A friend recently told me that, nowadays, ravers worry about things like: how to avoid getting "sweaty" at a rave, how to avoid "smells", etc...
I was quite perplexed to hear this.
Apparently, some views and attitudes have changed over time after all... or maybe they didn't.
So let us do a flashback to the earlier days of techno and, more specifically, to its most loathed and extreme niche - underground hardcore, gabber and speedcore raves in the 90s and early 2000s.
Temper Tantrum - The Underground
And this sound, this scene, these parties, these crowds, were a quite *physical* experience. Very different from listening to all this at home.
You went to the squat - which, of course, was always in the "bad" neighbourhoods. The terrain was often patrolled by coppers and crackheads looking for an easy fix, so one needed to be a bit careful.
Q-Tex - Get on the Floor
Once you got there, sometimes one needed to get through a literal labyrinth of worn down or broken down doors, stairways, or a hole in the wall.
And when you finally got to the dancefloor, there were bass drums hammering at 120 decibel and 240 bpm. There was darkness, you could barely breathe because of all the smoke from the fog machine, the pitch black scenery was only interrupted by the frantic flashes of the strobes...
Omar Santana - Kick Some Shit (Remix)
And everyone was screaming, shouting, jumping around, letting their arms, legs, hands and feet fly off in every direction...
Everyone was pushed on caffeine, energy drinks, worse things, or an old fashioned coca cola...
Often there was zero ventilation, zero heating, or the walls were dripping with liquid, the floor was covered in mud...
DJ Dano & Liza 'N' Eliaz - Energy Boost
So, let us put it this way. A little dose of deodorant would not be of much help here.
Of course everyone was sweating as fudge and getting smelly. All the boys and girls and all the other genders.
The Speed Freak - Body Hammer
Sweat, of course, was not the only bodily liquid that got spilled at Hardcore raves.
The extreme form of dancing, the disorientation and confusion caused by the light and sound and physical action, the state of too many people cramped in too small rooms; all this meant you could bruise easily.
The sight of someone with blood all over his face and on his clothes was not an uncommon one. Because, you know, minor face wounds still bleed excessively, even if it is just a burst eye-brow. Nothing that could not be fixed with a quick trip to the hospital and a few stitches, though!
Nasenbluten - Blows T' The Nose
There is an anecdote once told by Tanith, a true German industrial and techno pioneer. He was there when PCP played the Mayday rave. Which was actually a more cleaner, "official" type of raving. But after PCP had finished their sets, Tanith noted that a lot of the ravers left the dancefloor with black eyes, bruises everywhere...
Let's get back to the underground. Pogo / Slamdancing / Moshing was a common thing.
In most instances, they followed the "Slamdance etiquette", i.e. no intentional hurting of others, helping others up again if they have fallen down in the circle, and so on.
Still. If everyone rushes into the pit when the 300 bpm set in, this means there is a lot of elbows, kneecaps, skullbones flying around. And an accidental blow to the nose can happen.
Rude Boy - Skinhead (I Said Pogo)
So, this was a little trip down memory lane. But, I think not much has changed over the years.
I haven't being to too many international parties lately, but I think the "dangerous" speedcore, acidcore, whatever scenes are still around. And these parties are still like this.
Even today, not all ravers would use a deodorant, right?
U.V.C. & DJ Narotic - Step Into The Pit
And one more thing. For those who are not accustomed with extreme music and subcultures.
None of this was evil. Or negative, or intended to harm someone.
It's just an extreme form of activity, to the most extreme form of techno, with some of the most extreme people in society.
Done in the pursuit of pleasure, fun, friendship, maybe even a bit of serenity and enlightenment...
I mean if someone is doing extreme sports, there is usually sweat and bruises involved, too, right? And no-one would say "Oh, that's weird."
Titanium Steel Screws - Dance The Night Away
Oh, and it should be obvious, but I feel the need to state it either way: this is in no way intended to be a diss, or a burn, against people who *do* mind getting sweaty at a rave, or who prefer to listen to gabber at home, etc.
Everyone is entitled to enjoy music (and techno) in the way they seem fit, and no-one should be put down because of this.
All respect to everyone of you.
We are just having fun!
Brides Make Acid - Mindless Violence
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