted and entirely satisfied.  

[sarinastyles]

Mr. Carmack at the El Rey

The sold out Mr. Carmack show this past weekend at the El Rey in Los Angeles brought out the hippest crowd I’ve ever bumped booties with. Upon entrance I suddenly felt like a 40-year-old soccer mom compared to the hoards of music scene hispters rocking unisex 90s-came-back-to-haunt-us looks of bomber jackets, over-sized ironic tees, and swag sneakers.

Some acoustic band opened the show, which left the crowd of EDM scene snobs a bit confused as we wondered “how the fuck do I dance to this?” We waited restlessly for the uber trendy, Hawaii-based Mr. Carmack to drop his experimental, trappy tunes for us to get grimy to -- and the wait was well worth it!

The second he came on stage with his bottle of chamagne we all knew it was going down. This crowd knew how to get wild in a way I haven’t seen in a long time. Those who had initially been acting too cool to function were now moshing and dropping it to the jolting sounds.

I could tell this producer/dj was a true artist by the way he split his show into 3 acts, each distinctly different. First off, he gave us exactly what we wanted with his signature trap dance beats. Next, he moved into an experimental style of “is there ever going to be a drop?” music that kept you on your toes wondering if you're actually able to dance in rhythm to this weird stuff. This section boasted 4 unexpected live performances, ranging from rapping to a soft melodic duet. 

In the final act, Mr. Carmack busted out into a beat so grimy that the fire alarms went off! The sweaty crowd couldn’t care less as we were too entranced by the mind-blowingly fresh sounds we were turning up to! Mr. Carmack had created a seductive story arc that built us all up to an unbelievable climax. Bravo sir. 

I walked out of that show with my mind melted and some new ratchet ass friends at my side.

[sarinastyles]

Odesza at The Observatory #odesza #socaledm #indiedance #odeszalive

[sarinastyles]

New Years kiss

[sarinastyles]

Insomniac’s Countdown NYE 2016 Recap

You can always expect a rave of epic proportions from Insomniac as they host countless must-attend rave massives. This was the pinnacle of New Year’s Eve EDM events in Southern California (with it’s only real competition being the formidable OMFG by LED in San Diego, which was three nights of nonstop raving). The event hit hard from start to finish starting 2016 off with a fucking bang!

As I walked into the venue the intoxicating sounds of What So Not lured me into the first stage. Screens with visuals not only surrounded the DJ, but they also ran along to top and sides of the tent to ensure total immersion in the beats. Before I could even take in my surroundings I was overcome by the great vibe of the crowd jumping and grooving around me as a girl grabbed my attention to let me know how awesome my outfit looked. Now those are some old school PLUR vibes I can get on board with! The trappy sounds of What So Not merged the crowd into a sea of bobbing heads going wayyyy too hard for any 7pm crowd--welcome to an Insomniac party!

From three fantastically loud, illuminated stages to a winter wonderland ice skating rink, Insomniac made sure we would have a memorable night. One stage of heavy hitting bass, one stage with smaller House acts, and the main stage packed to the brim with eager fans teeming with energy and excitement all the way until the last moments of the bitterly cold night as Kaskade closed out the event.

I knew I was in EDM heaven on earth AND my ultimate happy-place when I was praised all night for dancing around in my underwear! I cannot wait to check out the next Insomniac rave I can get my dancing rave booty to!

[sarinastyles]

Which So Cal New Year’s Eve EDM Event should you attend?

With a slew of pricey club events hosted by lesser known DJs and several rave massives going down this New Year’s Eve the decision can be a bit overwhelming. I’m going to go ahead and simplify things for you by telling you to ditch the club this year! You’re going to end up paying nearly the same price for the night at a club you can usually weasel your way into for free as you would pay for a full fledged rave -- so treat yo’ self! This year opt for the full rave experience to start your 2016 off with a bang!

Now here are your options:

Insomniac’s Countdown (San Bernadino NOS Event Center)

LED’s OMFG NYE (San Diego)

Insomniac’s Twelve 31 (Hollywood Palladium)

White Rabbit Group’s HAVOC NYE (Santa Ana Yost Theater)

So which rager should you pull the trigger on?

All of these events have their pluses depending on what your group is most interested in. If you’re looking to have a good time without breaking the bank HAVOC is your event. For $50 tickets, you get to see grade A acts like Sweater Beats and Destructo across two stages in a small venue mini-rave.

