City has killed raves, fans charge

Mayor Bill Smith's proposed crackdown draws anger

Publication title: Edmonton Journal
Pages: B1 Front
Publication date: Jan 22, 2004
ProQuest document ID: 253092291
Author: Markusoff, Jason

Abstract:

DJs have left town, all-night revellers have headed to regular bars or to Calgary -- where six raves took place last year, despite similarly strict rules -- and businesses catering to the scene have seen tough times or simply shut down.

Fears of drug use and violence at raves prompted cities around the world to regulate or ban raves in the late 1990s and first years of this decade.

On an online message board at www.etownravepage.com, many dance- music fans and local DJs attacked Mayor [Bill Smith]'s proposal to make after-hours clubs and raves close at 3 a.m., like all other bars and clubs.

Full text:

Ran with fact box "Rave Message Board", which has been appended to this story.

EDMONTON - By cracking down on after-hours dancing, city hall would be crushing a local culture that hardly exists anymore, promoters and DJs said Wednesday.

They expressed anger at Mayor Bill Smith's suggestion Tuesday that after-hours clubs should turn off the music at 3 a.m., like ordinary bars and nightclubs.

There are only two dance-until-dawn clubs left in the city, down from a peak of four in 2000.

And because of a 2001 bylaw that made holding big "rave" parties more difficult and expensive, just one was held all last year, compared with two or more a month a few years ago.

"The city has basically destroyed it," show promoter Viet Nguyen said. "This is life for some people."

DJs have left town, all-night revellers have headed to regular bars or to Calgary -- where six raves took place last year, despite similarly strict rules -- and businesses catering to the scene have seen tough times or simply shut down.

Many fear a further blow could eradicate raves in Edmonton.

Smith said Tuesday he's revisiting the bylaw because of several complaints from downtown residents and businesses and because the police have cited problems with drugs and loitering around the after- hours venues.

Current bylaws allow the clubs -- which don't serve alcohol -- to stay open until 8 a.m., and to accept partiers as young as 16 years old.

"We've received zero complaints since we opened (in October)," said Gary Dewhurst of Twilight, formerly known as Climax, on Jasper Avenue and 105th Street.

With conventional nightclubs beginning to feature electronic music styles such as house or trance, there is little apparent difference by which to distinguish Twilight or Club Y, the city's other after-hours spot, from every other dance bar in Edmonton.

The hundreds of regular clubgoers at Twilight and Club Y will likely start underground parties to dodge city regulations, Nguyen said.

"People are going to throw after-hours parties without city permits, without police there, or paramedics.

They're not going to bother with it anymore. It won't be as safe as it is now."

Before the current bylaw, the core of Edmonton's electronic music scene was raves, the large all-night parties held in old warehouses, sports complexes or similar venues.

The parties would draw hundreds or thousands of dancers, with renowned DJs spinning records until dawn.

But fears of drug use and violence at raves prompted cities around the world to regulate or ban raves in the late 1990s and first years of this decade.

Nguyen stopped organizing the parties last year.

They were unprofitable after city permits and mandatory police staffing tacked on expenses of about $7,000 -- more than it cost to fly in a headlining international DJ.

Instead, he recruits those big-name artists for regular clubs, for shows sponsored by a major tobacco company.

Neal Kishor, a local DJ and manager at Whyte Avenue music store Foosh, said the after-hours clubs are clean, liquor-free venues -- no more drug-infested than any other bar.

"Pigeonholing one genre, sectioning them off -- that isn't fair," he said. "There are going to be problems in every field of entertainment."

Scott Koladich, a local drum-and-bass producer who recently signed to a U.K. record label, said the lack of places to play here has forced him to look elsewhere for community.

"There are no events anymore and that's what brought in the fresh blood and support for the scene," he said.

- - -

RAVE MESSAGE BOARDOn an online message board at www.etownravepage.com, many dance- music fans and local DJs attacked Mayor Bill Smith's proposal to make after-hours clubs and raves close at 3 a.m., like all other bars and clubs.

A sampling:

- "If you want to be a world-class city, having some nightlife is as good a place to start as any."
- "Imagine if someone just went tromping through and got the Folkfest cancelled, or closed Blues on Whyte. Why trample on art, music and culture?"
- "Maybe they should up the 'rave/afterhours' age to 18-plus instead of 16-plus, or maybe parents can just start doing their jobs and not allow their kids to be out past 2 (a.m.)"
- "A metropolis needs a nightlife. I live downtown too and it is no fun. Feels like a dust bowl."
- "Meth and gang BS is so prevalent, I've got almost no use for 'the scene.' "
- "There is yet another reason to get off our asses and vote for Robert Noce in the next election, which thankfully is coming up soon."