Electronic Dance Music is far from just a trend; it’s actually been around since the 70s and started as an underground movement for minority communities to come together and dance. The genre started as disco, evolved into techno and house, and now EDM is just an umbrella term for the variety of genres we know today.
In the past decade, EDM has become mainstream with notable names like David Guetta, FISHER and John Summit headlining several festivals and selling out arenas.
On Halloween, Up & Up Oregon hosted a promotional event for its next show at McDonald Theatre on Nov. 13 with Australian DJ Odd Mob. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., six UO student DJs performed on both the floor level and bass level at Fathoms Bar.
Since 2016, Up & Up Festival has exponentially grown into now the largest and longest-running college music tour in the United States. Every spring and fall, over 100 college campuses compete in a 48-hour pre sale competition to bring a notable DJ to their school.
“The first thing I think about when someone asks me about EDM is the community aspect. I think that peace, love, unity and respect are a big slogan in the EDM community,”Head of Social Media for Up & Up Oregon Maxwell Zembur, known by his stage name “DJ Mixwell,” said.
Zembur is a junior at UO and joined the team after going to a show his freshman year.
“Seeing the people that were able to bring these events to life was super cool,” Zembur said. “Knowing that this organization exists and students are behind that, I knew I wanted to be a part of it.” Zembur has been an ambassador since his sophomore year.
The interest of college students in DJ-ing, with its upbeat rhythms and music that’s easy to dance to, continues to grow. It also explains why Up & Up Oregon received the most applications for student ambassadors this year.
The EDM scene at UO has soared over the past decade, and students have shown proof by winning the past seven competitions in a row. Up & Up Oregon has brought dominating headliners in the EDM community like Disco Lines, Matroda, SIDEPIECE and in a couple of weeks, Odd Mob.
“My brother introduced me to Louis the Child and all those big names back in middle school. I went to Coachella in eighth grade and other really fun festivals,” Lead Event Organizer for Up & Up Oregon Bennett Price said. “I’ve always been captivated by the space and people.”
“Even being a part of an event on a local scale like Up & Up, I really enjoy being a part of something that creates a space for people to express themselves,” Zembur said.
If you’re an EDM fan, or want to be a part of the uplifting, high-energy community, tickets for Odd Mob are available at @upanduporegon on Instagram.
