drugs – Audiofemme

PREMIERE: SUSU Psychs Out Listeners With Trippy “Let’s Get High” Video

The first time Liza Colby and Kia Warren recorded music together, they looked at each other and collapsed into a shared giggle fit in the studio. Since then, they’ve done the same during live performances; it’s one of many habits of theirs that make their relationship akin to iconic sitcom friendships like Ethel and Lucy, Laverne and Shirley, Pam and Gina.

When they met, Colby and Warren were both front-women of rock bands, Liza Colby Sound and Revel in Dimes. Now, they have their own band, SUSU, which released its debut single, “Let’s Get High,” on 4/20 this year.

The song is both an ode to the members’ friendship and a poetic depiction of psychedelic trips they’ve taken together. “We were crossing our frequencies / a place that we could escape to / and no one else could find,” Colby sings, to which Warren replies: “I could see you looking at me / but I was looking at me through your eyes / all the boxes were turning to circles / couldn’t tell what was yours from what’s mine.”

In the video, colorful images of each woman’s face singing alternate with trippy imagery of lakes, trees, and jellyfish. With the members separated due to the coronavirus, the concept behind it was basically, “Can we please make a video out of nothing? Can we make this happen when we’re on opposite sides of the country?” Colby laughs. The final product is meant to emulate the lava-lamp-like screensavers on laptops — the perfect visual to stare at and meditate to while tripping.

While most of their songs were written sober, Colby and Warren have used weed and psychedelics to get closer to each other and gain inspiration for their music. They remember one acid trip in particular that was formative for their band and their relationship. When they decided to leave the house that day, Warren suddenly became very concerned about what they were wearing. “In my mind, I saw how I wanted to look — it’s one of those Grey Gardens things where you see a lady in a fur coat,” she says. She remembers thinking, “I don’t know if I can go outside if I don’t have a cashmere beanie or something.”

They dug through the closet and dressed themselves the way Warren was envisioning, then wandered back home. Then, Colby’s husband came home, and as they went to bed in separate rooms, the women kept yelling at each other through the wall. “We stumbled across some good gems and discovered ourselves,” Warren remembers. “What I take away [from these experiences] is certainly how I want to express something or a really funny way of encountering something, or if a character came out, like a Grey Gardens character.”

Part of the duo’s connection comes from both being women of color fronting rock bands, which allows them to support each other through the challenges they face. “There are certain kinds of expectations of what a person making rock and roll is,” says Warren. “A lot of the time, when we’d be pitched for something, they’d be like, ‘not bold enough, not black enough,’ and we’d be like, wait a minute, we’re just doing rock and roll — it shouldn’t be contingent upon what the person looks like. When Liza performs, there’s no shying away. She’s always an inspiration, like ‘stick to what you’re doing and don’t feel like you have to fit someone’s expectations.'”

“We are rock and roll just by being us,” says Colby. “Being rock and roll is doing the things that aren’t in the box, that aren’t necessarily what you think they are. And that is what we’re pushing each other every day to do.”

Follow SUSU on Facebook for ongoing updates.

HIGH NOTES: People Share the Most Bonkers Things That Happened to Them in Ibiza

If you’re looking for an adventure involving music, drugs, or (ideally) both, there’s no place like Ibiza. The Spanish island is known for its collection of famous DJs and, thanks to the Mike Posner song “I Took a Pill in Ibiza,” its abundant supply of recreational drugs. Largely for this reason, many people have had some of the wildest times of their lives there.

With the island’s clubbing season in full swing, I asked people about their most memorable Ibiza moments. Some are terrifying, others are hilarious, and others still are charmingly tame. Here are some stories that might inspire your next Ibiza vacation.

“When I was 19 years old, I moved to Spain to work and travel a bit. After working in the Canary Islands as an activity organizer/entertainer in hotel resorts, I quit my job and flew to Ibiza. I was planning on finding a job but found a guy instead who was 17 years older than me. He lied that he was 30 and I lied that I was 20. We hung out around the island for a week and a half, partied, took drugs, and I spent all of my money. When he left, I was in my hostel with about 100 euros in my bank account, no job, and clueless what to do next. So, I went to a Go-Go dancer casting (it’s not stripping — I had all my clothes on!). It went fine, except I slipped and fell while dancing on the stage. I did not go back there anymore. I bought plane tickets to Barcelona with the last of money and left the island.” – Lana, 27, Israel

“I stayed in the room that Jean Paul Gaultier and Madonna stayed in when they went. I went to a foam party and got felt up by ten trillion hidden hands. Woke up on a beach octopussed up between two beautiful naked German girls. I was fully clothed. That was a wild weekend.” – Dutch, 43, Houston

