All That Time Spent Dancing

From Old-School Raves to Modern Waves

It was my birthday this month, and I must be completely honest: as each year passes, I behave less and less like the Leo who used to revel in a birthday month, let alone a birthday weekend. This is due to various reasons, but last year I had Covid on my birthday and it poured with rain. This year, however, the weekend weather forecast was scorchio, so at the last minute, I decided to go to a big rave on Brighton Beach to see Underworld and others. It was the full moon, and being in the UK, it wasn’t only hot but it also rained, so we were graced with a rainbow too. Magical. So much fun, dancing outside with both brand new friends and friends I have known forever. I’m not sure if that combination can be beaten for pure joy.

Dancing is great in small venues too

The crowd was a real mix of people because it was Brighton, but to be honest that wasn’t so surprising for me as, I also live in a town with a range of ages who all go out, and there’s all sorts of music going on. They might be in a pub, old-school club, crypt or even on the pier. It’s what makes it quite special. I recently read an article in the dance music magazine Disco Pogo that was making a big deal about ‘pub raves’. Not sure why. When I first started going out to parties, they were often in places just like that, so I don’t really see what’s different now. It’s always happened, and it’s a great starter for all of us who love small, independent venues, which are sadly struggling a lot.

Taking a wee break from dancing in the back of a pub some time somewhere

We used to have regular ‘pub raves’ with amazing DJs in a pub near my house called The Marina Fountain, but they stopped abruptly a few months ago when the management changed. It’s actually much better as a pub now, but the fun of dancing in the back of the pub in the space where, on another day, you’d have Sunday lunch is not part of the current offering. That’s a shame, but it has a fabulous garden and such friendly people running it with lush food.

But, dare I say, a small positive side effect of the Brexit disaster is that because it’s now so hard for bands and DJs to tour outside of this tiny island, they are actually now playing more UK dates in places they would previously have not played. I really feel bad for musicians and DJs who now have to navigate loads of extra red tape –caused by the Brexit disaster – to be able to play abroad. I don’t want to miss out on music from elsewhere in the world, but at least the UK has always been such a music-oriented country. Bands and DJs have very willing punters all over the
country – like me!

Raves and free parties in the 90s

I was lucky enough to go regularly to free parties in the 90s in the West Country as
I lived there, and that type of DIY vibe has shaped my attitude towards what you can do and put on if you all want something that much. Such fun times. Met so many fabulous people, many of whom I still know, and one who I bumped into at the rave on Brighton Beach.

Recently, I joined a Facebook group called ‘We raved in the 90s’, which is packed full of people sharing fond memories of those days. When you go on there, it’s kind of a ‘thing’ to state where you are from and how your raving started. Here’s what Si, my husband, posted about us

This group is so friendly, but there’s also an underlying leitmotif of sadness for those seemingly simpler times, when you’d just go out on a weekend with people who were part of your tribe, and you’d know that you’d get lost in music, make friends, and everyone was there to dance and have fun, as if Mondays didn’t exist.

Many messages in this Facebook group lament the lost sense of belonging from the 80s and 90s tribes. I was delighted to read about Brat girls, essentially a new kind of Riot Grrl for Gen Z. Brat girls kick back against societal norms and embrace chaos. The term gained popularity through Charli XCX’s 2024 album ‘Brat’, and even Kamala Harris has adopted the label. This ethos has a long-standing history, proving that tribes do still exist. Everyone doesn’t need a homogenous look, and parties in dark little rooms or big open fields are still thriving.

My own theory is that because the world is burning up, the younger generations are now feeling like they should party like there is no tomorrow. Or more like, who knows what tomorrow will bring.

As you’ll already know, most of my posts always eventually come back to friendship. But the link between clubbing and friendships is important to me because I’ve had so many wonderful nights out with them not forgetting the before and after parties too. But raving and relationships are even more special, because I met my husband at the opening night of the club Fabric. We had both lost all of our friends (Fabric, for those who don’t know, is a huge club, and I have no sense of direction) and ended up dancing together. We got together that night and are now married and very happy all this time later. In fact, we were dancing with some of the people we had lost that night back in the 90s on Brighton Beach.

Asleep at the after, after party somewhere in East London Tim and Dan’s flat

So, is dancing now so different to then? What do you think? Do you miss it, or does the idea of a dance fill you with horror? Let me know in the comments…

This post was number 2 of the 24 Essays Club devised by the amazing Claire Venus over at Sparkle on Substack. If you fancy a writing challenge find out how easy it is to join and it’s free!