N.C. Raves: Building friendships
What is a rave? : Building friendships (8 of 10)

 

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An acceptance of the 'freaky,' openness towards strangers, and a feeling of camaraderie are deeply held tenets among ravers. Craig Ashby, left, and Ted Major introduced themselves and spent the morning talking outside a rave in Wilmington. MORE
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Copyright ©1998 Jim Webb. All rights reserved.


Related story: The people who rave
Because raves began as underground events in the gay black disco scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s, an open-minded attitude quickly prevailed. Drag queens danced alongside ex-hippies, and they all shared the camaraderie of attending the secret, often illegal, parties. Partygoers often drive several hours for a good rave, and even to know when and where they're happening takes some prior knowledge about the rave scene.

As raves have gained mainstream popularity, the makeup of the audience has changed, as have some of the attitudes. North Carolina ravers are predominantly white, teen- and college-aged. Drag queens are harder to find, freaky costumes have given way to styles created by designer labels like Jnco and Tommy Hilfiger, and alcohol consumption, once taboo, is more common. TOP