  Slider Member Username: Slider Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2007 |
What ever happened to the Detroit Rave scene? I went to many raves in the late 90's. At the time I still lived in Toledo and didn't know Detroit all that well - when I think back to all the great spaces I was in, and didn't explore more, what a missed opportunity! But all things must come to an end and I stopped going after an incident at one put on by a shady promoter. I can't seem to find any information on what's happening these days. Did it die or is it just limping along on life support? | ||
Adamjab19 Member Username: Adamjab19 Post Number: 791 Registered: 11-2003 |
just not around really. I was never part of the rave scene but if you go to detroitluv.com there are a bunch of people from that era that post there. be careful though. it can get a little rough. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1393 Registered: 01-2005 |
There are no raves. Never have been, never will be. I don't know what you're talking about, and, thank the lord, I've certainly never been to one. | ||
Traxus Member Username: Traxus Post Number: 100 Registered: 02-2006 |
From what I can tell the abundant rave scene you are referring to slowly started to die out around 1999. The local media really trashed the image; From what i hear, there were shirts going around that said "Fox 2 News: News that fucks with you". As a result the cops were looking bad and had to start busting parties and the scene has dwindled since then. I was too young to be conscious of this while it was going on, but this is the story I generally bump into. So, like Quinn said "raves" never existed. Neither does Area 51. (Message edited by Traxus on July 02, 2007) | ||
Adamjab19 Member Username: Adamjab19 Post Number: 792 Registered: 11-2003 |
Local media scene trashed their image? I love electronic music and all and support the "scene" or whatever, but seriously the people that were part of that era in the 90's did it to themselves with all of the drugs and even raves at VFW halls!? It all became too stupid (people and venues) and the media just pulled the plug. That is all. | ||
Abracadabra Member Username: Abracadabra Post Number: 43 Registered: 04-2007 |
Raves became the place to score drugs for high school kids instead of the place to hear good music. Crystal meth, glow sticks, bad venues, idiot promoters (Gabe) and $5 bottles of water were bad enough. The whole "candy" scene killed it in my eyes, even if I still have a pair of fat pants in the closet. You can still catch good music around town, but only until 2 a.m. when the bar closes. But I'd give a kidney to party at the Packard one last time, even if I'd be cleaning soot from my ears and nostrils for a couple of weeks after. | ||
Quinn Member Username: Quinn Post Number: 1394 Registered: 01-2005 |
When I wasn't going to raves in the EARLY 90's, it wasn't drugs, it was the music. Ooops I mean it wasn't the music because I never went. | ||
Slider Member Username: Slider Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2007 |
"But I'd give a kidney to party at the Packard one last time, even if I'd be cleaning soot from my ears and nostrils for a couple of weeks after." Ah, boy does that bring back memories. I had shoes and pants I wore specifically to the Packard due to the soot. I guess I didn't really realize it at the time, but the writing was on the wall back then that the scene was suffering, I guess I just got out on the early end of the downward slide. | ||
Jimg Member Username: Jimg Post Number: 881 Registered: 10-2003 |
Interesting piece of Det cultural history...anyone care to write a few descriptive paragraphs? What type of music was featured? Was this a national phenom, or just a Det thing? Did the music reflect the mood of the people at the Rave, or did it set the mood and people fell into it? Was any 'live' music featured? At what places were Raves held? Did you dress a certain way to go to a Rave? Was Ecstacy the drug of choice? How long did the Rave scene last? | ||
Mpow Member Username: Mpow Post Number: 262 Registered: 11-2003 |
We in Detroit never called them Raves, but "Techno Parties." Rave was a word that came from Europe. I remember when everyone hated Techno and we would be so happy to hear those mysterious beats, the steam sipping up our LTD hood driving down Jefferson or Woodward on way to a party. Acid was the drug of choice back then, later came X. With the second wave of Techno Parties in late 90's, the kids from the suburbs would come in the city, that is when the word Raves was coined. In the early days, I remember at a Juan Atkins party where the police suddenly busted in with huge flash lights all pointing at faces, music quickly shut off, dancing froze... then slowly the beat come on again like a bad dream receding, everyone then realizing in one big cheer that the police were just fake and only part of the party wave moving in what was then pure unadulterated Detroit Techno. | ||
Adamjab19 Member Username: Adamjab19 Post Number: 793 Registered: 11-2003 |
Jimg-These are just from stories I have heard, not personally experienced: Richie Hawtin in the early nineties would have parties in certain environments and certain types of music to set the mood. Still does at times. The Bankle Building was used as a party spot. The current Avalon bakery was the Red Door supposedly. Where Bittersweet coffee house is now on Woodward was another spot as well. And of course the Packard and the Eastown Theater, which Lowell has a photo montage here ( https://www.detroityes.com/webisodes/2000/20ravisode/index.html ). Here is a link to some rave nostalgia. Fliers and stories included. http://www.detroitluv.com/inde x.php?topic=30732.0 May not be work safe at times and you will have to sift through some of the BS as the thread is 24 pages long with about 10 pages worth of actual quality content. (Message edited by adamjab19 on July 02, 2007) | ||
