Beats of Boston: Uncovering the Growing EDM Scene in Boston, Massachusetts

When I moved to Boston for school in 2020, I was on top of the world – a new city, new friends, and new beginnings. Unfortunately for me, moving across the country also meant a new music scene – and after being in Boston for only a few months, I was already disappointed.

Originally from the Bay Area, California, I spent my high school days going to raves, relishing in the thriving electronic dance music community centered around venues in San Francisco and Berkeley. I loved the music, the scene, the culture surrounding it. But when I moved to Boston, it was hard to find people who shared a similar music taste. It was even harder to find events to go to in the first place. And if a certain artist or DJ did come in to town, they were most likely playing in a 21+ club, AKA minimal access for a college freshman like me.

Halfway through my college experience, I noticed a dramatic spike in the volume of EDM events being held around the city. I even noticed my peers warming up to the genre itself, too. Boston has always been known for being a city slow on trends – but I feel lucky to have gotten to witness the big EDM boom of Bean Town.

In 2021, I decided to make a mini documentary featuring a local Boston DJ who has contributed to this boom. This experience ignited my understanding about the importance of high-quality audio is – at the time I didn't think I needed a microphone or audio recorder, but filming in a nightclub taught me otherwise. Using just a tripod and Canon camera rented from my school and Adobe Premiere Pro, with free access also granted by my school, I produced the following three-minute mini documentary.