Rave without ecstasy?

[serotoninstorm]

It is indeed a naive and stupid thing to say that the reason raves exist are the drugs involved in them. They perhaps were a catalyst, a natural extension of what was going on then, but music is behind it all - an undying love of music, whatever it may be, that carries these gatherings and parties forward. Not the drugs.

Raves are about the music first - those who organize these events will tell you this. Drugs are there and are part of the scene, but they are NOT and will NEVER be the drive to keep these events going.

Great argument! I completely agree.

The club I went to on New Years Eve was dry, but that didn't stop anyone from having a great time.

 

[the_ketaman]

Going to a party and dancing my ass off till I am physically exhausted to the point where my body refuses to move any more is the most fun I've ever had.

I totally agree, this is the perfect way to think.

My first rave is was so wasted from pills and meth and it was really fun but my most recent rave I took a tiny lil bit of meth before I got in, just enough to keep me awake no high or anything and I had heaps of fun, all my friends were on pills and it was still totally worth it. So basically I went sober raving and had a blast, ill probably do it again oneday too.

 

[trancetasy]

i've tried to go to raves sober
it's alright for the first 2 - 3 hours then I get tired and bored
a little bit of weed will help

 

[fizzacyst]

I agree with DragonFly31 100%. Thats pretty much what I was going to say.

 

[helium-4]

I've only been to EDM events sober, and I've had a blast. I just love to dance and just enjoy the music.

 

[indelibleface]

I don't believe drugs are 'killing the scene'. I do believe for some people they are intrically part it, but then you don't care about 'the scene', all you want is an excuse to get fucked.

It is indeed a naive and stupid thing to say that the reason raves exist are the drugs involved in them. They perhaps were a catalyst, a natural extension of what was going on then, but music is behind it all - an undying love of music, whatever it may be, that carries these gatherings and parties forward. Not the drugs.

Before I got into DJing a few years back, I often could not tell apart various tunes being played at a rave scene. It's as if they all sounded the same.

Now, I am pretty knowledgeable in that area, and go mainly to raves for the music, to hear the producers play a set, to see Andy C at the top of his game. I rarely take drugs there but am there until the end, because of the music, because of the sound system, because of my friends (high on E or not).

Raves are about the music first - those who organize these events will tell you this. Drugs are there and are part of the scene, but they are NOT and will NEVER be the drive to keep these events going.

Okay, I'll concede that if I were more involved in the music side of things, then I would probably be a bit more emotionally invested in the scene. I can sympathize -- I am a guitarist and songwriter, and if people were coming to my concerts just simply to drink and get smashed, I would be heartbroken. So, I can see your point, thank you for this post.

I think the type of rave-goer I am and the type that you are can coexist. There will always be part time ravers who will go to get trashed, and there will be those who care deeply about the music. I think that's the way it was since the beginning. It was a bit naive of me to come to the conclusion that the rave scene began because of drugs. I think we both agree that they were definitely intertwined fairly closely since the beginning. Anyway, in conclusion, I think both viewpoints of raves are equally valid. You can go for the music, you can go for the drugs. As long as you're having a great time, that's what matters.

 

[DragonFly31]

^I completely agree with you. I don't think people who go to raves to get fucked kill the scene, on the contrary! They coexist naturally with everyone else who is there, for the music or not. There are people in the middle. That's the beauty of it.

Like I said, I first started out going to raves just for the E. Then, this love for raving (and E) turned me on heavily on to drum and bass and eventually left the drugs out completely out just for the music - which I now professionally DJ for money!

I love DnB, and when I DJ to a crowd it feels like the first time I take a pill all over again.

Raves are incredible places of self-discovery and adventure.

People who try to prevent these events are hurting our generation, and those to come...

 

[GreenMachine]

Has anyone here been been really really high on weed at a rave? I have a party coming up and i would just drink but i wanna mix things up. So my question is, if i bake a nice g or dime into a firecracker is it worth it?

I have been stoned out of my skull at raves before, and only from weed. It really depends on how it affects you personally, for me it really intensifies the music and usually puts me into a good happy mood. Although, make sure that the bud you have isn't among the couch-lock inducing kind.

Rolling isn't a necessary part of the rave experience at all. The most important thing for people do at raves, above all, is to have FUN (and how you do that is up to you, as long as it doesn't hurt other people or the "vibe"). I don't really see it like a concert, and I am saying this as an EDM musician. Its less about being entertained and more about being the life of the party. I have gone to a good amount of raves sober, and its still fun if youre into it and not expecting to be mindlessly entertained. That being said, I usually prefer to roll at raves, but then again I love doing E regardless of where I am...