“I was playing poker with a guy when his girlfriend undressed, masturbated, came, and got up to sit with us while were discussing US politics.” – Anonymous, 43, New York

“I was best woman in a gay wedding in Ibiza, and the grooms rented a gorgeous mansion with an infinity pool that overlooked the Mediterranean and mountains. Their friends rented rooms in the villa, so it was a big party house. There was one very desirable, studly, cool guy that everyone was trying to sleep with. And one morning, my friend, the groom, innocently walked in his room and saw four naked legs entwined and two bare asses. He gasped, ran out, and told everyone. We were speculating like crazy on who it was. I even snuck by the window to get a peek. We were nosy! Turned out it was the groom’s other best friend, Paul. We were all thrilled for him. The night after the wedding, Paul and I chugged wine until who knows when, because in the summer in Spain the sun is up at like 4 a.m., and when we finished our second individual bottles of (affordable, local) wine, the sun had been up for a while. So there was one straight guy at the wedding and back home he was screwing some other girl who came to the wedding who was, get this, married. But I’m such an alpha dog when I’m single. I got him to ditch her in Ibiza and come home to the villa with us. After Paul went to bed, the one straight guy and I ended up very not romantically and not otherwise memorably boning on the deck overlooking the sea and mountains and infinity pool. My groom friend’s new husband was just then getting up bright and early to do morning yoga and caught us. He gasped and ran in to ask my friend who it was. He knew it was me. His two best pals were the hoes of the trip. We had a good laugh.” – Anonymous, 38, Boston

“My only really mad story is when I thought I was going to die in Space watching Disclosure after smashing some mental pills. Then walking back to the hotel and having really bizarre hallucinations for about 10 hours. I was so hot and twitchy and couldn’t sleep. Dreams were all weird. I was eaten by a snake with a kaleidoscopic throat. And there were these weird depictions of the devil chained to the earth by big concrete slabs — the sort of stuff that freaks you out big time. Funny day actually. Wouldn’t like to repeat it.” – Anonymous, 29, London

“I once saw a prostitute chasing a guy around Playa den Bossa. That was funny. At like 8 a.m. opposite Pizza Piadina.” – Anonymous, 29, London

“I studied abroad in Barcelona when I was in college and we went to Ibiza. Basically, I ended up getting my nipple pierced (just one, no money for the second one) and there is still a photo of it — along with my friend, who bet me that if I got a nipple pierced he would get a bull ring — grinning like idiots in the tattoo shop. Which, if I ever go again, I will take down.” – Michelle, 28, Atlanta

“My friends and I met an undercover drug cop at the airport and crashed at his fancy apartment instead of our Airbnb, and my friend hooked up with him!” – Anonymous, LA

“There was one night I went to Ushuaia, and I don’t think I was planning on doing molly, but a friend gave it to me. I was like, Oh, why not? So I’m frolicking, I’m dancing, I’m also on my period. I personally don’t really like tampons because something about them itch my vagina, but I put in a tampon because I was wearing this tight-ass dress and I didn’t want to wear a pad. It was starting to irritate and itch me, and I’m on drugs, and I don’t understand what it means when I rip out my tampon. I think I threw it in this guy’s patio area. And I don’t give a shit and I just dance. Then I meet this super cute guy and I’m walking around, my teeth are chattering, and I look like a crazy person. We were dancing and talking and then you lose track of time, you’re going to a bunch of different places and bars around Ibiza, and I think we were making out, and then we get to the time when we’re like, OK, let’s have sex. It’s at that moment that I realize I had taken out my tampon hours ago and my entire underwear is soaked red with blood and it’s running down my leg. And he’s like, I don’t care. And then we have sex anyway, and I think we were in public.” – Anonymous, 26, Chicago

“Dalt Vila at sunset… watching the white-washed homes that dot the landscape fall asleep as the Mediterranean sun goes down while you’re standing in a walled city from the 15th century. It’s not what people think of Ibiza and it surprised me.” – Andrea, 42, Canada

HIGH NOTES: 6 Ways to Make a Music Festival Exciting Without Drugs

When I first started going to music festivals, drugs were among their main appeal. Then, my body started telling me it couldn’t handle drugs like it used to, so I had to get creative. Over several sober weekends, I developed methods to preserve festivals’ excitement without the illicit substances.

That’s not to say, “Don’t do drugs, kids.” But it’s always good to have alternatives, because most drugs will take back what you owe them (if not in the form of a comedown, then in the form of a hangover). If drugs have become too hard on your body, or you just don’t want to deal with any negative side effects, here are some ways to get high on life at your next festival.

Talk to people who are on drugs.

