I've been DJing and promoting events for nearly 28 years now and I still absolutely love it. It all started for me back in the early 1990s, when the Rave scene was exploding in the UK. There was so much excitement for it all back then and it really was an amazing time for music and everybody raving together, no matter what your age, skin colour or background. You could wear what you liked, dance how you wanted to and just express yourself without being judged by anyone. There was so much freedom and a real magical connection between people and music, whether it was in a field, empty warehouse or pub function room. Those early years made such a huge impression on me. Raving in a field with 30,000 people at Fantazia - One Step Beyond, at Castle Donington in July 1992 (pictured below) was a life changing experience. The atmosphere was incredible and feeling that powerful energy between the music and everyone around me was so awe-inspiring.
The Dance Music scene has changed massively since those early days and in my opinion, not always for the better. Since the rise of social media and smartphones, many people have become distracted at events, feeling they have to document their experience, instead of actually living it. So rather than just being 'in the moment' and really feeling the power of the music, like we did before the internet, people are thinking about when they can get their next picture, video clip, or go live on Facebook, to see how many viewers, comments and 'likes' they can get. Their minds are somewhere else and not where they actually are. I ditched my own smartphone in 2017 and went back to using a basic mobile phone again, as I noticed how much it had been distracting me and that it was also having a negative impact on my own mental health and wellbeing.
After sharing my first blog about my experience, I found that many people felt the same way too. So it got me thinking about how I could bring together like-minded people for a daytime event, to celebrate late 80s and early 90s Rave culture and fully enjoy the music in the present moment, without the distraction of smartphones. This is where Back To Now was born. A chance to totally disconnect from the digital world for an afternoon, by leaving your 'virtual self' at the door and reconnect with each other in the real world, like we used to. Back To Now isn't about trying to recreate the past, the aim of the event is to help re-establish that connection between people and music again. Technologically, we are more connected than at any time in history, which can be amazing in many ways, but sadly, evidence suggests we seem to be getting more and more disconnected socially. I feel very strongly that we need to raise more awareness about this and have more 'switch off' time from smartphones and social media in general, not just for our own wellbeing, but to help younger generations too. Practising the art of Mindfulness over the years has really helped me with this and I cannot recommend it enough.
Studies show that listening to the music you love mindfully (by paying attention to it, on purpose, in the present moment) can give you a deeper appreciation of it and even bring back those feelings of excitement you had when you first heard it. Mindful listening does wonders for your health and wellbeing by helping to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression or whatever is ailing you. So why not join us at Back To Now, enjoy those spine tingling Old Skool tunes again, have a break from your smartphone and feel those health benefits!
I can't wait to see you all at our second event in September!
Faydz x
CLICK HERE for tickets.
