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Food for thought ...
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| skywarp |
Found this on a local messageboard, it is a very interesting chunk of text ...
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Every scene/system/ideology is like a ripple in a pond. Originally it is big and powerful, and its original members are the most devouted to it. I'll use
Christianity as a prime example. A great idea, by the way, and one that was probably best understood by the original Man himself and his 12
associates. However, like every system, the more converts it wins over and the bigger it gets, the less of an impact is had on each new recruit. Like
the ripple, the movement gets weaker and weaker, and more distorted, changed, altered, and further from its original ideals, as it gets bigger.
Christianity is a religion so ed, that within 1000 years it had somehow grown to betray the ideals that it originally stood for.
In the same sense is rave culture. Originally a haven for moderately intelligent people looking for an alternative form of entertainment, now
raves are riding the "popularity" bandwagon (they have for quite sometime--3 years, I'd say), and as such, its ripple has gotten REALLY big and
distorted, and far from what it originally stood out to strive. Nowadays, who knows why people go to raves anymore. Who knows if they even like the
music. Who knows if they even understand the ideals that this culture upholds (if it even holds them anymore). Who knows if they even care. The
impact of this culture is not felt as strongly among them as it did among people who started the scene, or even joined it 5 years ago, when the ripple
was smaller and much stronger.
Newbies in the scene back then COULD be welcomed and appreciated because of two factors:
1) There wasn't very many of them, and thus it was possible to "train" them, so to speak, in the ideals of the neo-culture, thus keeping the ripple strong
and the ideals pure, or.....
2) The scene wasn't advertised as much. Mainstream Society didn't even know it existed, far less considered what to do with it. Therefore, the
newbies came to the scene because they WANTED to. They sought the scene out because it was something they liked, something they needed and
enjoyed. Thus, they didn't want to be ostracised so quickly in a scene that they wanted to be apart of, so they were often polite, curteous, intelligent,
resourceful, sensible and smart. They respected the scene and took care of it, and vice versa.
Now, newcomers are often scorned and ridiculed by the older ravers instead of taught and cared for because of the same two factors, reversed:
1) There's too many of them. It's simply not possible anymore for the veterans to teach them "the ways of the scene" so to speak when they practically
outnumber all the oldskoolers. In fact, I'm willing to guesstimate that right now, on this continent, there are more kids in their first year of partying than
there all the older-than-first-year party kids combined. And with the influx of newbies becomes an influx of naivette, and a generation of older
partykids/DJs/Promoters who simply don't care about the new kids because they don't know and respect "the ways of the scene", and so have
elected to exploit them, instead. ("well, if these kids wanna go to a rave so bad but don't know what it's all about, who cares about them. Let's charge
$70 at the door. They'll pay it. They're stupid, ignorant neophytes. Children of middle-class parents. With lots of money. They don't know what a rave is
anyway, they'll eat whatever we give them so long as its got a simple beat and its loaded with drugs"). As a result, the new partykids grow up in the
scene with this kind of party behavior, which they turn around and somewhat construe the scene and mishapened it to suit the evolving, exploiting
"paradigm" (god, I hate that word). The ripple has thus gotten very big, very weak, and........
2) The scene is being advertised too much. Everyone and their dog has heard of raves, and most larger American cities have gone some way to
legislating against them (or regulating in favor of them, whichever's more anal). The kids no longer have to find the scene--it's practically advertised on
tv. Instead of them seeking IT out, looking for a more enhanced, livelier experience, IT comes to them...and since individuals only really respect ideals
that they come to of their own accord, they aren't about to respect one that was handed to them in a mall or on a bus that they did not give clear
indication that they wanted it in the first place. Because of this, it's no longer a sense of adventure or experience to go to a rave--complete with its
own culture, ideals, etc--anymore. Since raves are mimicking most highschool hallways anyways, its not like the scene feels or acts any different than
an average concert or school pep rally. And the new kids are immersed in this fractured culture. So OF COURSE they aren't going to care about the
scene, if they do think of it as a "scene" at all. For the most part they're annoying, drug addled, stupid, snarling little bitches (the Lowest Common
Denominator of society has caught up with rave culture), and the people who already are here can't teach them a thing, because they refuse to listen.
