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This is not your common Little League sport.
Wendell Dominguez is aware of that raves can typically get harmful, particularly when DJs overtly name for moshpits and “walls of death.” So he determined to begin a persona known as The Rave Ref, who dons a whistle and referee shirt in his mission to foster safer experiences in moshpits at digital dance music concert events and festivals.
Watching movies of Dominguez is like an EDM model of The place’s Waldo. For those who attend just about any main bass music competition, odds are you may see a black-and-white referee shirt loping across the pit like a zebra within the evening. And most of the time, his whistle features because the beginning pistol.
EDM.com caught up with The Rave Ref to speak about moshpit tradition and why he determined to campaign for the protection of ravers.
EDM.com: For our readers who have not heard of you—who’s the Rave Ref and what precisely does he do?
Wendell Dominguez: The Rave Ref was initially a Halloween costume. Once I took the time and actually thought of how I used to be going to a rave as a ref, the thought of “Rave Ref” was born. I thought of how I may attempt to begin and cease the pit and sort of conduct the moshpit.
The response was considerably extra constructive than I initially thought it might be—as a result of who actually likes a referee. It was then one thing I didn’t need to put to an finish and continued to go to reveals after which festivals because the referee attributable to such constructive suggestions. I used to be hooked on the positivity that was being unfold in essentially the most chaotic of locations, from beginning video games similar to limbo with a pash or totem, organizing 1v1’s between associates, beginning circle pits and girls-only pits, and conducting “partitions of loss of life.”
EDM.com: Why did you initially determine to pursue this campaign? Did you see or expertise one thing that galvanized you?
Wendell Dominguez: I initially determined to pursue being the ref as a result of I believed it was a humorous concept. Once I truly bought in there and noticed how a lot I may assist out, the thought went from one thing humorous to one thing that might actually be helpful.
Once I thought again to earlier festivals I’ve been to, I’ve at all times seen at the very least one individual get severely damage in a moshpit, a struggle escape, or folks dropping private gadgets. I actually wished to attempt to have a constructive influence on altering the power inside essentially the most chaotic of locations.
The Rave Ref/Fb
EDM.com: Have you ever obtained any pushback at reveals and festivals? Or has the response typically been constructive?
Wendell Dominguez: Really I’ve obtained pushback at some occasions. There have been cases the place some folks attending an occasion have been aggressive and have vocalized their ideas about The Ref.
I truly take the time and listen to them out as a result of I’m at all times open to listening to what folks should say so I can perceive their potential. Then I clarify to them what I’m attempting to do and inform them to observe and it at all times ends the identical manner: us all jamming out collectively within the pit. With the exclusion of those minor interactions, the suggestions has been constantly constructive!
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EDM.com: What are the most typical belongings you see in moshpits that you simply consider require motion from a 3rd get together?
Wendell Dominguez: A number of the extra frequent issues I see within the pit that I consider require motion could be folks falling, getting injured and dropping private gadgets like telephones, wallets and keys. To elaborate, when folks have fallen down in an enormous, closely populated moshpit, it is arduous typically for folks to comprehend it and extra folks find yourself falling and getting stepped on.
I run in from the aspect, blowing my whistle to get folks’s consideration and block and assist those that have fallen. When folks have gotten injured within the moshpit, the medical group are at all times wonderful however typically its arduous to get entrance and middle the place the moshpit is. I get some folks to assist help in clearing the group and getting that injured individual to the medical tent as finest as we will.
Too many individuals have misplaced their belongings within the moshpit or have gotten them stolen at a competition. Folks truly convey misplaced telephones to me and we collectively cease the moshpit till the proprietor claims their belongings. If it is a cellphone I’ve them unlock it for me earlier than I give it to them to make sure it is going again with its unique proprietor. In a scary occasion, I’ve even have had somebody from the group run as much as me and ask me for assist and took me to their buddy who was laying on the bottom unconscious. I instantly ran to get volunteers to assist me convey this individual to the med tent.
EDM.com: Moshpits have lengthy been a contentious matter in digital dance music tradition. Having labored so arduous to primarily safeguard folks in them, what do you assume the EDM group can do to mitigate the hurt brought on within the pit?
Wendell Dominguez: As a group, one of the best factor we will do is look out for each other and unfold extra consciousness of moshpit etiquette. The Festival Finesser made a fantastic video about “moshpit etiquette 101″—how we decide folks up who’ve fallen, don’t goal to harm anybody, don’t push others from behind, respect everybody and have enjoyable.
We’re all there to alleviate the stress of our on a regular basis lives and focus solely on residing within the second. Once we all look out for each other whereas having enjoyable, these moments turn out to be one thing we always remember.
EDM.com: You latterly discovered your self within the crosshairs of EDM Twitter, a community that has turn out to be fairly antagonistic over the previous couple of years. What occurred there?
Wendell Dominguez: Ever since Countdown Invasion Orlando, I obtained a variety of direct messages asking if I used to be coming to Misplaced Lands and saying they need to see the Ref there. After Forbidden Kingdom, these messages elevated closely. So I began to take a look at how doable it was to make Misplaced Lands occur.
Sadly I wasn’t capable of make it work inside my finances. I believed I’d make a GoFundMe web page in help of getting the Rave Ref to Misplaced Lands in hopes {that a} community-based strategy of security and enjoyable would obtain help. I perceive that GoFundMe can also be used for critical conditions similar to medical payments, funeral bills and crucial medical procedures, and under no circumstances did I need to indicate that my fundraising would take any priority over ones of great significance.
My Twitter publish shortly went viral. Whereas there was help and constructive feedback, there have been additionally destructive ones. Regardless of the negativity, my outlook and response stayed constructive whereas attempting to supply readability and extra understanding. The best way I see it, everyone seems to be entitled to their very own opinion. It is how we react to those conditions that really describes our character, and it doesn’t matter what, I’ll nonetheless be there to assist any and all when wanted no matter your opinion of The Ref.
EDM.com: What do you hope your fellow ravers take away out of your story?
Wendell Dominguez: If folks had been to take something away from The Rave Ref I’d need them to take the positivity that I convey and simply unfold it, assist folks after they need assistance, look out for each other, make everybody really feel included and simply have enjoyable.
All of us come from totally different branches of life however we’re all linked by our love for the music. I’ve met among the biggest folks from these festivals who’ve supported me for the reason that very starting. Jesus, Rosie, Lloyd, Chris and Flora, thanks for exhibiting me I’m higher at being myself then somebody I need to be. They’ve proven me kindness and compassion I didn’t assume existed and that’s one thing I need to present everybody else—present how wonderful we as a group can actually be.
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