Music festivals bring out the best in all of us, and day two of the first-ever Middlelands brought out even more awesome people. Your costumes and totems are brightening the day and lighting up the night, and we just can’t get enough. Here’s to you, Headliners, for making the inaugural Middlelands such a great success.
Get to know some of the awesome people we met on day two of Middlelands.
Name: Hannah
Age: 24
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Occupation: I work at a dentist office.
Years raving: This is my first rave, and it’s amazing.
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? Probably what I’m doing tomorrow: I’m going to be an elf. I play a lot of RPGs, and I usually play an elf/archer class. I’m gonna go out and live my alter ego tomorrow at the festival.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. The fact that there’s camping here is amazing. I’ve met some really wonderful people. The visuals are amazing, the artists are great, and the vibe here is wonderful. I love everything about it.
Name: Kaylin
Age: 26
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Occupation: Graphic designer
Years raving: 6
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why?
Deercat, princess of the deer.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far.
The design aesthetic of the Middlelands Arena—the typography, and how they turned it into an entire stage—is mind-blowing. Also, I love the performers on stilts. The whole visual aesthetic is really interesting to me.
Name: Morgan
Age: 29
Hometown: Austin, TX
Occupation: Prevent fraud.
Years raving: I’ve really been more to myself for many years. It’s probably been about the past two to three years that I’ve actually started getting into the festival scene, but it’s been a lot of fun.
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? You’re looking at him.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. Walking up on the Middlelands Arena and not knowing it was there. It reminded me of when I was a kid and came to the Renaissance Festival a long time ago, but I got to experience that in my element with what I enjoy and with what I love. It was eye-opening.
Name: Alycia, but you can call me Khaleesia.
Age: 24
Hometown: Houston, TX
Occupation: Right now I’m going to school, and part-time I’m hosting at a restaurant.
Years raving: 4
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? It would be Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist. I really like her personality. I feel like she comes from a softer background, but she turns evil. I feel like I would be that way.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. Taking my boyfriend out on a nice trip. This is his first time camping, second time raving.
Name: Kara
Age: 19
Hometown: Houston, TX
Occupation: Makeup artist and aspiring model
Years raving: A long time, before I was legally allowed to.
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? A Skyrim dragon warrior, because I slay all day.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. I just love this area. I’ve been coming to the Renaissance Festival since I was little. Being in this area and seeing all these same shops, it’s very nostalgic to me. Now it’s like all people my age, so it’s a little weird, but I really like it. This venue is amazing, and I really love how everyone is dressed up and in theme; that’s why I really wanted to come here. It really reminds me of the Renaissance Festival, except [with] music and people.
Name: Mark and Amy
Age: 51 (Mark), 21 (Amy)
Hometown: Atlanta, GA (both)
Occupation: Lawyer (Mark), student (Amy)
Years raving: 20 (Mark); 5 (Amy)
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why?
Mark: Probably Braveheart, because he’s a cause for the people.
Amy: Probably Lady Godiva. I love how long her hair is and [how] it covers her boobs and that she rides a horse.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far.
Mark: I really like this whole vender arena; it’s incredible. I know all these buildings have been here, but I love how it’s customized for Middlelands.
Amy: The hookah lounge is really cool. I love that there’s a spot where you can go and smoke and chill out. Other than that, my friend Madison and I were laughing at 12th Planet; he was dancing really funny up onstage.
Name: Stephen
Age: 24
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Occupation: Bartender and personal trainer
Years raving: 6
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? A fairy—I like to be out there and be friends with everyone. I like to have a good time and party. I like to fly around.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. The highlight for me is all the amazing people. I came with a big group of like 30 people, and there was another rave family that came, too, so all us combined. It’s like 40 people, and we’ve all had the best time so far.
Name: Becca
Age: 23
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Occupation: I’m an entertainer and artist. I just finished welding school, and I’ve really found my groove with the art side.
