I'd always secretly liked electronica but growing up in the Inland Empire area of Southern California (San Bernardino - Riverside area) during the 80's meant Butt Rock and Heavy Metal were the order of the day. So I felt wierd because I secretly liked techno. My story is a progressive three parter.

It started a little over three years ago at a corporate "bonding" event (those of you working in corporate America know what I'm talking about). That's where I became acquainted with my, now, good friend Samir. We were both looking for people that wanted to blow that corporate shindig and have some fun so we took off in Samir's Lexus and headed for some bar. He drove like a maniac and had on some awesome progressive trance...I loved it. Samir told me that he was going to a rave that weekend and invited me along. That weekend I drove up to Seattle where Samir lives. I didn't have any "rave" clothes so Samir and his friend Roman (who'd flown in from NY) hooked me up. Before heading out we watched the movie "Groove". So what can I say about the rave and my first E-xperience? It was awesome. I danced for the first time in my life (I was always very self conscious about that), met random people, and got a massage. :) I left the rave wanting more (of everything) and so I jumped at the opportunity when Samir asked if I wanted to go to something called Moontribe in the Mojave desert in Southern California.

I grew up in the desert and had been to Mojave a number of times so I new what to expect from Mother Nature...but the rest was, well, unexpected. My flight took me through SFO where I met up with two girls Samir had recently met, Jenny and Jerrica. On the plane from SFO to Ontario (California, not Canada) Jenny made some friends and gave them directions to the party. We met up with Samir and Roman in Ontario where we rented SUV's, hit a grocery store, and headed for the desert. It seemed like it took forever to get to Mojave (it was more like 3 hours) and then we discovered that the last bit of the directions were wrong. And we weren't the only ones lost. There were people all over this sleepy little town near Lake Isabella trying to figure out WTF was up. Finally myself and another guy decided that the directions were no good and we deduced, using his map, where we thought we were supposed to go. Luckily we were right. Everyone was getting a little touchy as we pulled into the party at 2am. But once we got on the dancefloor none of the crap we went through to get there mattered anymore. What I saw and experienced that night blew my mind and opened my eyes. I heard music and sounds that I didn't know were possible and saw people from all walks of life partying together and getting along. There were hippies, candy ravers, pot heads, metal heads, punk rockers, bikers, yuppies, and on and on. And the setting under the full moon in the Mojave desert was out of this world. The next day after the event I knew I'd experienced something special and couldn't wait to go again.

The actual event where I knew my life had changed was the following March at my second Moontribe Full Moon Gathering. This time it was just Samir and I heading down to the Mojave. We had no problems with the directions and got there with enough time to set up a tent (Samir had actually never pitched a tent before). At the first Moontribe event I had been with a group so I didn't really mingle with other people. This time I did. I met so many amazing people from all walks of life. I was stunned by how open everyone was and how easy it was to walk up to them and start a conversation. And the music was amazing, stunning, out of this world. I really can't think of the right words to describe it. Sunrise found me sitting on top of one of the walls of the canyon that the Gathering was in with 4 or 5 other people. The music was echoing off the walls of the canyon. The dance floor was absolutely alive. We were all living in the moment and experiencing reality in our own unique ways. My mind was wide open as I absorbed everything around me and realized what amazing things music is capable of. For the first time in my life I was comfortable about just being me. In that moment I knew that my perspective on the Universe was changed.

Growing up I never went to a concert. I've never gone to one in my adult life either and I don't think that's going to change. But I have been all over the west coast of America and to London and Ibiza in search of our "scene" and all for the love of the music.

Thank you to all of you out there that make our scene so special.


- Derek