Rave scene experiences

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:25 pm

Okay, I have never been a raver. But my fiancee works raves as an EMT and brings home some stories, plus I've seen a couple nasty ods (not nessesarily rave related) on the Playa as a medic and as a volenteer at San Francisco's Gay Pride celebration.
I've gotten into a side conversation with a new burner who says (paraphrased) "I've been in the rave scene for 5 years, and community safety is important. That's why I'm becoming an EMT." So I'm interested. What have been the really hairy experiences? And what lessons have you learned?

rubyredalys · Post by **rubyredalys** » Mon May 17, 2004 3:52 pm

i started partying in 1999. not that long ago but those who have been since 1992, i am but a baby in the "scene". at those times it was less of an issue to verify age (18+) because it was generally assumed that if you knew about the event, you were mature enough to attend.

i went to my first party at 17, but i was emancipated so therefore considered a legal adult. i did not consider diving into the drug world at that time because i really did want to go and meet people/for the experience/for the music.

as with many people who rave, that slowly changed. i didn't do anything of a illegal sort until i was 18 for several reasons, the most important one being that drugs of any kind, before your body finishes with maturity/growth is detrimental to its growth process. knowing that i wanted to be the one who took any type of risks like that into my own hands.

i have seen 14 (and younger) at raves with their older siblings. i have seen these same kids doing drugs both purchased by their siblings and on their own. the list of these drugs get longer by the day but can include things such as:
ghb, ketamine, e, meth, marijuana, 2cb, 2ci, 2ct7, shrooms, lsd, dmt, nitrous oxide, coke, alcohol, rx drugs...the list goes on.

the point is, safety is an issue at parties such as these. common sense is #1. if you are interested in taking other avenues of entertainment research said information. nothing is ever SAFE. i have seen overdoses at parties, more at massives (5,000+)

if anyone has any personal questions, feel free to message me if you are not going to be ignorant.

-a

technopatra · Post by **technopatra** » Mon May 17, 2004 5:13 pm

I went to my first rave in my late teens, back when it was called acid-house, in SF in 1989 or '90. I liked the music and I liked to dance and I liked the cute boys but I wasn't mown over by the scene. I left the country to go traveling for a couple of years and upon my return I was way too much of a bad-ass to be caught dead dancing with a bunch of wannabe hippie/hipster freaks in old buildings.

I lived in San Diego for a couple of years, but due to my afprementioned bad-ass attitude I thoroughly dissed and dismissed the ravers I met there - they were all candy kids as far as I was concerned. This since I was at the ripe old age of 21.

I didn't go to my first dance party with an open mind until 2000. I was somehow led to the Illuminaughty, and got my first real taste of the dance culture - and more importantly, the community that helped build/was built by it.

I went to a SWEET party in, I guess it was January or February, at CellSpace. When I walked in - no line - I was handed a bottle of water and told there were no in & outs.

I walked in to the room. And was blown away by the people. Everyone was dancing like they forgot how to be hip and touching each other like they forgot to be afraid. Not sexually, really, but reassuringly...as if to convince themselves the other person was there, and to convice the other person that they knew they knew they were there. They were dressed in all manner of club clothes, which had changed quite a bit since 1990. I saw folks pairing, tripling, and quadrupling up on the couches to talk. Some were touching each other's hair, or rubbing shoulders, or had an innocent hand on another's knee. They were so sexy and unafraid and together, not just occupying adjacent space.

I was dazzled by the lights and could feel the energy of about 100 people pulsing through me. I felt desire and need and sadness and contentment and awe, all at once. was lonely and surrounded - all these people knew each other, and I was an invisible interloper on the fringe with nothing to bring to the party. My own awkwardness kept me from starting any real conversations, and I was terrified of speaking for fear of being walked away from, of begin judged and identified as the the oursider I felt I was.

Then the lights came up for a minute and 2 guys, Matt and Jim, had everyone sit in a circle and take a minute to "drop into the silence". I sat down with a stranger on either side of me, who took my hands. Everyone started to "ohm". Slowly. I felt the ohm as the vibrations of a hundred voices rippling through me. I heartht eh sound of my heartbeat slow, superimposed over the thrumming of the ohm. Then everyone inhaled together for the next ohm - that was not so much a sound as a sense of being lifted, of my chest expanding and my ribs opening up and I realized I had been hunched down, tring to make myself look small in this group. On the third ohm I felt a little light-headed, but my heart rate was down and my head felt clear and I had a look at the folks around me.

Some folks looked tired and others excited and others wistful and one or two downright miserable and the rest, contented. I remember wondering which I looked like, and having no idea.

