Foreward written by our Creatrix:
I initially connected with Jay via Twitter’s suggested follow algorithm, or whatever its formal name it was at the time back in ’14. I used the application primarily to keep up with some friends as well as producers and DJs for their latest releases, in addition to some humor accounts here and there. So when an account relevant to “adult” raver problems was suggested to me, first I thought oh, one of those humor accounts, let us see. And when I saw “stripped sounds” I got excited, oh, a DJ I don’t know about! And then I read his tweets… what an interestingly real person speaking his mind! he tweeted (no doubt this remains present tense, but for now I am reflecting on the time) in a way that any attentive person with similar interests and ordered thinking can easily follow. So I have been keeping up with him ever since. Jay was the first person with whom I acquainted on this “EDM twitter” that gravitated much of my social circle for quite a few years, and Jay was also the first person I met in the crowd of EDCLV that same year from such a platform. One hell of a life resides within his recesses that he tells with memorable realness, and I do not use such a descriptor lightly. Much to be expanded upon his long lived perspective as raver and DJ… And although I have not played on deck myself, I imagine there is a specialized rooted connection to the floor as an electronic conductor who dramatizes the floor’s movements from a ritualized personal point of view. Deejayng a party, in whatever instrumental capacity, must be much more than a mathematic formula — how can you feel ebbs and flows of a vibing crowd and really know how to influence their collective movement without having been immersed in one yourself over and again? I prefer a DJ who is also a raver in the booth, because, well, we’re fucking ravers, no? I also keep hearing that the future is now, so,
going in —
The Future Is Our Savior
contributed by Jay Fenster
I checked my watch as someone passed me the blunt. It was five minutes to midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Drawing a hit, I surveyed the party. As I watched the crowd dance, taking in the looks on their faces, I reached into a blue plastic milk crate for the record I had been saving for this precise moment.
I pulled Carl Cox’s “Phuture 2000” out of its sleeve and placed it on the turntable, cradled the right ear of my headphones against my shoulder, dropped the needle, and began to find the tempo in order to match the beat.
▟ jay from the archives ▛
Satisfied with the sync, I rewound the record and waited for the right moment to drop it in. The final break of the previous song ended and I threw the vinyl, nudging the spinning 12” gently to line up the beats of the songs. I tapped the crossfader over on the downbeats in order to bring in the track, whose upbeat keyboards and taut breakbeats instantly began to elevate the energy level in the room.
Seconds ticked down to midnight as the crowd counted down. It was looking like I had timed this transition perfectly. Right as the clock hit midnight and the crowd let out a year’s worth of pent-up emotion in a single cheer, the song’s heavily processed vocal bounced across the room.
“The future, is our savior.”
Happy New Year. It was officially 2000.
If you had told me on that night two decades ago that I would still be going to raves at the age of 43, I’m not sure I would have believed you. But here we are.
But there’s a reason that I’m still going out and dancing ‘til dawn
at an age where most people are on their
second mortgage and their third kid –
or vice versa.
In the outside world, it’s all too easy to feel like an outsider.
Throughout much of life, whatever makes you different, you will be hated for it.
But here, it doesn’t matter. Differences fade on the dance floor, which is not to say they disappear. But in that moment, it’s too loud for anything to matter but the beat. No matter what separates us elsewhere, here, we are all connected by the mere fact of our presence. And that connection creates a sense of belonging – one that many of us have been seeking all of our lives.
The rave scene was born in the fringes of society, birthed by Black and gay pioneers in Chicago and New York City like
Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. They knew that dancing liberates us all – and those living on the margins needed liberation most.
It was a place where you always belonged, even if you didn’t belong anywhere else. Black sheep, outcasts, weirdos, and misfits could always find camaraderie, equality, and love on the dance floor. That’s why nobody ever looked at the stage or the DJ back in the day. We got what we needed from one another.
When you think about the actual power that dancing has, it becomes easier to understand why it’s been prosecuted and persecuted throughout history, from the Salem witch trials to New York City cabaret laws. Dancing is literally how you summon magic. It is a statement of empowerment, an act of expression. And the last thing anyone in power wants is for the masses to empower and express themselves.
We take that power with us when we leave at the end of the night.
It remains with us throughout the week,
an afterglow to remind us
that whatever may be
wrong
in our lives,
holding onto those brief, precious moments
where
everything that
feels right
is what
sees us
through.
__ _
Hiii, it’s your Creatrix again c: thank you for reading the second edition of our rave again series <3
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@Jay-Fenster 💸
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showcase YOUR rave to The Word!
🔱 On a personal level: I have uncovered profound cathartic & energetic release in expressing memories through writing them out and sharing them to the world. I want to extend that same chance to us all to help us get through this would-have-been coat check season & beyond by reliving some of our happiest moments on the dance floor. Since we cannot safely rave like we did before, let’s keep moving forward in appreciation for the moments we share and with our spirits high by showcasing our stories all in one place that was made for us, inspired by us, and hosted by one of us, namely me as IRON CREATRIX. I would love for us to see it through your storied point of view, especially now as I refocus my energy on crafting your orders and related engagements.
y’all have no idea how much you’ve impressed me in the truest & realest sense of the word through the years… i’m just a bit quiet. moving on!
💝 Fostering community in our harshly divided world is an uphill battle, but we can pull it together as an empowered and unified circle. We all could use an entrancing and consistent healthy escape from our pandemic’s woes. diving into a friend’s uplifting storied perspective can help us heal our collective wounds together as a whole, just like we do it at the afters. Think of it as a digitally connected and socially distanced ~GROUP THERAPY~ at your own comfortable pace, if you will {pu$h the butt0n} 🔘
✨ MAGIC: bring it back through the narrative that is unique to YOU. No one experienced the rave like you did — let’s live it again through /your/ mind, your words, and your eyes 💖 The objective is to help each other feel like
we are raving together again through another raver’s insight.
If you feel your storytelling is easier spoken: shoot us an audio recording, or a video of you speaking, maybe an original montage — we want to highlight what you have to say however you feel best saying it! I personally recommend writing, though, as writing is a powerful tool where you may uncover more than you might expect otherwise 🔮
!& you do not need to be a professional writer whatsoever to submit a story! if it flows, it goes 🌬 express yourself, we love to see it ✨
+ we like to decorate The Word visually with photos. Please submit your stories with photos that you either own or have consent for us to republish!
shoot us what you have as attachments, and we take care of the rest! (many many hours on my part; formatting is extensive work)
+ Anonymous submissions are welcomed and encouraged. Please use un-identifying photos for anonymous submissions!
= Send it over for a chance to featured on The Word to [email protected] ✨
I am kindly open to offering writing tips if you wanna give it a shot and you’re stuck c: you can nail this!
But first, here’s a prompt:
{ Raving creates a space to culminate an energetic force field rich with serendipity. Think back to a time when something amazing happened on or around the dance floor. Set the scene, remember how you felt in that captivating moment,
and take us there. }
(Don’t remember a coherent night out?
think back to a time when you DID!) –ℒ 🕳️✨
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