Part of the fun of doing drugs in a group is socializing with people on drugs. But you don’t need to do drugs to get that! Talking to rolling people in particular is a joy in and of itself. They will say the nicest things and answer the most personal questions. Stoned people aren’t bad either. They’ve got some interesting theories about life. That’s doubly true if you find someone on psychedelics. Rolling people are the easiest to spot though. Just look for someone wearing sunglasses and chewing gum.

Make out with someone.

You don’t need drugs or alcohol as an excuse for a make out sesh under the strobe lights. Just make sure the other person is also sober enough to consent.

Wear a music-responsive sex toy.

I’m not even kidding — they make these. I can attest to that. I wore the OhMiBod Club Vibe 3.OH to Ultra Miami, and it was an adventure. It fits inside a pair of underwear and vibrates when it detects sound. Because the music is so loud, nobody will even hear the vibrations — or your moans. In all seriousness, though, there probably won’t be any moans, because the vibrations are quite weak and inconsistent. Nevertheless, the way they buzz in tandem with the beat definitely adds a little something.

Eat a ton of delicious food.

I won’t deny that festival food is absurdly overpriced. But if you consider how much money you’d otherwise spend on drugs, it evens out. Some of the best festivals for food are Tomorrowland and Day for Night. Come for the music, stay for the taco trucks.

Crowd surf.

Literally putting your fate in the hands of a crowd of drunk, high, dancing people will give you more adrenaline than a line of coke.

Feel the incredible energy.

Nothing beats that moment when a song everyone loves comes on, the performer pauses right before the hook, then it gets fast and loud and everyone jumps up and down. Music festivals exist for those moments. Those moments will give you a rush of endorphins unlike any other drug. And yes, I mean “other” — because music itself is a drug.

HIGH NOTES: What Music Is Like on Every Popular Drug

Drug culture and music culture have long overlapped, from the psychedelics at 60s and 70s rock festivals to the MDMA, cocaine, and ketamine in modern nightclubs. People bring drugs to these settings not just to facilitate social interactions but also to appreciate the music on a new level. In fact, 69% of 21 to 29 year olds in a recent Detox study said they need drugs to enjoy music.

But the way you experience music depends which drug you’re taking, and even when the same drug is involved, effects vary from person to person, song to song, and night to night. Here are just a few ways drugs can affect how you experience music, according to people who have taken them.

Alcohol

For Stephen, 33, wine unlocks music’s hidden meanings. When he wants to gain insight into his life, he’ll drink wine from Caduceus Cellars, the vineyard owned by Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, and put on Tool or another favorite band. It feels like “the universe is trying to communicate” through the music, he explains.

The effects of alcohol on music, though, totally depend on the drink and the genre, he says. “If I’m drinking whiskey and listening to country music, I just want to get feisty.”

Nadia, 36, says alcohol gives her less discriminating music taste. During her teen years, she says, “alcohol made me able to party to shit music.”

Weed

As a musician, Cass, 24, usually analyzes the music and lyrics of every song she hears. But when she’s stoned, she can just sit back and appreciate it.

Peter, 28, similarly finds that weed helps him get immersed in a song. “The mood of the music becomes very perceptible and much more apparent,” he says. “It’s easier to feel like you’re in an artist’s specific world.”

Weed also helps Lindsey, 34, get out of her head and into the music. “I fall into this wormhole of getting into the lyrics or the guitar or synth,” she says. But with edibles, she can sometimes feel the music too much — to the point where it actually makes her nauseous. After eating them at a Mykki Blanco concert, she “could feel the bass through the bench.”

MDMA

Most MDMA users love how it makes music sound; that’s part of the drug’s appeal. “Music becomes more euphoric, much like the drug itself,” says Peter. “I’m not someone who loves dancing, but on MDMA, I love to dance.”

Nadia describes a similar effect. Ecstasy helped her enjoy dancing to house music for the first time, and often, the music serves as a blissful backdrop to self-discovery. “The dancing resembles a trance, and you can travel in your mind, realize things about yourself,” she explains.

David, 28, likes to listen to trance on MDMA because it’s “engineered to be more emotional and molly gives me the feels.” But, he adds, a variety of music will sound like “the best music ever” on MDMA.

Cocaine

In Peter’s experience, coke doesn’t affect music-listening at all. Nadia believes it actually hurts the club scene by making people aggressive if they get addicted. “Cocaine is not helping the music industry,” she says. “A lot of DJs have replaced it with meditation and clean living. This is how the scene can keep on flourishing.”

Coke makes David “a zombie,” but it does make the repetitive sounds of techno and house more enjoyable for him.