Matt & Jim started talking...about the year, about the group of people assembled, about how special a place San Francisco is and how we live our lives, we connect with each, because we have all actively chosen to not let ourselves be made insignificant by any of the myriad of forces out to keep us down...television, corporate mentality, the economy (this was the beginning of the dot-bomb), the close-mindedness of our former selves or communities.

They talked about personal responsiblity, how we are blessed to know that we can fight for happiness, that happiness is not in the besting of one another, but of helping each other along, and how our choice to be at this rave, to have brought our hopes & fears & goodwill & problems & dancing asses to each other, this was a conscious choice to defy the isolating influences of our world.

I felt confused and weird, aware that I was buying into it totally but with an eye out for anybody passing out kool-aid. But I must have been smiling, because the woman next to me squeezed my hand and when I turned to look at her she was just smiling beautifully back at me. It wasn't the glassy-eyed smiled of the wasted hippie - it was a clear, thoughtful smile of someone who could tell I was new.

Then the music started and folks were helping each other up of the floor and the lights dimmed down a bit and the next thing I knew I was jumping up, fist pounding the air. This fist, for once, not beating the ether in frustration, but beating my energy into the room.

Whenever I started feeling frozen by my own fear, I just closed my eyes and let my body respond to the music. I bumped into people and they just smiled. I eventually left as I had come - alone - but with the spark of something in me...something unrealized, something potential.

Oh yeah, I was totally sober the whole time, as were many of the other folks.

tonka · Post by **tonka** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:27 pm

i am still a baby with the scene, although ive heard about countless events from an older sibling who has been going to raves for years. im still underage and dont always get the chance to attend a good 18+ party but have, and just so you know, most of the time the all ages are just as fun if not more.

i have yet to see the ems come to the rescue of any situation, because there hasn't been any reason to call that ive known about.

ive heard of and seen people experiment with drugs that they shouldnt, first timers jumping right in and taking whatever drug they are given by whoever seems nice, people who have obviously taken a little too much, not to the point where it will require medical help, but to the stage where they will feel like a total idiot tomorow, assuming they remember everything that went on.

but over all ive met some pretty aweome people who im sure wouldnt hesitate calling for an ambulance if someone needed it.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Mon May 17, 2004 9:34 pm

And what lessons have you learned?

People tend to want to hug you, they don't always ask permission and they are usually all sweaty and that's kind of gross.

People try to wave glow sticks in your face, really, really close to your face.

People always ask "are you rolling?"

Some people try to make it more "interactive" by blowing a whistle in time with the music, this is annoying.

Some people think the music at 150 decibles isn't quite loud enough, so they actually stick their heads inside the bass bins, go figure.

Vicks vapor rub seems to play an important part in many of the rituals.

As do pacifiers, HUGE over sized pants, glowsticks and Rainbow Bright/Care Bears merchandise.

PLURR- Peace, Love, Unity, Responsiblitiy and Respect

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Tue May 18, 2004 12:19 am

Maybe it's my old hippie showing, but I don't understand the question.

Is this about being a raver, dealing with a raver, dealing with being a raver, being a dealing raver, being with a dealing raver, dealing with a dealing raver, burning with a dealing raver, or dealing with a burning raver?

robotland · Post by **robotland** » Tue May 18, 2004 5:53 am

.....why does The Raver just perch there on the bust of Pallas? I wish it would out my chamber door.

RingO'Fire · Post by **RingO'Fire** » Tue May 18, 2004 8:27 am

Bob wrote:Maybe it's my old hippie showing...

I've got a few questions for you "Jaded Old Timer" ravers.

What's a "Candy" raver?

Are there different flavors of Candy Ravers? (and would that make them "Flavor Ravers"?)

The term "Candy Raver" implies that there are other types of ravers. What are the various other species of ravers?

From a guy who's never been to a rave, and is trying to figure this whole "raver" business out. Thanks.

PurplMyst · Post by **PurplMyst** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:05 am

In my limited realm of raver experience, "candy ravers" are the kids with the pacifiers, Care Bear backpacks, pigtails, and arms stacked with plastic jewlery (aka candy). I don't know of any other specific names for the other types of ravers, but there definately are about 3 or 4 pretty distinctive "types". I'll call them LED Kids, Pink Girls, Huggy Babysitter Guys, and those few who you can't spot right away because they are capable of looking "normal". PLURR!!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue May 18, 2004 9:07 am

Bob wrote:Maybe it's my old hippie showing, but I don't understand the question.

Is this about being a raver, dealing with a raver, dealing with being a raver, being a dealing raver, being with a dealing raver, dealing with a dealing raver, burning with a dealing raver, or dealing with a burning raver?

