Rave 'till dawn Students leave town for raves By PATRICK LOPE Collegian Ms Writer Imagine yourself, dancing among hundreds of people. Nothing on the outside matters. Energy exists in its most primal state. Your mind is fixed to a magical beat and your body can't stop mov ing. This is how the peak of a rave experience is commonly described. Raves can be characterized as musical experiments. Dancers attempt to synchronize their body and soul via intense, trance-induc ing music. The absence of a local rave scene forces many students to make trips to New York, Philadelphia and Bal timore, where raves are common place. Most are held in clubs or empty warehouses, beginning after midnight and usually lasting until morning. "I leave town for raves every chance I get," said Tara Dennis (sophomore-premedicine). Disk jockeys pilot the dancers' voyage with the manipulation of beats and mixing of sounds. A DJ is largely responsible for the "vibe" of a rave, which becomes evident in the mood of the dancers. "A good DJ can make everyone dance and controls the energy level," said Emanuel Pangilinan (senior-fine arts), who spins in his free time. "They feed from the crowd, bring them up, take them to another place, and then ease them back down." While efforts have been made to increase the quality of live music in State College, raves have received little attention. "We just prefer to focus on live music," said Dave Wells, director of operations at Dantes, Inc. The illegal drug culture sur rounding the rave community may be one reason why raves aren't popping up in every small town across America. Although many rave-goers agree drugs are not a necessary ingredi ent in the "rave experience," users agree the combination of lights, people and music provides a per fect environment for drug experi mentation. The illegal hallucinogen Ecstasy is popular at raves. Some dancers say it is used to heighten spiritual awareness, but it can also cause dehydration and other negative side effects. A new legal mixture of herbs, called Herbal Ecstasy, is being sold at nightclubs as an alternative to illegal drugs. It is promoted as a safe, natural high that lifts your spirits, heightens your senses and gives you enough zip to dance until dawn. "It's hard to understand the rave scene until you've gone and experi enced it for yourself, everything from the music, to the funky clothes, to the dancing," said Senta Korb (sophomore-recreational park management). Although rave artists such as Deee-Lite and the Orb have had relative mainstream success in the United States, the majority of their fans are overseas. In England, many people argue dance music has replaced rock as the major cre ative force in popular music. Until last year, outdoor raves drew crowds of more than 20.000 people in England. On Nov. 3, 1994, Parliament passed the Criminal Justice Act, which effectively out lawed raves in Britain. The Act prohibits gatherings that feature music with "sounds wholly or pre dominantly characterized by the emission of a succession of repeti tive beats." Raves still exist in Eng land, but they've been pushed back to the underground. With the exception of a few attempts in the basement of Uncle Chen's Restaurant, 111 Sowers St., and random house parties, raves aren't part of mainstream culture at the University. Rave news trav els by word-of-mouth, or on small fliers. The only way to understand the scene is to be part of it. While State College may not be on the cutting edge of the rave explosion, raves are making their mark across the country as power ful, moving experiences. "Everyone there can express themselves in their own way," said Andrea Wulwick (sophomore-reli- OCTOBER 19, 20 & 21 ONLY, 90 DAYS, SAME AS CASH! Open An Account With Over Three Years To Pay, Or Use Visa, Master Card, American Express, Or Discover! Buy Now - Layaway For Christmas. One Half Carat Marquise Diamond Engagement Rings. Spectacular Traditional Or Tl\ist Setting, Only $995 as Low As S3O Per Month All Diamond Pendants And Stud Earrings. 30% OFF From $79.95 One Carat Diamond Tennis Bracelets $399 As Low As S2sPer Month LOGAN VALLEY MALL 944.5454 • INTOWN ALTOONA 944-4575 • DOWNTOWN STATE COLLEGE 234-4481 Don't Miss This Opportunity To Save All Diamond Tennis Bracelets, Rings, Pendants, And Earrings! Gold Chains, Gemstones, Pearls, And Crystal Gift Ware! All Romantic Diamond Gorgeous Waterford And Anniversary Bands Orrefors Crystal 30% OFF From $225 20% ALL STOCK As Low As $25 Per Month FREE Local Delivery Special Buys On All Diamond Jewelry, Including Men's Rings Gucci Watches As Low As $25.00 Per Month • Exceptional Rolex Trade-in Values Diamond Wraps 1/3 Off • Pearls 1/3 Off 20-50% OFF On Every Diamond Engagement Ring All Diamond Accent Ruby, Emerald, 30% OFF And Sapphire Rings, Plus All Other Stone Rings 30-40% OFF kranich7f Salo Does Not Include Jewelry From Our Tiffany Collection FINE JEWELRY AND GIFTS SINCE 1903 The Dal Col lan Frida Sparkling Diamond Heart Pendant 1/4 Ct. Only $ 295 1/2 Ct. Only $ 525 1 Ct. Only $ 950 As Low As $25 Per Month Gold Chains And Bracelets 50% OFF 14 Kt. Gold Wedding Bands Hundreds To Choose From 30% OFF Oct. 20, 1995-
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers