An organiser of unlicensed raves in Wiltshire has said they “will never die” despite police action.
He claims events are becoming more popular, but that this is not something people should be worried about.
The organiser says he takes measures to keep his events safe and to minimise disruption to the surrounding area.
He said: “The police, unfortunately, are losing the war on raves.
“They have done some pretty big seizures and shutdowns but ironically all that is actually doing is fueling more people.
“Whenever the media writes about it, more people want to join.
“Whenever we get a rig (sound system) seized we come back bigger and stronger with another one - it’s like they can’t quite keep up.”
The organiser admits to arranging music events in locations without the landowner’s consent, in fields or abandoned structures.
His most recent event had 250 revellers, but he estimated the largest he has been involved in had more than 2,000.
The Adver most recently reported a New Year’s rave in Pewsey with around 200 people and 100 vehicles which was shut down by police, with no arrests.
The raves, or free parties, often feature multiple stages for different sound systems and can last multiple days.
His are free of charge, without police or security presence. He says this provides a space “free of restrictions, free of control where you are able to integrate and anyone is welcome”.
He said: “Our events are about big sound systems, lots of big noise and bass, and dancing as hard as you can.”
However, the lack of regulation has led to worries about the events attracting crime.
He admits that there is occasional trouble at his events when “the wrong people turn up”, but he prioritises safety above all else. and will not hesitate to call the police or ambulance on his own party if there is trouble.
“We’re not afraid to call the police ourselves on our own party. I've done it before and I'll do it again.”
“And if someone's unwell, I don't care about the party, the people come first - simple as that.”
“To say that all free party organisers don't care about the welfare of their attendees could not be further from the truth.”
He even advocates wearing ear-protection - “it's never worth losing your hearing over.”
The noise pollution from raves is another common complaint. He said: “We don't deny that there is noise pollution, which is going to be there for maximum of a day or two.
“And then we'll just bugger off and go somewhere else.”
“We don't want to hurt anybody. We're sorry for any noise that we've started. We are just young people having fun like all young people do.”
In terms of physical pollution, he runs a scheme of allowing song requests in return for a bag of rubbish, and claims he stays behind for hours cleaning up party spots.
He says he tries to create as safe an environment as possible, but that the lack of regulation is partly what makes them so popular.
He explained: “A lot of people that attend regulated club events aren't the same as us. Free party attendees find that there's a lot more alcohol at clubs and people just trying to pull girls or pull men.
“It feels an aggressive culture, unlike ours which is a lot more relaxed.”
For him, “the biggest threat to rave isn’t the police. It’s the ravers themselves. People posting on social media has a big part to play in damaging the community and the scene.”
He worries that social media sharing is making them “too popular”. But one thing he says he is not worried about is raves dying out.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel