Techo-Terific

As I sit here listening to techno, and suckin’ down on this exquisite can of Rip It®, I’m immediately flung back in time to about this time last year when I attended my first rave. I’d started listening to techno at about the age of 12, when I was at home one day doing my daily school work, flipping through the radio and looking for anything interesting to listen to. At this time I’d been listening to rarely anything but musicals and Backstreet Boys, so as you can imagine, my musical taste was pretty darn limited.  I flipped to 92.5 and immediately froze in total awe. I heard this music that I’d never heard before; something so alien, so energetic…and with a sick bass line. This song I later found was called Sandstorm by an artist by the name of DaRude. Basically after that, I was hooked. I’d wake up, fall asleep to, and never turn off this station. It was called 92.5, Energy. My parents must have thought I was insane, listening to this kind of stuff, but I didn’t care, I had found music to the first time that made me really want to jump around, and immediately put a smile on my face. I listened to techno ever since then, and as I got older, I started to learn about things like dance clubs and raves, and had always wanted to go to either.

My first dance club experience was pretty great, even though I was far too shy to ask anyone to dance besides the small group I came with. We all knew what we were doing, so we basically just switched off partners with each other and danced the night away. I hadn’t really had a chance before this to really dance with anyone to this kind of stuff, so to finally experience the music with the intended purpose was simply mind blowing. I was almost in a trance-like state (see what I did there?!?!?!?!111), but I didn’t miss a beat. My mind was someone where else, intoxicated with the sound, the lights, the atmosphere, and the thunderous bass of the electronic kick drum that matched the volume of my heartbeat in my chest. My body was still right there on Earth, sending forces and waves that kept my conscience out in the labyrinth of the music. I left that night feeling like I’d achieved something. A few years after that, I went to my very first rave.

Two friends and I drove out into the country, scoping every side street and dirt path we could see. We knew there was a rave happening out in the middle of nowhere, on some farm property, so we were determined to find it. I actually almost drove past it, but we saw the sign just in time. We pulled in and were shocked to see about 600 cars parked in lots, with at least twice as many people running around: We figured it’d be big, but we had no clue just how many people we’d be raving with. The property had about 6 different barns around the farm, and each barn had a different genre of electronic music blasting from it, with 200 people dancing within. I’m not gonna relive every detail, but I danced by myself for about 8 hours, and I can’t remember ever being happier than I was right then. I didn’t need drugs, or alcohol, or even another person dancing with me to make it one of the best nights I’ll ever remember. I know a lot of people can’t stand it, but that’s fine with me. More techno for me. I don’t think it works that way, but God damnit, this is my story. I’m actually smiling a bit now, remembering all this. I need to find another dance club to hit up, and most importantly another rave. Maybe I’ll even dance with someone. Can’t dream too big, though, haha. If anyone knows of any upcoming raves, or even a good club in the greater Chicago land area, I beg you to leave me a comment, because I want to go. Really bad.

-Getting’ my dance on,

Wanderlust_