Ketamine

For Nadia, music on K can be a journey through space and time. She remembers one particularly otherworldly experience as “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak played at a club. “It felt like that song lasted forever,” she says. “I went to the beach where the video takes place. I felt like I had lived a whole love story, and then I came back at the end of the song. I asked my friend if they had only played the song once. She said yes… so I had a whole other life experience in four minutes.” Nadia finds that people on K look happier on the dance floor than they do on club drugs like MDMA that can have a harsh comedown.

Daniel Saynt, Chief Conspirator at the New Society for Wellness (NSFW) a private members club which organizes the physician-led responsible drug use class “Just Say Know,” likes pairing K with spiritual music, since the combination helps him turn inward and explore his own psyche.

LSD

Richard Goldstein, a former rock critic for The Village Voice in the 60s who used to drop acid with The Beach Boys, previously told me that LSD was “a very aesthetic drug” that strips words of their meaning. This allows him to connect with a more universal meaning that comes from the sound itself.

“We’re all connected through the subconscious, so when we listen to music on acid, it makes us have more of a tribal feeling,” he says.

Peter has the opposite experience, though. On acid, he’s more prone to finding meaning in music. If anything in the music is even remotely related to his life, his mind will pick up on it and make it significant.

Shrooms

Shrooms provide “a feeling that your body is sort of permeable,” making you feel music more intensely, says Lindsey.

For Peter, this shroom-induced connection to music can be ecstatic. “Once, when I was listening to one of my favorite songs on mushrooms, I actually came,” he remembers. “It reminded me of the joy in my life, and I just felt really warm, like I was in the prime of my life.” (In case you’re wondering what song accomplished this, it was “Tunnels” by Arcade Fire.)

Music

For some people, music itself is a drug, bringing their mind to a state of increased emotion, energy, or depth. That’s one reason Nadia’s become a fan of “clean clubbing” — i.e., clubbing without drugs. “There are bits and pieces [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][of drug-induced experiences] left in your brain, and the effect comes back with the right music and atmosphere triggers, even when sober,” she explains. “The reason I had needed alcohol, weed, or pills before was simply because the music was not good enough. I became a fanatic club dancer even taking myself out alone, sober, on Sunday nights.”

In fact, drugs alone aren’t enough to create the trips Nadia desires. “I can’t imagine doing drugs away from a club or party. I need the cocoon of the loud music and heavy bass on a proper sound system,” she says. “Right drugs and right music combined equal a mini holiday, an educational escape.” [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

HIGH NOTES: A New Column About the Intersection of Music and Drug Culture

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

It’s hard to talk about drug culture without talking about music culture. From the abundant weed references in reggae to the psychedelic imagery in 60s rock songs, drugs have irrevocably shaped music. And, in turn, music has shaped how drugs are used and thought of.

Just look at festival culture. There’s no setting quite like music festivals where drug use is so widely accepted and publicly celebrated. As of March 2015, 25,605 Instagram posts about 15 of the world’s most popular festivals talked about MDMA, 9,705 talked about weed, and 4,779 referenced coke, according to a DrugAbuse.com study.

Why is this? Of all the places people can get high, why have concerts, clubs, and festivals become among the most popular? What do we gain from getting high as we listen to music? What might we lose?

On the first Monday of every month, I’ll explore those questions in a new column about music and drugs, along with ethnographic questions like: How does a drug become a club drug? Why are certain drugs associated with certain genres (even to the point that they’re named after them, as with psychedelic music)? How do drugs shape other aspects of music-centered cultures?

I’ll also delve into political issues like: Why are the drug-testing stands you see at European festivals absent from American ones (hint: we’ve got the RAVE Act to thank for that)? And scientific ones like: Why does MDMA make music sound so good?

I’m also here to help you navigate the world of drugs and music yourself. I’ll talk about how to stay as safe as possible at festivals, get the most out of musical settings where you’re planning to take drugs, avoid the combinations that truly are dangerous, and make comedowns and hangovers less awful.

My interest in this topic is personal. Like many people, I got introduced to drugs through music festivals. At the time, I knew shockingly little. After all, most festivals’ sites and signs echo what we learn in health class: “say no to drugs.” The reality is, many of us say “yes.” We decide that despite the risks, what we get out of drugs is worth it. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Perhaps it’s this shame that’s made identifying with music a stand-in for identifying with drugs. I plan to drop those pretenses and acknowledge how central drugs have been to various musical subcultures. Through both music and drugs, people seek to alter their minds and expand their perspectives. And hopefully, this column will do that, too.

[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

HIGH NOTES: My Struggle to Get Through a Music Festival Drug-Free

“I’ve been microdosing Mali all day.” For some reason, when someone told me this at EDC Vegas last year, I pictured it spelled like the country. I only knew three things about pure MDMA, otherwise known as “Molly”: that it had been used to treat PTSD, that an OKCupid date in San Francisco who said stuff like “my body’s telling me not to put gluten in it today” was a fan of it, and that a college friend had warned me it would be at a party, knowing I was pretty straight-edge. Evidently, I’d changed since college, because I found myself asking my new EDC friend, “Can I try some?”

