The Rave Scene in Coniston

The Rave Scene In Coniston Coniston was for several years been graced by a symbol of rave culture in the form of a 50 metre smiley face cut into the bracken above the village, but despite this universal image, almost a branding of the village as rave friendly, the village has an abiding hatred of the culture. Matt Stokes is an artist who has been researching the 1991 summer of love series of cave raves held at Hodge Close, near Coniston. What has emerged is a picture of discord. The original cave crew (DJ’s etc) look back at the raves as the most important moment of their lives and give moving accounts of the impact the events had for them. They equally demonstrate that the raves had a major audience draw, and although unregulated and heavily criticized locally on health and safety grounds, they proved to be far less hazardous than many of the more traditional outdoor pursuits (there was a death at Hodge Close during the period of the raves, a diving accident). Locals at the time hated the events and still bear major resentment, so much so that a wall of silence has been instituted on the subject. No one in the village will talk to Matt and his attempts to produce a radio programme reflecting the village viewpoint have been thwarted - one member willing to talk has been placed under an order of silence by the Parish Council. The thinking behind this attitude is that if the raves are mentioned they may start again. The notion of rave is misunderstood. The real fear is that there will be parties - rave as such is over, new legislation has ensured that. The idea that by ignoring the subject it will go away is perhaps the interesting issue here. The lakes as a place is filled with activities that are unpopular, and many people of the village are financially dependant on anti-social behaviour, camp sites, pubs, motor sports, etc, all contribute to noise levels but are tolerated, but maybe only just, and the raves being seen as ‘inappropriate’ are not. The idea of what is appropriate is very subjective, and the extreme response to the Rave research is irrational. Is it perhaps an outlet for all the repressed anger towards anti-social activities that cannot be expressed, for fear of damaging the fragile economy?

Comments

[nick]

good comments man...we r still doin partys in preston and blackburn...;)

[kol]

i myself have been to these partys and am all for them. They bring people from all over the country to unite in a big party, improved with casual drugs. This may not be healthy option but are damn good fun

[Powie]

The original Cave crew "Outhouse" are now in Wales, still doing free party's and now go under the name of "Chaconne" Big Love....

[EmEl]

we are trying to something like this but puting sneaky little partys on in the countryside is something thing were quite new to. if anyone has any advice, mainly on decent sites where we wont get disturbed please mail me.

Cheers

[DJKRS1]

big up OUTHOUSE! and all the cave crew powie,slebs,dave and grog! krs1

[veilo preston]

i go to all partys up mountins i can there great

[Dave]

I was at a Rave at hodgeclose last year, 2006. As far as I know that was the last one ever to be held there due to health and safty. Police turned up in the morning and tryed to send everyone away. Got a letter from them saying they were instaling monitoring equipment this year (must have got my address from the car number plate). We did another one this year south of coniston up in the hills. Think thats the place to be now.

[Jacko]

You fucking know it was buzzin.
Respect all Crew. Steely, Powie, Deeds and Grog RIP..
Always thinkin of u guyz

[Gribb]

What happened to Grog? I was a friend of his girlfriend, Magda - in fact what happened to her as well

[Joe Nattrass]

biggin up coniston, just for the old man!my bro usesd to dj in the caves, jamie cross.....we need to keep outdoore parts alive!

[david]

Groggs dead,magda is fine and grogs son is a star..... We are just about 2 do it again in wales so E mail djsteel68@hotmail.co.uk .....Big respect and love.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Steely D.....]

Use my E mail 2 face book me.
Hey you wanna hear what its like now haha.xxx

[Conrad]

haha I was present & smashed at every single one. My mates spun di tunes & a good time was had by all. The 7th Rave in the cave saw Hodge close road bumper to bumper from the main road 2 the quarry, it was so popular. It took the police until around 7am to even get access to the site. They had thought they wereclever coming early & confiscating our generator. More fool them! My mate drove down the back way & returned with a PA we blasted from his volleywag. It was the busiest to date. Ah the summer of love. Remember the origional doves party people. Rave on. Conrad still buzzing from the experience Lee.

[ben harrison]

flash backs or what? ive always wondered what happened to the guys that ROCKED the carlton in morecambe on a friday nite then on to some secret location in the lakes f*ckin brilliant TOP GUYS THANKS FOR ALL THE MEMORYS Peace be with you all what ever your up to............

[jaystardust]

rave int cave !!! them was the days....
big shout out to the crew

r.i.p GROG

chippy,lancs

[MOON]

it's a bit dark in here,we need some light !!!so we can see the sheep,(they used the cave in bad weather, bless them) a few terra strobes, robo scans & some other bits & bobs, including uv's will doo ! but we can't leave them on the cave floor during the rave ! so powie,steely,grog(R.I.P),chappy & me(moon),had a right carry on trying to get them all up in the cave roof, balancing on oil drums,bits o'slate & trees,we did all this during the week leading up to the rave,but we had to be sneaky, or else the feds would try & nick them before the party, so we use to build toxic fires in the cave so no one could enter until outhouse was ready, the things we did just to have a dance party ,was it all worth it ? HELL YEA!!! From there i went on to do events in manchester (life), sheffield(gatecrasher)& holland(freebird). I'm 46 now & still at it,not sure about this putting a donk in it now ??? back in the day it was SWEET HARMONY & INSOMNIAC I MUST SLEEP !!!

[Steely D.....]

Hello all you party people xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Dec]

Hey guys, guess who...

[Steely D.....]

Im in wales now wiv da lads and it's well cool xxx
Mr Zac Graham .peas an love.