Ya know, Bob, I don't have an easy answer for you. I'm an outsider on the scene and something of a (very) amature anthropologist. I started this thread out of an interaction with rubyredalys, and her statement about being a member of the scene and community safety. I'm always interested in how someone reaches the point where they make a decision about how they are going to live thier live, and choosing a profession, like Emergency Medical Technition, is a pretty big decision. So maybe I should have framed it as "how did you get there" rather than as "what did you learn from raves" or maybe I'm asking two or more questions and your confusion is perfectly natural.
And While im posting, sorry if I sort of pathologized the scene. CArless of me. Even S. rarely has to do much when he works them; although sometimes it comes to life and death--depending on the drugs. So thanks everyone who defended the scene and especially thanks, Technopatria, for giving us such a nuanced and revealing look at your own journey though various attitudes towards it. Those sorts of posts really add a lot to the board.

rubyredalys · Post by **rubyredalys** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:26 pm

let me try to clarify what i can

candy ravers don't always have pacifiers. that spans to anyone grinding their teeth to e, it's universal.
candy ravers ARE usually the most colorful of the bunch. the bracelets are a sign, but once again...it spans to all of the music genre. i used to do wigs, fake colored eyelashes, bright pants and tops, glitter...etc. i'll post an old pic of me at the end.

there are many types of edm (electronic dance music) or idm (intelligent dance music)
house, uk hard house, tech house, drum and bass, jungle, trance, goa, psy trance, hardcore, happy hardcore, gabber....once again the list goes on and on and on.

house heads, along with the dnb/jungle crowd tend to be relaxed in wear. usually the least to be seen with said candy, esp within the dnb group. more like an embarassment.
hardcore kids, esp happy hardcore can be candy kids, but the gabber scene not as much because the music is more of a violent bpm/message. imagine moshing at a rave. there we go.

trance kids do the candy too. once again ANYONE can do the candy thing but depending on the party you may get a lot of slack for it. sometimes people do it and grow out of it. some always wear jeans and a t shirt. some come in club wear.
does that help any?

http://www.ravemedia.net/pictures/norca ... ity024.jpg

that's me with dj nostrum from germany, circa 2001 at a party in sf. f-8 is a cyber trance record label based out of sf (where cybertrance was "born" if you will)

http://www.ravemedia.net/pictures/norca ... dys034.jpg
me at another party in sf june 2001 (this feels like a slideshow) :)

any questions?

technopatra · Post by **technopatra** » Wed May 19, 2004 3:16 pm

My personal definition of candy kids has less to do with the gear (I haven't seen a pacifier in years, but I stick with goa/psy-trance, mostly) as the attitude that it is about nothing but getting high and dancing for a night.

Within the rave community are many families, and each one is a strong community base. The raver families I know include artists, schoolteachers, chemical engineers, clothing designers, receptionists, accountants, parents, and of course, all manner of tech geeks.

These are intelligent, hard-working, fun-loving people with 3 core values that bind us:

1 - belief that we deserve to be happy, and that can be achieved by exploring the world experientially
2 - understanding that we are fortunate in this world and have a social responsibility to and within it
3 - aesthetic appreciation of the music that, if not binds us, helped draw us together in the first place.

Together we have thrown raves to benefits homeless shelters and help beach and creek cleanups. We spun music at the Food Bank for group volunteer days.

The rave itself is a celebration of being together, but we're happy to be together because we are there to connect. I don't know how to explain it more than that.

I'm sorry if I sound grumpy. It bothers me that folks use the term "raver" as an epithet. Ravers encompass the whole of the human experince, some are jerks and some are the most amazing folks you will never meet if you decide it's more fun to bash than to connect.

Hmm...in that way they are very much like the Rangers, or the DPW for that matter.

stuart · Post by **stuart** » Wed May 19, 2004 6:13 pm

those clothes were pretty goofy

you deserve a smooch

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Wed May 19, 2004 7:55 pm

Like TP said, you get all sorts at raves, but certain ones bring out certain people. Chai guys' description made me laugh- those things aren't for me!

I go to very few raves- I'm picky. I've pretty much narrowed it down to one- Shambhala- although I'd never call it a rave. To me it's a big 3 day outdoor dance party. It has the largest cross section of people I've ever seen at a rave. The age range is from about 16 to 50's. There's all elements of the rave scene there that have been mentioned already. Lots of happy shiny people and lots of kooky freaks. You'd not normally see hippies, skaters, candy ravers, cutesy outfit girls, buff boys, rockers, punks, costumed kooks, straightlaced folks, and mountain people- 6,000 in total- all at the same party, but you do at this one. It's on a family-owned ranch, 500 acres of trees, mountains, and gorgeousness, in the interior of BC, Canada. The vibe there is unlike any party I've ever been to...kind of like BM in that way, from what I understand. Community, partying responsibly, and a weekend of dedadent excess is all important there.
Hi, I'm on a secret mission to recruit you to take part in Shambhala. Ask me how!

