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Music

Mutiny Music Collective feature

Bringing novelty to the EDM scene through passion and risk-taking

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@COLINDROSS
  • @colindross

If you're an avid raver in Salt Lake City, chances are that you've been to a Mutiny Music Collective show. While Mutiny popped up during the pandemic, they have firmly solidified themselves as a top-tier local production group. Their success has coincided with the influx of population in Salt Lake City—and the demand for more electronic dance music (EDM) is greater than ever.

Daniel Krotz and Alex Prevatt, the duo behind the magic of Mutiny, put on their first show in September of 2020 with no prior professional experience in the music industry, nor financial backing to support them. "We threw our first show, Roll'n Rave, which was a socially distanced drive-in concert at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele that ended up being the nation's single largest electronic music drive-in concert during the pandemic," Krotz said.

Since then, Mutiny has continued to grow and garner supporters. Their success in creating fun EDM events can be attributed to not only their passion and work ethic, but also their skills to meet the high demands of thirsty ravers by curating taste.

Two years ago, their first New Year's Eve afterparty flier contained question marks without any artists listed, but that mystique added interest to the event, which ended up having some of the top international bass artists. This tactic helped Mutiny develop trust with the local community. "If we booked what we thought everyone wanted us to book (or what they asked for) then we would be sacrificing what has made us special. We've been working really hard to 'show people what's cool,' and then delivering on that with a really phenomenal show," said Prevatt.

This idea of taste-making is a risk that has paid off for Krotz and Prevatt. From the Roll'n Rave, to the first ever concert at Fear Factory this year, the duo knows how to throw a party. Now, their highly-anticipated New Year's Eve event titled SATURNALIA is next on the docket. This is the third year that Mutiny has held this two-day event, and they vow to continue investing in new ideas, artists, show concepts and venues. This year, the event features ATLiens, Barely Alive and Kompany on Saturday night Dec. 30, and MARAUDA and Deathpact on Sunday night Dec. 31.

SATURNALIA is named after the ancient annual Roman celebration that marked the last great harvest of the year. "It was a time that everyone in the city, regardless of rank or status, would dress the same and offer their bounty to the community as a way to celebrate and mark the closing of another year, while removing the importance of status to encourage the idea of equality," explained Krotz.

This concept functions well within the EDM community, which prides itself on togetherness and acceptance. "The dance floor is a place where a lot of people tend to shake loose their inhibitions and express the best version of themselves, whatever that may be," Krotz said.

The past success of SATURNALIA has helped put Utah on the map for EDM. While raves started out as secretive spaces for self-expression, these alternative scenes are more accepting now than ever.

Mutiny isn't the only group that encourages alternative art in SLC; Downhaus is another group that has a hand in the scene, and they will also showcase art for the upcoming NYE celebration, which will be a mind-blowing event.

One of the main attractions is the uniquely set up 360 room. Here, a DJ performs in the center of the room with minimal setup. Patrons will surround them in all directions, blurring the lines of attendees and performers. Ravers can expect both international and local performances, and, of course, plenty of lights and lasers.

Experiencing SATURNALIA will surely win over those who haven't been to a Mutiny event; the need to come back for more will be overpowering. Luckily, there is much more in store for 2024, including a new space for events called the Boxpac Project. "Two months ago, we opened up a warehouse concert venue to deliver on the need that we've seen in the market. It's a 1,500[-person] capacity industrial warehouse out by the airport, and every show there in 2024 will be unique," said Krotz.

The novelty Mutiny brings to Salt Lake City's EDM scene comes not only from their risk-taking, but also their unwavering passion. Both Krotz and Prevatt have developed a love for Utah since moving and meeting here.

"Utah has a ton to offer— its landscape is beautiful and unique, and because of this, we're lucky enough to have some amazing outdoor venues. The culture here is also very tight knit— we have very active groups within the scene, and we are welcoming new people every day. The late-night underground scene thrives as well. It's very well-rounded, and we feel fortunate to be here," Krotz said. They both also have an immense love for the EDM community and have combined their pure love for the music and culture to build Mutiny from the ground up.

"This is all that both Alex and I ever think about; it's what keeps us up at night and wakes us early in the morning. It's our favorite thing in the world and neither of us would be doing anything differently if we had the choice," said Krotz.

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