How far would you travel to a rave? how about New Zealand?

They call it “the land of the long white cloud” and it may be most famous for being Australia’s slightly less glamorous neighbor. Maybe that’s to do it a disservice. There have been a number of top music artists from the country with the Finn Brothers of Split Enz and Crowded House fame being two of the best known. To bring things a little more up to date, there’s Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor  – better known as Lorde – who has continued to put New Zealand firmly on the musical map.

What it might really surprise you to learn is that the country has a booming rave culture taking in everything from pop-up one-nighters to festivals like Homegrown. Held every year and attracting thousands to the country’s capital, Wellington, this is spread across no less five different stages with many of them featuring the very best in indigenous electronic dance music, dubstep and drum and bass.

For somewhere that is so famous for its beautiful countryside, you’d also expect to find festivals that celebrate nature and the great outdoors and that’s exactly what you’ll get if you make the journey to Earth Beat Aotearoa. Held on the magical edge of Kaipara Harbor, this five day extravaganza is as much about expanding the consciousness and seeking the spiritual as it is about enjoying banging beats.

Perhaps we should be so surprised about New Zealanders grabbing the chance to try something new – they’re a very adventurous nation at heart. One only has to look at the popularity of internet gaming as exemplified by the New Zealand online casino list. There are countless operators to choose from, almost all of which offer generous bonuses for signing up to their casinos. The fact that there is a very good internet infrastructure in the country to support online casinos also helps to make them very popular. 

To return to the music, the club scene in New Zealand is also thriving thanks to a few promoters including famous names like Olly de Salis who started out running one-off rave nights in deserted car parks and office blocks in Wellington about five years ago and now has a more permanent arrangement at Club 121. The other major cities including Auckland and Christchurch might not have scenes that are quite as lively, but they are fast catching up. 

In terms of indigenous dance music, it’s very much D & B that is dominant thanks to artists including The Upbeats and MC Tali, along with her husband Chiccorelli introducing a slightly more soulful sound. 

The dance music sector also has a very vocal advocate in the shape of the country’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern, herself a former DJ. So there’s the benefit of plenty of government support to help boost the industry. 

It all adds up to a great place to go if you want to experience some genuinely mould-breaking music – just as soon as the jet-lag has finally worn off!

Featured Image: A. L. on Unsplash