Soulhawk Member Username: Soulhawk Post Number: 313 Registered: 04-2004 |
com' on Jim! step outside that jazz box once and awhile baby! | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1458 Registered: 03-2006 |
sy no to tech...no. if anyone craves sleaze and techno try the works | ||
Abracadabra Member Username: Abracadabra Post Number: 44 Registered: 04-2007 |
Never called them raves either until the whole Fox 2 thing attached the label to what was going on. Parties. For us, "Is there a party this weekend?" had nothing to do with someone's parents going out of town. I went for 3 or 4 years as things wound down. The shooting at "Club Waterman" was too close for comfort. I also hit 21, so the bars that had some good music took over. You just get sick of hanging out with young kids, and older people trying to be young kids. The music varied slightly around here, but things were really different in other cities. Detroit Techno was the mainstay. Other parties featured House (different variations) or Ghettotech, or a combination of all 3 (and sometimes more.) In other places I have gone to see shows it usually had a completely different feel. Jungle music was huge in Wisconsin, Hardcore and other cheesy crap were the thing in Miami. Around the country, people dressed different and danced different than we did in Detroit. The music set the mood, but the venues and decorating (if any) did as well. Some places parties were held in the D : Packard Plant, how it is now to walk into, but with 40-50k watts of music knocking asbestos, grime, and dust from everything. Little or no lighting, cold as a mofo in winter. Timbo's. A hall. Main floor was roomy with wood floor. Had a downstairs that was tight with a low ceiling if there were more than 1 set of tables. Club Waterman, a small industrial building on Waterman in Southwest. Right at the end of a residential street. For a while, there was a party here every weekend, hence the name. That was until someone started shooting outside. The Bridge, a logistics warehouse right under the Ambassador. Had bay doors on either side. Nice clean space. Don't think the police ever broke up a party there, nobody around to complain. The Theater, I think the Eastown, but to us it was just "The Theater" . Real cool place, but the kids messed it up. Tagging walls, breaking sinks in the bathroom. The Spot. Former dance club in former Rivertown. Pics are around, and it hasn't changed much. As far as "live" music, there were "live sets" where the tracks were laid down live by keyboard or groovebox. Most of the time, it was people spinning records. Some people CAN use turntables like they are instruments. Drugs were a big part of the scene. I actually never did any drugs at any party, but I was in the severe minority. Ecstasy was around in abundance. Nitrous balloons got pretty big and became the norm towards the end. Crystal meth and it's prettier cousin "glass" were around. I don't recall coke being popular. Some kids smoked dope but that stuff makes it hard to dance all night. As far as dress, there was the fat pants craze before the year it was popular for everyone. Fat pants being normal sized at waist, but with 44" cuffs. A lot of polo shirts and button-downs 4 sizes too big, gilligan hats, and visors. A lot of colored and spiked hair. Earlier on, just about anything with an Adidas logo was good party gear. There were also the Candy people. Bracelets from wrist to elbow. Pacifier in the mouth. Glow sticks in hand. Usually wasted on E (it was never X). They couldn't tell you what DJ was headlining the event, but they were there every weekend. These kids were annoying, but some of the girls were so damn hot. "Rolling" chicks are easy. Then there was the artist crowd. Hipsters. Any loft development downtown is full of them. A lot of them were self described purists but pretty snobbish about it. I just think they couldn't dance. All in all, it was a good time. For me, I really liked the music and really really liked the girls. It was also fun being sub-culture, hanging around the ghettohoods, and dressing like a clown. I remember pretty clearly the day I put the clothes on, walked out of my bedroom, and asked my brother "Why the fuck didn't you tell me how ridiculous I look?" But, that's being a kid I suppose. Man, was I cool. | ||
56packman Member Username: 56packman Post Number: 1480 Registered: 12-2005 |
quote "The Theater, I think the Eastown, but to us it was just "The Theater" . Real cool place, but the kids messed it up. Tagging walls, breaking sinks in the bathroom." The Michigan theatre (Palace) all over again. | ||
Slider Member Username: Slider Post Number: 7 Registered: 06-2007 |
