They line up by the hundreds, hoping to make it inside to join in what kids call the feel-good vibe. It s all about love and unity, says sixteen year old Johnny. Love, unity, and the vibe are just some of the words kids use to describe the rave subculture.
Raves are the nineties version of a kids dance party.
The underground events started in the early eighties and have now gone mainstream. Kids now flock to record stores and malls to buy tickets to commercially sponsored raves which start late and last until the wee hours of the morning. Parents often get a false sense of security expecting that since tickets are sold, party activities will be legal and well-supervised. But, it s not just love and unity that make kids feel good at a rave. Party drugs like ecstasy are a mainstay of the rave scene and kids like Allison attend with the anticipation of being able to experiment.