This is the face of a girl who’s been battling the most ridiculously annoying cough and cold combination from hell for a week.  I’ve sneezed more times than I could count and essentially coughed up my body weight; so, why’s she smiling, you ask? Oh, because she gets to do her second big show review in the history of ever.  Whether you’re a new follower or you’ve been around the block with me a few times, I’m sure you’ll come to notice sooner or later that the passions I have in life are what makes my world go ’round.  Music, writing, cats, beauty in the world, my boyfriend and our friends, sunshine and the good life – in any and every combination possible.

A few years back I was talking with a good friend of mine who continually maintains two jobs – one job being a pain in the ass but money in the bank, and the other the exact opposite: the only richness she got from the job was a feeling of pride. And my, oh my…isn’t that enough?  Ever since then, I’ve thought about a two fold approach to what “work” is supposed to be.  “Work” is what you do to support your dream job and as a writer for the renowned EDM Web-zine The DJ List I’m now a walking, talking example of it.

I’ve gone to the Palladium at least fifty times in the last two years, possibly over 100 times in my five year span in Los Angeles; but never have I ever stammered when I talked to doormen, and been so confused at a simple press ticket – what I kept forgetting was I got this job by being an avid and energetic EDM fan, not by letting my nerves get the best of me.  Thank-fracking-goodness my boyfriend knows how (and when) to take control of a situation that’s slipping through my anxious little fingers. After stopping by the wrong booth, I finally heard the magic words I’ve been waiting for: Here’s your VIP wristband and your photography pass. What. If I died at that very second, which is in fact what my heart felt like it was doing, I would have died the happiest little bouncy kitty on planet Earth.

When we walked in, Candyland was rocking the stage with their OG swag and EDM style; their fusion of grimy Hip-hop, dubstep and electro house got the crowd jumping like crazy.  From the rafters, it honestly looked like popcorn just going off in every direction.  Not to mention, the duo – better known to their friends as Ethan and Josie –  hail from Santa Barbara and know some of my college buddies; small, talented world, right? After their set was another 805 local, Seven Lions.  There aren’t even appropriate words to describe how his music moves me – he takes chilled out trance and indie rock, pairs it with some of the most stunning synths and rumbles I’ve ever heard and simply put – the man makes musical magic.  His set was effing phenomenal and after seeing him be the opener for Porter Robinson and Krewella I cannot wait to see him headline his own show; shit’s gonna get real!

Finally, after a palpable intermission where we refused to leave our spot on the dance floor – the house lights dimmed, the Volcano was unveiled and Jahan, Yasmine and Rainman took the reins at the DJ Booth; it was all uphill from there!  Churning through hit after hit, the sisters interchangeably jumped to stage level to interact with their immensely diverse fanbase and feed off of each other’s electric energy.  They went through their entire repertoire – Come and Get It, Live for the Night, Candyland even came out to perform their OG remix of Legacy – their song with Nicky Romero.  This Chicago trifecta has worked with some of the greatest across all EDM genres and paid homage to many others that I’ve considered incredibly influential.  Pendulum, Knife Party, Gareth Emery, Skrillex, Adventure Club, Nicky Romero, Fall Out Boy.  No doubt this list is going to get exponentially longer as their careers catapult – and they’re still fresh on the scene!

Now, I can’t leave you without some jams to get you through the day so here are my current favorites from all three artists; enjoy!