Ten… and You're Out!

DANCE CULTURE TEN… AND YOU’RE OUT!

Ever more restrictive club regulations has seen a return of unlicensed raves.. By Peggy Whitfield “Young revellers pictured passing balloons of ‘hippy crack’.”

The above are recent headlines from the late 80s/early 90s. They were free, Justice Bill, ostensibly banning free national daily papers in the UK: illegal not necessarily always free of cost but parties. The raves mostly moved out of raves are back in the headlines again, certainly free from commercial influence. the fields and into the newly established and once again, for all the wrong The crowd that frequented them was clubs of the ‘90s, and thus club culture as reasons. Stories of violent disorder, not all “crusties” with dogs on strings, we know it was born. anti-social behaviour, and sadly, several but a very diverse bunch of people … Today’s rave scene looks very drug-related deaths of teenagers have These parties were not necessarily different. The introduction of the been well-publicised in the press, but politically engaged, but they did take Temporary Events Notice license (TEN) the truth behind the headlines is more place at a time when young people has allowed promoters to take their nuanced. (those born from the late 1960s onwards) parties out of more traditional club Illegal raves and free parties have felt completely alienated not only from venues and into a wide variety of spaces, been a ubiquitous part of British life society as a whole, but also from a such as warehouses, disused factories since the late ‘80s. Free parties were born Government that was almost ludicrously and even churches, provided they can out of the acid house musical movement positioned to the right and also seemed meet fire regulations, health and safety and the so-called second “summer of not to give a flying fuck about ordinary inspections, police checks and local love” in 1988, coupled with the explosion people.” authority guidelines. This is to ensure of MDMA as a recreational drug, free The parties got bigger and attracted that electronic music parties can go parties could be found in all corners of largely negative media reporting which ahead, but in a safe manner and without the British Isles, as Tom Jones,* a rave invariably concentrated on the attendant causing upset in the local community. Of veteran of these heady days, explains: drug culture. Eventually the government course, if parties are put on without the “Free parties came to prominence in reacted by introducing the Criminal consent of the authorities, the safety of

18 | DRUGLINK JULY/AUGUST 2014 attendees cannot be guaranteed, as Mike licensing for their parties. Sometimes Raves are not for children, they are Smith (not his real name), an electronic they don’t have the money to pay for for adults, who are more cognisant of music promoter explains: the increasingly expensive rental of the risks they are taking. People who “I do believe that illegal parties are spaces or jump through all the hoops regularly go to raves tend to buy their more dangerous than legal ones. In that the authorities demand. For others, drugs in advance, from a dealer that going through the process of licensing, such as promoters within the free party they trust. They are far more cautious the council and the police check your scene that more closely reflects the about buying drugs from random people background in events and make sure counter-cultural, alternative philosophy they meet at a party, and often realise that you are adhering to health and of the parties of the ‘80s and ‘90s, it’s fairly quickly if what they are taking is safety policy. These events are obviously integral to the nature of the event that not what is said to be, or cut with other more regulated so it is pretty much it occurs outside of the law, free from substances. Teenagers simply don’t have unfeasible for a licensed event to go restrictions, without the knowledge of the knowledge, judgment or experience ahead that is unsafe. When a party is the authorities. to be in a rave environment, and this illegal it is purely down to the individual Much of the media tends portray greatly increases the risk of something who organises it to take care of the illegal raves as hotbeds of drug use, going wrong. people attending … Events of this nature but there is generally little difference But what about the police response would of course be more dangerous than between drug use at licensed and to illegal parties? It’s actually fairly an event that has been approved by the unlicensed events. Big licensed clubs in common for the police to allow an council and the police.” the UK will give you a pretty intensive unlicensed party to continue, as long So if the introduction of the TEN body search on your way in and will as the party is not too large or too loud license has made putting on parties confiscate drugs from you if they find and they are satisfied the party is safe easier, why are people still throwing them and may refuse entry. Unlicensed as shutting down a party can often illegal raves? There are a variety of raves are a little different. Most will cause more problems than it solves. A reasons. Mike, who has put on licensed have some form of security, and many Metropolitan police officer told me: and unlicensed parties in the UK, gives will search you, but this to check for “Illegal raves and drugs go hand one perspective: weapons, rather than drugs. Although in hand, but we are more concerned “Certain venues fall outside of what the rave scene is not known for violence about health and safety than drugs, the council believe are safe. I do believe it is deemed better to err on the side of particularly if the structure of the caution. building hasn’t been checked. If the premises are insecure and unstable, and something was to happen, like the roof “Police hunt for eight people caving in, it would be a massive incident, and the first thing that people would over Croydon death rave.” ask is where were the police? The police are also concerned with everything that can result from illegal raves; residents being disturbed, the negative effect it things are over-regulated here but I guess There is not generally more drug has on community relations if the police from their point of view, too much safety use at an illegal rave than a legal rave, don’t shut it down or are seen not to can never be a bad thing. I have gone although the one exception to this is do anything, ravers driving under the outside of their regulations at times to probably cannabis, as it’s very hard to influence of drugs or alcohol, putting create something different. I have used get away with smoking a joint in the themselves and others in danger, and certain venues that would not pass their smoking area of a licensed rave. For dodgy cabs with the risk of sexual criteria. In my eyes, simple awareness many people, one of the benefits of an assaults.” of the problems at hand can quite easily illegal rave is that you can smoke inside Illegal raves go on every weekend, turn an ‘unsafe’ space into a safe event the venue, whether that’s a cigarette in fields and cities all across the UK. space for people.” or a spliff. Drug use is, however, far The majority pass by unnoticed, as Other promoters are sometimes more open at an illegal rave than at they are problem free. The few that do forced to go down the route of a legal party, as the security at such hit the news stands are there because unlicensed raving due to TEN licenses events are there purely to ensure there something has gone wrong. Promoters being revoked at the last minute by is no trouble, rather than to police an need to do their best to ensure that their the authorities, days before the event individual’s consumption of drugs. That parties are as safe as possible, and the is to take place. Promoters spend a lot said, security and promoters will step in, people who attend these parties need to of time, effort and money in creating a as they do at licensed parties, if someone be aware of the potential risks, as illegal party; hiring sound systems, elaborately appears to have taken too many drugs, or raves are not going to go away any time decorating venues and flying in DJs from are too drunk. Responsible security and soon. A growing number of people are all over the world to play there. To be promoters generally always ensure that attracted to unlicensed parties, as they told on extremely short notice that the if someone is too wasted, on whatever want to dance without having their ID venue cannot be used, sometimes for the substance, that they get put into a cab, scanned or intrusive body searches, smallest of health and safety reasons, or given medical assistance, if necessary. in places with minimal commercial or because too many people ‘may’ turn Unfortunately, tragedies do occur, and influence.A nd of course, for some, taking up, is galling. Many promoters, if they people do die from drug related reasons. drugs with a reduced risk of arrest holds have the resources and contacts, will But drug deaths do not occur because its own attractions. find an alternative venue and carry on the raves were illegal; licensing would regardless. not have made any difference. However, Then, of course, there are promoters both of the recent deaths in Croydon at n Peggy Whitfieldis a freelance who have no interest in obtaining illegal parties were teenage boys. journalist

JULY/AUGUST 2014 DRUGLINK | 19