Disco Mania: A Walk Through Parties & Raves

Can you remember the excitement that comes with going clubbing for the first time? Your badly photoshopped ID in hand, your giddy smile, the perfect excuse all lined up, but, sir, I forgot my ID at home, let me find it on my phone. Can you recall picking out what you thought was your best outfit, your trembling hands while doing your makeup, or perhaps spraying on a bit too much cologne?

Clubbing is truly the peak of coming-of-age for many. This is the grown-up life: vomiting on yourself at 5am while an inebriated man tries to flirt with you.

Although the first clubs were opened in the 40s, it was in the 60s, a period of time where youth culture exploded, that clubs became more popular. The late 60s were about sex, drugs, and saw the nascence of pop and rock and roll. In fact, many argue that drugs shaped the popular culture of the 60s: whether it be mushrooms, weed or LSD, it was essential to question the current society.

In the 80s and 90s, the clubbing scene parted in two between what some called the disco dollies, and the warehouse party generation; between mainstream clubbing, and countercultural raves. The underground scene saw young people of all subcultures (goth, punk, new wave) come together whether it be in crammed clubs, in abandoned buildings or even in the middle of nowhere. On a side note, Paris even saw its undergrounds (the catacombs) come to life on the weekends.

These free parties became heavily politicized once the-then conservative UK government outlawed large gatherings of people that play music described as “a succession of repetitive beats” in 1994. This ultimately led to a growing amount of raves, but also to the rise of festivals.

Nonetheless, mainstream club culture was predominant, and its commercialization in the late 90s was profitable for DJs worldwide.

Today, the last generation’s clubbing blueprint is being brought back to life, mostly thanks to artists and people involved in the art world bringing back rave culture. While the prevailing clubs in Milano remain conventional like Gattopardo, The Club or Magazzini, Milano still offers many alternatives.

These spots are fostered by progressive artists who tend to want to break free from societal norms, habits and lifestyles. In this way, these parties can only offer a safe space for those who don’t necessarily fit standards.

Going out also offers entertainment and socialization with other artists, often engendering ingenuity and creativity. The presence of substances, licit and illicit, can offer new perspectives and facilitates encounters. In that way, clubbing is a break from society’s chokehold.

Often, artists seek to promote their work through events. In Milano, techno and art are seen together more often than not – abandoned buildings come to life with modern artworks and the boom of the basses. These niche events engage its crowd intellectually and physically; you experience the art in a an intimate way with like-minded people - on the contrary to a museum, which remains formal.

The clubbing scene and the art scene thus go hand in hand. The setting perpetuates this further. Often set in odd places like warehouses and industrial buildings, the night feels almost more authentic: you don’t need a fancy building in the center of Milano to have fun. The banal setting puts more emphasis on the lights and the music. Moreover, music plays an essential role in raves. The hard beats of techno or the melodies of house pushes music-lovers to dance, sweat and enjoy themselves together. Music is an art form – it encourages its audience to feel every rhythm, beat, and tempo with their whole body.

The banal setting almost comes into conflict with the unique clothing and the make-up present. Raves are the ideal place to explore your creative side and to express your true self. There is no heteronormative dress code – it is encouraged to play around with “gendered” clothes, eccentric make-up, and bold accessories.

Although fashion, music, and art are already deeply intertwined, the dance floor is where these worlds really collide—and a new art emerges. Clubbing becomes a performance art.

Clubbing creates this multi-sensory performance space and spawns the sense of possibility and freedom in an environment where everything is heightened. The laser lights, the heavy sound of the bass, the smell of cigarettes, alcohol and sweat, and the brushing up of others against you all contribute to what makes clubbing an intense experience.

Freedom is a key element in rave culture. With no bouncers nor pesky bartenders, one can be free to experience being young with no boundaries; to explore ourselves and be liberated from the trivial problems that come with being a young student.