A photo recap of Electric Zoo 3.0

A photographer’s memorable three-day festival experience.

Michelle Zhou, Contributing Photographer

September 20, 2022

I have returned unscathed. My head is still buzzing. For three days, I braved the wilderness of New York’s largest electronic music festival with only the company of my camera and my phone, a $9 anti-theft chain strapping it to the belt loops of my ripped jeans. I was exhausted by the end, but I had a wonderful time.

I witnessed, observed and documented these moments of joy, blissfulness and serenity — yes, serenity — among all the hyperenergetic chaos. The music was phenomenal, the people were beautiful and the vibes were immaculate.

I loved seeing how attendees dressed up in their personal interpretations of rave gear. Their outfits could be as flashy or casual as one wanted it to be as long as it made them happy. Like the music reverberating through Randall’s Island Park, the fashion was a form of self-expression.

I spent the first day at the Morphosis stage 1. There were just so many artists I wanted to see. The setting was cozy compared to the larger stages. When MEMBA took over the decks, the energy was at an all-time high. The close proximity engendered an intimate connection between artist and crowd.

I had a blast with Rome in Silver’s set at the Levitron stage, and it was clear everyone else did too. I loved his tracklist, transitions and that he previewed some unreleased IDs. Although it began to rain halfway through the show, nothing could put out the fiery passion of the crowd.

The impressive scale of Antheon definitely lived up to its expectation as the main stage. Seeing the visuals projected on the screen was a quintessential part of the festival experience. With big names like Afrojack on the lineup, the pit was packed.

The love and passion from electric music fans was a dreamy reminder of why I love festivals and the magical way they bring people together. I have no doubt that I’ll look back on these three days fondly. Being able to do what I love and capture moments like this was such a delight and so unforgettable. I hope these photographs share some of that joy with you.

Contact Michelle Zhou at [email protected].

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