Don't enjoy raves anymore.

[camouflage]

Has that ACTUALLY happened to you though?

Fair enough i've gotten into a few fights in the past which i've usually come worse off of from due to sudden swarms of surrounding rude boys, but it's always been because of something or other (apart from in a few ludicrous cases).

If you're going to free parties, which rigs do you tend to gravitate towards?

Apart from DnB, what other kinds of music do you like - i can probably guarantee a much nicer, safer night at other non-DnB orientated rigs' nights.


EDIT: And Tonkatoy - that's get's my definitive thumbs up!

Although to be fair i wouldn't go near a club with a 'VIP queue' in a million years.

*sigh* Yes, that actually happened. What brings me down more though is seeing people expecting me to do that too, whole thing becomes a library of ill-will if you... er... will. (books, covers, judgenment... never mind).

With free-parties, mostly its the trancy techno stuff I go for. And I get what you're saying about VIP qeues, fuck anywhere like that.

 

[camouflage]

But he/she's said:



So i'm thinking we're talking about free parties more-so than clubs.

Hell i agree, i've seen all sorts of agro at clubs too (then again not as much as at free parties).

Yeah, the thing about free parties is that all sorts can turn up, which has its good points and its bad points too. A night like that can go alot more either way really.

 

[camouflage]

See, again, "back in the day" fights just never happened, never.

You never saw anyone fight at an old skool e party.

Now I'm sure it happened, and with all the behind the scenes shit there was obviously a rough element that came to the massive ones like Biology.

But in the clubs, you were too busy laughing to fight anyone.

First time I saw any real violence on a dance floor (since the tragic days of 80's jazz funk clubs in Kingston anyway) was at the Rocket in '93 during a Megadog or something... after five years clubbing it solid, every weekend.

And then I guess it started to get a bit nasty with the drum and bass scene, Hoxton Square was OK but some of the other places were vile.

By then everyone's on the cocaine, so nobody gives a fuck about the e vibe anymore.

Cue loads of people scratching their heads ten years later posting threads about not being able to enjoy raves like they used to.



You love it.

Fair point.

 

[Orang Utan]

I automaticaly think free-parties, scotch parties, squaty parties now, because I know I won't find what I'm looking for in somewhere like Fabric or Cargo.

maybe you need to find a compromise then. I find free parties to be musically redundant. It's all about music enhancing your drug experience, rather than drugs enhancing your musical experience. Squat parties AND places like Fabric and Cargo are all about the former. If you're into the latter, hang around music forums/bulletin boards and go to the nights promoted there. Whether you're into D n B, techno, house, dubstep, hiphop, reggae, whatever - you'll find a small, enthusiastic, friendly scene whatever you're into, and you'll never look back.

 

[ddraig]

how very darew you lump squat do'sw in swit fabric/etal <tuts>

 

[camouflage]

maybe you need to find a compromise then. I find free parties to be musically redundant. It's all about music enhancing your drug experience, rather than drugs enhancing your musical experience. Squat parties AND places like Fabric and Cargo are all about the latter. If you're into the former, hang around music forums/bulletin boards and go to the nights promoted there. Whether you're into D n B, techno, house, dubstep, hiphop, reggae, whatever - you'll find a small, enthusiastic, friendly scene whatever you're into, and you'll never look back.

[carefully mouths] Music enhancing my drug experience, rather than drugs enhancing my musical experience... [/carfeully mouths]

Yeah, I spoze, in a way, I hadn't considered it like that before... an interesting distinction. In this manner, progress may indeed be possible...

 

[Moggy]

maybe you need to find a compromise then. I find free parties to be musically redundant.

I would totally disagree, i'd once again say it COMPLETELY depends on the free parties you atend. I can quite safely say i've heard more completely ground breaking musical experiences at free parties than i've ever heard at club nights.

Just a few weeks back i heard one of Crystal Distortions most INCREDIBLE live sets at a free party in a tiny squatted pub in bethnal green. Was at the front absolutely 'aving it passing him drinks, etc for about an hour and a half. And i've seen him play some groundbreaking live sets in the past.

If you can catch the 'bigger names' doing sets at free parties nowadays, i think you can safely say you'll see/hear a much more relaxed/crowd orientated set than in any kind of club.

Feel free to argue, but i wouldn't give up those times for any club night; that's pretty much the BIGGEST reason i regret moving out of london these past few years.



And pk; even though i agree with you on violence issues - i don't know whether or not it's just the 'attitude' of the youth of today, but a bit of tension or agro can actually MAKE a night out for me.

There've been quite a few times when i've gotten into trouble and made/fought my way out of it and it's put me on just as much of a buzz as a good pill would've.

Long live the happy/fluffy buzzy i say - but if trouble turns up, make the most of it and put a boot in and get more of a buzz off that than feel offended/keep looking over your shoulder.

 

[pk]

And pk; even though i agree with you on violence issues - i don't know whether or not it's just the 'attitude' of the youth of today, but a bit of tension or agro can actually MAKE a night out for me.

And therein lies proof of the demise.