On a rooftop overlooking the ferris wheel, she put a tiny amount of the drug in my hand and told me to lick it. It was just enough for me to text my best friend “I love you” and explain my struggles with workaholism to my new friend.

But it would change my life. That experience would embolden me to buy a pill in Ibiza (I know, like the song) two weeks later. The first half would lead me to approach the guy who’s now my boyfriend. And the second half would give me the courage to leave my New York City apartment behind and travel the world.

Two months later, I went to stay with my boyfriend in Germany, where ecstasy flows as freely as beer at festivals. Attendees with normal-sized pupils are a rare sight. Music festivals became my excuse to get high without being judged. My boyfriend and I would tell secrets and resolve fights. I’d leave the stages to write down insights, some of the best articles I’ve published, and even a framework for a book.

After several months of this, I began asking myself: Why was I doing this at music festivals? I could’ve done it anywhere — for free. After realizing my favorite part of Time Warp was not the world-class DJs but a talk with my boyfriend about how important my cats were to me, I decided to make a change: no more drugs at festivals. From now on, they’d be about the music.

At Belgium’s Tomorrowland in July, that resolution proved harder to stick to than expected — because I had the unluckiest weekend possible. I spent the first hour with my stuff trapped in a locker I didn’t know the code to, then once I finally got to the stages, my phone wouldn’t turn on. After three fruitless hours of trying to fix it in the media village, I walked back out, panicking. I needed my phone to take notes and pictures for the review I was writing. Maybe I should just enjoy it for now, I thought. But then I thought, I can’t. I’m too exhausted. I don’t know anyone. I can’t talk to anyone. I can’t move. There’s too many people. I miss my boyfriend. I miss my cats. Fuck, if only I were rolling right now.

To regain my composure, I sat down on a patch of grass by the water and took deep breaths. And cried. And just let myself cry some more. And after I cried, I felt opened up. I felt at peace with being sad in a place where everyone’s “supposed” to be smiling. I saw beauty in that vulnerability.

I wandered into an indoor stage and saw a man who had hugged me while I was freaking out over my locker. His friend told me, “I’ll take care of your phone.” He couldn’t, but in the process, we talked about maintaining independence in relationships and how it doesn’t make sense to have regrets. Later on, I met another fellow festival-goer from India, and we talked about past lives. We stared into each other’s eyes and tried to see the lives we spent together. He saw me dancing in a blue sari.

No, I was still not rolling, and neither were they. That was the magic of music festivals, I realized. Somewhere along the way, the open-heartedness MDMA induces became ingrained in festival culture, whether people were taking it or not.

I saw this culture in action again when I arrived late the next day, after four hours at the Apple store. A group of friends who saw me alone told me to tag along with them. Intellectually, I understood the beauty of this camaraderie and acceptance. Yet I couldn’t help but yearn to feel it. Despite what I was taught in health class as a kid, I knew I wouldn’t have as much fun without drugs. I think most people feel the same way, even if their drug of choice is alcohol. I’d already seen what a drug-free festival was like. So why was I depriving myself of the experience I loved so much I’d needed a rule to avoid it? So what if I got distracted from some of the music? If you try to catch every single note, you’ll miss what festivals are about.

That’s when I headed back to my locker, got half a pill from my wallet (I’d already had a feeling I might change my mind), and re-entered the field. I immediately got into a conversation with one of the DJs about how we’re all part-human, part-robot (still mostly sober!), and then I felt it hit. So I sat down on the same patch of grass where I’d cried and wrote another book outline, a personal essay, a pitch for a column, and some notes about my personal growth. Once the insights faded, I found the DJ again and danced and talked to his friends. Our conversation was imbued with that MDMA-specific sense that every word out of everyone’s mouth was full of meaning. And once my energy faded too, another new friend walked me back to my shuttle as I explained my book idea, and another talked me through my comedown on the ride home.

The next day, despite the fact that an ATM machine had eaten my only card and the new phone I had to buy wouldn’t even work, I felt rejuvenated. For the first time all weekend, I’d relaxed and lived fully in the moment, not to mention done some much-needed introspection.

I spent that last day sober, save one smoothie with vodka, but the spirit of the drug hadn’t left me. I finished the writing I’d started while high and stayed up until 4 a.m. with the friends I’d made after my cry, telling them they were my best friends of the weekend.

My mission to get through a music festival drug-free may have failed, but its ultimate goal — to rediscover why I loved festivals — succeeded. Whether I was wiping tears from my eyes or manically chewing on my tongue, I felt one thing all around me: love.

