The room is dark. Not for long, as laser lights stream rays of purple, green, pink, and blue across the venue, bouncing off the walls. Electronic dance music pumps through the loudspeakers, and shortly into the Chainsmokers “Closer” remix, the bass drops. The room is illuminated with vibrant color, but that’s not all- the room captures an intense positive energy, as individuals are seen smiling, laughing, and shouting lyrics at the top of their lungs. The DJ waves his hands in the air enthusiastically, and the crowd goes insane. Rainbow-inspired paint washes over the audience. Everyone is jumping up and down with the upbeat rhythm of the music. In the pit, a person is seen sitting on their friends’ shoulders, feeling more alive than ever before and loving every moment of the DJ’s set. Body pressed against body, completely covered in neon paint from head to toe, and wearing glow stick necklaces, it is a one-of-a-kind experience. Dancing all throughout the night, students wish the party would never come to an end.

Ashland University students got a taste of the rave scene Friday night when the Campus Activities Board hosted a glow paint party for all to enjoy in Redwood Hall over the weekend. As many students came out to partake in the fun, CAB worked tediously to ensure that students did not leave the venue without having a dash- okay, maybe a little more than a dash- of color added to their newly vibrant wardrobes. 

Freshman Rachel Peacock attended the paint party for her first time. She was immediately captivated by how messy the event was, and how it really allowed individuals to come together in a fun and carefree environment.

Sophomore Cyleen Sharpe also attended the event for her first time. She believes the paint party was unique in the fact that it gave people the opportunity to take a break from academics and let loose.

“It is absolutely awesome; I was not expecting it to be this great, but everybody is happy and enjoying it,” Sharpe said. “I love being here.”

Freshman Taylor Ritzler came to the paint party with friends. A big fan of the colorful array of paint used, the unique music selection, and the wild dancing, she is looking forward to attending the paint party again next year. 

Freshman Lydia Schroeder enjoyed having the opportunity to meet lots of new people and do an activity outside of the dorm room that was different in nature.

“We don’t usually have very many dances; so this is fun,” Schroeder said. “The DJ is really cool, he plays lots of modern music.”

For MBA program student Nischal Maharjan, he is no stranger to EDM music or rave culture, as he has gone to multiple raves back in his hometown of Kathmandu, Nepal with friends. He explained what he thought was initially going to take place at the event.

“Initially, I thought everything was going to glow and stuff like that,” Maharjan said. “This is quite unique, American style. [From] the energy, to the hype, the enthusiasm, and the DJ.”

Freshman Alex Gordy came to the event with ten of his good friends, dancing the night away, all while enjoying the great atmosphere. Similar to Maharjan, Gordy had previously attended a rave in Myrtle Beach, SC during spring break for “senior week.”

Sophomore Avery Mallaber attended the paint party for her second year in a row with friends. She noted that the event was really different, and fun, although she wishes the DJ could have played more ‘top 40’ hits, as the music was not particularly her style.

 “I did not know what to expect; I was kind of nervous, thinking that it was going to be just a bunch of little stations where you paint your friends,” freshman Kylie Brown said. “I like that they spewed out the paint into the audience; it was nice.”

Freshman Julia Hines acknowledged how excited she was for the glow paint party. 

“I thought the glow paint would make it really different and a good time,” Hines said. “I would definitely attend this again; it was so much fun to be involved with other people, where I typically wouldn’t see [them] again.” 

California native Jt Stewart, or DJ “Jt Groove,” has been celebrating all that the rave culture has to offer for the past 23 years working for a company called “GlowRage.” Opening for many popular EDM artists such as Krewella and Steve Aoki, hosting an online radio show, and grabbing a guest spot on Sirius XM radio back in 2000, Stewart continues to impress individuals with his catchy remixes and unique sense of style.

Stewart has a deep passion for making people happy and providing great music to crowds. He explained what he ultimately finds most fulfilling through his career.

“Telling a story with music and seeing the response that I get,” Stewart said.

GlowRage travels all around the U.S., performing at various college campuses as well as hosts shows for those who fought in the military. For Stewart, this was his first time performing at AU. He was very enthusiastic about visiting AU’s campus.

With all of his music uploaded on a 128 gigabyte USB, Stewart takes into account what today’s generation listens to- from everything to rap, to pop, and more, he combines these songs with his own techno house flare.

“I feel great; I love performing,” Stewart said. “I do this full time, and it is an indescribable, exciting feeling looking at people listening to the music that I’m playing. I get a lot of happiness from it; this is my stress-release.”

For more information on bookings or enquiries, visit Stewart’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/djjtgroove1/.