Area 34

You wouldn’t know it from the outside looking in, but the electronic dance music (EDM) scene has taken the Mississippi Gulf Coast by storm the past few years. The hype is largely due to efforts made by DJs who run Area 34. The company seeks EDM artists to perform at venues all across the coast, mainly operating between the Ocean Springs, Biloxi and Gulfport districts. They also support up and coming DJ’s by having “open deck” nights, meaning anyone with proven DJ experience can come in with a prepared set list of songs to mix live in front of audiences at their venues.

My good friend and I went to a Halloween event they had a few weeks ago at a venue called The Sanctuary, an old church now renovated for clubs and other music-related activities. For this performance, they had several legendary local EDM artists lined up for the night. The headliner of the show was an artist who goes by SEVVN (below I'm taking a video of his performance), and I would highly recommend listening to his music (linked below). This was a big deal for him. SEVVN is an EDM artist from Biloxi, and this was his first headline show in his hometown (at least from what I heard from others at the venue). It meant a great deal to him that my friend and I came out to support him and all our other friends who performed.

Quality photos were taken that night by Red (lil.red189 on Instagram), and I've posted a few to give you all an idea as to what Area 34 is all about. When I asked Red if he could send me photos of that night with me in them (I'm the one in red), he told me not to worry about it. Then, a day after the party, Red uploads hundreds photos as a free, downloadable file on Instagram for anyone who wanted them. The love and support of this community is why going to these events has changed my life, especially the way I appreciate music. The high-octane energy, fueled by the adrenaline of people around you, is also a great way to relieve stress. Everyone at the rave was friendly, outgoing and understanding of safety, so I felt comfortable getting mixed into the crowds and mosh pits. I encourage those who love music and community to get involved. I will leave a link to Area 34's Instagram, as this and Facebook are the two main platforms they use to announce events, artist lineups and updates.

(area34.edm - Instagram)

(SEVVN - Instagram)