When one examines any cultural movement, it is always useful to examine the roots of that movement. It is the history of the movement that gives us some understanding as to why we are now (Rushkoff). It is only when we first trace the roots that we can see the leaves clearly. Rave culture can be traced back as far as you want to trace it. It can be traced back to Native American religious ceremonies. It can be traced back to the sixties Be-Ins and Love Ins and Acid Tests. It can be traced back to anarchist revolutions in Italy and France. It pulls energy from many different directions. When examining the rave culture in America, one reaches the unique problem of having no sources. It is not do

The music is not "real" in the sense that it exists only for that moment. There are no originals; everything heard is a hybrid of things that were already hybrids of other things. A rave is a phenomenon that does not exist within the rules of society; it is the creation of a separate space. Beyond the culture of escape though, is a culture based on hope. The core of this separate space is the knowledge that it is a temporary separate space. There is knowledge that tomorrow I will work on homework, and Monday I will go to work or school, but right now, right now I am going to play. There is an emphasis on a focusing of energy, that what happens during this rave is positively affecting all of the energy on the planet. PLUR is also seen as something that goes beyond the rave scene. I would like to quote a recent poster to the mid-west raves listserv. "No matter what happens in popular culture, YOU keep the vibe alive. This isn't specific to our little scene. PLUR in all aspects of life. When you're walking down the street, do the same thing for strangers that you would at a rave. When you're at a rock-and-roll club, do the same thing there. And then, instead of the fucking mainstream changing our culture, our culture is changing the mainstream...isn't that the point of a movement? To affect the world?" (Matt Demmon)

"The actual concept of raves is not new-it is as old as time itself. At the base level, raves are very comparable to American Indian ceremonies...where music is the key towards pulling oneself into a unique emotional and psychological state." (Irwin) This is the basis of rave culture. It is a very spiritually aware culture that focuses on an altered state of mind that is caused by music and, in many cases, drugs. It is the rediscovery of music as a spiritual tool. Terrence McKenna is quoted in the song Re: Evolution as saying "the emphasis in [techno] music and rave culture on physiologically compatible rhythms...is the rediscovery of the art of natural magic with sound, that sound properly understood, especially percussive sound, can actually change neurological states in large groups of people that are getting together in the presence of this...music. [They] are creating a telepathic community-a bonding that hopefully will be strong enough then to carry out into mainstream society. (Barnard) The rave scene uses technological means to recreate ancient ceremonies in which dancing to music was used as a spiritual tool. It is a conjoining of ancient beliefs with the tools of today. It is not a culture that denies where we are at as a society today, but rather uses where we are at today to go somewhere else.

When we examine this in the context of rave culture, it is immediately clear that this describes the rave scene exactly. Ravers are a 'band'-a group that is at once both closed off from society, but open to newcomers. They gather at raves for the same reason, to party. Bey examines this also. "The TAZ [is a] festival...The essence of the party: face-to-face, a group of humans synergize their efforts to realize mutual desires, whether for good food and cheer, dance...or to attain the very transport of bliss-in short, a "union of egoists"...or else...a basic biological drive to "mutual aid." (Mead 5) "The party is always "open" because it is not "ordered"; it may be planned, but unless it happens it's a failure. The element of spontaneity is crucial." (Ibid.) This can also be examined within the context of the rave scene. Raves are, in a sense, planned spontaneity. Sometimes, they are even spontaneous in and of themselves.. She was on her way to a rave with some friends when they got stuck in standstill traffic. All of the sudden 30 ravers or so on their way to the party got out of their cars, turned on music, and danced in the middle of the interstate.) Raves are people gathering for the attainment of mutual bliss.

The rave scene has always existed as separate from mainstream society, an underground

Some common words found in the essay are:
Re Evolution, Zone Bey, Frankie Bones, Network Wisconsin, California Ravers, Internet TAZ, , Italy France, American Indian, Psychic TV, rave culture, rave scene, mainstream society, peace love, hakim bey, context rave, separate space, plays central role, people claim, escape existed, culture escape, separate space knowledge, apart mainstream society, all-night dance parties, escape existed apart,
Approximate Word count = 2750
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)