what is happening today?
Rave 2.0
We decided to find out, what is happening with rave culture today.
What tendencies/patterns can we see today, what happened with our previous heroes of the story.
Take this psychedelic trip with us...
What tendencies/patterns can we see today, what happened with our previous heroes of the story.
Take this psychedelic trip with us...
The main tendencies:
- monopolization
- commercialization
- iconic places closing
- ravers maturity
- witch house death
The situation with rave culture in 2019, of course, is very different from the situation we were dealing with when we started this project. Then, three years ago, the raves seemed to cover everything.
Now the majority of popular platforms are closed – "Плутон" is no longer working due to "external factors and authorities at various levels," "Рабица" ceased to exist even despite the extreme popularity, Arma17 and "НИИ" switched to the "new format". It's hard to say why there really were fewer underground parties – whether the authorities were responsible, as The Village and Meduza like to write, because of the changed tastes of the target audience or because of both of these factors in total. Perhaps this is generally a completely organic transition from one stage to another, which, in any case, would sooner or later occur, as in England or West Berlin.
A typical raver has matured a lot – the idea of going to a party with a fake copy of your passport in 2020 seems absurd. Rave culture is transformed from underground into an increasingly elitist one. Perhaps this is a way to protect against some kind of external threat. "The Witch House is dead," our interviewees say. Now, without irony and embarrassment, it's generally uncultured to talk about this genre, but "Slaughterhouse" is recalled, rather, as something childishly ridiculous and absurd. It seems that over time we just learned to do it "right". Or not.
Now the majority of popular platforms are closed – "Плутон" is no longer working due to "external factors and authorities at various levels," "Рабица" ceased to exist even despite the extreme popularity, Arma17 and "НИИ" switched to the "new format". It's hard to say why there really were fewer underground parties – whether the authorities were responsible, as The Village and Meduza like to write, because of the changed tastes of the target audience or because of both of these factors in total. Perhaps this is generally a completely organic transition from one stage to another, which, in any case, would sooner or later occur, as in England or West Berlin.
A typical raver has matured a lot – the idea of going to a party with a fake copy of your passport in 2020 seems absurd. Rave culture is transformed from underground into an increasingly elitist one. Perhaps this is a way to protect against some kind of external threat. "The Witch House is dead," our interviewees say. Now, without irony and embarrassment, it's generally uncultured to talk about this genre, but "Slaughterhouse" is recalled, rather, as something childishly ridiculous and absurd. It seems that over time we just learned to do it "right". Or not.
In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was – rave
An individual is an ant in an anthill, a grain of sand in the desert, a sea wave. A meaningless and helpless social atom, whose energy is just enough to support the life of a huge civilization.
The beginning of this civilization was a primitive culture – and ritual dancing as a part of it: rhythm, synchronized movements, collective meditation, immersion in oneself in search of pure and warm strength. You are not alone, you are a part of a tribe, you are a part of the universe.
что такое рейв
The beginning of this civilization was a primitive culture – and ritual dancing as a part of it: rhythm, synchronized movements, collective meditation, immersion in oneself in search of pure and warm strength. You are not alone, you are a part of a tribe, you are a part of the universe.
что такое рейв
The owner of the "Mutabor" also owns a "Gazgolder", "Mix" and other clubs. In fact, he took that underground spirit and made the rave scene monopolized and commercialized
...Yes, there was always a "crackdown", just many either survive in it or not.
Of the trends - the Witchhouse has finally died.. the "Cмена" opened - there are quite friendly hangouts with different styles, not limited to techno.. Baseline, uk garage, jungle etc
As I found out, we have a lot of trans festivals and hardcore, but all of them are designed for the popular and large format.
...Yes, there was always a "crackdown", just many either survive in it or not.
Of the trends - the Witchhouse has finally died.. the "Cмена" opened - there are quite friendly hangouts with different styles, not limited to techno.. Baseline, uk garage, jungle etc
As I found out, we have a lot of trans festivals and hardcore, but all of them are designed for the popular and large format.
Nastya
Raver
Are we very different from our ancestors? Our music is more complicated than hitting sticks against stones, our dance is stored not by the flames of the fire, but by the bright rays of the lasers, and our raves are not religious events. However, the feeling of unity and a crazy sensation of healing and renewing energy – all this is a rave.
вот так выглядят рейверы
вот так выглядят рейверы
A return to basics ushered in technological progress.
The creation of electronic music became publicly available in the early seventies with the advent of Minimoog, which was a small instrument with a built-in keyboard. The main thing is that it was portable. It was used by both Kraftwerk and the Prodigy. Another legendary device was the Technics SLI1200 MK2 turntable. They were produced for almost forty years: from 1972 to 2010 – and are famous for their working stability. Some of them are used nowadays.
