Afrojack, also known as Nick van de Wall, is known for his upbeat house music that makes the crowd go crazy. Just this past week, it was announced that Afrojack, along with Robin Thicke and Imagine Dragons, is going to perform at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards. This is big news for the EDM world, because DJ's like him don't always get the chance to perform at any major music award ceremony. Afrojack deserves it, however, due to his heart for not only music, but fans as well. On Twitter, you can find Afrojack tweeting inspirational messages to his fans, telling them to stay true to their goals and never give up no matter what obstacles may reach them. Tweets like that from famous DJ's are important, now a days, as thousands of fans look up to people like him. It's those little messages that can turn lives around.

This image is from Ultra Music Festival 2012, during Afrojack's set. It was the first day of my first music festival, and I tried to capture the craziness in an image. As that is nearly impossible, I was pretty proud of the outcome. To this day, whenever I look at this image the song 'No Beef' by Steve Aoki and Afrojack starts playing in my head.

Afrojack UMF 2012 by Megan Hudack is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States License.

Double Trouble

Happening right now in Miami, FL is a two-day festival that is going down in history. Two very popular EDM DJ's are teaming up and playing back-to-back, lighting up Bayfront Park (venue of Ultra Music Festival) and rocking the surrounding city. Bassnectar and Pretty Lights, both very unique in their electronic style, brought this festival known as Basslights to the south for the first time ever. The show is open to all ages and features other artists such as Run the Jewels, Koan Sound, and Panty Raid.  This show has a little something for everyone, combining two of the biggest names for an unforgettable experience.

Bassnectar, who formerly goes by the name of Lorin Ashton, has been producing and DJing for over a decade now, is known for his freeform electronic music, and ultimately for his pumping bass. He definitely lives up to his name, making your chest pound to the music when he's on stage. Not only is he a devout music lover but also a community engager, openly advocating for numerous causes and non-profit societies. At the end of each show, Bassnectar takes a "family photo" with the crowd, facing the rear of the stage to ensure he can fit himself and the audience into the shot. He appreciates his fans dedication, giving back to them at each show he plays.

Derek Vincent Smith, also known as Pretty Lights, started his musical interest in high school producing and writing hip hop. As he's developed as an artist, so has his music, fitting under multiple genres including electronica, jazz, hip hop, and dubstep. If you've ever attended a Pretty Lights show you would understand why he chose that stage name, bringing an immense and personalized light show with him on stage. He literally illuminates the crowd, picking special effects and colors that dance with the music. A Pretty Lights show is something everybody should experience in their lifetime, and I can guarantee after seeing one show you will never want to miss another one.

With the combination of Bassnectar's bass and Pretty Lights lighting, Basslights is a show that is going to go down in history. Playing at an outside amphitheater, the entire night is sure to light up downtown Miami like no other. The two DJ's will definitely leave their mark in Miami, not only in the city itself but also in the hearts and minds of their fans.