For the real serious partiers, you should take your crew to OMFG where you can score 3 solid nights of raging face with heavy hitters Porter Robinson, Flosstradamus, and Borgore each night!

If you want to see some acts you’ve never seen before and have a less ratchet night Twelve 31 is the event for you.

And lastly and most importantly, if you want to ring in the new year in the most epic of proportions you HAVE to take your rave fam to Countdown where you��ll find a 3 stage PLUR party that hits hard from start to finish. This one night event is the show to beat, boasting an unforgettable line up and true old school rave swagger. This is where you will find me. Dancing... in my undies.... asking 2016 to do me dirty :P

[sarinastyles]

Countdown NYE 2016

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Dreamy Indie Dance Night with Odesza

The Observatory OC went off last night with a fully packed show giving off epic crowd vibes. We showed up just in time to squeeze into the last existing spot on the balcony where we could overlook the madness from a safe distance but still pick up the excited energy. Stationed almost directly above Odesza, we got to see the Seattle duo simultaneously mix and play live instruments. With two trumpeters flanking them the show was brought to life. Once we all got into the groove of the show an almost spiritual energy was radiating from the audience as people danced and truly lost themselves in the music. 

I first saw the Odesza duo at this year’s HARD Summer in the raging heat of the day, and even their mellow transcending vibes couldn't bring me back from the brink of insanity in that horridly hot, restless crowd. This show at the Observatory was deemed my redemption round, and gawddd was it the right venue for them! It felt intimate despite the cramped quarters, since you could literally watch Odesza’s every move and see the expressions on their faces. You could safely drift off into the melodies along with the strangers around you.

Odesza is a must see when they come on tour near you! They are dishing out all original indie dance music and adding a new melodic overlay to keep you swaying to sounds you’ve never heard before--even if you are a diehard Odesza fan.

[sarinastyles]

Odesza went off last night at @theobservatoryoc #odesza #electronicfeels

[sarinastyles]

Check Out My Published New Media Article

Check out my first published article on New Media use in businesses. Published in the January edition of THE Aesthetic Guide, a magazine for physicians in aesthetic medicine. Now I'm a contributor to the mass media!

Turn to page 57 to read Navigating the World of New Media Leads to Practice Success.

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk//launch.aspx?eid=6c4e0979-6b09-4288-9255-5eb89927807e

[sarinastyles]

The Brady Bunch Meets Arrested Development – I don’t think they would get along so well

I want to take a look at the differences between two popular comedy sitcoms. One from 1969 and one from the 2000s. Due to the culture of the time, the show’s content and delivery methods are very different. First I want to take a look at how we would go about viewing these shows.

The Brady Bunch was aired at a time when there was no way to watch a show at a different time. If you wanted to see the latest episode, you needed to tune in to the channel at the time it aired. Also, the whole family needed to agree to watch this show because there was only one tv per household.

In contrast, Arrested Development’s delivery method is the most technologically advanced to date. A step beyond being able to DVR your show and watch it at a later date, this show can be watched any time online. Arrested Development aired as a Netflix exclusive program, which means not only could you tune in whenever you like without needing to record anything, but also you could watch the entire season on your own timing because the whole season is released at once. For the first time, we are able to watch an entire season or even series in one sitting if we so choose. With The Brady Bunch viewers had to patiently wait to see each episode as it aired, and if you missed it, too bad. There was no way to re-watch a show unless a re-run was aired.

Now moving on to the content of these series, let’s look at what they each reveal about the culture and family dynamic of the time. The Brady Bunch was an overall cheerful and united family that used teamwork to work through their struggles. In contrast, Arrested Development is an incredibly cynical individualistic family who each act solely in their own best interest. The comedy in this show comes from how divided they are, while The Brady Bunch focuses on their ability to unite. Also, Arrested Development shows characters trying to get by being as lazy as possible, while The Brady Bunch promotes and values hard work and effort. This is because Arrested Development is viewing our current day society through a comically cynical lens. The Brady Bunch found comedy through their earnest group effort.

http://variety.com/2013/digital/reviews/arrested-development-1200488084/

[sarinastyles]

Impact of Magazines On Our Choices and Perceptions of Trends and Important Events

Today we have magazines for each interest and every lifestyle. Magazines can tell you how to dress, home-make, workout, and just about any other choice in life. With magazines available for wellness, homemaking, news, men’s, women’s, fashion, celebrity gossip, parenting, and sports just to name a few, you can learn everything you need for day-to-day life from a newsstand. The variety of these magazines reveals what American society values.

