Preview to Tasty Good Times with the Raindance Man: a look behind the history and ethos of Raindance
Reported by Allan@Nu Energy
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Submitted 30-03-06 23:06
Many of today’s parties can claim a long history or a reputation of legendary status, but only one can say they were there when it all began in the rave explosion of the late 80s. That party is Raindance and it all began on a now mythical stretch of football fields at Jenkin’s Lane on the East London/Essex border.
It all started back in Britain’s infamous summer of love, when the mission to get to a rave — mass meetings in motorway lay-bys, 20 deep car conveys and trudges through fields — was almost as important as the events themselves. And the events themselves were creating all-night outdoor communities many had never imagined up until that point. Let alone experienced…
But what first lead the infamous and mysterious Raindance Man to take the precarious plunge into outdoor promotion? ”The magical discovery of acid house parties and a desire to share the experience with others,” he replies simply. Like so many ravers past, present and future, the feeling of dancing til dawn in a free-spirited, anything goes atmosphere had left a mark on the impressionable Raindance Man. He felt compelled to spread rave’s message within. The Raindance mission began!
Centered around the action of a giant circus tent on the legendary Jenkin’s Lane site, this first Raindance will always be etched in the rave history books for one single reason. It was the UK’s first fully licensed and legal rave event; a party that lifted rave culture out of the fringes and thrusted it right, bang into the forefront of youth culture.
But it was also so much more. It was an event that helped launch the careers of DJs as diverse as Slipmatt, Grooverider and LTJ Bukem. It was a gathering of 8000 rave mentalists. It was a chance for the youth of London and its outskirts — of all colours, creeds and ages — to unite and party through to dawn with a common, free-spirited aim.
Moreover, it was the start of a journey that has taken Raindance and its iconic Raindance man across venues ranging from Holloway’s Rocket, Tottenham’s infamous Pleasure Rooms, Camden Palace and, of course, their now inseparable home within the cavernous underground SeOne complex situating under London Bridge station.
So many of today’s parties might pride themselves on supposedly superstar DJ assemblies and rammed capacity crowds, but few burn with the same unique spirit and carnival atmosphere of these multi-roomed SeOne spectaculars. As Raindance man has repeatedly said — almost like an anti-elitist rave mantra — “wall-to-wall-big-name-DJ-line-ups-do-not-necessarily-a-great-party-make.”
For the real party people truer words couldn’t be uttered. DJs are central to a party but it is how they integrate themselves into it and whip up the atmosphere that is most important, not how big their ego, coke-habit or wage bill is. How many times have you paid full whack for a ‘big name superstar’ only to be left disappointed, short-changed and, most significantly, not in the slightest bit entertained?
Booking only the DJs that remain true to the original rave party ethos and love of the vibe, Raindance makes sure they don’t add to that number. “As far as Raindance is concerned we are putting on a party first and foremost,” explains Raindance man. “It’s not a concert for people to gawp at supposed stars. Acid house culture was a reaction away from the blind stage worship and excess of the rock n roll ethos that existed at the time. It was all about the people, the vibe, the party… most importantly it was something people from all backgrounds and walks of life could not only enjoy but truly feel part of. That is what we will always stand by and see things.”
The legendary Raindance man!
Seventeen years on and Raindance is still championing this ethos to full effect and remains one of London’s most unique and popular events in the process. “It’s run by ravers for ravers,” adds Raindance man on its enduring appeal. A rave is exactly what it is too. From London junglists to mad clubbers pogogin around in brightly coloured fancy dress, glowstick wielding cyber chicks to tracksuited yellow jacket-wearing hardcore ravers, there’s no uniformity to the Raindance crowd. Anything goes, everyone’s welcome and there’s no restricting sense of clique so prevalent at many of London’s parties.
“It’s about all types of underground music being united under one roof,” continues Raindance man. That way, as he tells us, can you truly bring together people of all types as there is something for everyone. “We’ve probably got the friendliest drum and bass room in the world,” he adds with a grin, “but part of that is because we haven’t surrendered to the damaging MC culture that often takes over the raves and detracts from the party vibe. Too many MCs simply overpower the atmosphere and take over… for the worse.”
The move to remove MCs almost entirely from the drum and bass room is another sign of Raindance man’s refusal to be swept up by trend. But it’s just one shade in the kaleidoscopic music experience of Raindance, as well as the Sharkey hosted mayhem of the hardcore room, the madcap Mad Hatters Hard House Party bounce like kangaroos on hotcoals everytime and the Can You Feel It? Nu Skool Breaks arena showcases dirty rave edged breaks.