HIGH NOTES: A Safety & Health Guide for Music Festivals

After discovering the crazy and liberating world of EDM at EDC Vegas last year, I was alarmed to learn that someone died at that festival and many more ended up in critical condition. A quick Google search for “people dying at music festivals” yielded more reports that made EDC look tame. Many festivals have been home to multiple deaths, typically resulting from drug overdoses combined with the crowded, hot, high-energy environments these events foster.

Yet few of the articles I read offered any advice beyond the usual “don’t do drugs, kids!” and the festivals didn’t provide any information either. The website for Time Warp, one of Germany’s biggest EDM festivals, includes no guidance regarding drug use other than, “Say no to drugs. Please stay away from drugs. We want to have a ‘clean’ party!” — a warning more fitting for a middle school DARE class than adults attending an event that runs from 7:30 p.m. on a Saturday to 2 p.m. on a Sunday. The “health and wellness” page for Insomniac, the tour promoter behind dozens of EDM events including EDC, reads, “Insomniac institutes a zero-tolerance drug policy at all of its events — end of story.”

But the reality is, that’s not the end of the story. One in 25 Americans ages 18-25 has used MDMA over the past year, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, and that number is likely far higher among ravers. A March 2015 DrugAbuse.com study found that over 25,605 Instagram posts about 15 popular music festivals mentioned MDMA, 9,705 mentioned weed, and 4,779 mentioned cocaine. In total, over 40,000 posts about EDC alone mentioned drugs.

Festivals are starting to recognize this: Last year, the Secret Garden Party in Cambridgeshire, England became the first to offer on-site drug testing. And on Friday, March 31, DanceSafe—an organization that promotes safer raving—held the world’s first International Day of Drug Checking to teach people how to reduce the risks of party drugs. This is especially important amid several recent reports of young women dying after taking ecstasy, coke, and ketamine.

To learn how to be as safe and healthy as possible at music festivals, whether we’re high or sober, I got in touch with DanceSafe’s Director of Programs Kristin Karas. Here are some tips she gave for taking care of yourself and those around you.

1. Test your drugs

Many drug-related deaths result from unknown substances mixed in. To make sure you’re getting what you asked for, consider investing in a home reagent kit. These won’t tell you your drugs’ purity, but they will reveal what’s in there.

2. Control your doses

When you’re high, everything can seem like a good idea, including getting higher. To avoid this spiral, research how much of your chosen drug you should take in advance, and pledge not to exceed it. If you don’t know exactly how much you’re getting (which you usually don’t), take less than you would otherwise. And if you’re not feeling the effects you’d like as soon as you expected, wait it out. People often make this mistake with weed edibles, says Karas, which can take up to two hours to kick in.

In the case of MDMA, RollSafe recommends never exceeding 125 mg at a time, and that’s an absolute maximum. For women or newbies, that number’s going to be lower. RollingPro recommends 60-90 mg at most for smaller or more sensitive people. For reference, the average ecstasy pill has 75-100 mg, and many find that half a pill is plenty. If you’re not sure how much you’ll need to see an effect, start off with a small amount, see how you’re feeling an hour later, and take more if needed (but question your initial impulse, which will probably be to take it). And avoid taking more than one drug at a time.

3. Hydrate

Between the sun and the dancing, music festivals can leave you parched even without drugs. Add in MDMA, and you’ll end up dehydrated while losing the sensation of thirst. A lot of festivals have hydrating stations, so bring a water bottle and fill it up regularly. But water alone isn’t enough. Since you’re also losing salt and retaining more water than you normally would, balance your electrolytes with sports drinks, juice, or snacks to avoid hyponatraemia (dangerously low blood sodium levels) or cerebral edema (swelling of the brain cells). Remember: just because you’re high doesn’t mean you don’t need to eat or drink.

4. Take breaks

With all those people packed together, music festivals can get hot, and MDMA, coke, and amphetamines can also cause overheating. Take time to get out of the crowd and cool off every hour or so.

5. Wear earplugs

Another health risk people don’t always talk about is hearing damage, says Karas. Some festivals have such loud noise levels, they can do their damage in just a few seconds, according to DanceSafe. A study last year found that festival-goers who wore earplugs were able to hear better after the event than those who went without, so stash a pair in your bag to safeguard your ears, and try to stay away from speakers.

6. Be aware of your surroundings

Additional potential causes of deaths and injuries at music festivals include getting hit by cars, getting crushed in crowds, and other accidents you can help prevent through vigilance. Stick with a friend or group so you can look out for one another, especially if you’ll be high.

7. Learn what resources are on the festival grounds

Some festivals have peer security teams and sanctuaries to help people experiencing medical problems. Consult your festival brochure, map, or website beforehand to figure out what to do in the case of an emergency.

