Eat, sleep, rave, repeat?
Sure, that’s if you can handle it. Rave parties were first introduced in the early days of the Madonna era but they didn’t gain worldwide popularity until much later. Every 90s and 00s child would know what people mean when they say the word “rave”. The rave phenomenon has become so huge that it’s pretty much taking over the music world.
Photo via Brandon Sta Maria
Considering what a crazy experience raves are, with its hypnotic strobe lights, heavy beats and drops, and thousands of party people all together at one location, it’s definitely something to experience at least once in your life.
So the next time you get to attend such events like Future Music Festival Asia, Zoukout, I Am Hardwell, or any other DJ world tours or even Tomorrowland, here are 6 things you need to know to survive them.
1. Know Your Rave
Photo via Brandon Sta Maria
Honestly, one of the first things you should do when deciding on attending a rave is know what kind you’re participating in. Electronic dance music, techno, trance, trap, or house are some of the variations you’ll find. Whether it’s the quicker beats you fancy or slightly more trippy sounds, the gist of a rave is pretty much the same. Now, if you’re only going because you like the whole rave scene in general and because your friends are going then always remember the acronym P.L.U.R.R. Made up by the rave-going community, P.L.U.R.R. stands for “Peace, Love, Unity, Respect, Responsibility”. Every raver, veteran or amateur, should follow these rules, because it keeps you on the right track.
2. Wear the right thing
Photo via Dedy Adrianto
Considering that you will be surrounded by thousands of sweaty people and that you will most likely be jumping and dancing the night away, keep in mind that you would want to be comfortable. Raves are generally held in huge warehouses or outdoor fields, so no heels or high shoes for the ladies. We’ve seen people in heels at raves and we always wonder what they were thinking. It’s best to wear the most comfortable pair of shoes you have. You don’t want to be barefooted because you just might find yourself stepping into a pool of some guy’s vomit. Yuck.
Also, jeans, shorts, t-shirt, sleeveless or crop tops are highly recommended. Be sure to always bring an extra set of clothes because who knows how much sweat you’ll produce while busting out your moves or if mother nature decides to take over the situation and rain all over you. Remember, raves lasts for hours, so dress for comfort.
3. Keep hydrated
Photo via Future Music Festival Asia on Facebook
Okay when we say keep hydrated, we don’t mean booze up. We mean drink water, lots of water. It’s going to be a very long night, you are going to be sweating a lot so make sure you’re stocked with proper supplies. Water, energy drinks, and maybe even a couple of snacks to help keep you powered throughout the entire night. If you’re not allowed to bring you own bottles of water or cans of energy drinks, fret not, most rave venues come packed with water bars and food stalls so no excuses.
4. Set a meet up point
Photo via Future Music Festival Asia on Facebook
Now, we cannot stress on how important it is to set a meet up point. Let’s face it, it’s a rave so it’s going to be flooded with heaps of people. Considering that mobile networks are usually quite bad at these events, it’s vital to set a meet up point because chances are quite high that you might get separated from your friend(s) at the rave. Be it at the entrance or one of the bars, as long as you’ve set a meet up point, you’ll be fine because you and your friends will know where to look for each other once the rave is over. Another thing you could do is to bring helium balloons with you. Tie 2 helium balloons to your belt hole or bag and have your friends do the same so you can spot each other, even from a distance.
5. Don’t take drinks or foods from strangers
This applies not just to raves but pretty much every event you attend. Unless the person that’s offering you a drink or snack is someone you know, politely reject it. You don’t know what the drink could be laced with so it’s always better to buy your own drinks.
Better safe than sorry, no?
6. Make friends
Photo via Brandon Sta Maria
Part of the fun of attending a rave is meeting new people and making new friends. People at raves are usually rather friendly because after all, everyone is there to have a good time and to dance to really good music so why not join them and have an epic time together? Of course, if it’s you getting rubbed up by a stinky stranger and if the person is getting a little too close for comfort, then go ahead and move away as quickly as you please. And if you ever find yourself alone, don’t be afraid to just do your thing. You may look like a crazy loon doing it, but you’ll be no worse than anyone else there. Trust us, we would know, because #beentheredonethat.
We hope these tips will help you ravers when you attend your next big rave.
Remember to always stay safe whilst having fun!