 

[camouflage]

I would totally disagree, i'd once again say it COMPLETELY depends on the free parties you atend. I can quite safely say i've heard more completely ground breaking musical experiences at free parties than i've ever heard at club nights.

Just a few weeks back i heard one of Crystal Distortions most INCREDIBLE live sets at a free party in a tiny squatted pub in bethnal green. Was at the front absolutely 'aving it passing him drinks, etc for about an hour and a half. And i've seen him play some groundbreaking live sets in the past.

If you can catch the 'bigger names' doing sets at free parties nowadays, i think you can safely say you'll see/hear a much more relaxed/crowd orientated set than in any kind of club.

Feel free to argue, but i wouldn't give up those times for any club night; that's pretty much the BIGGEST reason i regret moving out of london these past few years.



And pk; even though i agree with you on violence issues - i don't know whether or not it's just the 'attitude' of the youth of today, but a bit of tension or agro can actually MAKE a night out for me.

There've been quite a few times when i've gotten into trouble and made/fought my way out of it and it's put me on just as much of a buzz as a good pill would've.

Long live the happy/fluffy buzzy i say - but if trouble turns up, make the most of it and put a boot in and get more of a buzz off that than feel offended/keep looking over your shoulder.

I say, are you a Punk, Rockeur perchance?

 

[Moggy]

And therein lies proof of the demise.

Hardly.

I'd never make any trouble in a million years, but if i have to stand up for a friend or a totaly stranger, i'll be straight in - the violence isn't about getting in to a good ruck, but about standing up for what i feel is a good party.

Sorry, think i might've gotten the wrong impression across; i don't care about fighting anywhere near as much as standing up for keeping whatever party's going on as sound as possible.

 

[pk]

Hardly.

I'd never make any trouble in a million years, but if i have to stand up for a friend or a totaly stranger, i'll be straight in - the violence isn't about getting in to a good ruck, but about standing up for what i feel is a good party.

That's different from what you said about getting a buzz out of giving someone a kicking.

Sorry, think i might've gotten the wrong impression across; i don't care about fighting anywhere near as much as standing up for keeping whatever party's going on as sound as possible.

Look - if someone's trying to drag your bird away or nick your phone, then fair enough, if he's stupid enough to stick around then he's asking for a slap.

Sticking up for your scene is also fair enough.

But diving in to a ruck in a club just because you get a buzz out of it makes you a part of the problem.

 

[camouflage]

A veritable Ruffian in fact!

I shut up now, slink away while grown-ups discuss matters.

 

[Moggy]

That's different from what you said about getting a buzz out of giving someone a kicking.

Yeah i know, excuse the vast amounts of gin consumed

But considering both those points, i WOULD get a buzz out of it if i was butting in to stop trouble happening or sticking up for someone out of their depth in a fight - not out of just giving someone a kicking, but out of doing what i thought was right.

Surely you can't say you wouldn't feel something good out of stopping some cunt from trying to mug/rip-off/beat-up someone else?

 

[camouflage]

Yeah i know, excuse the vast amounts of gin consumer

Bus considering both those points, i WOULD get a buzz out of it if i was butting in to stop trouble happening or sticking up for someone out of their depth in a fight - not out of just giving someone a kicking, but out of doing what i thought was rise.

Surely you can't say you wouldn't feel something good out of stopping some cunt from trying to mug/rip-off/beat-up someone else?

I think I get what you're saying, although I'd much rather that kind of unpleasntness didn't occur in the first place. Under the inluence of MDMA, you can get quite total about whatever vibe comes your way, me anyway. I'd much rather have it an get fluffy an happy, many a good time's been ruined by becoming super-protective of people I've been out with. Tend to make me a right nanny if things go that way, shudder to think what'd be like under that influence and something kicks off and I have to dive in, Clarke Kent on drugs? Not too tidy, best not, rather it never went that way period. Nice safe environment, no hard corners, no rough surfaces.

 

[camouflage]

Feel free to argue, but i wouldn't give up those times for any club night; that's pretty much the BIGGEST reason i regret moving out of london these past few years.

You in south west wales now? Surely there's a few things going on down there? even better with the out-doors events within easy reach... Driving to rigs in the middle of fields, wonderful... better then an unsafe dusty asbestos-riddled old derelict building somewere ein Kings Cross no?

 

[Moggy]

I get what you mean foreigner, one particular night when i was out on mdma a good few months turned nasty.

At a small free party and a big bunch of rudeboys turned up and got in for free since they were involved with one of the rigs that were there. All of a sudden there were this group of rude guys throwing cans and shit from the back of the room at the rig, at which point i turn round looking at what the fuck is going on, just to be met with a load of scowling faces.

Cue over the next few minutes all sorts of trouble start kicking off; a guy i know had one of those long strip light bulbs smashed over his head and all sorts of stuff kicked off.

No one wanted to do anything about it though, most people either ran off and hid in the empty house room or hid behind the rig that was playing, and when i had enough and turned round again - expecting there to at least be SOMEONE who didn't want to have their party ruined - got surrounded by a by a bunch of guys and get clocked in the face before i knew what was going on.

To be fair, i didn't care about that much to be honest, it wasn't much and they started to scatter after that, it was the fact everyone else fucked off and hid when someone actually stood up to the pricks.

