A new generation of consumers is looking to escape the ubiquitous 'sponsored experience' that characterises many festivals. At the same time, brands are becoming more attuned to the needs and attitudes of festival-goers.

Valued at $6.2 billion, EDM is no longer simply an acronym for ‘electronic dance music’. For thrill-seeking digital natives, EDM embodies their live-for-the-moment attitude, syncs up with their technology-driven lives, and satisfies their omnivorous approach to sensory experience.

Music festivals are often rife with the irritations of spending the day amid a bustling crowd. Billions of dollars worth of smartphones are lost each year, and queuing for a single drink can waste hours. In response, Chicago-based festival Lollapalooza has introduced RFID bracelets for cashless payments.

For London's new cultural elite, fewer statements are imbued with such meaning, power and status than the three little words “I was there”. We spoke to Fleur Britten, senior commissioning editor of the Sunday Times Style Magazine, to find out more.