Were early rave parties better than now?

The early rave scene saw promoters-cum-squatters bolt-cut their way into premises to hold illegal parties. Some of these raves could draw crowds of 20,000 or more through the 1990s. The original second summer of love, ecstasy and acid house has some parallels with today’s scene, particularly the inclusion of pharmaceuticals continues. Here we look at rave parties and whether early rave parties were better than those taking place now.

A continuum

Raves have been taking place every weekend since the 1980s, though they are not always visible. What was happening 25 years ago by one generation is being continued by the next, with a similar renegade spirit. In the same way that it could be said the early rave parties were just a continuation of the Woodstock era. Every youth gets a kick from breaking the rules, it is nothing new.

Unity and energy of early rave parties

Parties took place at legendary clubs during the acid house days of the 1990s. The door policy was simply if those on the door saw you were not right for the party, you did not get in. This unity created soul, love and energy that some might say is missing today.

Raves were simply like-minded people playing music in a dingy warehouse. Today, the buzz and energy once found at raves can now be found by joining up to an online casino, and the offer of a casino bonus which encourages young and old to have fun, feel a buzz. You also become a member of a strong and loyal community.

Raves are always cool

You can still get to cool illegal raves now you just need to know where to look. For those who loved the first wave of the rave scene, if they were to be 17 years old again, they would almost certainly be checking out some of the dates today. What is different today is that the majority of these gatherings now include professional security and medical facilities, good sound systems, bar staff, and all that you might expect from a commercial club.

Music was primary then

The first rave parties were new and exciting. Music took days to craft and was grittier, possibly because of limited technology at the time demanding greater creativity.  Whilst today there is a buzz around playing cat and mouse with the police, this was less so for early raves where the music triumphed everything.

It’s a tribal thing

Young people want something exciting and their own, in every era. The music played at raves now is some of the same music played in the 1990s and the atmosphere to party-goers may feel just the same to those new to the scene. There will always be those who want to get high and dance to music, but the drugs available at early rave parties made for a more loved up vibe that cannot be replicated today.

The police

The police response to illegal raves today is no different from what it was. Generally, the police allow the parties as long as there is not too much of a disturbance. Particularly since the majority of these clandestine gatherings are just as professional as legal parties in clubs, with professional security and medical facilities, great sound systems, bar staff, and everything else you can expect from a commercial club.

The primary objective of every rave is to have a great party, hopefully with the police even knowing about it, with many raves as underground and private as possible so as not to attract the attention of the police.

 

Image Credit: Alexander Popov on Unsplash