Let the lights flash faster...

I'd been going to free festivals since the 1970's (see the picture on the right), but Partying (or raving as it s still called) was something I discovered in 1994. Although strongly disapproved of by our moralistic "new labour" government (sorry, I hate them), it remains my favourite way to pass a weekend.	My music choice is techno/trance, especially the psychedelic and brain drilling varieties. I do like the heavier stuff it has to be said - like "Acid" trance, but I can be quite happy with more "fluffy" stuff. As always with this sort of thing, site and setting are so important! I also like folk music, but we won't go into that here	Me, at a free festival in 1979

Mail me derek@ukcia.org

The year ended with a couple of London parties and a squat in Norwich in the old Bennetts store - a venue which was to host four parties until the local paper did a "Raves shock horror" story.

2001 started with a multi system bash in South London and then two parties run by HEADFUK under the title "Hardcore convention". Then there was the Panik/Underground sounds double bill - two parties in one day - and another multi-rig bash in a huge warehouse near to Totenham Hale station.

Eventually, even I needed a break ...

2002

Following a small squat party in Norwich early in the year, I took a long break from parties, with the exception of the jubilee weekend in May when a large free party happened near Thetford. It suffered a bit from power problems on the Saturday night, and got closed down with a noise abatement on Sunday, but it was fun - if a bit messy.

Other than that though, I didn't go again till August, when two happened on following weekends, the Elvin Moon Moot near Newbury and Talybont in South Wales