Flux Pavilion fans aren’t afraid to mosh.

Dubstep seems to have been sidelined in recent years by the more accessible EDM subgenres of dance and house that make for radio playable top 40 hits. But it’s clear that dubstep still has its niche — and masses of extremely loyal fans.

Flux Pavilion performed on Tuesday night (Sept. 15) at Eugene’s McDonald Theatre on Willamette Street with opening performances by Diskord and 12th Planet.

The night started promptly at 7 p.m., with Diskord opening to a rather small crowd of EDM enthusiasts. Energy was high and bass was deep, but the crowd got especially hyped with the introduction of 12th Planet. He hit all the right chords, giving his audience what they wanted and getting the crowd stoked for the main act.

Though once the act the fans had all been waiting for finally began, the party truly started. The lights promptly dimmed at half past ten, with a large screen simulating the experience of being sucked into a galaxy of laser lights, fog and deep bass. The room was suddenly packed nearly to capacity, and energy was higher than ever. When Flux (the stage moniker of English producer Joshua Kierkegaard G. Steele) finally appeared, the crowd deafeningly cheered as he announced his arrival.

And it was clear through the haze of fog and strobe lights what shot him to fame in the first place. Flux’s keen connection to the crowd was blatant and apparent throughout the set. He knew what the crowd wanted and he wasn’t afraid to provide, somehow never pandering to his audience. Flux kept the crowd on its toes, changing the atmosphere by constantly switching up the tempo and tone.

He brought his A-game, even providing vocals to preface his famed “I Can’t Stop,” a single off of his 2010 EP, Lines in Wax. Listeners may recall the song from a campaign-spreading scene towards the end of the now-infamous Kony 2012 video.

Of course, strobe and laser light effects are essential for any EDM show. Although the effects during the performance were noticeably less dramatic than those for bigger artists, they were rather impressive for the fairly small venue.

While it was not an entirely sold-out performance, Flux certainly drew a large crowd to McDonald – and an interesting one at that. As expected, a sea of millennials — decked in metallic spandex, glitter, crop tops, bro tanks and every shade of neon imaginable — flooded the floor, eager to dance and enjoy the music. Of course, no true raver is without glow sticks and arm candy, both of which were common accessories among the crowd.

And while the importance of music is central to EDM culture, the sense of community that occurs at an event is arguably even more impactful. Unlike at an indie-rock or mainstream pop concert, EDM concert-goers really interact with each other. They dance together, pass along homemade bracelets and help each other escape the occasional (but often inevitable) mosh pits. It’s a community unlike any other, and it only occurs at shows like these.

If you missed the show, you can still catch Flux Pavilion, 12th Planet, and Diskord tonight (Sept. 17) at Portland’s Roseland Theater.

Follow Shelby Chapman on Twitter @ShelbyEm15