Yes, we too always refered to them as parties. I always hated when they were called raves. It always seemed to be the same people who used the term rave as those who refered to all electronic music as techno, when indeed there is so much more that electronic music has to offer beyond techno. But I digress. So I apologize for slipping into that out of touch terminology when posting this topic, but I thought if I titled it "What happened to the Detroit Party Scene" the thread would take a whole different turn. When did the shooting occur at Club Waterman? I had a similar incident at a party off Mack Ave., somewhere near Grand River, I think in the small smattering of industrial bldgs. on either Beaufait or nearby. (Again, I lived in Toledo when I used to party here, so exact locations are a bit fuzzy) That was more than enough for me to check out of the scene. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 882 Registered: 10-2003 |
"idiot promoters (Gabe) " Ahahahahahahaha! DJ Jazzy Jeff is playing, my ass! | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3949 Registered: 10-2003 |
For a tour of a rave be sure to visit my Rave at the Eastown webisode, candy kids and all, from 1999. This was one of the biggest and most famous parties ever and probably the last of its scale. As a result of the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit tour, I was contacted by various partiers usually usually with comments like, "Wow, I was at a party at that site and never realized it was that...". I also met up with PlurKids productions who produced the Eastown party so I was able to document both the set up during the daytime then return for the party from about 2-7 AM. The demeanor and behavior of every party is set by the quality of the organizers. In the case of the Eastown, Plurkids had an extensive security arrangement, inside and out. One could not simply show up and get in. Instead they had to go to a 'map point' and buy tickets and get directions to the location. Once there security frisked everybody for weapons, booze etc. As a result it was a very pleasant, peaceful and a joyous party safely attended by over 2000. I really think the absence of alcohol is the biggest factor. I am sure there were other stimulates present, most likely ecstasy, but there was no visible drug dealing, nobody shooting up in a corner or snorting lines in the john. I think I whiffed weed once. Now being a child of the sixties this was absolutely tame compared to the open doping and the angry drunks of those scenes. Finally, I like the word 'rave' and have always been peeved at the way the media was able to redefine that word negatively - equating with some drug-crazed violent mob image. I have seen far worse behavior in the bleachers of old Tiger stadium than I ever saw at any of the parties I attended. | ||
Kid_dynamite Member Username: Kid_dynamite Post Number: 80 Registered: 06-2007 |
those were fun days. first party I went to was in 1994 at the bridge location. It was such a cool alternative to the crappy music at night clubs. Those summers made for great memories. They evolved into the after-hours bars that were huge from the late 90's until 2002..... There were so many afterhours; The Zoo, Numbers, Jesters, The Tunnel, Jokers, Bittersweet, etc. Lots of late nights in those days. | ||
Christos Member Username: Christos Post Number: 90 Registered: 12-2006 |
There are still places in Detroit to hear techno and house WELL past 2am. The Works on Friday nights usually has parties that go all night. CAID has a lot of parties too. The d-luv calendar is the best source for events. Some other great old rave venues: "The Firehouse" off Woodward on I want to say Baltimore or Milwaukee; the old bus maintainence facility on Mound and Outer Drive; "The Chop Shop" which, I want to say was on the west side off Grand River. Also, there was Motor, Oslo, Porter Street Station, One X, and even City Club/Labrynth would/does host the occasional party. My favorite venue for a party though (from what I've heard), was the Russell Industrial Center. Also, the bridge space WAS raided, not by DPD but by Border Patrol Agents; and while Bittersweet might have had a few events, what is now "Trenchtown" used to be a "private members club" called "Better Days." | ||
Abracadabra Member Username: Abracadabra Post Number: 46 Registered: 04-2007 |
Quote : "DJ Jazzy Jeff is playing, my ass!" We all hated him after that one. I think one of my favorite memories was Gabe walking around with this giant balloon, the kind that come with a rubber band to punch. He took too big of a pull and "fished out" a few feet in front of me. He cracked his head something fierce, blood and all. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard. | ||
Johnlodge Member Username: Johnlodge Post Number: 897 Registered: 10-2003 |
He was awful. Calling the cops on his own parties once he sold the tix, never having booked any DJ's, etc... You are right that people like him are part of what ruined it. | ||
Islandman Member Username: Islandman Post Number: 627 Registered: 08-2004 |
Played one of my first parties (in Detroit) for Gabe. NYE (99) at the theater. Someone got shot at waiting in line, but no one left, and they didn't shut the party down. I didn't find out about that until the next day. While I have had my share of good times partying and playing in Detroit, I'll take Europe over it any day. The days where it was all about 1515 Broadway and no one called it techno are some good memories. Edit: To answer the OP question, http://www.detroitluv.com is the best place to find out what's happening in Detroit right now. Or if can afford it, fly out to Berlin any weekend. You're more than likely to run into more Americans (many from Detroit and NYC) at a Berlin party now than Berliners with the artist exodus that began a little before 9-11, ramped up after that, and continues to this day. (Message edited by Islandman on July 03, 2007) |