Years raving: 1
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? Probably a devious little pixie. It’s not so much that I identify with a devious pixie; it’s kinda like my opposite. I’m the nurturing one, the “rave mom” who’s rubbing sunscreen on people, telling people to drink water. I’m a people-pleaser; I love to make people happy. So, I feel like if I had an alter ego, I would be fucking with people and be a little troublesome. It would be fun to step into some other shoes and float around and be a pixie.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. Everyone I have come in contact with has been incredible. There was this one gentleman I had just met — he walked up to me, and he had just bought something from one of the local vendors. He just says, “This goes with your hair; this is yours now.” I’ve met all sorts of generous and incredible people, and we’ve got amazing neighbors in our camping area. We’ve all been sharing our stories with each other. Outside of the people, Gramatik was a spiritual experience. I just sat back and enjoyed the music for a while, but then I probably danced nonstop for the last half-hour, right up against the guardrail. It was a super, super funky set. It was my first time seeing Gramatik. Bassnectar tonight will probably be my highlight of the weekend. I’ve never seen him live.
Name: Aaron
Age: 28
Hometown: Lafayette, LA
Occupation: I’m currently retired from the military since 2015. I was an E5 in the army—an infantryman. Now I’m a student.
Years raving: Just a year now—2016 was my first event. I had a bunch of friends in the Army that have been going for a while, and they told me about the environment—how inviting it is, how fun it is to be able to go and express yourself without judgment. I wanted to experience it for myself, so here we are. The rave scene and the military are similar, in the sense of the camaraderie.
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why? Oooh, I feel like the Green Lantern is like my mystic alter ego, because he breaks the rules and does his own thing, but it’s always for the greater good.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far. I got to see Marshmello at Castle Northwoods. The visuals, lights, and bass were outstanding. I’ve wanted to see him for years, and I finally got to see him.
Name: Shannon
Age: 32
Hometown: Houston, TX
Occupation: Pharmacy compounder
Years raving: This is actually my first music festival like this; I’m a Renaissance enthusiast.
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why?
I’d be a mage. My Renaissance nickname is “Magic,” because everyone jokes that I have magic. I’d be one of those wizards with magic powers.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far.
I came by myself, and I’ve made dozens of friends. I met a group of guys yesterday—they had a big sign that said, “Dance with us,” so I danced with them.
Name: Shalice and Edgar
Age: 26 (Shalice), 24 (Edgar)
Hometown: Orlando, FL (both)
Years raving: 3 (Shalice), 6 (Edgar)
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why?
Shalice: I’d be a blood elf—something very dark and with a little bit of fantasy behind it.
Edgar: A wizard.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far.
Shalice: Making these two [totems] has brought so many people together. We met a bunch of people online—a bunch of people who love Seven Lions—and we all decided to meet up here. We never worry about losing each other, because we can always see these.
Name: Adam, Jaden, Julia, Austin
Age: 20 (Adam), 19 (Jaden), 18 (Julia), 20 (Austin)
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ (all)
Occupation: Traveling pharmacist (Adam), server (Jaden), Starbucks barista (Julia)
Years raving: 2 (Adam), 1 (Jaden), 4 (Julia), 3 (Austin)
What would your alter ego in the fantasy world be, and why?
Adam: I’d be the king, obviously, because I’m the bomb.
Julia: A mage, because I want to do some powerful shit.
Jaden: I’d be a witch.
Austin: A dragon. I like to sleep, and if you betray me, I’ll destroy your entire town.
Share with us a fun experience you’ve had at Middlelands so far.
Jaden: I love the food—the original turkey leg—and the puppet shows are super funny and weird.
Julia: The mainstage is absolutely insane. The big Middlelands stage is amazing, and the lineup is ridiculous.
Austin: Everything has been amazing: the people, the staff. The Apple Pay idea is great. And the pins everywhere are changing my life; I’ve literally bought 20.
