VJing at illegal partys???

[nocternal]

was wondering how many VJs perform at illegal partys/raves?

ive never actually seen VJing at raves, all though ive only really been raving in Norfolk (dont get me wrong,Norfolk raves are fucking A) - and a few in London

its the whole illegal thing,not having some kind of authority to protect your kit (im not necceserily talking about bouncers),but that whole - im in a club that's legal, reassurance, thing

im not sure,a few VJs that i know never do partys anymore after doing them for a while because there is just SO much risk involved...

...ive never done one myself,got the oppertunity to in London this weekend with my mate for a psy trance party. He assures me that psy trance ravers are cool,and you could leave your bag without it getting nicked,but there is still a bugging voice in my nind nagging at me....

any thoughts?

robbie

[kallisti]

at least here in the u.s., i think more people are concerned about the authorities seizing your gear when/if the party gets raided, as compared to stolen by some punters...

[Pesh]

work on the principle that if it can get stolen it will get stolen, even psy-trance squat partys attract arseholes, in the 'it's an illegal party, there won't be security and everybodys wasted' frame of mind.
as for the police, they will be after the soundsystem, and in my experience the genny fuses if they turn up.
the majority of the time when the police seize equipment they end up returning pretty soon after as the amout of work and court they have to go thru and win generally isn't worth their effort, they just want it to end there and then so they seize gear without going through all the normal procedures, issuing section 63 notices etc, and that means they won't get a conviction, so they give it back after a while.
still a big risk though, definately not going to be lugging goldenscans through the forests of kent again in a hurry :D
which crew is it for? send us a pm ;)

[sleepytom]

we used to when it was easier to find sites with permission and setup a decent amount of kit
http://innerfield.co.uk/images/tents-at-sunset-judes-04.jpghttp://innerfield.co.uk/images/decor-in-tent-judes-04.jpg
arrgh why can't i find some pics with the screens in??

however since the norfolk bobbies have been more proactive in discouraging the farmers from engaging in short term field hire things have become a bit more hit and run and we haven't done so much visuals.

but go for it - if you can minimse the kit you use to a bed sheet, projector and laptop then you only have 2 things to packup in a hurry if the boys in blue start getting angry (you'll *normally* get at least some warning before they start taking your toys away and confiscation is rare anyway). as to the munters stealing stuff then yeah its possible if your stupid and leave it lying around - again minimal kit can be packed up quickly if you get bored / too trashed to look after it! (too trashed is the main issue - the only video kit we have lost at parties was broken rather than stolen / confiscated)

[Stuart]

I've done a bunch of borderline illegal parties and the only thing bad that happened was some cracked out fool was trying to help and dropped one of my projectors. The crowd is very community oriented though and as such makes me feel pretty secure. Perhaps if it were less friendly I'd have not had to replace the beamer.

[WordVirus23]

yearly in the mountians...

and like stuart, some borderline ones as well... like tom said, keep gear minimal, so wham-bam thank you ma'am... how long does it take you to unplug, grab 'n go?

I'd take your own projector tripod stand, that way you're not trying to climb into the ceiling/rafters amidst chaos (generally seen as a kooky thing)

...take a table... there's never one when you need it... and a UPS if you've got one... but eh, that's why laptops kick ass right? UPS on the projector is nice tho...
I can't wait for the battery powered LED handheld projectors

..james...

PS (it's too bad they're only like 250 lumen)
<waits not so patiently>

[Creatrix]

I remember going to a small outdoor techno party here in Ontario, and all the artists were set up on 'stage' -- the inside of a cube van with its back door opened, leaving nothing on the ground. The idea -- if the cops came to bust it, shut the door and get the hell out of there.

Perhaps a bit monstrous to get a cube van, and i question the practicality of it all, but i do like the idea of a mobile unit that allows you to leave -- quickly. They were on to something...

[sketchyj]

i used to throw illegal parties all the time...i rented a warehouse space in downtown denver.....whenever the police would finally bust in they would always just try to figure out who owned the house (not me...) then they would just clear everyone out and leave. no gear was ever confiscated. I would suggest using a notebook computer lock and mounting things so that no one could easily snatch it on their way out and if the cops come just be chill and claim no association with anyone throwing the party, then come back when it's calmed down and retrieve your stuff. *sigh*....the good ol days
the following tribute to our boys in blue is a sketchy J original:
http://tinypic.com/fpcgmc.jpg

[Creatrix]

We actually lost some gear at a friend's after-hours club -- nothing major, fog machines and such -- the cops entered one night in full riot gear and had every down on ground (face first in rave gravy).. they ultimately confiscated EVERYTHING in the place, while our friend was in jail...took him about a year and half to get some of the stuff back, and unfortunately i dont recall the details of how he managed to do this.

[Rovastar]

One of the biggest problems might be not punters nicking the kit but being to wasted and falling on it, spilling drinks, etc.

Set up a structured area so crazies cannot get too close.