The last big city rave I went to was terrible. I went for a certain dj but the whole scene just didn't work for me. It was mainly teenagers (I'm 34 so I felt like a chaparone), young guys pumped on steriods, young girls in tenny matching outfits. The water was turned off in the bathroom so you couldn't refill your water bottles. There were plenty of kids way too high.

So you get all sorts of raves/parties. I think a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the promoters and what steps they take to make sure that everyone has a safe and positive experience. Just like with any party or bar/club, you go to a few and you quickly find out which ones match what you're after and which ones don't.

RingO'Fire · Post by **RingO'Fire** » Wed May 19, 2004 8:32 pm

Thanks everybody for your descriptions of your experiences, all the diffferent types of raves and ravers, about the the various rave sub-subcultures. I feel much more informed now.

Although I was of course aware of that here is a distinct techno/rave subculture, I had no idea of the varieties of techno music, raves, ravers, social responsiblity ethos, etc. that you've all described. Like I said, I've never been to one, so I don't have any direct personal experience.

Perhaps I'll get my first taste of a "rave-like" experience out on the playa at BM!

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Wed May 19, 2004 8:53 pm

Cool, ROF, it sounds like you can for sure get the rave experience at BM.

Before I went to a rave I didn't like what I called 'techno' music that much, and then I heard techno music that was so fun to dance to, so get down funky, and I realized there are so many types. And once you see how incredibly a dj can play the dancers- it's quite amazing, the building and changing of the energy, you can just feel it swirl around the space, and how the dj makes your body move! That's what blew me away the first time. I love that aspect.

I'd liken techno, or rave, music to be a genre like rock- there are so many sub sections, and different groups or 'styles' of people that like each type, with lots of cross overs. It's unreal how vast it is once you get into it.

If you get the chance, check out Lorin at BM. He's one of the big hits at Shambhala, and probably at BM too- super fun dancing, positive energy music...always a great party when he plays. I'm sure there will be plenty of other wicked dj's there, and remember, if you don't like what you hear, check out a new place, because the music and crowd will probably be completely different.

Have fun!

RingO'Fire · Post by **RingO'Fire** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:10 pm

sparkletarte wrote:Have fun!

That's my main reason for going!

Besides, of course, hanging out with my fraternity brothers, gettin' FUBAR, and checkin' out some tits! Yaa-hoo!

rubyredalys · Post by **rubyredalys** » Wed May 19, 2004 9:46 pm

man, st i turning 22 and i feel like an old fart at raves.

maybe it's because of the quality of large parties/promoters/etc.
it's pretty bad what they will turn a blind eye to in terms of safety for a buck.

and those pics are 3+ years old. i don't dress like that anymore!

-a

_tears_ · Post by **_tears_** » Thu May 20, 2004 12:17 am

I have been raving for awhile now, I have seen a few nasty ODs. ANd yes, community safety is VERY important. I make sure to keep my eyes on those who are on the floor JUST in case, i also buy bottles of water to give to people who are on something ect. And people do the same for me when i am out of it...

Candy Ravers vary depends on whom you ask. Some say its a personality others say its a style. I dont agree with either, i believe A candy kid is whatever that personal person wants it to be. I use the pacifires, but thats so i dont grind my teeth. I also use other methods, but that seems most effective.

I suggest ANYONE that is even THINKING a bout doing drugs ( or these thougs who just have a hunger for knowledge ) go to this website, LEARN and understand what the drug is and what it can do to you, the good and the BAD.. most of all DONT BE STUPID!

http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/psychoactives.shtml

my innerself · Post by **my innerself** » Thu May 20, 2004 3:37 am

The first time I attended a rave was almost a year ago. The rave was called Dreamscape. I had heard of it before because it is a yearly event held where I live. I was sitting at home drinking a bottle of bourbon and my other half was yelling at me for something, so I thought "fuck it, Im out of here". I got in my car and drove to the rave to check it out (it was held only 5 kilometers from my house luckily, and I had only drunk half the bottle at that time). When I got there I just mulled around the car park drinking the remainder of my bottle, still a bit pissed off with my missus for giving me the shits. Thats when I met my first ever raver. His name was Andy, he came up to me in the car park and was extremely friendly (MDMA), I was thinking "hey ths guy is pretty cool. Not long after talking to him he asked me if I needed any pills. Now I had never tryed any XTC up until then, I have had pretty much every other drug known to man but never had a pill before. Anyway he gets out his pills from his pocket. There must have been about 50 or 60 in his plastic bag easily. I asked to have a look at them and he tips the bag forward over my hand and taps the top of it with his finger trying to get one to fall out on my hand, lucky for me about ten land in my hand

