The rave scene definately has problems, the no question there. But i personally love it, why would people wait up until stupid hours in the morning waiting for a phone line set up by people they didn’t know to change if the partys were no good. They could have a good night and get to bed at a resonable hour going clubbing if they didn’t enjoy it!

I go partying pretty much every weekend for the vibe the tunes and the people.

Things change it may be different now but its still got the culture and the ideas there!

Keep the vibe alive.

I started partying in 1991 and IMO its a misconception that all the parties/scene up to the mid 90s was better back then. There were less parties, drugs were more expensive and there were more people “doing it for the money” in various ways, due to the economic recession. Eventually many got caught, and this as much as the “irrational moral panic” of middle England was what brought the CJA and clampdowns in 1994/5.

IMO the “boom time” of raving was from 1997 onwards when the dot-com boom, a growth in economy and consumer spending and “cool britannia” initially meant the rest of society turned a blind eye to an extent, and even after things went to shit from 9/11 onwards initially the cops had their attention diverted by the terrorism scares.

Raves were actually doing fine until 2004/05 in London/SE England and 2006/07 in Eastern England.

they do still of course happen but a lot of people, young and old, find them less fun.

This is perhaps due to just a few things, too much ketamine, the cops increasing their enforcement actions because people have overused local venues/regions and created a local backlash, and increasing inter-crew politics/a lack of solidarity amongst ravers.

TBH I think a lot of people took the good times for granted and let their guard down (overdoing drugs, tolerating vandalism and trouble at parties) and thats why they are feeling bitter today…

Absolutly spot on mate

I say stop moanin and rave on raaa

Only prob i think is “back in the day” as ive always understood raving was the alternative to going out on the piss, and far too many youngsters i see out and about mix the two. I really like what it says in the drugs section here, something ive been trying in vain to tell people for ages , “alchohol brings you down of the e”, so if your gonna drink you may as well not bother with the e!

Im glad to see somewhere is providing the facts..

Hedonists overdoing things is an age-old problem but I do think a lot of people start younger (early-mid teens) and finish younger (early twenties) these days though…

today you get people who have only been raving 2-5 years talking about the “old days” and then “dropping back in” to normal society. its like the party lifestyle is a lot more “fast tracked”, and like a bit of a “gap year” activity for many. Maybe its also because parties are more intense and last longer (well into early Sunday evening)

also what has changed in some areas is levels of enforcement. Cops had all that surveillance kit even in the late 90s, all the laws like CJA and ASBO existed but they weren’t used against ravers half as much.

doesn’t that say something positive about people sorting themselves out and how society has advanced to the point where a ‘blank’ period doesn’t exclude people from the mainstream forever?

in some cases maybe but only if the people who are given a second chance stay true to what they once did. I’ve even heard people I once used to party with actually support drugs prohibition and various clampdowns on personal liberty. Some have actually totally given up drugs and even taken on various “enforcement” roles!

Also those who live “different” lives perhaps need to accept that maybe if they didn’t get qualifications/careers at the “right” timescales (even if they weren’t ready for it) they can’t really complain that “immigrants are taking their jobs” when they go back to society and find a tougher jobs market – because the immigrants often gave up their partying to work – one Polish chap I knew gave up being a club sound engineer to work in England so he could help his family

the thing is its the hearts and minds of non-participants which need to be reached. I always get the impression most of the cops present at raves would rather stay at home than close down a party, but they are being constantly hassled by the “silent majority” types to act harder…

what?!? I would say that anyone who has used drugs as the right to form whatever opinion of them they choose. if what started out as a positive experience contributes to you fucking up your life, that will inform your values. I’m not half as pro drugs as i once was, although i still think that prohibition creates more problems than it solves… perhaps that’s because i’m lucky enough to have a critical mind and am able to take an objective view. if you’d lost an arm to smack, or a brother to acid, you’d be justified in saying “my choices were wrong”

that’s a totally different issue of the roots, reasons and causes of racism. i agree with you; don’t blame other nationalities if your life is shit.

People do have the right to share their negative or positive experiences, and have their own opinions, but I still don’t think they have the right to ever support total drugs prohibition if they have taken drugs themselves, even if they have stopped doing so or if someone close to them has had a bad experience – if they feel that way they have to be taught otherwise.

After all even if we accept the views and experiences of RTC victims and their relatives we don’t ban cars when people have crashes, we just introduce speed limits and road safety laws…

its peoples subjective views and knee jerk reactions actually being taken on board by those in power (or people with such views getting into power) that lead to the very loss of liberties you are pointing out (and the clampdowns on raves!)

you know I think if the party scene is to survive then maybe its time for a change. Civil rights decree that people have the right of movement, expressioon and assembly.

Given that fact the problems begin when citizens are disturbed or frightend when they come into contact with a rave. Its not suprising that they turn to the police for help as they are charged with upholding the law and keeping the peace..If they are not seen doing the job then they are undermined and left in a position where they must show they have control of any given situation.

Most police i have come into contact with over the last few years dont have a problem with the party scene, its when they are made to look foolish or treated without respect you can expect a negitive response.

Dont missunderstand me im not trying to sell ob to anyone but we cannot continue to treat them like the enemy.They are doing their job.

its time the party machine makes an effort to avoid upsetting farmers or local people.they could communicate with police at parties and set up a phone link.. if a problem occours with people being disturbed by noise or anything else then that information could be passed on to the rig who would be able to sort it.

If you look at the knock on effect of such an action it is amazing. Ob gets a complaint, in a few minutes the problem is sorted. The person who was disturbed goes back to sleep confident that everything is under control and safe. Everyone is a winner, the rig gets to go home on sunday and all because a little give and take…