[asterix]

Dude you've really got nothing to worry about there. Cops will usually find out who the organiser is - and only confiscate PA equipment if anything (and usually that only after repetitive warnings about sound violations)

[videoswitchboard]

Illegal parties are the best.
But they are so much hard fucking work-
everybody needs to do everything: promotion, decor, music, security, food, negociations with residents and emotional support.

done loads of them- now once or twice a year is all i can handle.

craziest mission: taking 2 huge rgb projectors to CzechTek 2000 (http://members.chello.at/florian2/index.htm) to play along side desert storm (http://network23.nologic.org/ds/press/mixmag12.jpg) and then do our first "chillout" Pointless Cinema tent in the middle of the madness.

Yes things get trashed or confiscated.

But to me, it will always remain the real thing and clubland is will always be a lower grade derivative.


Free parties (or illegal parties if that's the way you want to call them) need not to be full of assholes and violent druggies.
These days, we'd rather do some micro-free parties with 50-100 ppl using
12V sound/ video systems (http://www.ray-mundo.co.uk)

look at bassline circus (http://network23.nologic.org/BASSLINESITE/bassline/BASSLINESITE/splashpage/splashpage.html) , they're the perfect example of what comes out of that scene.

I think artists that comes from there are a lot less selfish and can see beyond their own practice because they will have gone through some real scary shit at some point and they're definitely not in it for the money.

so respect is due to those that put their asses on the line.

That means you and your warehouse sketchy.

[Scratchpole]

Have had the pleasure to play only one large warehouse party, it was great fun.
Learnt a couple of lessons though...
Persuaded a friend to take thier van into the venue, great base to work from, safe environment for my equipment?
After the electricity cut out the second or third time we pulled out our own generator, saving the projector from further risk. When the power tripped later we kept running, it was the only light in the building with a thousand plus ravers looking on.
Err dosn't this relate to another thread ( silent VJ's)

All was well late into the night, I got tired and went home leaving my kit locked up in the van.
Great party continues untill the boy's in blue turned up a bit after dawn, and closed it down. They must have been reasonably polite nobody moaned to much.
The crux of the issue comes when they forced my mate to move the van off the premises, as soon as they reach the highway (clink) drunk incharge of a vehicle, they were pushing the van as they new they were over the limit. Oh well they didn't actually charge him with anything in the end, just wanted to make a point.
So all my kit and half of the other rave gear including most of a kitchen gets left in the van for a day. ( on the wrong side of the tracks) My heart was in my mouth untill we got back on site, to find the van in tact later in the day. Phew.

Deffinately worth the risk, but I am glad I don't do it every week.
Good luck!

[visualove]

One of our specialties is outdoor parties. We have to rotate the sites which are on public land and keep the announcements on the lowdown and at the last minute. For the beach party, the sheriff showed up and liked our vibe. Even helped some people out of the mud. He just wanted us to be sure we picked up the bottles and such. Another party in an abandonded quarry in the forest, which had a beautiful view of the valley, was only discovered about noon the next day. Again the rangers just threatened us if we didn't clean up everything. That party had 5 stages, 2 with visuals, and more generators than stages. What I haven't figured out is why people can't seem to get their trash in the bins, cleaning up after them is a pain in the arse.

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by videoswitchboard

Free parties (or illegal parties if that's the way you want to call them)....

These are not the same thing. I was asked to visuals a year or so ago for a squat party in London.

Thinking about it too until I found out they were charing ?10+ in and they didn't want to pay anything.

All the savings of no venue costs as well............

[videoswitchboard]

Hi Rova,

Most free parties (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3647649) are essentially illegal parties because they rely on the concept of TAZ (temporary autonomous zone (http://www.hermetic.com/bey/taz3.html#labelTAZ) - wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temporary_Autonomous_Zone) ), and anyway, since the Criminal Justice Bill- such gathering are illegal in the uk.

So whilst detractors and the media will mostly call them "illegal raves", those involved will continue calling them "free" and this doesn't only refer to the entrance fee (read that short intro on bbc site if still not sure).
But I think they are essentially the same thing.
And I know many fucked up things happened during these events which makes it too easy to only see the negative side.

Now it's totally conceivable that a squat party could run with a ?10 entry fee and still won't have enough overhead to pay anybody- I mean look at the
burning man thread (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=12633).
There are many more variables than just subtracting the venue cost from the door money to find out if somebody is ripping you off.

I mean what were those guys thinking asking YOU to do high class visuals amongst smelly squatters anyway! ;)

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by videoswitchboard
Now it's totally conceivable that a squat party could run with a ?10 entry fee and still won't have enough overhead to pay anybody- I mean look at the
burning man thread (http://www.vjforums.com/showthread.php?threadid=12633).
There are many more variables than just subtracting the venue cost from the door money to find out if somebody is ripping you off.

I mean what were those guys thinking asking YOU to do high class visuals amongst smelly squatters anyway! ;)

:) I know. I was through a friend who was DJing and I initialy thought it was a proper gig as they ran a monthly psy trance night.

