From: droe@cs.tcd.ie (David Roe)
Subject: Re: Drugs in Britain
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin (Computer Science)
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 12:33:17 GMT


>I would just like to point out that those 5 deaths from E were NOT related to
>any neurotoxic effects, but instead (if these are the same 5 deaths I read
>about recently) due to the fact that the takers overexerted themselves in
>dancing and failed to keep themselves hydrated and cool, and were NOT helped
>by the fact that the rave they had gone to had no free water available to
					    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>the party-goers.  In other words, watch out for yourselves, kiddies.
>

Here's another little story from Dublin. Our premier rave club, The
Olympic Ballroom, had a big rave for halloween. I.e. the management did
absolutely nothing but about two thousand ravers came anyway. It was
just like the usual, but more so. Everyone packed that bit tighter, the
music that bit louder, the drugs that bit more, well, "druggy". Lots of
fireworks let off - rockets released at the back of the hall, shooting
over the heads of the ravers and bursting newar the d.j. (released by
ravers that is, not the management). Plus, loads of those massive bangers
hurled onto the floor, a minor miracle that no-one was seriously
injured. The usual over-the-head person-lifting (see previous article)
jumping, chanting and general insanity. 

Anyway, at the "O", there is no
beer available, just soft drink cans at the outrageous price of a quid
each. Who wants something sugary at a rave anyway? so everone tends to
drink from the sink taps in the toilets.  (Theres usually a queue).
About 12:30 the water slowed to a trickle and then stopped coming out
of the taps. Pandemonium broke out. I went to get water from the
ladies, cos' I was in dire need of water. When I returned to the toilets
about 1/2 hour later, the entire sink unit had been ripped off the wall,
leaving the pipes sticking out and water gushing onto the floor. While I
was there, a security man walked in to use the toilet, and did a classic
double take when he saw the sinks. In the end there was nothing they
could do, so everyone drank from the ladies. 

It would seem to me that Ireland's experience of raves is much different
to either the US or the UK.

Firstly we dont really have "raves" in the original sense of the world,
in warehouses or outdoors or other places. They tend to be in, not
eactly clubs, but in dance halls, beasts which dont really exist outside
Ireland. The clientelle are almost universally, unemployed  youths
around the age of twenty, but sometimes as young as thirteen or
fourteen. Drugs are _very_ common. Around 90% - 95% of all the ravers  at
the olympic are on either E, speed, trips or gange, usually a mixture. E
is openly sold both inside and outside, so openly in fact that there is  no
way that the management could not know, and indeed be taking a cut of
the profits. E sells for about 25, a gram of speed for about 20, trips,
five to seven quid, depending on strength. The djs are terible, the
lights a bit cruddy, and the sound crackly and distorted. Plus, it
closes at 2:30 on the dot. The entry price - 7 pounds.

However, while all this may sound terrible to UK and US ravers, with their
vast banks of lasers, cheap entry, smart drinks and super sound systems,
we dont seem to have any of the problems that you guys have. 
Firstly, no sloppies. I have never seen anyone with drink, or drunk at
an Irish rave. In fact, I occasionally have a pint or two before going,
and I'm probably the only one there with even that much drink on them.
Secondly, no trouble with police. Once I've seen a squad car crawl past
the entrance, and there are occasional rumours that the D.S. are in the
place, but I've never seen any trouble of any kind. There are quite
simply too many people there. Thirdly, no attitude. This is more than
the usual "friendly ravers" thing. Some of these people are out-and-out
gangsters. As an Irish Times journalist put it. "Its like a thugs night
off". As college students my friends and I stand out like blue giraffes,
especially when we open our mouths and reveal our lack of inner-city
accents. But, from our first trip there, we have been universally
accepted and welcomed.  

To summarise all this rambling, I suspect that the supposed "death of
rave" and "rampant commercialisation" will just not happen here. The
scene is too different. It may change but I cant imagine what it will
evolve into - certainly not into the UK scene or anything similar.

To summarise the summary - have a trip to Dublin and give it a try.


	Dave "You mean square dancing is out of fashion?" Roe
Newsgroups: alt.rave