why the scene is how it is and how we can change it

[Halathrias]

I'm about to make a lot of enemies with this, but hey, it's truth. Here are my thoughts on the way the scene is going and what we have to do to change it. I've compiled a list of the things that whether you realize it or not, are negatively affecting the scene. They may be well intentioned, but the laws of cause and effect are what we really have to look at here

1. DJ's with over-inflated ego's who believe the rave is about them
2. People being spectators rather than participators in the rave experience
3. Kandi (here's where i'm making a lot of enemies, but i'll make my case if you can supress your kandi filled brain and continue reading)
4. A lack of creativity and originality and artistry in the creation of a rave
5. The need to appeal to the masses for the pure desire of money (if you are going to do this as a promoter you have no right to call your party a rave)

Let's review, shall we?

1. First of all DJ's seem to hold themselves above the music they're playing, as if they're the center of the rave, not the ravers, or the music, which is destroying the very soul of rave. people tend to face the stage and cheer the dj on, rather than dance and express themselves or interact and enjoy the EXPERIENCE of the rave. THE DJ IS NOT A GOD, AND STOP PRETENDING HE IS.

2 I would say the mass majority of people that come into a rave come in with the mindset of coming to be entertained not to be an entertainer. You ought to come with the mindset of being a contributer to the rave experience and creating your OWN FUN. be an artist, dress up, bring cookies, shit, bring a propane gun and fire that shit off in the middle of the dance floor.

3 Here's the one people will probably hound me on but let me explain. Alright, i get it. it's a nice jester, wait, no it isn't. you spend hours making an armful of kandi and guess what? how much thought did you put into each piece? how original, personal, or thoughtful is that little piece of plastic? kandi is a fad with good intentions that's inspiring conformity over creativity and originality. why don't you try making individual gifts with thought put behind each one and give a few gifts to a few people that really deserve it? rather than whore out your pieces of plastic to "seem" like a generous person. Not to mention the perpetuation of kandi mostly perpetuates a kiddy fashion statement or fad

4 How many raves have you seen that have, oh lets see, a room, a table, some cd'js....maybe a couple posters. There is a clear lack of decorations and mood setting themes. come on! make me think im under water or in a cavern or in a fucking jungle with bat shit insane ape monkeys. There's also a clear lack of costume and roleplay (seriously, people throwing the party ought to be dressed up with an alter-ego to flare in an artistic fashion to the people coming in the door) as well as you could bring in things for people to interact with at the rave. how about a box full of mirrors that people can sit inside? (ok i stole that one from burning man, but still, you get the idea, or maybe interactive lights. a hug booth. maybe you could do some performance art on one side of the room, SERIOUSLY)

5 Please don't try to tell everyone and their mother to come to your rave (or any rave), UNLESS you are willing to seriously tell them what a rave is supposed to be about, and that they know they're supposed to be a contributing member to the rave experience, rather than a spectator to see something that "everyone's doing"

Ok, that's it. You can hate me or love me for it i don't care, but that's my views on why rave's (i should say some because their are some very very few raves that do follow this criteria, but i would say most do)

Go be an artist, dress up, play games, contribute, have fun, and most of all, fuck shit up. scare the crap out of people

later

[ShoRtCaKe_CO]

This is going to be a long post because I'm about to pick apart what you're saying. I agree with most of it -- and I suggest you try psytrance parties -- but I'm going to state a couple of my own feelings.. here we go!

Originally Posted by Halathrias

I'm about to make a lot of enemies with this, but hey, it's truth. Here are my thoughts on the way the scene is going and what we have to do to change it. I've compiled a list of the things that whether you realize it or not, are negatively affecting the scene. They may be well intentioned, but the laws of cause and effect are what we really have to look at here

1. DJ's with over-inflated ego's who believe the rave is about them
2. People being spectators rather than participators in the rave experience
3. Kandi (here's where i'm making a lot of enemies, but i'll make my case if you can supress your kandi filled brain and continue reading)
4. A lack of creativity and originality and artistry in the creation of a rave
5. The need to appeal to the masses for the pure desire of money (if you are going to do this as a promoter you have no right to call your party a rave)

Let's review, shall we?

