Rave culture

Rave

DJ Sven Vath mixes tracks for a crowd of dancers at Amnesia, an Ibizia nightclub, in 2013.
General Information
Genres included	Electronica house acid house electro house progressive house progressive trance tech house big beat breakbeat acid breaks trance hardcore techno Goa trance psychedelic trance happy hardcore breakbeat hardcore dub techno dubstep drum and bass fidget UK garage speed garage bassline grime UK funky moombahton moombahcore gabber new beat industrial jumpstyle hardstyle ghetto house speedcore nu rave alternative dance industrial dance
Related genres	Glam rock glam metal new wave power pop synthpop progressive rock psychedelic rock dub ambient
Location	Worldwide
Types of street rave dance	Hakken Para Para Rebolation Melbourne Shuffle
Related events	Music festival rock festival electronic music festival acid house party doof trance festival electronic dance music festival teknival algorave free festival free party circuit party concert tour
Related topics	Smiley Disc jockey Light beam Club drugs MDMA 2C-B Sound system

A rave (from the verb: ) is a large dance party at a nightclub, dance club or festival featuring performances by DJs, who select and mix a seamless flow of loud electronic dance music songs and tracks. DJs at rave events play electronic dance music on vinyl, CDs and digital audio from a wide range of genres, including acid house, drum and bass, UK garage, and free tekno. Occasionally live performers playing synthesizer or other electronic instruments will play electronic music. The music is amplified with a large, powerful sound reinforcement system, typically with huge subwoofers to produce a deep bass sound. The music is often accompanied by laser light shows, projected coloured images, visual effects and fog machines. The word "rave" was first used in the late 1980s to describe the subculture that grew out of the acid house movement.

While some raves may be small parties held at nightclubs or private homes, some raves have grown to immense size, such as the large festivals and events featuring multiple DJs and dance areas (e.g., the Castlemorton Common Festival in 1992). Some electronic dance music festivals have features of raves, but on a larger, often commercial scale. Raves may last for a long time, with some events continuing for twenty-four hours, and lasting all through the night. Law enforcement raids and anti-rave laws have been used against the rave scene in many countries. This is due to the association of illegal club drugs such as MDMA (ecstasy) and party drugs (such as BZP), and the use of non-authorized, secret venues for some raves, such as squat parties at unused warehouses or aircraft hangars. In part, this is due to the media attention and moral panic that has arisen when ever rave participants have adverse drug reactions.