Of course this isn't forgetting the two massive arches that — musically and otherwise — encapsulate the original Raindance ethos more than any others ever could. Specifically, the main Raindance old skool arch where early 90s hardcore breakbeats of all forms, from classic anthems to crate-diggers classics, jungle techno blasters to darkside hardcore, find their home, and the original Jenkin’s Lane reunion Arch.
It is in the latter where you’ll find many of the original summer of love ravers have come back out to play and hear those magical tracks that soundtracked that very first seminal Raindance event and those immediately after it. Tracks like the classic ‘Strings Of Life’, Raze’s ‘Break 4 Love’ and Fast Eddie’s ‘Acid Thunder’ flood the room with classic acid house euphoria and nostalgic memories alplenty.
“Jenkin’s Lane was the site of our original big top outdoor Raindance parties,” recalls Raindance man with a glint in his smiley face eyes. “The ethos of the Jenkin’s Lane reunion room is to keep the original rave vibe and music that sparked this whole thing alive, both for the old time ravers (many of whom come back to Raindance for this room alone) but just as importantly to bring it to the attention of a new generation. To show them what they missed first time round. To show them that raving is a way of life and attitude that stems from this vibe.”
It is the spirit of the Jenkin’s Lane that Raindance will be bringing to Saturday’s Tasty Good Times event at The Mass on 1st April, where Anthony Atcherley, PK and Niki Dimensions will be taking a trip down musical memory lane. In a addition, there’s a special one-off history of house special from The Ratpack who will be playing euphoric groove soaked tracks from 88 right through to the modern day.
“We’re going to be mixing up some of the classic 88 anthems along with more modern house track” explained Lipmaster Mark from the legendary rave duo. “It’s something a bit different to what we’ve done before but for us everything that has come since has all grown out of the original 88 house era. Everything can be traced to that time and those tunes… it was a special time for us.”
Tasty promoter Billy Bunter is equally nostalgic when he explains why he picked Raindance’s Jenkin’s Lane to host his celebrated Tasty club classics and anthems room. “Jenkin’s Lane is an important place for me as I was around when it all started,” recalls Bunter, who will be playing the arena on Saturday night along with sets in the hardcore and hard dance rooms. “The tunes that were played there are what I learnt to DJ on and they still have a special quality which is why I take so much pride in picking out some of those real classics for my Jenkin’s Lane residency set.”
MC Sharkey Entertaining the hardcore masses
Complimenting the full on party of the Tasty hard dance arena and the mental Freeformation hardcore arena, it certainly looks like the party in Tasty’s Jenkin’s Lane reunion is going to be something special; a night you’ll want to remember that you’ll probably forget. But ain’t that the way with all the best of em?
But of all its many memorable nights which it’ll probably forget, which would Raindance man himself pick out and live again? “The first birthday party, without a doubt,” he replies instantly. “It is still one of the best parties we’ve ever staged. Music was top notch all night and we had a great mix of the original class of 88 ravers and the next generation latching on to it. All of them had it right off all night!”
Don't forget you can catch the Jenkin’s Lane room down at Tasty Good Times This Saturday 1st April, with Ratpack, Billy Bunter, PK, Niki Dimensions and Anthony Atherley!
Tasty - Good Times
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On:
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Saturday 1st April 2006
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At:
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Mass [map]
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From:
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21.00 to 06.00
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Cost:
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£10 early bird / £15 standard / £20 door
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Website:
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www.tastyuk.com
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Ticket Info:
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Obtain early bird tickets & paying guest list from the new Tasty site
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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On Saturday April 1st, Tasty returns for our 1st main event of 2006 –Good Times. With 3 unique main musical rooms, this party is set to be one of the most ground breaking events of the year. We will be hosting the hard dance room with a line up that will have the Tasty regulars stomping harder – faster from beginning to end. Freeformation/Nu Energy recordings will be hosting The Hyper Zone with a line up that consists of the most influential movers and shakers in the world of hardcore & freeform. And as a special treat our friends at Raindance will be hosting the Pure Anthems arena – Jenkins Lane style, with some of London’s & the U.K’s biggest old skool, club classics and funky house entertainers.
NEXT GENERATION ATTRACTIONS
3 energising main rooms
80 000 watts of bass shaking sound
Full Tasty/Freeformation/Raindance – Jenkins Lane production
Full laser and light shows
Live VJ
Entertainers through out the night
Chill out areas
Free tasty membership
CD giveaways
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Flyer:
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Other Features By Allan@Nu Energy:
The Elevate interview — Phil York & Kevin Energy get ready to take you higher
Decimation interview with Alter Ego of Opeum
Preview to the Nu Energy Collective’s Freeformation with Tranzlation’s Phil York
A preview To Tasty's Generation E with underground legend Eryk Orpheus
Preview To Freeformation’s final free party with Exeter’s answer to Scott Project, Nick The Kid
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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