I didn't really want to be mixing with those smelly squaters anyway. I might catch something. ;)

I still don't agree with that they cannot make money they were promnoters ion a business to make money and did so a club night. But what annoyed most was the implication of a free party upon speaking to me..........

[sleepytom]

see "free as in speech" as opposed to "free as in beer" (http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) - i'm not saying that the gnu org puts on raves but the concept is basicly the same.

try this (http://www.schnews.org.uk/diyguide/howtohaveafreeparty.htm) for a guide to putting on free parties.

[Rovastar]

Originally posted by sleepytom
"free as in speech" as opposed to "free as in beer"

I understand the concept just never seen it applied to dance nights before.

I know for the future now......I swear that quote get more (wrongly) overused every day.

Nice link - fav bit:

"Lastly a few DO?s and DON?Ts:

Partygoers:

DO hassle stressed people with head-torches and screwdrivers when the music?s mysteriously stopped saying "Oi mate, can I borrow your miners helmet to skin up with."

DO poke bits of metal into unknown boxes on the wall with coloured lights, saying "Beam me up Scotty".

DO gather round the police when they arrive, waving empty bottles and shouting "Remember the Beanfield, bastard pig wanker?"

DON?T help clear anything up at the end, but instead lie around in a pool of piss and dog turd informing the organisers that they?re slaves to the system.

DO arrive at a pitch-black Welsh hillside in November with only a small nightie, high-heels and two pills (previously ingested if possible).

DO believe the police when they tell you the party?s cancelled (as they never lie), and on no account bother to try to find a different way onto the site, returning 40 miles to your flat to watch telly.

DO park across the access road to the party so that ambulances can?t get in.

Organisers:

DO give out printed flyers saying "Illegal Rave" in large letters a week in advance to give the police ample time to plan their operation.

DON?T pick outdoor sites with ample parking as muddy dodgems in the morning is a top laugh and modern ambulances have wings.

DON?T bother with a tarpaulin to cover the rig as it never rains in Britain.

DO put generators inside buildings as Carbon Monoxide heightens the effects of ecstasy

DON?T bother bringing any water to the party. If someone dies of dehydration it?s their own stupid fault ...your honour."

:D

[funkcutter]

Originally posted by nocternal
was wondering how many VJs perform at illegal partys/raves?


it's where i started back in the 90s - was an absolute dream and 'free' in everything but the taxation sense.
exodus, unsound, rt(things) gangaday benefits ... in the cinemas and theatres of north london which were perfect for projection with their massive balconies and the warehouses of luton with their excellent high ceilings and power supplies.

but it's an average risk for getting kit broken by munters, maybe nicked, but not really confiscated, as it doesn't make a noise, so when the sound system gets taken, you're vj rig wont be. but the old bill might not have read up here on vjf about that fact and you might not want to argue the toss at 11am on a sunday morning or whatever.

you might want to pay attention to...

= power supplies and your projector getting switched off suddenly
= getting locked in
= be careful climbing up derelict places
= have a big crew
= cook lots of wheat free pizza and take a flask of tea!
= don't leave last

too much like hard work these days... and unfortunately too much crack and ketamine at all the london ones it seems. bad vibes :(

i hope it will revive but probably not with the uk dodgy government making things miserable and clamping down on having any fun, expressing yourself, being happy.

[asterix]

I never made a dime off an illegal (free?? for the punters maybe ) party. Cover charge or not. By the way guaranteed at least 60% refused to drop a cent into the kitty :nod: . And it sure as shit is a truckload more work than just ploughing a few flyers then plugging in at the local nightclub. But dang it they are the most memorable and rewarding events.

Switchboard interesting you mentioned the smaller parties. We do quite well of our little two stroke genny. Surprising how hardy those little things can be, and the sound you can extract from them!!

[videoswitchboard]

surely Asterix,

Aussies have been leading the way with renewable technology... you must run your gene with veggie oil like local heros lab-rats (http://lab-rats.tripod.com/labratsnews.htm) .

the solar options is becoming more and more viable too. here in the uk we've got groovie moovies (http://www.groovymovie.biz/).

I've been experimenting with 12V technology myself : i can run a 1500 lumen projector for 2 hours of a single leisure battery using a design similar to the porta-projector (http://cabinexchange.randomstate.org/comingsoon/portaprojector/porta_page1.html)
well handy when you're in the countryside- no noise and fumes, therefore a smaller sound system sounds just as fat (no background noise).

freedom from the fossil fuel+power grid is just as important

dav

[caine]

i know some guys who ran a free party up in aberdeen, the only requirement of the punters who turned up was to take their turn powering the system by use of a couple of bikes wired up to a genny of some sort.
work quite well apparently but half way through the night no one was in a fit state to do it or couldnt be arsed so they had to switch to deisel.

nice idea though, and kept them fit...... :P