The Here and Now
Many of the earlier sections have dealt with an idyllic view of raves. They have, in a sense, espoused what the rave scene wants to be. This section offers no idealism, no PLUR, no altars, no ecstatic dancing, except in little doses and hopeful predictions. This is the section of the paper that deals with commercialization, loss of the sacred, the ruination of the vibe and everything that ravers feel is happening. This is the part of the paper that deals with overdoses, hedonism, and everything else society fears from the rave scene. The rave scene has become swamped in commercialism. When the rave scene started to grow in popularity, it was inevitable that some kind-of higher up would notice. The first higher-ups to notice were police, and then city governments. Then, it naturally moved to the boardrooms of major companies.
I turn on the TV and hear watered down techno on everything from Sprite commercials to commercials for shoes. I recently heard about a large rave, only to find out that tickets were being sold by Ticketmaster. Rave fashion has, to some extent, been incorporated into mainstream society. Baggy pants, cut off tank tops, and baby-doll dresses are the newest big sellers at the malls. The rave scene is being appropriated into mainstream culture. In a way, this is the best defense that society could have ever used against the rave scene. Why fight them, when we can force them to join us. It is because of this, I feel, that there has been a loss of the sacredness that goes along with the rave scene. As the rave scene becomes more popular, fewer people are going to create a temporary loving space, and more people are going to get wasted. It is now common to see kids sitting against the wall snorting crystal meth or shooting heroin, drugs that have never been a part of the scene. Fashion has become steeped in the consumerism of American society also. Raves are beginning to look like fashion shows. It is a contest to see who can show up with the most expensive outfit. I have seen girls at raves in 4-inch heeled boots, obviously not dancing. As American society appropriates the rave scene, the rave ideals of peace, love, respect and unity are being replaced by the ideals of American society: consumerism, and a take everything you can get mentality. Raves have gone from being $5 to $20. Lights have gone from being a couple lasers and strobes to setups that cost thousands and thousands of dollars. It is now common practice for DJs to demand thousands of dollars plus free airfare and a hotel room for spinning.
As I examined in the first section, the rave scene existed first in Germany and England. Today, in both countries, the techno culture is the mainstream culture. Dance clubs play techno seven days a week. Raves have been known to draw over 100,000 people and, in Germany especially, have become ?family-friendly.? I cannot see into the future. I do not know if this is what is to become of the rave scene in America or not. When we examine a similar movement in America, the hippie movement, we see completely different results. The hippie movement became extremely trendy in the eighties. Everyone had Grateful Dead stickers on their cars, whether they owned an album or not, had been to a show or not. Even today, Phish is the largest selling tour act of all time. However, when one attends a Phish show, it is a weird clashing of cultures. On one hand, you have the people there just to do drugs, just to be trendy, just to see what the latest fad is. On the other hand, you have the die-hards. The people that have been on tour for years, first with the Dead, now with Phish. They go on with their lifestyles blithely ignoring the consumerism that is going on around them. They still give out free hugs and free nugs. They still sell handmade clothes or grilled cheese in the parking lot to get enough money to make it to the next show. They are the core of the movement and they have always been there, and will always be there.
American society is fickle. Fads do not last long. Electronica is the ?next big thing? and is covered in Time and Newsweek. American consumers are gobbling it up. Even now, plans are underway to hold the biggest rave ever in America this summer, complete with a parade and tee shirts. We have seen other fads come and go. Punk music, grunge/alternative music, rap, all of these were once the ?next big thing?. The rave scene will be appropriated, for a while. Then, a new big thing will come along that society latches onto. What remains to be seen however, is whether the rave scene is strong enough to survive. Will PLUR be forever lost to consumerism, or will it just be temporarily clouded over? Ask me in a few years.