candyflip, with all due respect, and you know i have nuthin but luffles for you...
i seem to recall you saying that the last eptas was your first real 'rave' experience. you are new to this scene, and i think tend to lean toward the gatecrasher-y side of things.. none of this is at all bad, infact its all great, BUT you cant see things from the perspective of people who have been going to the real raves for a long time.
the scene *has* changed. the feel of it has changed, and those who have been around long enough, think the change is not for the better. as someone newer to the scene, like i am i should add (year and a half)- we never experienced the way things were, so we love them as they are now cuz we dont know any better.
personally, i dont like events like 2tribes etc. i do find a real difference in that type of events. people dont smile back at you as much, people crowd yr dancing space, they stand *right* where you were dancing and stand and talk, when there's other places they could go and they *dont care*. and at some events there are kids (and others) waaay too messed up on drugs - i dont mean this as hypocricy, shit happens but some ppl are just *silly* with it and kids are too young for that shit imo, and its *true* that a lot of them dont like techno and are going cuz their friends are & cuz its cool, and they *dont* care about the scene that is so beloved to others.
as an example of how things have changed, a woman at my moms work has got into e lately. normally this woman listens to TT fm!! but now she goes to raves (the more commercial ones) so she can do some e and tolerate music that she never otherwise listens to. she doesnt care about the scene, and she doesnt care about the issues surrounding it. i had to tell her not to drink and then drop pills after listening to her, and i gave her *all* this info n resources.. and she called me up later and i asked her if she had read into any of it and she said no, but did i know anyone w/ good e?
now, i'm glad she's experiencing something good and enjoying herself, but this is not a raver and i think ultimately it *does* detract from the scene in the end because this is a subculture, and like any subculture those who really love it feel very protective of it and dont like when it gets diluted by people who dont care about it.
it comes down to: there is a certain magic that is missing from these big events, and the scene in general, and people who felt it once, miss it.
anyways, as i have said before, there are always the big commercial events where a lot of people who dont care will go, and then there are the little ones. the illegal ones like class wars and forbidden, the small more music-specific ones like say psy parties or dnb parties, where the ppl are really into that music go.. there will always be good parties, mainly smaller ones.
and i'm with sfx that we should be talking to the ppls and spreading *our* vibe and not complaining so much bout the state of things. if we choose to go to an event thats going to be commercialised, well you *know* that so dont bitch!! just bring your happiness with you and help out anyone who's too drugfukked, and talk to the newbies to the scene and share your passion
just dont let it die from dissappointment
okay, woooo sorry long post.. sorry candyflip i hope no offence taken, cuz none was meant at all, like i said i got nuthing but respect n luffles for ya.. oh, i forgot as for the hypocrite thing, good call (to a point).
in the end, there's something for everyone, so find whats right for you and enjoy