The late 1980s saw an explosion of underground rave culture fuelled by acid house music and the euphoric drug ecstasy. For British youth tired of mainstream pop and club fare, this scene that peaked between 1988-1989 provided an escape into alternative music, values and lifestyles. At its height, tens of thousands of ravers congregated at secret, illicit events to lose themselves in hypnotic beats, psychedelic light shows and a communal spirit of peace, love and freedom.
When Margaret Thatcher became prime minister in 1979 she promised to bring harmony where once there had been discord. But Britain entered the 1980s bitterly divided over its future. At stake were the souls of the great population boom of the 1960s. Would they buy into the free-market, patriotic agenda of Thatcherism? Or the anti-racist, anti-sexist liberalism of the new left?
From the miners’ strike, the Falklands War and the spectre of AIDS, to Yes, Minister, championship snooker and Boy George, Rejoice! Rejoice! steps back in time to relive the decade when the Iron Lady sought to remake Britain. What it discovers is a thoroughly foreign country.
The Roots of Acid House in Chicago and Ibiza
Acid house originated in mid-1980s Chicago, pioneered by DJs like Marshall Jefferson who created hypnotic tracks using Roland TB-303 synthesizers. The psychedelic electronic sound featured heavy basslines, a 4/4 percussive drum pattern and samples from funk, soul and synth pop. Club DJs like Ron Hardy played these trippy, energetic tracks at underground venues like the Music Box, fueling a small scene of dance music aficionados.
Meanwhile in Ibiza, a kindred sound was developing. Eclectic DJs like Paul Oakenfold and Danny Rampling discovered dance mixes by the like of DJ Pierre that matched Ibiza’s party vibe. After visiting the Mediterranean island in 1987, Oakenfold and Rampling brought the acid house sound back to the UK along with the free-spirited ethos of Ibiza’s club culture.
By 1987, acid house was gaining traction in British nightclubs, particularly in Manchester and London. Clubs like Shoom, Trip and Spectrum catered to serious dancers with late night sets featuring psychedelic lights and ecstasy to enhance the experience. Underground parties with balloons, chill-out rooms and smoothies sprung up as venues for experiencing acid house’s hypnotic rhythms.
The combination of acid house’s futuristic electronic sound and the happy vibes of ecstasy created a euphoric environment that fuelled a growing scene. For British youth tired of mainstream pop and nightlife, it opened up a hypnotic, otherworldly space to dance through the night and embrace alternative lifestyles and values.
Rise of Massive Illegal Raves
By 1988, acid house and ecstasy use were rampant in British nightlife. But authorities soon began cracking down on licensed clubs, with many raided by police and eventually shut down. Ironically this pushed acid house further underground, spurring a boom in illicit raves organized through word-of-mouth, pirate radio broadcasts and phone line messages.
These unauthorized all-night gatherings began popping up at secret rural and urban venues ranging from fields and forests to aircraft hangers and empty warehouses. Abandoned car plants in areas like Blackburn became makeshift temples to acid house music, with tens of thousands attending individual raves. Partygoers drove from all over Britain to congregate around sound systems imported from Jamaica, like those built by Spiral Tribe collective.
Violence was rare as youth came together in a spirit of unity and freedom. Inside epic raves, dancers let loose to acid house’s hypnotic 4/4 beats, getting lost under strobes and projections for hours in a trance-like state. Chill out spaces provided refuge with ambient music, while some raves featured fun fair rides to enhance the euphoria.
For working class youth, raves became a form of escape from unemployment and urban decay under Thatcherism. Their DIY, underground nature allowed revellers to create an alternative society that rejected establishment norms. Free from supervision, they came together around progressive values like environmentalism, anti-corporatism and a communal spirit. Styles like dreads, smiley faces and tie-dye reflected acid house’s counterculture symbolism.
This temporary autonomous zone provided a legal grey area where youth could resist authority and pursuit alternative identities and lifestyles. For many, raves were a life-affirming, almost spiritual experience fostering togetherness after the divisive Thatcher era.
Media Hysteria and Decline
By 1989, acid house raves and ecstasy use had grown from an underground subculture to a nationwide phenomenon among Britain’s youth. Sensationalist media attention grew, with tabloids and officials denouncing raves as corrupting society’s morals. Police often clashed violently with ravers, using heavy handed tactics like baton charges to shut down parties.
A moral panic grew despite most ravers being peaceful – the BBC even created a cautionary mockumentary titled ‘Everyone’s Doing It’ depicting the perils of acid house. Laws like the 1994 Criminal Justice Act gave police powers to break up raves. Authorities also began monitoring suspected party phone lines and set up road blocks to prevent revellers from reaching secret venues.
Crackdowns and negative publicity caused the first-wave illegal rave scene to dissipate by the early 1990s. However, authorities failed to kill Britain’s spirit of dance, freedom and youth culture rebellion.
Acid house’s legacy continued influencing mainstream club culture and birthing new genres like trance, drum and bass, and techno. Its DIY ethos paved the way for large scale festivals like Glastonbury’s electronic focused area. Trailblazing DJs like Carl Cox and groups like The Prodigy took the rave sound global.
The era also shaped dance music’s digitization as samplers and computers replaced analog synthesizers. Music labels sprung up as dance tracks entered the charts led by acts like The KLF and Orbital.
Additionally, arts like VJing, projection mapping and LED technology trace roots to raves’ visual experimentation. Fashion trends from flattop hairstyles to smiley faces and phat pants originated with acid house.
Most of all, the pioneering spirit of togetherness and counter-cultural rebellion born in 80s raves continued inspiring new generations. For a window between 1988-1989, thousands experienced an alternative society where values of peace, love, unity and respect reigned. The communal euphoria of acid house and illicit raving endures today through festivals, concerts and clubs where youth still gather to dance free.
