HeadlinerHIGHLIGHT: Joshua See

It’s always worth repeating: Insomniac fans, the real Headliners of the show, are the reason we stay up late doing what we do—and why get up early. Doctors, soldiers, teachers, yoga instructors, chefs, baristas—you name it—our Headliners might grind and roll their way through life along different paths on their way to the dancefloor, but they’re like family once they’ve arrived. In celebration of their uniqueness and the music and lifestyle that connects us all, we give you HeadlinerHIGHLIGHTS, an ongoing series profiling the diverse individuals that make up the Insomniac community.

Name: Joshua See
Profession: US Navy IT (7 years)
Currently living: Naples, Italy (for another year and a half)
First Insomniac show attended: Escape From Wonderland in 2011. I shared that experience with three of my friends, and two of them still rave to this day.
Spirit animal: It’s really hard to say what my spirit animal is, but my favorite animal in the whole world is the wolf.
Currently listening to:

Let’s start off with a little about you and dance music.
My first rave was actually in 2009 in Arizona, called Cupid’s Revenge, and that set the pace to me raving a lot and loving all the music that I do now. There are so many DJs I want to see, and it’s hard because of the military lifestyle that I am a part of. At Beyond Wonderland in 2014, I had the biggest opportunity to see Dash Berlin, but I had a friend that wasn’t feeling so good, so I had to depart. I was lucky enough to be able to listen to the intro of his set while I was leaving. I wanted to stay so bad, but I had to help my friend. I have been longing to see Dash Berlin ever since that, and I haven’t got the opportunity to see him again—not yet.

How would you describe an Insomniac event to someone at work who has never been?
For me, it is hard to describe because I have so many feelings about it. If I had to describe it, though, it would be like a home away from home, a place that teaches you to live in the moment, and a place where anything feels possible no matter what is happening outside of the current moment you are in. It is a place where you will meet many new people with great vibes and all sorts of personalities. It’s a place where you are unable to overthink because the music, good vibes, positivity and PLUR just get ahold of you and keep you in the moment, where nothing matters except what is right in front of you. There is also this indescribable rush that takes over. You don’t need to worry about somebody judging you for the way you express yourself, because we all know that we express ourselves differently.

What’s a typical day like for you at work?
A typical day at work is kind of working on the fly. Every day is different, since we get new issues from different people. Most days are very busy, with constant moving from office to office, fixing as many issues as we can with the very limited capabilities we have.

Do you go out and party with coworkers?
I do not mind going out and partying with coworkers, but there is a fine line that I cannot cross, being in the military. Most of the people I do hang out with do not rave, so I am doing other things. I do try and get more people into the scene if they are willing to be opened-minded about going. I have traveled from Italy to Las Vegas just so I could go to EDC with the great people I have in my life—some people I used to work with, and others I just meet up with at events.

What do you like to do outside of dance music?
I love to travel and do anything that involves nature. I love dancing and singing, but I don’t do it in public, because I am very shy. Once I am comfortable around people, they see the very outgoing side of me that no one ever really expects when they first meet me. I always have a smile on my face. I love helping people, and I always seem to put people first. That is the PLUR inside of me that never lets me go. Putting a simple smile on someone’s face goes a lot further than most people would think.

If you could have one magical/superpower, what would you want?
To teleport, because then I can go to all kinds of events all around the world, and I would be able to see all the places in the world I have only dreamt of.

Follow Joshua See on Facebook