         Magazines have huge potential to influence your everyday choices as you pick up your favorite mag and see what it has to say. For example, Better Home & Garden promotes the patriarchal society structure wherein women should be homemakers. Women use this magazine as an archetype for the perfect wife and homemaker. Perpetuating this magazine also perpetuates the culture of at home women. Many other lifestyle magazines point to how one should conduct themselves and lead their life.

With that in mind, magazines can keep cultures alive, such as bird watching magazines and classic car magazines.  Without the collected information found in these magazines, it would be harder to keep a sense of community and understanding of the niche culture.

         Time Magazine has had huge influence on American culture. People value it as a trusted source for information. News, research, political, international relations, and other stories have been the content of Time Magazine for decades. People look towards this magazine because it has become an institution that truly does have a say in the way people view our society. If Time thinks a topic is important, then readers will believe so as well. While magazines are in decline, they still hold a lot of power in our culture, especially in terms of mass media.

         Here are some iconic images that most of us would recognize, proving the impact and reach of Time Magazine in the public eye.

http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1704183_1704185,00.html

[sarinastyles]

Power of New Media Advertising Techniques

This year at the Academy Awards history was created, and it didn't have to do with the movies. The most re-posted Tweet in history was created. As we all know, it was a spontaneous “selfie” photo taken by the host Ellen DeGeneres with some celebrities from the audience.

Previously, the most re-tweeted post was a photograph of the president and his wife at the white house. This shift could definitely be interpreted as a commentary of our online values and interests.

But I’d much rather talk about how this new groundbreaking celebrity tweet came to be. While the photo is known for being an improvisation from Ellen, a recent article admits that may not have been the case at all.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/04/apple-samsung-20-million/

“Samsung paid ABC roughly $18 million for 5 minutes worth of prime-time ads plus unspecified consideration for product placement throughout the broadcast, according to the Wall Street Journal.”

And this “selfie”, was a strategic and genius product placement. Using Twitter Amplify the image was pushed to break Twitter history. To think that an advertising ploy could have this much reach speaks to the capabilities of new forms of advertising in the new media world.

It seems this stunt has caught people’s attention much more than a traditional broadcast commercial ad. “You can't buy that magic of going viral,” says WPP branding expert Allen Adamson told the Journal.

[sarinastyles]

Communication Gone Digital

Today I thought about how much time I spend using mass media throughout my day. In the morning I wake up and check my Instagram, at break I look at my Facebook, after work I watch the news or Netflix, at the gym and in my car I listen to music, and at night I watch primetime programming and all the advertisements that come along with it. New media has drastically increased my media intake.

With all of these technologies added together, I spend 5 hours a day taking in mass media messages. Whether I am connecting with friends or inadvertently listening to a radio ad, I hear a lot of messages each day. And with apps like Vine, I am taking in a new message every 6 seconds! All of those messages ad up and can be very distracting to your focus and daily real life routines. It is so easy to become caught up in this convenient new availability of constant entertainment. Sometimes I forget how much better it is to be in the moment with no mass communication messages bombarding me experiences the real world.

I feel virtual reality has become a problem for my generation as we use it as a supplement for real human interaction. On my cell phone I use tools for machine assisted interpersonal communication and mass communication all day long. I constantly have my phone within arms reach incase I need or want to use it to send and receive communication messages. And sometimes that can replace face-to-face interaction.

According to media specialist West Jones of Incredible Marketing, U.S. consumption of digital media grew by more than 83% from 2010 to 2013.” And I can safely predict that it will continue to grow as we find more uses for it.

When I was younger, no one had nearly as much access to media, aside from television, because the technology simply didn’t exist yet. Now we can watch our shows as when we like and on whatever device we prefer.

Also, social media has now become a huge part of our lives, when it didn’t even exist when I was younger. Now I feel many people have become dependent on it. People devote time each day to check into all of their favorite social media sites and apps. To my surprise, behind Facebook, Tumblr came in as the second most used social media platform. Way to go Tumblr!

To see some numbers on just how much Americans use social media, check out http://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-engagement-statistics-2-2014-1

I think as more technologies continue to develop and our culture becomes more reliant on machine-mediated communication, we will need to learn how to balance our interactions. Right now, as a culture, we are just getting a hang of this whole new media thing. Once it has been around long enough that we can’t even imagine life without it, then we will understand where it fits in with face-to-face communication. Each has its advantage.