Last week, while 20,000 ravers were getting their groove on, we were busy writing about it.\u00a0 We produced our first travel article for Israeli-focused website, From the Grapevine<\/a>. Our piece\u00a0zeroed in on one of the\u00a0biggest music events in the Israeli calendar, the -424 Dead Sea Rave. Never heard of it? You soon will.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a huge 12-hour electronic dance music event that takes place in a secluded desert site in eastern Israel. The bad news is, you’ve already missed it, as it took place on Thursday October 23 (don’t worry, there’s always next year!) More than 20,000 ravers turned out for the occasion and it was headlined by a shedload of EDM DJ superstars, including Paul Oakenfold, Deep Dish and Dash Berlin. Not only was the lineup pretty spectacular, but the setting for the rave was too. It took place in the Judean Desert at the foot of Mount Masada. This spot also happens to be the lowest point of land on earth at 424 metres below sea level, which explains the event name.<\/p>\n

In the build up to the rave, we caught up with the event promoter and some of the up-and-coming Israeli DJs who were scheduled to perform to hear a little more about it. The article appeared on the From the Grapevine website here<\/a>, but you can also read it in full below…<\/p>\n

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Dead Sea electronic music rave hosts Paul Oakenfold<\/b>
\nThis week\u00a0sees\u00a0the return of the\u00a0-424 Dead Sea Rave<\/b><\/a>, a 12-hour electronic music festival that will begin on Thursday night\u00a0in the serene\u00a0mountains on the east coast of Israel.\u00a0Last year, for the inaugural event,\u00a020,000 glowstick-waving ravers descended on the Judean Desert for a party that would last from sunset to sunrise.<\/p>\n

The concert\u00a0was named in honor of the lowest point of land on Earth, at minus\u00a0424 meters (1,391 feet)\u00a0from\u00a0sea level.\u00a0Low though it may be, the crowd,\u00a0fueled\u00a0by electronic beats spun from the likes\u00a0of electronic\u00a0musicians Paul Oakenfold and Deep Dish, as well as rising Israeli stars,\u00a0are sure to be on a high.<\/p>\n

Although it\u2019s only in its second year, the -424 Dead Sea Rave has a strong\u00a0reputation among other large-scale electronic dance\u00a0music (EDM) outdoor\u00a0raves, with the breathtaking setting boosting its credentials. Last year\u2019s headliner, DJ David Guetta, has also\u00a0been adding to the buzz.<\/p>\n

In\u00a0a\u00a0video<\/b><\/a>, Guetta raved about his experience at the 2013 event. \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to describe what makes a show special, but I think it\u2019s all about interaction with the people,\u201d Guetta said. \u201cWhen there are 20,000 people … and we feel like one, that\u2019s what makes me feel really special.\u201d\u00a0With Guetta heaping on the praise, the hype surrounding the second iteration of the -424 Dead Sea Rave has been growing for months.<\/p>\n

The setting<\/strong>
\n\u201cHaving an EDM festival at such a special location is unique,\u201d festival promoter Ali Yossef told From the Grapevine. \u201cIt is, after all, a heritage park that mainly holds opera shows and Israeli music events, so the fact that a rave is taking place in such a location is really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scores of partygoers are brought down to Masada, the locale of the rave,\u00a0by shuttle buses, which depart from the cities of Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beer-Sheva and Eilat. \u201cThe whole road to Masada is full of epic scenery that simply prepares the crowd for the festival itself,\u201d Yossef said.<\/p>\n

Once there, attendees can escape from everyday life, Yossef said. \u201cSuch a remote location gives the crowd the ability to unwind, dance and have fun for 12 hours,” he added.<\/p>\n

Complementing the natural scenery is the state-of-the-art setup. A 230-foot-wide stage, elaborate lighting and pyrotechnic effects ensure the visual experience syncs with the thundering beats.<\/p>\n

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The music<\/strong>
\nThen there is the music. EDM is known for its synths, ethereal female vocals and a “euphoric drop” \u2013 the climax of a\u00a0song,\u00a0when the building\u00a0bass line really\u00a0kicks in, spurring the raving masses into a frenzy. This year\u2019s lineup features some of the most sought-after acts from both global and Israeli EDM circles.<\/p>\n

Warming up the crowd during the opening set will be VNM, one of several Israeli performers. VNM is a female house duo formed by Nela Goldberg and Viki Makrianis. \u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable that we came here as fans a year ago and now we are the opening act of this festival with all these amazing stars,\u201d Goldberg told From the Grapevine. \u201cWe want to use the opportunity to play our new tracks for the first time.<\/p>\n

Israeli DJ Roy Brizman, or Gel Abril as he\u2019s better known, will also be taking the stage. For Brizman, the setting of the rave, combined with the stellar lineup and vast numbers of revelers, make it especially noteworthy. \u201cThe location is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Down there below the mountain, it\u2019s nature at its best … As a DJ, these events are always fun and they have a great energy with lots of music lovers,\u201d Brizman said.<\/p>\n

As the night progresses, the names only get bigger. Grammy\u00a0winners Deep Dish will perform as a duo, having reunited this year following an eight-year split, while a trio of renowned Dutch acts \u2013 Dash Berlin, W&W and Sander Van Doorn \u2014 also take to the stage.\u00a0Headlining the festival is British trance veteran Paul Oakenfold, who has been a mainstay on the electronic music scene since the 1980s. Paul Oakenfold\u2019s slot at the -424 Dead Sea Rave is enviable; it is his performance that will see the sun rise.<\/p>\n

To see some more of the cultural travel pieces we’ve written at World Words, click\u00a0here<\/a>. Alternatively, stay tuned to our\u00a0blog<\/a>\u00a0or follow us on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>, where we tweet all our<\/strong>\u00a0latest news and top travel writing advice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Images: Screengrabs\/Youtube<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week, while 20,000 ravers were getting their groove on, we were busy writing about it.\u00a0 We produced our first travel article for Israeli-focused website, From the Grapevine. Our piece\u00a0zeroed in on one of the\u00a0biggest music events in the Israeli … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[893],"tags":[166,1077,903,1078,926,1079,957,1080,997,1000,1069,1070,1071,1072,1073,1074,149,1075,153,1076,1067,1068],"yoast_head":"\n