1. First of all DJ's seem to hold themselves above the music they're playing, as if they're the center of the rave, not the ravers, or the music, which is destroying the very soul of rave. people tend to face the stage and cheer the dj on, rather than dance and express themselves or interact and enjoy the EXPERIENCE of the rave. THE DJ IS NOT A GOD, AND STOP PRETENDING HE IS.

I completely agree with this. I feel the scene is about musik and self expression and people coming together to enjoy the vibe. I've never understood why it was more about the dj... you'd think it would be about the people that have the intelligence, talent and creativity to write the musik if anything.

Originally Posted by Halathrias

2 I would say the mass majority of people that come into a rave come in with the mindset of coming to be entertained not to be an entertainer. You ought to come with the mindset of being a contributer to the rave experience and creating your OWN FUN. be an artist, dress up, bring cookies, shit, bring a propane gun and fire that shit off in the middle of the dance floor.

This used to be the case for the most part until raving became sensationalized and the media got into it. Once again.. i HIGHLY suggest psytrance parties. They remind me of how stuff used to be about a decade ago =)

Originally Posted by Halathrias

3 Here's the one people will probably hound me on but let me explain. Alright, i get it. it's a nice jester, wait, no it isn't. you spend hours making an armful of kandi and guess what? how much thought did you put into each piece? how original, personal, or thoughtful is that little piece of plastic? kandi is a fad with good intentions that's inspiring conformity over creativity and originality. why don't you try making individual gifts with thought put behind each one and give a few gifts to a few people that really deserve it? rather than whore out your pieces of plastic to "seem" like a generous person. Not to mention the perpetuation of kandi mostly perpetuates a kiddy fashion statement or fad

You were right. I'm going to hound you on this, but I want you to understand things from the point of view of an old "candy raver". When we first started doing this (at least when I did) we did make little gifts. It's turned into almost exclusively candi and "plastic bling / flare".. which is kinda stupid, but candy kids USED to be EXACTLY what you're describing it should be. Now the "perpetuation of kandi mostly perpetuates a kiddy fashion statement or fad" thing DOES piss me off. I mean, I respect your point of view and I understand where you're coming from, but I happen to like my "kiddy" fashion statement. It's like the lost boys from peter pan.. not wanting to grow up.. I dunno. I'll admit I have a Peter Pan Complex =P I agree, however, that the candy kid "fad" needs to get back to how it used to be. If I had known the people that dressed up as candy ravers and sang that "methamphetamine song", I would have probably beat the shit out of them.. >=\

Originally Posted by Halathrias

4 How many raves have you seen that have, oh lets see, a room, a table, some cd'js....maybe a couple posters. There is a clear lack of decorations and mood setting themes. come on! make me think im under water or in a cavern or in a fucking jungle with bat shit insane ape monkeys. There's also a clear lack of costume and roleplay (seriously, people throwing the party ought to be dressed up with an alter-ego to flare in an artistic fashion to the people coming in the door) as well as you could bring in things for people to interact with at the rave. how about a box full of mirrors that people can sit inside? (ok i stole that one from burning man, but still, you get the idea, or maybe interactive lights. a hug booth. maybe you could do some performance art on one side of the room, SERIOUSLY)

For this statement, I fucking love you! lol I completely agree and ONCE AGAIN suggest psytrance parties =P I never saw much of this EVER and I couldn't understand why. There was a party here called "Stargate" awhile back and was disappointed when i didn't see a raver version of a Stargate convention >=\ ...and slightly embarrassed <.< ..but i don't need to go into that >,<

Originally Posted by Halathrias

5 Please don't try to tell everyone and their mother to come to your rave (or any rave), UNLESS you are willing to seriously tell them what a rave is supposed to be about, and that they know they're supposed to be a contributing member to the rave experience, rather than a spectator to see something that "everyone's doing"

I agree with this as well.. but just because you tell someone they should be contributing or what they should do doesn't mean they will. That's how my gf was.. I told her about everything and took her to one -- and she just walked around on six pills of ecstasy looking angry and confused. Hmm.. Needless to say I was disappointed and she ended up hating raves -- and she talks shit about them and ravers incessantly now. I feel she has good reason to.. but that still makes me sad.

