When Gatekeeping and “Culture Preservation” Clash in Electronic Music

In electronic music, there’s a fine line between toxic gatekeeping and necessary cultural preservation. A veteran DJ explains why protecting our scene’s core values is not elitism, but a vital act to save the soul of the dance floor.

Electronic Music Has a Gatekeeping Problem — But It’s Not What You Think

By Nicky Montes of Midnight Rebels

Hey everyone. I’ve been a part of the electronic music world for over a decade now, both as a DJ and producer. My journey kicked off right here in the Philippines, in the raw and passionate local scene of Bacolod. That starting point gave me a deep appreciation for what real community feels like.

Since then, I’ve been fortunate enough to see this culture from many different angles — from sweaty, local dance floors to massive international festivals. I’ve seen what makes this culture so special, and I’ve also seen things change. Lately, I hear one word getting thrown around that really misses the point: gatekeeping. It’s often used to shut down important conversations, and I want to offer a different perspective.

It’s not about elitism. It’s about protecting the very soul of what we do.

Let’s break it down.

What is Gatekeeping, Really?

In its truest, most negative sense, gatekeeping is about exclusion for the sake of elitism. It’s about creating a clique, punching down on newcomers, and using knowledge as a barrier to entry. It’s the snob in the record store who scoffs at your questions or the online commenter who flames someone for not knowing a specific subgenre.

This kind of behavior is toxic. It kills curiosity and suffocates the growth of our community. Music is for everyone, and the door should always be open for those who genuinely want to enter.

But that’s not what we’re talking about when we discuss the soul of the scene.

What is Protecting the Culture?

Protecting the culture is about preserving the core values that birthed electronic music in the first place. This isn’t about exclusion; it’s about education and maintaining a standard. It’s about safeguarding the very essence of what makes a dance floor a magical, transformative space.

Think about the roots of House and Techno music. These genres were pioneered by marginalized Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities in cities like Chicago and Detroit. The club wasn’t just a place to party — it was a sanctuary. It was a safe space where you could be 100% yourself, free from the judgment and dangers of the outside world.

Protecting the culture means protecting that safety. It means ensuring our dance floors are places of:

• Respect: Where people, especially women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, feel safe and respected. It’s about consent, awareness, and not treating the club like a transactional meat market.
• Freedom: Where you can dance weird, dress how you want, and express yourself without fear of ridicule.
• Musical Integrity: Where the DJ is a storyteller, not just a human jukebox playing the top 10 Beatport tracks. It’s about appreciating the art of the mix, the journey of a set, and the discovery of new sounds.
• Community: Where you look out for the person next to you. You give them space to dance, you check if they’re okay, and you share in a collective, unified experience.

Why We Need to Protect the Culture Now More Than Ever

As electronic music has exploded into the mainstream, these core values have been diluted. The focus has shifted from the collective experience to the individual spectacle. VIP sections, bottle service, and people recording the entire night on their phones create a vibe that is fundamentally at odds with the unity of a true dance floor.

When a DJ or a promoter insists on a certain musical standard or a specific vibe, they aren’t trying to be elitist. They are trying to curate an experience that honors the roots of the culture. They are building a sanctuary, not just a party.

• A strict door policy might not be about how “cool” you look, but about ensuring the people inside are there for the right reasons — for the music, for the community, for the dance.
• A DJ who refuses to play a predictable, over-saturated hit isn’t being a snob. They are respecting the intelligence of their audience and fulfilling their role as a musical guide.

From Bacolod to the World

Starting in a smaller, passionate scene like Bacolod taught me the importance of community. We all knew each other, supported each other, and pushed each other to be better. We had to build our scene from the ground up. As I traveled, I saw this same spirit in underground communities everywhere — in the hidden clubs of Amsterdam, the warehouse parties in Brazil, and the hyperlocal scenes pushing new sounds across Asia.

The lesson was always the same: the best nights, the most memorable experiences, were never about how famous the DJ was. They were about the quality of the music and the energy of the crowd. They were about a shared understanding that we were all there to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.

The Bottom Line: Be a Guardian, Not a Gatekeeper

So, how do we move forward? We need to change the narrative. Instead of fearing the label of “gatekeeper,” we need to embrace our role as guardians of the culture.

• Educate, Don’t Intimidate: If you see a newcomer, share your knowledge. Tell them about the history. Explain why we don’t use flash photography on the dance floor.
• Lead by Example: Be the dancer you want to see in the club. Give people space, be respectful, and lose yourself in the music.
• Support the Scene: Go to the local nights. Buy music from rising artists. Support the promoters who are taking risks and building real communities.

This isn’t about building higher walls. It’s about strengthening the foundation. It’s about ensuring that 20 years from now, the soul of electronic music — that feeling of freedom, unity, and pure joy on a darkened dance floor — is still burning bright for the next generation to discover.

Nicky Montes is a DJ and Music Producer with over a decade of experience, our author’s journey began in the burgeoning electronic music scene of Bacolod, Philippines. Holding degrees in Music Business from both Full Sail University and Berklee College of Music, he combines grassroots experience with industry expertise. His career has taken him across the globe, and immersing himself in diverse music cultures, all while championing the balance between mainstream appreciation and the vital importance of underground and hyperlocal music movements.