Techno music and breakbeats, countless sweaty bodies and enough energy to last through the night: This is the basic recipe for a rave.
And although drugs and alcohol are often included in the mix, they’re definitely not required. In fact, they’re not even allowed at Cloud City on Saturday, a rave hosted by the University Cultural Forum, in association with Ground Zero Productions. The event will be held in the EMU Ballroom from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. While various drugs have been associated with raves in the past, more people are now trying to maintain a drug-free environment, said Steven Sawada, the Cultural Forum’s regional music coordinator.
“We can do our best to promote something that we want to be alcohol-and drug-free,” said Sawada, who is in charge of planning and coordinating Cloud City. Sawada said he knows several rave-goers and DJs who have never used drugs, himself included.
“You have a connection with your body and your ears, and that’s it,” he said. “I don’t thrive off of [drugs]. I thrive off of music.”
And music will surely be plentiful at Cloud City. DJs from across the West Coast will be spinning a variety of beats. Jason Blakemore from Los Angeles, who has been part of the underground scene for nearly eight years, will headline the rave. Cloud City will also feature Forest Greenand RyLee from San Francisco, NAHA from Seattle and Eugene’s own Dan Craig and Sawada.
To top that off, Cloud City will feature the brand new Stylus Soundsystem, a product of Servo Drive technology. Jason Kamrass, owner of the system and of Stylus Grooves records, said the system is one of the only Servo Drive systems on the West Coast.
Servo Drive systems are unique, Kamrass said, because they’re designed from scratch rather than modeled after existing speakers. They project sound differently than a typical speaker does, he said, as a single signal rather than separate signals. A Servo Drive system was last featured in Eugene at a U2 concert at Autzen Stadium in 1997.
Cloud City is a follow-up to the Cultural Forum’s first rave, Local Elements, in January. Sawada said he was happy with the last rave’s turnout, but he and DJ Craig, Cloud City coordinator for Ground Zero Productions, both said they hope for bigger crowds this time, encompassing all types of people.
Sid Phillips, a community member and frequent rave-goer, said he was pleased with Local Elements but would have liked to see more people. He said the campus rave was rather typical of most raves he has attended despite a few distinctions, such as widespread security, which Sawada said will be just as substantial at Cloud City.
The time element is another example of how a rave on campus differs from a traditional rave. Most raves start late and don’t end until early morning. Because the event is on campus, it must end earlier.
He was, however, able to get an extension until 2 a.m. for Cloud City. He said wrapping up so late should serve as an alternative to visiting the bars afterward, which usually close by that time.
Tickets for Cloud City are on sale at the EMU Ticket Office and at Stylus Grooves. The cost is $11 for students and $13 for non-students. Tickets will be on sale through the night of the rave. All ages are welcome.
Sawada said he wants to keep the decorations a surprise. He did say, however, the light setup will be similar to what it was at the last rave, and decorations will follow the cloud theme.
“Basically, we’re going all out to give people a cool experience,” he said.