Are we in a post-rave wave?
for many of us, Raving isn’t hitting the same way it used to. here are some new places in London I’ve discovered to (re) connect.
The world has changed, and so have our priorities. With factors like rising living costs, screen addictions and bigger focus on health, a lot of us aren’t in the mood to spend all that money and energy in the club like we used to.
I’ll always cherish the past 15 years spent in the rave scene and the past 5 years reporting on them as Rave Report. The best underground community raves will always be sacred spaces - like “church” to me.
But over the past couple of years I’ve been in what I call a “post rave wave”: exploring new avenues for connection and self expression in this new post-covid world.
It’s been a lot getting out of my comfort zone, but I’ve found these new spaces to be more fulfilling than raving every weekend. I’ve found new people who I can connect with on a different level beyond the club, got more confident in my mind and body, and found ways to express myself more freely.
Here are my top 5 places, learnings and recommendations I’ve picked up along the way…
Poetry open mics and writing groups
I’ve always loved writing, but it wasn’t until I met James Kite, founder of Find Enlight, that I discovered I could write poetry. I joined his friend’s poetry group where we would take a prompt, talk about it, write for 10 mins, then share our raw drafts out loud. This then moved onto sharing them on the mic in public. There’s nothing more soul-stirring than sharing your truth to a room full of strangers - and hearing theirs!
For London open mics, I recommend Dalston Lounge, Orii Jam, or Crossword Lyric. Orii has live music improv and is more music focused but welcomes poetry and spoken word, and Dalston lounge is more poetry focused. I’ve hosted 2 events there including my own open mic.
Zumba classes
In 2022-2023, me and my friends were in a Brazilian Funk raving era. Baile Funk Culture was one of the regular events we attended here in London, and learning about the culture and political significance has been mind-opening. Also, being a guest in that space, the dance moves took me out of my comfort zone!
It challenged me to start taking up Zumba classes which I’ve been going to on Saturday mornings at my local gym with my amazing teacher Karolin for over a year. They’re the perfect place to get the same high from a club but in a workout setting. Plus you get to learn dances like Merengue and Salsa by following along with teacher without a partner (which I’ve found easier). Then I do the yoga class straight after.
And for those bigger Zumba events I recommend Get Fit with Faye, she got about 100 of us shouting along as we danced, we even got goodie bags at the end!
brunches
Another place I’ve found joy in my post-rave wave has been daytime brunches. The best one I’ve been to is Full House Bingo Brunch. You get free cocktails on arrival, games (bingo and quiz with cash prizes) and Caribbean food (wings, patties, mac and cheese, festivals, salt fish fritters etc). The day is hosted by the legendary MC Stush, Tamarah and Serocee of Rum ’N’ Bass with a great selection of rnb, garage, hip hop and dancehall all day. It finishes 17:00 so you can go and relax for the rest of your evening after. Come to the next one in Brixton this Sunday March 29th!
art jams
I might be a spray painter but in the winter I just don’t feel like painting outside. And that forced me to find new spaces to link up and create! I’ve loved the sip and paint at Rionce Studios, making play dough sculptures at Find Enlight, painting DIY fashion with Search4Us and live painting with Artel, a NYC based collective who came to the UK. Artists give them a follow so next time they’re in London you can come exhibit with us!
ecstatic dance with live percussion
This has been my most transformative “post-rave” experience. Ecstatic dance has helped me get in touch with my body, release old energy, cultivate intimacy with myself and recognize the humanity in strangers in ways that words can’t express.
After about a year of experimenting with different promoters and formats my fav has been Ecstatic Dance London with live percussion. They aren’t as frequent as the DJ sessions, but moving freely in this way with drumming and saxophones is on another level. And if the founder is in London, then go to Tribaling Love.
Be warned - these events will take you out of your comfort zone. You need to go in with the right mindset: you can’t be judgemental and you’ll need to be comfy moving your body without any substances (apart from ceremonial cacao). If you decide to go for it, just go with an open mind, an open heart, and enjoy the release!
Also - another post rave wave realization that came from the ecstatic dance is that you don’t have to be a singer to sing! There’s nothing more freeing than singing classics with your friends - I’ve done it in Karaoke booths and even just at home on Youtube with the lyrics up.
If these experiences have taught me anything, it's that we can all sing and dance and express ourselves, we just need to find the right spaces to do it freely. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been to some questionable events along the way. But ultimately I've found that by getting outside my comfort zone I’ve got more confidence, met new communities and built new skills. Now I can bring that new energy to the rave every now and then, all with no alcohol necessary, because the vibes are naturally on point!