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RAVES: YES OR NO?
by Ricardo Cordeiro
President, Productions 514
In May, an event called Swirl was scheduled for Montreal's Olympic Stadium and was expected to draw over 10,000 people. This event, or rather, its cancellation, got a lot of attention in the media and generated many comments, some realistic, some completely off the wall.
To this date, the event's promoter, 514 Productions, has mostly refrained from making any comments on this unusual situation. Instead, we have decided to keep our reactions to ourselves so that we can better understand the motives behind the decision by the police to exercise a form of veto over this kind of event.
In a nutshell, 514 Productions asked the Régie des alcools, courses et jeux du Québec (RACJ) to suspend the Olympic Stadium's liquor license in order to hold an event that goes beyond the Stadium's normal operating hours and that would end at noon the next day. As is the case with every exception, the RACJ turned to the relevant police department-the MUC police-for its recommendations regarding our request and the presentation of this event.
For seven years now, Productions 514, the largest producer of this type of event in Quebec, given that six of the eight major events of this nature were held under its auspices, has always obtained the go-ahead from the RACJ. In this case, the MUC Police, alluding to situations that occurred in other events (that were not organized by 514 Productions), issued a negative recommendation for Swirl which led to its cancellation. It is completely unacceptable that events having nothing to do with our organization were cited as a reason for refusing our request to the RACJ. The MUC Police has shown a total lack of understanding of our activities and is attempting to control a phenomenon that is beyond its control.
Contrary to what the police might think, a rave is not an orgy of sex and drugs, where everyone loses control. As I mentioned on the subject at a recent panel discussion, raves now represent the new reality, not only in our city but around the world. Millions of young people worldwide identify with them. In an attempt to simplify this phenomenon, it would not be misleading to say that the rave is to our generation what Woodstock was to our parents, and even more, what was a bowling league membership was to our grandparents!
I am simplifying, of course, but I feel I must try to make readers understand that raves are, by their very essence, events that allow young people to express themselves, to let loose and to try, through music and dance, to find outlet for the stress of daily living.
Naturally, some of you who recall reading certain newspaper articles will be the first ones to say that raves are a haven for drug users. And yet, I remember attending rock concerts where the smell in the air left little to the imagination. This begs the question: Are raves any worse? The answer is no.
At 514 Productions, we organize events exclusively for adults. We firmly believe that the people who attend our events are fully aware of applicable laws and respect them. Obviously, we cannot verify the state or condition of the 10,000 people who show up at the door; this, incidentally, applies to thousands of bar operators across Quebec. However, we do believe that ignoring the phenomenon or ostracizing it by outlawing it will not lead to a solution.
We now face a difficult choice. We can prohibit all events of this type in facilities with liquor licenses and retreat to locations large enough to accommodate huge crowds, without necessarily providing safe and sanitary conditions. Or we can try to find a way to enable thousands of participants to find an outlet that meets their needs.
This is a question to be put to society. We don't claim to have a corner on the truth but we are trying to find the best solution. Political authorities are responsible for filling any gaps in the current system and must exercise their prerogative to provide a legal framework that is currently sadly inadequate for activities that did not exist a decade ago.
All stakeholders must set aside their own interests and try to find a solution that is fair for everyone. For us, it is not only a question of survival, but it is also a question of the well-being of thousands of rave-goers who will continue to seek out events that suit their needs. Burying one's head in the sand is useless and leads nowhere!
Over the next few weeks, I look forward to meeting with the police, political officials and other stakeholders. The exception does not make the rule and, who knows, we might well reach an agreement.
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514 Productions
3575 St-Laurent suite 132
Montreal, Quebec
H2X 2T7
Tel: 514.282.0065
Fax: 514.282.9557
http://www.514productions.com/
[email protected][/email]
[email][email protected]
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