Meet Evan Ratzlaff in this week’s #IDSpotlight!
Name: Evan Ratzlaff
Rave Name: None
Age: 23
Hometown: Titusville, Florida
Current City: Orlando, Florida
Occupation: College kid/Cashier/Seller of Hat Pins
Twitter: @B___Mo
Instagram: @winterized__mind
What was your first electronic music event?
Dance Till Dawn. It was a little hippie psytrance fest at a fish camp in Mims, FL.
What/who influenced you to attend your first event?
A friend and I were looking to find a quiet place to smoke a J and we stumbled upon this little gem. Which was actually quite a serendipitous occurrence as this is a town where nothing happens…ever.
What is one moment from an event that was special and why?
I would have to say that I find making enough breakfast to share with random bystanders at a camping festival has become one of my favorite moments. It’s special because you’re nourishing your fellow ravers with love and nutrients they more than likely need to start their day. When people thank me, you can just tell it’s from the heart. They feel the compassion and will reciprocate it which in turn creates a more positive and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone around them.
What is your favorite festival or event?
Suwannee Hulaween. Hands down. Not only because my birthday is usually one of the scheduled days, but also because Spirit of Suwannee Music Park resonates with a magical feel at every turn. The staff are delightful; everyone gives off this down home country sweetness when you interact with them. After 2015, the coordinators for this festival actually capped off the attendance level at a lower rate than who attended that year in order to restore the experience that attendants from years passed have had. Which means they aren’t just trying to capitalize on people trying to have a good time.
What is your favorite electronic song and why?
With how quickly this genre of music is growing and how many artists seem to pop up every day it’s hard to keep track of what song calls to me most. For now, I would have to say “Noise” by Bassnectar, because I do what I wanna do and I do what I like….(that’s a quote from the song by the way).
Who are your favorite artists?
To name a few, and in no particular order I would have to say:
- Tipper
- 12th Planet
- Snakehips
- Space Jesus
- Flume
- The Floozies
- Bassnectar
- Pretty Lights
- Ganja White Night
- Lusid
- Psymbionic
- Levitation Jones
- Eazy Baked
- SamsunRising
What are your favorite genres?
I like nearly everything aside from most radio style EDM, but to be specific I enjoy these genres most often more than others:
- TripHop
- Bass Exploration
- Riddim
- Neo Disco, Specifically stuff like Zhu
- Tropical house
- Deep House
- Electro-funk
What do you feel your “Identity” is in the electronic music community?
I would have to go from the perspective of people who have come in contact with me. What seems to be the recurring comment or compliment rather, is “Dude, are you like a f*cking scientist?” The identity I tend to take on at a festival is based upon educating my peers and seeking to perpetuate all of those positive and awesome fundamentals that were shown to me from other festival goers. Often I am taking in a straggler from another group to vibe with and bring them back to a happier state of mind so that they don’t feel overwhelmed that they are alone.
Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself for the readers?
I am left handed, I am a scorpio, and I have a life-size cardboard cutout of Shaquille Oneal wearing a sweatervest and blue jeans in my house right now.
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