GlowRage, a company based out of Pensacola, Florida, aims to make the festival experience easily accessible to college students across the nation. With festival culture on the rise, it’s not surprising that Electronic Dance Music (EDM) has become a popular subculture among college students. However, many feel that to get the full experience, they must spend big money on festival tickets and travel expenses to overcrowded and sometimes dirty venues. 

“The vibe we go for is high-energy dance environment, but we target more of the mainstream crowd. We want to give everyone a good experience with electronic music, rather than just the bass heads,” said David Taylor, who has been with GlowRage since its inception over 40 years ago. 

Capitalizing on the fun and freedom of EDM and House music, GlowRage takes the experience a step further by bringing the experience to intimate venues that are easy to access. The event is coming to Tuscaloosa this Thursday at the Campus Party Store, commonly known as Gallette’s. The group brings in DJ’s, dancers and gallons of paint.

“It’s just a wild party. They have DJs playing great house music, trap music and dubstep. It’s very energetic. They have dancers that are shooting paint cannons and paint buckets, and everyone dresses in white clothes, and they get paint everywhere. It’s a really great experience,” said Layne Flourney, the booker for Gallette’s. 

The GlowRage event has indeed become a mini festival experience, with some groups returning each year to meet up with old friends or make new ones. Participants are instructed to wear all white clothing.

“I don’t have any previous experience with EDM culture, but I’ve always found it fascinating and wanted to go,” said Lauren Talley, a junior majoring in Nutrition.

Talley has attended music festivals, but never ones featuring EDM or Trap music. She is excited to be introduced to this genre at GlowRage.

“I’m excited for all the energy I feel is going to be in the crowd, everyone going along with the beat of the music and all of the bass and sound and color all together. I think it’s going to be one insane experience,” Talley said. 

The music is central to the event, and GlowRage is confident that their DJ’s are the best. For Thursday’s event, the group is flying in one of their DJs from the UK to perform. Taylor said that the group tries to tune in to what the crowd is responding to as the night goes on. 

 “The paint washes off, but the memories last forever,” Taylor said.