The creation of electronic music became publicly available in the early seventies with the advent of Minimoog, which was a small instrument with a built-in keyboard. The main thing is that it was portable. It was used by both Kraftwerk and the Prodigy. Another legendary device was the Technics SLI1200 MK2 turntable. They were produced for almost forty years: from 1972 to 2010 – and are famous for their working stability. Some of them are used nowadays.
In the early eighties, Acid House and Techno genres appeared, and parties moved from clubs to factories and warehouses. In 1984, in Chicago, musician Jess Saunders recorded the track "On And On", which began the Chicago house. In 1988, raves captured the UK, and a year later the first Love Parade was held in Berlin, a hymn for which was written by Westbam along with Dr Motte. The history of this festival continues to this day, it is held annually and attracts hundreds of thousands of participants, and since 2007 he moved from Berlin to Essen.
In the nineties, genre diversity increased, as did the popularity of raves. First, techno, breakbeat, drum and bass sounded at the parties, then – hardcore techno and bouncy techno. Organizations (such as Fantazia and Universe) appeared in the United Kingdom that staged crowded legal raves in fields and warehouses across the country. 30,000 participants came to their One Step Beyond.
So, rave culture became part of the youth movement. At the end of the eighties, the Kino group, Sergey Kurekhin and artists Timur Novikov and George Guryanov in Riga met Westbam, heard electronic music, saw how they danced under it, and brought new knowledge in St. Petersburg - in the USSR.
So, rave culture became part of the youth movement. At the end of the eighties, the Kino group, Sergey Kurekhin and artists Timur Novikov and George Guryanov in Riga met Westbam, heard electronic music, saw how they danced under it, and brought new knowledge in St. Petersburg - in the USSR.
Also, electronic music was played by the New Composers group. In 1990, they released the single Sputnik of life & Sirens of Titan, which became very popular in Liverpool. At the same time, an improvised dance floor club appeared on the third floor of house No. 145 on Fontanka - squatting empty apartments was a common thing in the nineties, which was done by Andrey and Alexei Haasy and Mikhail Vorontsov. At this time and in this place the idea was born to conduct a space rave in Moscow.
In December 1991, the rave came to Moscow. A large-scale Gagarin Party was held at VDNH in the pavilion "Cosmos". Three thousand people danced among the models of spaceships, satellites and antennas.
In December 1991, the rave came to Moscow. A large-scale Gagarin Party was held at VDNH in the pavilion "Cosmos". Three thousand people danced among the models of spaceships, satellites and antennas.
As in Europe, following the popularity of Russian raves commercialization came. Spontaneous underground parties transformed into grandiose festivals (often sponsored by different brands), apartment parties moved to clubs.
мы верим в бога
At the beginning of the century, the "Republic of KaZantip" rave gained fame in the Crimea until 2013 (in 2014 it moved to Georgia). It was an incredible celebration of electronic music. It is not surprising that state authorities, openly disliking such movements, sought to stop Kazantip. In 2015 and 2016, Kazantip was banned from conducting in the Crimea.
Also in 2016, Outline was unexpectedly closed, which became known on the day it was supposed to start.
At the beginning of the century, the "Republic of KaZantip" rave gained fame in the Crimea until 2013 (in 2014 it moved to Georgia). It was an incredible celebration of electronic music. It is not surprising that state authorities, openly disliking such movements, sought to stop Kazantip. In 2015 and 2016, Kazantip was banned from conducting in the Crimea.
Also in 2016, Outline was unexpectedly closed, which became known on the day it was supposed to start.
Lavlinskaya
Raver
EBCORE
Project
I can't say anything about rave culture in Russia, because I only know what is happening in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
In Moscow over the past 2 years, a huge number of parties of small and medium scale have appeared, which are no different from each other, except for different but equally poorly made posters. Everywhere the same performers who have absolutely no taste and talent, but there are organizer friends who take them to play at their parties. These "musicians" copy what they heard from someone, insert the word mephedrone into the text and pour it into the ears of girls of about 15 years old, they can still spice it all up with a hardcore barrel, so that it sounds even more fashionable and "raver".
The organizers themselves are no better. Of all the announcements that I saw, nothing new and different from the general trash came to my eyes.
!There is, of course, the other side of the coin, there are more events of a good level, the entry price is usually more than 1000 rubles, often there are deliveries of interesting and new artists from other countries. Perhaps they existed in such numbers before, but I wasn't theirs and just didn't know. In any case, this is also part of the so-called rave culture and it is impossible not to consider quality events from already known teams.
If we talk about styles, then according to my observations, techno as it was alive, continues to bloom, and this massive interest in this genre began even before I was born. I can't say the rest, because I don't really know anything.
