11Alive News Conducts Pointless Investigation at TomorrowWorld

We see you, doubting Thomas, scorning us for putting out features like how you can enjoy raves without drugs. We do things like this to show that rave

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Complex Original

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We see you, doubting Thomas, scorning us for putting out features like how you can enjoy raves without drugs. We do things like this to show that rave culture should be about the music, but there are other things that you can do at a rave or huge festival. And in the midst of people overdosing on molly and other substances at raves big and small, both in the US and overseas, ridiculous "investigation" pieces like this are what makes us concerned about EDM's future, especially when so much of the business of EDM is in festivals and events.

Atlanta NBC affiliate 11Alive News decided to go "undercover" at TomorrowWorld, meaning they brought a camera and asked people if they had molly or knew where to get it in broad daylight. Crack undercover team they were, they found out some shocking information: people at raves do drugs! Holy shit, they solved everything! We kid, but this entire piece plays like what it is: clueless news organizations sensationalizing a hot-button issue for ratings. Nothing of pertinence was gleaned here, aside from the "exposing" that the drug amnesty bins weren't to be seen and that it looks like TomorrowWorld signed a 10-year contract with the landowner in Georgia, is planning on returning in 2014 (although we've heard different). It's also interesting that they didn't play any footage of kids who weren't into drugs. We get the scandalous tone they put on this, but neglecting the drug-free side of the EDM scene is doing a disservice to anyone calling themselves a news organization. DAD staffers who were on the ground could paint a different story, one where there were no deaths, smaller counts of being hit up for drugs, and only 17 medical transports.

What can you expect, though? If you're looking to an NBC affiliate to give you your update on EDM, you might need to stop worrying about EDM. Maybe we should conduct an investigative piece on the drugs found at rock concerts... or in other corners of the music-loving world. Or in any pocket of America. Or, how about this, 11Alive: stay the hell out of the rave if you're not trying to highlight all sides of the story. Keep your phony, ratings-grabbing "investigations" somewhere else.

(EDM Tunes)

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