As a dance music community, I believe it is safe to say that we have all seen this coming for a while now. In the past two years, the EDM scene has changed, some say for the worse, but others say its newfound popularity is for the better. Regardless of your opinion, one thing is certain - things are quickly growing out of our control.

Last week, tensions boiled over when the mysterious website edmcasting.com appeared all over Facebook and Twitter. The show promises to find "The Next Edm Superstar" and Doron Ofir, a producer credited for shows such as Jersey Shore and A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila, is behind it all.

How did the EDM community respond to this development? Not well. DJs such as Deadmau5 and Porter Robinson took to twitter to post their thoughts. 

So what does a TV show mean for the future of the EDM world? It means manufactured DJs and a growing prevelance of "ghost producers:" Artists who write tracks that are credited to others.

However, the way to fight back will always be to support the performers who DJ for the love of music and not for the money. Without the artists who have struggled and earned respect in the community, artists who drew millions into the dance scene to begin with, shows like this one would not have ever had a chance to come to fruition.

An Underground Rebirth

Respect is earned, not bought, or so I would hope to think. And being a Los Angeles native, I have always strived for something more than music from EDM culture. The dance music scene in Los Angeles has been growing rapidly over the past few years and it has evolved beyond a shared musical taste, it is a family; A family where art, fashion, and music all intertwine to form an underground community that has come to rival the 90's Club Kid scene in New York City. 

While NYC still reigns supreme in the high fashion world, Los Angeles continues to control the ever-expanding underground street culture. When i say underground, I mean packed, hot and sweaty warehouse parties filled with the best dressed kids you will see around town, who are listening to a mixture of Club-centric Trap Music, Southern Trap Music, Hip-Hop, and every sub genre in between.

It's About Passion

I have been going to underground parties for a while, hosted by promoters such as HAMONEVERYTHING, THE WELL, THE OVERTHROW, and IHEARTCOMIX to name a few, and they are the "IT" parties in LA.  Their capacity is being reached every single night because most people, like myself, are sick of the mainstream mumbo jumbo that surrounds the EDM community. When you are at these underground events and you are seeing artists who are putting their heart and soul into their show, performers who are doing their thing solely for the love of music and thier fans, it makes you feel something special.

For instance, this past weekend at THE BLACKOUT, hosted by HAMONEVERYTHING X IHEARTCOMIX, I, along with maybe 500 people, were face to face with Alice Glass from Crystal Castles while she DJed for us. The feeling in the room was breathtaking, as cameras and iphones frantically snapped pictures of the grey haired goddess perform her punk and memphis rap focused set.

Next time you are in Los Angeles, I urge you all to check out some of these underground events. You can follow me on twitter, @Troynathan, and I will keep you updated on which events to attend. Its 2013 people, the golden age is upon us. Everything is about to change, so ride the waves as they come and remember to enjoy the music, have fun, and above all - stay true to who you are. 

What are your thoughts on the evolving scene? Have you attended any underground shows in LA or any other cities? Let us know on Facebook!