My raver life has certainly changed. In the past two years, I go somewhere 3-4 times a maximum a year, more often I just spend time with my friends outside the city, whom I just found in a rave party. Now I often go to large-scale events with a cool line-up, or to quite chamber parties with free admission in some bar.
I didn't especially watch the venues, but my friends say that they noticed a not very cool tendency to close clubs.
What happens to people? The only thing I can say, those guys with whom I used to go to those same dumb raves with a terrible sound and hardcore or a househouse for the whole night, now also quite rarely look at this kind of party, or do not go anywhere at all.
In Moscow over the past 2 years, a huge number of parties of small and medium scale have appeared, which are no different from each other, except for different but equally poorly made posters. Everywhere the same performers who have absolutely no taste and talent, but there are organizer friends who take them to play at their parties. These "musicians" copy what they heard from someone, insert the word mephedrone into the text and pour it into the ears of girls of about 15 years old, they can still spice it all up with a hardcore barrel, so that it sounds even more fashionable and "raver".
The organizers themselves are no better. Of all the announcements that I saw, nothing new and different from the general trash came to my eyes.
!There is, of course, the other side of the coin, there are more events of a good level, the entry price is usually more than 1000 rubles, often there are deliveries of interesting and new artists from other countries. Perhaps they existed in such numbers before, but I wasn't theirs and just didn't know. In any case, this is also part of the so-called rave culture and it is impossible not to consider quality events from already known teams.
If we talk about styles, then according to my observations, techno as it was alive, continues to bloom, and this massive interest in this genre began even before I was born. I can't say the rest, because I don't really know anything.
My raver life has certainly changed. In the past two years, I go somewhere 3-4 times a maximum a year, more often I just spend time with my friends outside the city, whom I just found in a rave party. Now I often go to large-scale events with a cool line-up, or to quite chamber parties with free admission in some bar.
I didn't especially watch the venues, but my friends say that they noticed a not very cool tendency to close clubs.
What happens to people? The only thing I can say, those guys with whom I used to go to those same dumb raves with a terrible sound and hardcore or a househouse for the whole night, now also quite rarely look at this kind of party, or do not go anywhere at all.
Playlist from Ebcore
Rave Map
Since 2017, the order of existence of the nightlife of Moscow has changed: a number of Moscow clubs and bars have been closed, centers of mass gathering of young people had to find a new outlet and move to new venues:
Avangarden
Mutabor
Gazgolder
Powerhouse
Aglomerat
Dissident
Poison House
Bessonniza
Dom Kultur
Not all clubs were going to curtail their activities (as Powerhouse), and some (as "Science and art") just moved to a new place and continue to defend their independence (which in the capital of our country is expensive).
In this context, the closing of the Moscow party Boiler Room by the security forces was perceived by everyone as another confirmation of the existence of Dulles' plan to exterminate the dance culture alien to our people on Russian soil.
"What is happening now is a natural process in which some organisms are certainly dying to make way for the young, the living and the growing."
-Ilya Voronin, Mixmag Russia
Since 2017, the order of existence of the nightlife of Moscow has changed: a number of Moscow clubs and bars have been closed, centers of mass gathering of young people had to find a new outlet and move to new venues:
Avangarden
Mutabor
Gazgolder
Powerhouse
Aglomerat
Dissident
Poison House
Bessonniza
Dom Kultur
Not all clubs were going to curtail their activities (as Powerhouse), and some (as "Science and art") just moved to a new place and continue to defend their independence (which in the capital of our country is expensive).
In this context, the closing of the Moscow party Boiler Room by the security forces was perceived by everyone as another confirmation of the existence of Dulles' plan to exterminate the dance culture alien to our people on Russian soil.
"What is happening now is a natural process in which some organisms are certainly dying to make way for the young, the living and the growing."
-Ilya Voronin, Mixmag Russia
Films about raves
We recommend
1. Berlin Calling, 2008
2. Human Traffic, 1999
3. Welcome to the 80's, 2009 (TV series)
Скотобойня
4. Groove, 2000
5. The Chemical Generation — Acid House documentary, 2000
6. Sub Berlin — Underground United, 2008
7. Don't Forget to Go Home, 2006
8. B-Movie Lust Sound in West-Berlin, 2015
9. 20 years of jungle mania, 2013
10. Raving Iran, 2016
2. Human Traffic, 1999
3. Welcome to the 80's, 2009 (TV series)
Скотобойня
4. Groove, 2000
5. The Chemical Generation — Acid House documentary, 2000
6. Sub Berlin — Underground United, 2008
7. Don't Forget to Go Home, 2006
8. B-Movie Lust Sound in West-Berlin, 2015
9. 20 years of jungle mania, 2013
10. Raving Iran, 2016
Diana Dobrody
Lera Burgucheva
Polina Lukina
Polina Chernykh
Lera Burgucheva
Polina Lukina
Polina Chernykh