, anyway I say "oops you dropped to many in my hand dude, let me put those back in your bag" so I put every pill back into his bag with the exception of two which I managed to lodge in between my fingers without him noticing. Anyway I buy 1 pill of him to not be too suss. We go into the rave and I popped 1 of the pills. Now like I said before I have never had E before and I didn't no what to expect. But I can without any doubt tell you that this was the best drug I have ever taken. Everything around me was amazing, I loved everyone and everyone loved me, I didn't have a care in the world. I even liked the shit music that was being played for some unknown reason. I had the other 2 throughout the night, and partyed my ass off. Had a total ball. I got home about 7am in the morning still a little effected from the pills (I think) and made up with my spouse ( I just really didn't feel like argueing, if you know what I mean). Anyway, since then I have been to about 12 to 15 other raves and enjoyed every single one. My spouse even comes with me now.

RingO'Fire · Post by **RingO'Fire** » Thu May 20, 2004 8:15 am

rubyredalys wrote:...turning 22 and i feel like an old fart at raves...and those pics are 3+ years old. i don't dress like that anymore!

-a

Alys,
Like they say, a picture is worth a 1,000 words. Just looking at your old pictures helps clue me in just little more. Thanks for posting them.

Just curious, do you still have all your shiny/happy/colorful paraphenalia? It/they might make some interesting ingredients for some kind of art project.

Too bad I don't know how to build robots! (damn the luck!) Wouldn't some kind of shiny happy techno rave robot just be the coolest! I was thinking about something like a purple C3PO all decked out in all your old garb. You could program him to act like he's rolling or tripping; then he could bust some serious moves out on the dance floor. Damn, where's Elroy Jetson when you need him?

BTW, I hope everyone knows I was only kidding about that "Fraternity Brother" business. I have never even been remotely interested in joining myself to one of these "organizations." For a few years, I used to like to go to their parties for the free beer when I was an undergrad. After a while though, the price of free beer, i.e., having to hang out with a bunch of drunken idiotic fuckheads, just wasn't worth it. That's another one of the reasons I'm going to BM too, so I can drink schwag beer and hang out with a bunch of (fellow) drunken artistic fuckheads. Fuckheads unite! Yea!

rubyredalys · Post by **rubyredalys** » Thu May 20, 2004 1:51 pm

rof-

of course i still have it! many pictures and the clothing too. i saved it so i would have something to show my kids (my mom was born in sf grad. 1969) so you can imagine the stories she tells me.

that's what has been so great about this lifestyle, it has taught me to respect myself and others more. being older and looking back i see what good therapy the music was/is.

pm me about the art project though!
-a

samtzu · Post by **samtzu** » Thu May 20, 2004 3:35 pm

I went to a rave in SoMa about two years ago when I was a young thing of 54... didn't do any 'E', but I was stoned on the ambiance all night, and I was grinning my ass off for about five hours. Wound up in some 1M$ loft that was about six feet wide with a bunch of kids, all of whom were asking me "Did you really like it?" Well, hell yeah! What the hell do you think we did back in the Sixties and Seventies?? Just sat around stoned all the time, trying figure out whether our navels were innies or outies?

But, now that I think about it... Hey! Wait a minute... where did my navel go? How'd I get so fat? And who's that old fart in the mirror that looks like my father?

Sixties? Uhhhh... I think I was there...

Maybe not...

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Fri May 28, 2004 2:19 pm

technopatra wrote: Whenever I started feeling frozen by my own fear, I just closed my eyes and let my body respond to the music. I bumped into people and they just smiled. I eventually left as I had come - alone - but with the spark of something in me...something unrealized, something potential.

Oh yeah, I was totally sober the whole time, as were many of the other folks.

Sounds like a lot of the Grateful Dead concerts I went to back in the day.

Please enough slamming on hippies. From now on can we call them irresponsible fuckwits, so we don't slur the greatness that was hippies?

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Fri May 28, 2004 2:28 pm

my innerself wrote:which I managed to lodge in between my fingers without him noticing. .

I'll keep an eye on things when you're around.

my innerself · Post by **my innerself** » Mon May 31, 2004 2:16 am

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:35 pm

turn me on to the scene this year

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