Very INTENTS Festival, Music is my drug

Anyone who walked around Intents Festival may have seen him: a French visitor carrying a huge inflatable joint. Contrary to what you might expect, he didn’t smoke any joints at Intents. In fact, he spent the entire festival sober.

We spoke to him about his experience with sober partying. His name is Pierre.

Pierre regularly travels to the Netherlands to attend hardstyle and hardcore festivals. Music is a major passion for him, and it has taken on an even more important place in his heart after a difficult period in his life. Since his mother passed away, he struggled with alcohol and drug use.

When Pierre recently went through another tough time, after his relationship ended following eight years together, he didn’t turn to alcohol or drugs. Instead, he found distraction in music and festivals.

At Intents, Pierre stood out because of his inflatable joint. What started as a funny find at Harmony of Hardcore grew into a regular part of his festival outfit. It attracts a lot of attention: people laugh, want to take photos with him, and strike up conversations. What surprises many people is that he parties completely sober. When he tells them this, some don’t even believe him at first. He has now gone more than a year without using alcohol or party drugs at festivals.

He enjoys it greatly: he experiences events more consciously, has more energy, and enjoys the music even more. There are practical benefits too—festival weekends are already expensive enough without spending extra money on drinks or drugs. The money he saves allows him to attend even more festivals.

This doesn’t mean Pierre judges people who choose to use substances. He emphasizes that everyone should make their own choices, and he would never judge anyone for theirs. We asked him whether he finds it difficult to stay sober in an environment where others may be drinking or using substances.

Pierre

For Pierre, it feels completely natural. Even though some of his friends do drink or use, it doesn’t affect his own choice. For him, it’s all about the music. “That’s my drug.”

For people who feel pressured by friends or their environment, he has a simple message: you decide what you do. You don’t have to justify yourself if you choose not to drink alcohol or use drugs. And for anyone wondering whether a festival can be fun without substances, he has just one piece of advice: give it a try!

Pierre recently attended Beter Kom Je Niet Festival in the same outfit. He’ll also be present at Defqon, Dominator, and Decibel. If you see him, feel free to say hello—he always enjoys a chat!

Thanks for beiing a great RaveBuddy, hope to see you soon at our UNITY-stand.