8. Get help if you don’t feel good

Take any physical discomfort or incapacitation you start to feel during the festival seriously. “Signs that something is wrong and you should seek medical attention include difficulty breathing, seizure, loss of consciousness, rapidly increasing body temperature, rapid or irregular heartbeat, signs of head injury, confusion, chest or abdominal pain, fainting, and signs of severe dehydration or heatstroke,” says Karas. “Signs of heatstroke include altered states of behavior, lack of sweating in a hot environment, nausea, vomiting, and headache.” If you experience any of these and can’t get to the festival’s sanctuary right away, call 911. Don’t try to save your ass — tell them if you’ve taken anything. After you recover, you’ll want to avoid partying hard or getting too much heat for the next few months.

9. Look out for those around you

Part of the magic of music festivals is that for that day or weekend, you’re a family. And that means looking out for one another. If you notice any signs of heatstroke in a fellow attendee, call an ambulance or the festival’s medical team, take them somewhere as cool as possible — even if it means leaving the festival grounds — pour water over them, fan them, give them dry clothes or a blanket, and give them a sports drink or water mixed with salt. Let the medical professionals know what they’ve ingested, and make sure they get to the hospital.

During EDC last year, a cute guy I spontaneously made out with offered me his water bottle. Though I hadn’t felt thirsty, I suddenly found myself guzzling it like there was no tomorrow. Then, he put his hands on my shoulders and said with an entertained but concerned look in his eyes, “Stay hydrated.” At the time, I didn’t understand what he meant. Now, I do. I even carry my own water bottle to events – and offer it to anyone who lacks the information I have now.

VIDEO REVIEW: Moon Bounce “Drugs”

Unsurprisingly, Moon Bounce’s video for the single “Drugs” is as trippy as its title suggests. Spoofing terrible album art from Wayne Cochran, Grace Jones, Prince, and more, the titillating track takes listeners on a tongue-in-cheek waltz through the aisles of a record store that would make any collector’s head spin.

The campy video seems like it easily could’ve come from the goofy fellas who brought us Flight of the Conchords, an effect heightened by Moon Bounce frontman Corey Regensberg’s groovy falsetto. Here, he plays a hapless crate-digger, as well as the over-the-top characters that come to life on each album cover and sing to him. Perhaps this is an endorsement for taking drugs while vinyl shopping, or perhaps a cautionary tale against it. Regardless of your interpretation, the video is fun and the synth-pop melodies are completely addictive.

Moon Bounce is gearing up to release a new album, Clean House, in March. Mark your calendars now, folks, because it’s sure to be a good one.

PLAYLIST: Your Indie Valentine’s Day Playlist

Love is, without a doubt, the most frequently used topic in songwriting (sex and drugs are probably tied for second place, but that discussion is for another playlist). Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, here’s a list of some of the best, (mostly) romantic indie songs to get you through the day.

1. “Weekenders” – Celestial Shore

If there’s someone you really want to spend your day off with, let them know with “Weekenders” by Brooklyn’s Celestial Shore.

2. “Archie, Marry Me” – Alvvays

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

“You’ve expressed explicitly/ Your contempt for matrimony.” Is your significant other not so psyched about getting hitched? Play them “Archie, Marry Me,” by the Canadian pop band Alvvays, and listen as vocalist Molly Rankin convinces the object of her affection that it doesn’t have to be so complicated: “Take me by the hand and we can sign some papers/ Forget the invitations floral arrangements and bread makers.”

3. “Foot” – Krill

Boston’s Krill has been getting a lot of attention with their new album, and it has the perfect Valentine’s Day song for all you tortured, lovesick souls out there, “Foot:” “I came and visited you at work/ I couldn’t help but imagine you without your shirt/ And all I wanted was to hold your foot.”

4. “O I Long To Feel Your Arms Around Me” – Father John Misty

The title says it all in this short-and-sweet song, where Josh Tillman shows off his sensitive side.

5. “I Did Crimes For You” – Deerhoof

Love will sometimes drive you to do crazy things; just ask Bonnie about her relationship with Clyde. If Valentine’s Day drives you insane, check out this song by the quirky rockers, Deerhoof.

6. “Anonymous Club” – Courtney Barnett

Whether you’re having a romantic night or boycotting a Hallmark-spawned holiday with a friend, Courtney Barnett makes a case for tuning out the world with someone you like: “Come around to mine/ We can swap clothes and drink wine all night/ Turn your phone off friend/ You’re amongst friends and we don’t need no interruption.”

7. “I’ve Just Got To Tell You” – Dr. Dog

New York loves Dr. Dog so much that the band recently sold out eight shows in a row here. And even though they’ve moved on to other cities, we know the feeling’s mutual with this track: “I’m gonna miss you, til the day I come home/… On the road and dreaming of you.”

