N.C. Raves: Hotwax Harley
The people who rave : Hotwax Harley (3 of 7)

 

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Harley Walker, a deejay and promoter, says diversity is one of the things he likes most about the rave scene. "It's white, it's black, it's gay, it's straight, it's Asian, it's everybody," Walker says. MORE
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Related Story: A guide to rave music
Walker, who started going to clubs (and later, raves) in 1981, also considers the music at a rave -- though almost always electronica -- more varied than at many clubs. "At a rave, you can hear anything. You can hear house music, you can hear trance, jungle, funky breaks, old school, hip-hop, it doesn't matter," he says. "To me, ravers are very open-minded, and they have an appreciation for music in general. And they're there to celebrate life, dance, and have a good time."

Walker's view has its detractors, who believe the homogeneity of the scene is increasing as raves grow more popular. Rave's roots in house parties -- a creation of the underground gay black discos of the 1970s -- may explain some of its original attitudes towards open-mindedness and diversity. Still, it's harder today in North Carolina to see that diversity. Looking around many raves, one sees a lot of caucasian faces. The increasing homogenity of how many ravegoers dress -- in baggy pants, for instance, and designer 'rave' labels -- doesn't help either.

Todd Morman, a long-time raver from Raleigh, has noticed a drop in the percentage of gay ravegoers, though gay men and drag queens were a big part of establishing the scene. "You don't see as many club kids and drag queens as you used to," Morman says. "But people like them when they're there. I've never seen them get any shit, except maybe from some random drunken asshole."

Avi Rose, another Raleigh ravegoer, agrees. "My first party was like taking a spaceship to another planet. Lots of gay people, drag queens, and really neat looking people -- divas in tight leather, all decked out." Since then, Rose has seen more of the 'rave uniform' -- bellbottom pants, sneakers, t-shirt -- and fewer drag queens. "Sometimes at Babylon [a Greensboro club]," he says, "but not often." TOP