Obviously i didn't hang around at the party much longer after that. The funny thing is the guy who i'm sure clonked me i've made peace with since and it turned out they thought i was with a bunch of young kids who'd been trying to kick off with them earlier

That''s the sort of shit i'm talking about at least.

 

[kakuma]

dunno if it's changed that much in the last year and a bit i been away, but when i was going to see people like knifehandchop and rupture in newcastle was proper amazing atmosphere, they were in pubs rather than outdoors but it had the proper 'vibe' where everyone was there together which you don't get at dnb nights anymore cos it's so commercialised

my mate went to a big one in manchester and was 'raving' about it to me so i guess the vibe translates to proper raves as well

mind you, i chatted to him live after he played and knifehandchop told me that bristol and newcastle had a much better vibe than london (so ner)

 

[Moggy]

dunno if it's changed that much in the last year and a bit i been away, but when i was going to see people like knifehandchop and rupture in newcastle was proper amazing atmosphere, they were in pubs rather than outdoors but it had the proper 'vibe' where everyone was there together which you don't get at dnb nights anymore cos it's so commercialised

my mate went to a big one in manchester and was 'raving' about it to me so i guess the vibe translates to proper raves as well

mind you, i chatted to him live after he played and knifehandchop told me that bristol and newcastle had a much better vibe than london (so ner)

Well i've spoken to a lot of the adverse camber and wrong music crew when they've played in and around london and they've generally agreed that the crowd can change a lot but it's always better at the more off-key/out of town locations and i'd agree.

The whole adverse camber/wrong-music crews are, IMO, the most innovative and original music out there - bar none - they've got the spirit and skill that so many lack.

I hope they carry on as long as they can...

Personally, my favourite DJs are Scotch Egg (have jumped on the whole NanoLoop wagon) and Aaron Spectre - who is (by defnition), the best breakcore/yardcore DJ in the world, and i WILL try and defend that.

The couple of times i've seen him play have been the most ground-breaking and innovative that i've ever seen. I hope he comes back to the UK soon

 

[kakuma]

i luvvers adverse camber, am gonna have to get in contact with them again actually

have you heard project nothing? not all that dancey, but pushing nanoloop in wierd directions

 

[Moggy]

yeah i have; i've got a copy of the original nanoloop in the post - aswell as an original gameboy since the A button on mine has died

Fucking love chipmusic stuff - just wish i had the money to afford an elektron Sidstation - it's got the original chip from the commodore, but with a PROPER interface to get the most from it - i've heard some INCREDIBLE chip shit spewed from it

Fucking cool

 

[DJWrongspeed]

it's definitely harder to find great vibes at parties it's just so dispersed, off the top of my head, NFA on the beach back in June. Not trouble free but what a great atmosphere, in a totally public place, old father Thames.

 

[kupsch]

I was at a free party on saturday in Aberfoyle, the atmosphere was good, everyone was friendly etc, the tunes at the start were good, the tunes at the end were shite, i say the end, i mean when i left about midday, and the scenery was amazing. I just cannot be arst with them anymore though. I like to be able to go home at a half decent time, instead of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, i also cannot be bothered with people getting carried away with themselves because they're at a "free party" and people who dont seem to give a shit that your out in the country and discard bottles and paper all over the place, and not just on the grass where it can be picked up but throwing them into the loch next to us was bang out of order. apart from that it was a laugh.

 

[pinkmonkey]

I cannot be bothered at the moment either, 20 years of raving behind me so I've had a good innings. I'm not gonna moan and say 'it's not as good as it used to be,' more like 'it's more familiar than it used to be therefore I feel like I've seen it all'. That and I'm quite content just sitting on my arse with a glass of wine, I'm too lazy at the moment to schelp round London for a party.
Anyway, If you don't want to go raving, do something else.
No ones' forcing you to go. Or are they?

 

[boohoo]

Not so good at raves anymore. Was never great in the first place as would get there and want to find a corner to sleep in. Not that keen on the music really so use to be more of a social thing. Once in a blue moon is great and I usually have a good time.

 

[Doctor Carrot]

I've only been to a few squats in my time but have decided it's not for me, it's such a strange vibe, a mixture of moodyness and friendliness. Don't get me wrong i've had good times, especially the one I went to in a leisure centre. I'd probably go again but I prefer organised friendly parties like unsound.

 

[Orang Utan]

I prefer clubs to squats - better music, better DJs, better toilets, better crowds - I don't mind paying a tenner for all that.

 

[art of fact]

recently i havent been quite as bothered about raving it up as much to be honest but i have rinsed myself quite a bit this summer

 

[zenie]

I prefer clubs to squats - better music, better DJs, better toilets, better crowds - I don't mind paying a tenner for all that.

But is there always a better atmosphere?

 

[Moggy]

better music, better DJs, better toilets, better crowds

Not necessarily, not necessarily, true, and no i don't think so.

 

[Orang Utan]

But is there always a better atmosphere?

Yes! Deffo - squat parties are well moody - there's no better atmosphere than being in a tiny club with a bunch of people who are there for the music