They disrespect this scene and don't care about it, and the scene is really beginning to reflect that.
I don't mind newbies coming into the scene, so long as they got a good head on their shoulders and really appreciate this culture for what it is. But it's
got to start with the culture. Not the drugs, not the clothes, not the image...not even the music.
The culture is what makes this happen. The culture is why a kajillion kids came out of nowhere and descended upon a cabbage patch last weekend
and chewed it up with their stomping, dancing little shoes.
Maybe I'm just old. Maybe I'm just jaded. Maybe I'm just a cynical, sadistic bastard. But I don't care. I like to see this scene smarten up, but from the looks
of it, it doesn't show any signs of improvement any time soon. I'd be the first to admit that I wasn't too bright when I started up in this scene either, but
at least I paid attention. I looked. I learned. I listened. I did many things I think a lot of newbies today should do. I didn't just go to a party with a select
circle of friends, dance all night with them, and go home in the morning, having not even batted an eye to a stranger all night. I made friends. Lots of
them. Part of the early appeal was that I could walk into a rave all by myself, alone, not knowing anybody, and make like 200 insta friends over the
course of the night (I even did it in a foreign city--Edmonton--miles from anyone who even looked remotely familiar). And this was in the days before
Loungex. I wonder how many kids today have the guts to do that--go to a rave by themselves. Perhaps our scene would be a hell of a lot better off if
they did.
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First thing I have to say is: Go to a party by yourself. You meet so many people that way. I went to Liquid Summer by myself, an I'd met people before I
even got to the venue. I met people on the bus, in the line, and of course, in the party. Some of the people I met there are the people I got to parties with
now. Its amazing what happens when you don't have to spend half the night looking for your friends.
There are a lot of similarities between the Calgary Scene and the West Coast scene. The state of the scene post is absolutely correct. In Vancouver,
and hopefully here soon, the scene is splitting between the mainstream massive scene, with 40 dollar parties in mega venues with thousands of
people, and the smaller, more personal scene. Parties with real vibe. Parties similar to Escape. Parties with a couple of hundred people out to have a
good time, not out so that they can tell their friends at school that 'they went to a rave'. All I can say is that I won't be going to any parties that are
advertized in newspapers. Oh, wait Liquid summer was in FFWD. The party coming up at Max Bell (which is advertized all over the place) wont be
that good because it won't have vibe, only poser-vibe. It won't have much character. I'm not advocating that you don't go to it, I'm just saying that there
are better things than not being able to find your friends in a group of 2500 less than 'rave-friendly' people. STU
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And now the conclusion to what I think has happened. When the by-law was instated, there were 5 options for parties...
1. Hold a large rave in a sanctioned venue with paid security and cops and all that fun stuff. (max bell parties)
2. Hold a smaller party (less than 250 people) (eden)
3. Have parties out of city limits (Aurora)
4. Hold illegal raves (risky)
5. Have after-hours venues (sanctuary)
The by-law pretty much ruled out the option of mid-sized parties... Promoters can't pay for security and police and medics if they have only 500 people. Thus the minimum size of a sanctioned party is more than about 800 people. I may be wrong w/ the numbers. In order for the promoters to get as many people as possible at these parties, they have to advertise everywhere, and by advertising everywhere, a lot of 'hoochies', 'bar-stars' and other 'vibe non-contributers' will attend the parties. Some people don't want this kind of party, and will choose to go to smaller, 'tighter' parties. So, in conclusion... There will be 'big mainstream' parties, that everyone and their hoochie-boots will go to, and there will be smaller parties. The smaller parties aren't underground really, they are under 250 people. I don't know about you, but I'd rather go to a smaller party to hear great local talent, than go to a huge party where the headliner doesn't give a because he's in a 'hick town' in Canada. That's my commentary. STU. (the guy with cheetah fun-fur pants)
By the way... If you want to talk to me, I'll be at Fright Night, and I'll be dressed as a cop. Hehe.
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| TiestoInTheMix |
OMFG, this may be 2 years old, but it's so friggin' true!!!
*copy, paste, save* |
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| Rhythm |
| Very interesting indeed.:thepirate :disbelief |
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| Photo_bot_2k1 |
i personally wouldnt know what it was like before they became mainstream
but i would like to know |
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