Rave

What is a rave?

A rave is a dance party with electronic music at its centre, usually techno, house, drum & bass or trance, where the music and the crowd matter more than the decor. It runs long, often through the whole night, and everything is about the dancefloor: no tables, no bottle service, little light beyond what the show needs.

The word comes from the British acid house scene of the late 1980s, when parties took place in warehouses and fields, often without permission. In Germany the scene grew in the empty buildings of Berlin after 1990. Today "rave" is used loosely: for a warehouse party, a large techno event, an open air or simply a very good club night. Parties without a permit still exist, and are still called illegal raves or free parties.

How a rave works today

A licensed rave today looks much like a large club event: a venue or site with a permit, a sound system built for volume, a line-up with long sets, and a door policy that keeps the crowd friendly. Many start around 23:00 and run until the morning, and some hand straight over to an afterhour.

Promotion is driven by the scene itself: the location (sometimes revealed only a day or two before), the line-up, and stories from DJs, crews and people who went last time. Larger raves increasingly run an awareness team, a group of trained people guests can turn to if something goes wrong.

Example: a one-off in the Ruhr area

Say a crew rents a former factory hall in the Ruhr area for a one-off rave, 1,500 capacity, from 22:00 to 8:00. Six DJs play two-hour sets on one floor. Tickets cost €25 in presale and there is no box office.

The crew reveals the exact location to ticket holders two days before. In this example, the final week of stories and messages brings in most of the remaining sales, because that is when people make their weekend plans and see who else is going.

Tips for organizers and guests

• Organizers: sort out the permit, security and first aid first. A rave shut down at 2 costs more than it earned.
• Organizers: plan for long hours, with free water, a chill-out space and clear exits.
• Organizers: keep the look and message the same across flyer, stories and event page.
• Guests: buy in presale. Big raves often sell out and have no box office.
• Guests: look out for each other, drink water and know where the awareness team is.

Raves on Parmo

"Rave" and "Warehouse Party" are both event categories on Parmo, next to "Club Night" and "Open Air". The category decides which style pages on the public event pages list the night, so pick the one your crowd would search for.

Common questions

What is the difference between a rave and a party?

A rave centres on electronic dance music and dancing, usually runs through the night and has little decor or seating. Party is the general word for any celebration.

What music is played at a rave?

Mostly techno and house, but also drum & bass, trance, hardstyle and related styles.

What should you bring to a rave?

Your ticket and ID, a way to pay at the bar, earplugs and comfortable shoes. Many raves ban glass and professional cameras.