In collaboration between Mau5trap and Neon Owl came a very intuitive night filled with networking, professional advice, and an amazing array of DJ sets at Sound Nightclub located in the heart of Hollywood. At the beginning of October, Musik Mirage got the invite to do coverage for Mau5trap and Neon Owl’s event called We Are Friends. The event consisted of a networking session for attendees, a Q&A panel between guests and industry professionals plus a demo listening session with live feedback to the DJ’s who submitted their music, and 4 DJ sets consisting of Mau5trap DJ’s. The experience was absolutely incredible as not only were representatives from both groups incredibly kind and hospitable but there was an ambience of comradery between all the attendees in the room as most of them are practicing DJ’s. The first hour’s networking session went incredibly well as everyone was able to mix and mingle and get to know what genre of EDM they all focused on. Consequently, the networking hour flew by and the panel session would begin with various music industry professionals taking the stand to provide advice and wisdom for everyone in attendance. 
The panel consisted of Elain Huang (founder of Neon Owl), Jessica Wilson (CEO of Mau5trap), Dean Wilson (founder of Circuit Group and Deadmau5’s manager), Alexandra Greenberg (Falcon PR), and other members of both teams. As someone who has very little knowledge of the world of being a DJ with only having photographed a handful of DJ based sets and raves, seeing this side of not only the music industry but rather the world of electronic dance music was fascinating. The panellists were incredibly knowledgeable about their concentrated field and most importantly, they were all people who are in this industry for the genuine love of the craft and want to help foster new artists as they hit the EDM scene. Jessica was able to provide valuable insight on what it means to be signed to a record label as well as carrying Mau5trap’s main objective of signing talent they feel hopeful in regardless of social media presence or background. Their abilities to understand how to scout talent and give them a platform to build themselves was incredible to hear and was truly insightful in understanding the complexities of being signed. Additionally, Dean and Alexandra gave a stellar understanding on the significance of public relations for an artist and how it helps elevate them to newer heights. Given that most artists in the crowd were at the infancy of their career, they still provided useful tips on how to make themselves known in the pre-PR phase. 
Elain would then go on to explain that this industry is filled with immense risks and even leaving her job in exchange for managing Neon Owl was the biggest jump in her career. The lesson being if you want to make it as an artist, risks are a given and taken. As the panel concluded, the next part of the event began where various members of the crowd were able to showcase their music and have it critiqued by members of Mau5trap as well as receive pointers as to how their song can shine brighter. Each song was incredibly unique and truly demonstrated the vastness of EDM as a whole and just how many other sub genres it can jump into. The moderators were incredibly respectful and supportive of everyone who came down to show off their song. An hour later, the after party began and everyone was able to continue networking and have fun! The set started with Becking taking the stage where he used UK garage and dub step to put on an amazing opener, following him was TrueKolors who gave a vibrant house set, then came Ghost Dance with an electric techno set to really get the venue jumping. Finally, BlackGummy would finish off the night with a dark industrial techno sound. 
Overall, the night was incredibly informative as the panel and demo sessions gave a unique opening as to how the world of EDM is like both from a business perspective and a creative point of view, and seeing it be put into practice with DJ sets felt like the perfect icing to the cake. The sense of community was beautiful to see and I’m excited to see Neon Owl’s future events and collaborations as they continue to be a pillar to the EDM scene. For those that couldn’t make it out to the event or just want to relive the magic of night, you can check out our exclusive photo gallery just below from We Are Friends at Sound Nightclub in Hollywood. To stay up to date on Mau5trap and Neon Owl, you can follow them on Instagram @Mau5trap and @NeonOwlco for more announcements on future events and gatherings.
Article & Photos By Hector Mendoza (@mendoza_photos)
