Illustration by JARRETT QUON/Daily Bruin
By Michelle Sandoval
Daily Bruin Contributor
Ravers put on outfits that would make Joan Rivers cringe, drive two hours through places their mothers always warned them about, and enter old warehouses that look like they have been deserted for years.
However, they are allowed to enter into a new world, one where music dominates, attitudes disappear, and fashion is replaced by creativity.
Raves originated in London in the late 1980s. These events were small, averaging about 300 people, usually consisting of friends of the promoter or DJ.
It wasn’t long before the scene moved to America, where it has grown from the select 300 to immense crowds of over 40,000.
The rave scene is said to be a culture in itself, where peace, love, unity and respect are the four principles on which the community is based.
There is a spirituality among ravers that centers on the idea that for one night they can come together as a group and forget the problems and stresses of everyday life. The environment is friendly and worries are erased.
“There are never any fights or any problems. People just come to have fun,” said Craig, 24, a rave promoter who prefers not to release his last name.
Students relieving stress from heavy workloads, people with steady jobs, and kids all frequent raves.
“Instead of a movie, raves have been more for the community,” said Steven Ng, Web administrator and co-partner of ravelytes.com. “People of all ages go to raves, not just high school and college kids, and (the crowds) range from 15- to 40-year-olds.”
As raves become more assimilated into the mainstream culture, their influence becomes more evident.
Techno music, once associated only with raves, is now heard frequently on the radio, in movies and even in the latest Gap commercials. Graphic designers have started to use psychedelic art very similar to that seen only on rave flyers. Even the unique clothing styles popular among ravers can now be found in common stores.
BRIDGET O'BRIEN/Daily Bruin Senior Staff “Rave influence is spreading like crazy. It’s everywhere” said Kevin Diamond, a fourth-year math student at UCLA who has put on 30 raves himself and attended more then 300.
There are even certain individuals who specifically devote themselves to providing ravers with accessories and clothing.
Randall Ott, creator of SO BORD, a clothing brand, designs shirts for ravers and sells them at select venues and stores. In addition, many Web sites, like ravelytes.com, specialize in rave accessories and products, from light-up toys to hand-held massagers.
Although raves have always been associated with certain clothing and trends – mainly dyed hair, baggy pants, barrettes and shirts with cartoon characters – ravers have their own sense of fashion that expresses their individuality. A girl with pigtails, sucking on a pacifier, is just as likely to be found at a rave as a guy in khakis and a plain T-shirt.
But raves are said to be about the genuine energy connected to the environment and the music, not about making a fashion statement.
“Raves have less of an uptight environment and you won’t see the glamour and glitz of Hollywood fashion that you would see at a club,” Diamond said.
Although raves may be more relaxed than clubs, they have a much darker image than the latter.
Ng noted that raves have started to decrease the property values of surrounding neighborhoods and that this is causing promoters to change the names of these events to “carnivals” or “music fests.”
“People are cracking down on raves left and right,” Ng said. “The word ‘rave’ is associated with something negative and it automatically means drugs, kids getting high, and kids getting hurt.”
The media’s portrayal of raves is mainly focused on the issue of drugs, leaving these underground parties with an alarming and dangerous reputation.
Even television shows like “Dawson’s Creek” perpetuate a negative image of raves. The show ran an episode last season in which one of its characters, a model teenager, went to a rave, took drugs, and needed to be rushed to the hospital.
“(The negative image) is understandable coming from outside sources, but drugs are everywhere,” Diamond said. “You’ll also find drugs at concerts and clubs, but the reason they are so highly associated with raves is because of the psychedelic vibe.”
While drugs are present at all raves, there is a large number of individuals who do not take them.
“People who do drugs are a small minority; it’s just kids trying to escape their problems,” said Scott Ferrara, 17, in an interview at an underground party featuring rave music.
“The people who endorse raves don’t promote drug use,” Ferrara said. “We’re all there to enjoy the music and drugs have nothing to do with it.”
No one can really predict what the future holds for raves. While there are new governmental laws putting harsh restrictions on all night parties, requiring permits and setting guidelines, raves continue to influence mainstream society.
“Raves will keep going,” Ferrara said. “As long as the music keeps evolving and the people keep on feeling the vibe, the scene will stay alive.”