8. “Rave On” – M. Ward

You can’t help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as M. Ward raves about his true feelings for someone special in this track featuring Zooey Deschanel.

9. “Only For You” – Heartless Bastards

Their name doesn’t imply sentimentality, but “Only For You” by Heartless Bastards is a heartfelt declaration of affection, with an awesome bass line too.

[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

MOVIE REVIEW: Hit So Hard (The Life and Near-Death Story of Patty Schemel)

I’ve been on a bit of a grunge binge lately. It could be that the onset of certain anniversaries, observed by nearly everyone who cared about music in the mid-nineties, turns collective thought to the anti-heroes of the genre who destroyed themselves in the process of creating it. But for all the stars that burn out, there are some who reticently fade away – at least, until now. One of those stars is Patty Schemel, drummer of Hole. I was lucky enough to meet Patty (along with bassist Melissa Auf der Mar and guitarist Eric Erlandson) at a book signing just a few weeks ago, and it was there I became aware of another Hole-related project – a documentary entitled Hit So Hard: The Life and Near Death Story of Patty Schemel.

Hit So Hard is certainly unique in its focus. Though a drummer’s playing is the heartbeat that propels any song, drummers are so often pushed to the back of the stage, hidden behind a shiny kit, while more prominent players soak up the spotlight. Renowned in Seattle circles for her powerful drumming long before becoming a part of Hole, Patty Schemel struggled with alcohol abuse while exploring her sexual identity, and with that came a deep pain that made her work as a musician that much more honest and immediate. With very few female role models in her situation (the handful of them, including Alice de Buhl of Fanny, Debbie Peterson of the Bangles, Gina Schock of the Go-Go’s, and Kate Schellenbach of Lucious Jackson, are interviewed in the film), Patty fearlessly blazed new trails with each twirl and flourish of the sticks. But as Hole began their meteoric rise to rock stardom, that very trail became a treacherous one, filled with tragic death and out-of-control addictions.

Schemel’s story packs a huge punch, but filmmakers David Ebersole and Todd Hughes don’t present it with a flow that’s concise enough, fidgeting around from subject to subject with jolting affect. Schemel’s extraordinary life is offered in dissected segments which fail to render her life cohesively. The sophomoric use of hot-pink title cards in punk-rock fonts are intensely grating and make the whole film feel like a series of movie trailers for a documentary that never happens.

That being said, the doc has two things going for it. First, the breadth of interviews with those who were closest to Schemel is commendable, including her bandmates from Hole (even Courtney Love appears in all her plasticized “glory”), friends from the Seattle music scene, and some very candid commentary from her family members. Secondly, parts of the documentary focused on the most nostalgic era of grunge are culled from personal footage that Schemel captured with a camcorder she was given while on tour. But the footage she captured is not just tour footage – there are hours of heart-rending home videos of Kurt and Courtney just after the birth of their daughter, Frances Bean, filmed when Patty lived with them in Seattle. We see the fragility of this family unit, knowing the future in a way the subjects could not when the footage was shot. It is equal parts beautiful and tragic, and serves as a reminder of how integral Schemel was to the drama that would later play out.

And while most can give at least a brief summary of the somber fate of Kurt Cobain, original Hole bassist Kristen Pfaff, or many of the other heroin casualties of that era, Schemel’s story has been obscured for years. Hole’s popularity went through a resurgence after the release of 1998’s Celebrity Skin, and while Schemel was featured in promotional photos from the era, punishing producer Michael Beinhorn took the drum parts she had written and replaced her recordings with those of session drummer Deen Castronovo. Understandably, this sent Schemel into a spiral of self-doubt resulting in her departure from the band, followed tragically by relapse, homelessness and prostitution. As someone who idolized this band, listened to that album on repeat, and never knew that Schemel had been replaced by a hired gun, this was the one thing that was extremely shocking to me – I’d always thought I was listening to Schemel on the record, not some beefed-up jock completely unconnected to the compositions or the group dynamic. I felt almost ashamed that I hadn’t even noticed the awkward doppelgangers standing in for Schemel in music videos, and was appalled that none of her bandmates stepped into help her while she was living on the streets and Hole was living it up.

But Schemel’s story ends on a happier note; these days she passes on her drumming skills as a music teacher (several of her students are interviewed, which is kind of mind-blowing) and rehabilitating stray dogs. She’s survived the storm of making it big in a heroin-addled rock band and lived to tell the tale. Even if her story is presented in a somewhat sloppily cobbled package courtesy of the filmmakers, it is still a compelling piece of rock-n-roll history well worth telling.

Tag: drugs