Originally Posted by Halathrias

Ok, that's it. You can hate me or love me for it i don't care, but that's my views on why rave's (i should say some because their are some very very few raves that do follow this criteria, but i would say most do)

Go be an artist, dress up, play games, contribute, have fun, and most of all, fuck shit up. scare the crap out of people

later

I wouldn't say raves are about fucking shit up and scaring the crap out of people, though. I think it should be a peaceful environment and a place where everyone of all different walks of life come together for one night and forget their differences and just share the musik and the vibe and the energy.

It's not a goddamn punk show! lol

PLUR!!

[dj_CyK0]

An intelligent view on the whole scene. Yet, think. People will be people and will always follow. The vast majority of people are followers, and only a select few will ever break free of that and discover what they truly are. So, that being said, lay off of everyone, learn how to embrace the worlds idiosyncrasies, and then pop a few pills.
I can't remember the movie I'm quoting this from. but:
"A Person is intelligent. People are stupid"
Oh, and on the topic of kandi...I like it. I like the way it looks and I like the way people react when I give them one. No, I'm not gonna hound you, but, people will like what they like. Trying to change that is like trying to make President Bush NOT sound like a monkey with over-developed voice box.
-+=PLUR=+-
CYK0

[mollysynesthesia]

Originally Posted by Halathrias

3 Here's the one people will probably hound me on but let me explain. Alright, i get it. it's a nice jester, wait, no it isn't. you spend hours making an armful of kandi and guess what? how much thought did you put into each piece? how original, personal, or thoughtful is that little piece of plastic? kandi is a fad with good intentions that's inspiring conformity over creativity and originality. why don't you try making individual gifts with thought put behind each one and give a few gifts to a few people that really deserve it? rather than whore out your pieces of plastic to "seem" like a generous person. Not to mention the perpetuation of kandi mostly perpetuates a kiddy fashion statement or fad

wtf is wrong with the kiddie fashion statement? you're telling us to be "artists", yet artists do whatever the fuck their art requires. no, raves aren't about kandi, no, not all ravers MUST wear kandi, and yes, lots of kandi kids DON'T GET IT. however, i put plenty of time and effort into my kandi. trading and giving away kandi is one of my favorite things, next to dancing and meeting new people. it's a symbol of friendship. it's not completley epic, no. but when you meet someone new, and you liked that person, or want to remember them, you trade kandi. my favorite kandi are ones that have been given to me at past parties by people i love, or people that i thought were super cool. i wear my absolute favorites to events all the time, because, one, i like the way it looks, and two, it's always cool to see someone you met a loong time ago see the kandi they made and gave to you and be like OH MY GOODNESS!! you still have it? it brings a smile to my face when i see a kandi that i made, or gave to somoene. it's not a super super important OMFG RAVE MUST, but it's one of the things i enjoy, and if you think it's destroying the rave scene, then you don't have to partake. i mean, forgods sake, it's just plastic bracelets. calm down, kid.

[paradox]

*sigh*

what you guys describe sounds awesome...DAMN U SOUTH CAROLINA and ur REDNEX!!!

[DanRennt98]

Well I'd have to agree with shortcake.. Psytrance parties are the way to go for what you're describing and a scene that's not diminishing whatsoever.

1. For the most part, besides certain djs, of course, they don't think they're leading a rock show, and when they're done with their set, they walk out from behind the cdj's and start dancing in the crowd.
2. People have food, chai, toys, fire light shows, tricks to bring to the party.
3. No Kandi, just psychedelic wear and toys that glow in the blacklight.
4. DECOOOOO .. Psytrance is the king of decorations, I don't know if I've been to one without sick amounts of decoration.
5. Small, intimate parties with people that you've seen many a time before, not for money, just to cover costs, and maybe some for the next one

[paradox]

where are all these awesome parties???

...ive never even seen a techno party (any genre...any EDM...nothin) in my area...