MASS EDMC: Shaping a Dance Music Community (2014)

MASS EDMC is an electronic dance community founded at UMASS Amherst with the goal to expand the reach of electronic dance music to the communities of the Pioneer Valley. In 2008 MASS EDMC was created out of what founder Adam Liderman calls a necessity. At this time electronic music was gaining more ground as a mainstream product in the U.S., and within the community of UMASS Amherst the main mode of transport for this music was house parties. These events gathered an ever evolving diverse group of people starting with students of the Five Colleges. As these parties got bigger, and the production value continued to rise to meet the demands of the audience, the capabilities of those involved began to sharpen. This amateur passion started to morph into a full time career.

It is clear from an inside perspective, that this isn’t a business exploiting trending music to become profitable, it is a group of dedicated individuals who band together for what they believe to be important. When commenting on profits, it is quickly clear this isn’t a cakewalk nor a super profitable business. On an individual level, humans lie behind music, and due to this, music becomes the binding agent for communities. MASS EDMC is an example of community existence through music that reveals the personal behind the commercial. When looking at MASS EDMC through the personal lens one can see individual abilities combine with passion to make a community such as MASS EDMC.