If ever there was an artist who best espoused the mantra of "think global, act local," Cindy Li -- best known to the world as Ciel -- would be it. Ciel's star has risen within the electronic music scene precisely because she embodies this duality. Her technical finesse and omnivorous tastes as a DJ at the fringe of cutting-edge club culture has been shown off in some of the world's best venues. Simultaneously, her reputation has been bolstered by a single-minded resolve to bettering her adopted home of Toronto. Add an armful of popular, sparky dancefloor hits as a producer, and this triple threat has made Ciel one of the most hotly-tipped and, crucially, deeply respected breakouts of recent years.

Rooted in Stagecraft & Theater Design and growing up in the Y2K American noise underground, Piano Rain aka Alexandrea Echo Archuleta has always had her focus on extreme art in all forms. From her cosmiche synthesizer pieces, IDM inspired rhythmic rave explorations and Symphonic works for orchestra, they aim to convey a sense of instrumental trans communication, most commonly associated with spirit recording and analysis. With an underlying thread of unhinged tranquility, her live performances carry a quiet burning intensity. Inspired equally by classical music and experimental rave history, both become the ground which she glides through masterfully, having honed her practice for over two decades. Symphony No. 1: In Order to Shine premiered in San Francisco 2022 alongside Faten Kanaan and William Basinski. Additionally, her most recent performances have been on Flatstaff Mountain in Boulder, CO with FeelslikeFloating and in remote Yurts in the California and Washington forests. All of this furthers the sense of total independence, freedom and unbridled possibilities, while immersed in breathtaking nature and sonic architecture.

Dax Pierson is an experimental digital music producer known for pushing boundaries and blending genres. They incorporate Apple iOS devices into their creative process, providing a more accessible workflow and cost-effective option. With their body primarily paralyzed due to quadriplegia, Dax's fine motor skills are limited. However, they utilize these devices to create unique sonic tapestries that inspire listeners to dance, nod their heads, or simply immerse themselves in the music. Dax is recognized for their collaborative efforts and love for live performances, either as a listener or a player. They invite audiences to join them on a transformative musical journey where self-expression and innovation take center stage. Dax's sound encompasses a diverse range of influences, incorporating synthesizer and drum machine programming from various subgenres, drawing inspiration from street and academic electronic music. Additionally, they incorporate field recordings of doctors' appointments and the durable medical equipment in their home, which serves as a source of inspiration and empowerment in their life. Dax approaches their work through a multi-hyphenate cultural lens, embracing their identities as a black, queer, and disabled artist. While their compositions are primarily instrumental, they strive to infuse their work with the creative essence of these aspects. After a challenging period of managing and recovering from invasive surgeries and chronic complications lasting over three and a half years, Dax is currently delving into the performative aspects of Logic Pro for iPad, released in June 2023. This exploration involves live improvisation and the performance/remixing of tracks from their previously released album, utilizing loops sourced from the original album's multitracked stems. Looking ahead, Dax envisions a seamless integration of their generative compositional practice with improvisational and performative elements, combining AUM and Logic Pro for iPad with their extensive 13-year experience using Ableton Live since 2006. Their ultimate aim is to create a more engaging and immersive experience for themselves and their audience during live performances. Dax's career as a keyboardist and sample smasher came to an abrupt end after a tour accident in 2005 caused by black ice on the road. This incident left them unable to continue their involvement with art bands like Subtle (Lex Records/Anticon collective) and 13 & God (The Notwist/Subtle members). However, it led Dax to pursue a more self-engaging and immersive listening experience. In collaboration with Dark Entries and Ratskin, Dax released their solo album "Nerve Bumps (a queer divine dissatisfaction)" in 2021. Join Dax on their transformative musical odyssey, where accessibility and self-expression take center stage.

R Tyler is a San Francisco-based algorave musician, producer, and visual artist. In 2023 he was invited to perform algorithmic dance music at SXSW, Spectra Studio Los Angeles, Indexical Santa Cruz, and bi-coastal audiovisual events with AV Club SF, Club Code, and Livecode.NYC. His EP ‘Xuixo’ was released on Split Notes this year under his alias ‘Relyt R’ for experimental techno made with live-coding, machine learning, odd time signatures, and alien microtonal harmonies. As R Tyler, he has released Live-Code Volume 1 and 2, featuring original dance music composed and performed with TidalCycles code from his live sets at SXSW and Gray Area SF.

Errorbesque is a cross-disciplinary artist with active practices in dance, illustration, generative visuals, costuming, and environmental design.  Often collaborating with dancers and musicians, he uses various visual mediums for analyzing and extending the expression of their performance. He is particularly interested in glitch as a metadata layer that can both contribute and degrade information.

Steve Piasecki (stevepi) is an artist who finds inspiration in the landscapes that we inhabit and in the technology that we create. The impact of what humans make and how they alter their landscapes is a major theme of his work. He has been making and showing work at Gray Area since 2019. His work has also been seen at the Lone Star, Gays Hate Techno, Light.Wav, and Dada Bar. With experiences from running small underground events to leading web development teams to helping run large global marketing campaigns, Steve has led a variety of teams and managed many different kinds of projects. As Venue Operations Manager, he brings all those experiences to Gray Area to help support the creative dreams that we bring into existence. Along the way, he has encountered almost every kind of situation, so he brings a unique perspective on how art, life, and a good party can come together to create community.

Revolution is written into the origins of electronic music, where the genres, sounds, and spaces of rave culture have been crafted through Queer, Trans*, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour resistance. Informed by this legacy, Crip Rave™ centres Crip, Disabled, Deaf, Mad and Sick communities within expressive and innovative electronic music spaces. Structural barriers, ableism, industry standards, and cultural norms have largely resulted in inaccessible rave spaces and the exclusion of Crip bodyminds. Setting up an electronic music event so that all people can enter a venue is crucial, but accessibility requires us to go further— to centre disability in every aspect of planning so that all people can feel safe, comfortable, have their access needs met and their talents reflected in rave culture.

Crip Rave™ Collective was created by Renee Dumaresque and Stefana Fratila, two Mad and Crip organizers who are passionate about electronic music and envision a world where rave sites are accessible to everyone. Together, we have hosted both in-person and virtual raves and workshops, participated on panels at Nowadays (New York) and MUTEK (Montréal), and consulted with festivals and event promoters to enhance the accessibility of their offerings. The ‘collective’ in our name refers to the artists, collaborators, teachers, ASL interpreters, graphic designers, access support workers, and lineages of Disability Justice and Crip community wisdom that make our events possible.