From @AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU:DZ5401A@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU Mon Feb 22 16:20:08 1993 Received: from churchy.gnu.ai.mit.edu by soda.berkeley.edu (5.65/KAOS-1) id AA11679; Mon, 22 Feb 93 16:20:04 -0800 Received: from auvm.american.edu by churchy.gnu.ai.mit.edu (5.65/4.0) with SMTP id ; Mon, 22 Feb 93 19:19:01 -0500 Message-Id: <9302230019.AA11072@churchy.gnu.ai.mit.edu> Received: from AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU by AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 2136; Mon, 22 Feb 93 19:18:19 EST Received: from american.edu (NJE origin DZ5401A@AUVM) by AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU (LMail V1.1d/1.7f) with BSMTP id 3355; Mon, 22 Feb 1993 19:18:19 -0500 Date: Mon, 22 Feb 93 18:08:24 EST From: "Douglas B. Zimmerman" Organization: The American University Subject: Rave Article in U., college magazine To: This land for you and me , The tribe of the vibe Status: OR Was looking through my school paper today, and came across this article about raves, in the national college magazine suppliment (U.) in it. Here it is. doug ) ( dz5401a@american.edu ----------------------------------------------------- R A V E O N ! LA &NYC phenom goes to college by Tracy Mercer, The Graphic, Pepperdine U. A DEAFINING AUDIO ASSULT OF TECHNO-FUNK. A KALEIDOSCOPE OF LASERS. FLAMBOYANTLY DRESSED CHARACTERS LOST IN A SEA OF SWEETLY SCENTED SMOKE. They call it a rave, a live underground dance party, not to be confused with the cantina scene from Star Wars (?). And its popularity is sweeping across the country in a maddining rush. The concept arrived from England almosr five years ago. And as these underground festivals have emerged into the mainstream, college students have been swept away by them in suprising numbers. The ideal of dancing until dawn in a hip, surreal atmosphere has proven to be an attractive alternative to ordinary (and legal) dance clubs. "A rave party is just a party playing a lot of techno with eight hourd of pure energy and dancing," says Western Kentucky U. junior Kevin Todd. "It's like the ninties version of a disco party. When the music gets going you're just riding the beat." The fire ignited in Los Angeles and New York City but has spread quickly to college campuses from Arizona to Kentucky. Despite their reputations as drug havens, raves have become all the rage. This explosion of popularity has been chronicled in movies and television, a sure sign that raves are not just for those in the know. "Madonna's new video, and movies like Bad Influence, and Basic Instinct are making them more mainstream," Todd says. "Beverly Hills 90210 even did an episode about it." [what was the 90210 episode like?] Yet many content this attention will not make raves lose their appeal. Katy Ramierez, a sophmore at American U., says raves will outlast the hype. "Raves were not ment to be fads," she says. Held in abandoned warehouses, clubs, or vacant fields, raves entail elaborate light shows, techno-music and mood-enhancing substances. They've spawned a unique style and look for this generation. Wild print shirts, leggins Doc Martins, crushed velvet dresses, masks and extravagant hats are common attire. The music is most often a sampling of disco favorites with the latest synth-pop technology. The audio aspect of a rave is one of the biggest attractions for ravers. "People who are big music fans will critize the music and say its all synthetic. But it evokes feeling," Ramierez says. "Rave music is a good beat that gives you the opportunity to let go." She says that raves are absolutely exhilirating. "It's like one big unified mass of people dancing around and letting out their aggressions to the beat." To some rave-goers, riding the beat requires the assistance of a mind-altering substance. "The first rave I went to was in New York," says Bethany Stevens, a sophmore at Western Kentucky U. "It was wild; drugs everywhere. There was acid, ecstacy. people were walking out of the bathrooms after using coke; it was crazy" Raves in cities like Louisville Ky. and Nashville, Tenn. are not quite as intense. Drugs do not play such a dominant role, and the crowd is more diverse, Todd says. Many others are quick to point out that drugs are not the main attraction. At any club or dance scene there may be drugs, Ramierez says, but they are not as prevelent at raves. "It's not really a drug thing; it's the unification." A natural high from the atmosphere and energy is enough for some ravers. "A rave is the loudest, most exhilirating experience on earth, even without drugs," says Laura Willford a junior at Western Kentucky. "Its a chance to vent out all your energy and just dance." But all this venting sometimes does attract the attention of local authorities. Part of the thrill of an underground party is the secrecy. Most raves are not publicized; partiers find out about them through fliers which give a location where maps are distributed. Because some raves are held in abandoned warehouses or vacant lots, the potential for conflict is great. Ramierez says often are broken up becuase the crowd is huge, there are fire law violations or complaints come from neighb ors. The reputation raves have for drug and alcohol (?) abuse also attract the police. "The police will associate a huge mass of frenzied kids with drugs," she says. In Milwaukee, police arrested more than 900 people at a "Grave Rave" on Halloween. The event was disrupted because the location was unsafe and sponsors were operating without a licence. [i remember that one. Having a licence doesn't stop the police, a la Ravelation] The crackdown is what has forced the rave scene above ground and discouraged entrepenures from using the events as a get-rich-quick scheme. Some of the first underground raves in Los Angeles were put on by fianciers, producers and backersinterested in making a fast buck. By legitimizing raves, some say big-name sponsors have taken away the novelty of the concept and replaced it with just another club alternative. Norman Berrios, who has frequented Los Angeles and San Diego raves says, "When raves moved above ground they lost their spirit. Raves may be safer and legal, but their also boring." Former Los Angeles local Kelli Tyler also longs for the days of the early, undergorund rave scene. "It was really a wild time. You felt like you could escape into Wonderland and not have to come out until 5 the next morning."