1995 Part 1 – Ray’s Reviews

Crisis Point 3

Location: 2/20 Orange Grove Road, Liverpool

Date: 4th February, 1995

Rating: 7/10

This was a great rave with a very underground kind of feel to it. The atmosphere was the best point about this rave. It was in a huge warehouse that was divided into two sections. One was the dancefloor, the other was the best chillout I have ever seen. Raised dance podiums were set up in the dance room for people to get even higher (laff). This rave was packed with people, but the warehouse was so massive, that there was plenty of room.

The word “dark” had been redefined, if you were not close to the dancefloor or the chillout, you could not see right in front of you. There were two red and two green lasers which covered the ravers in a sea of moving light. The familiar smell of smoke machines was strong. Two giant screens had been set up with motion picture designed especially for CP3 playing. Conveniently, just outside was an all night McDonalds for those midnight hunger cravings. The music was great with the dancefloor pumping hard from 12pm onwards. The chillout had all the usual Punos gear, and tonnes and tonnes of comfy lounges and beanbags. A great rave, with a great atmosphere

EFTPOS – Extatic Feelings Through Positive Outward Sounds

Location: Bankstown Basketball Stadium

Date: 18th March

Rating: 1/10

This looked as though it was going to be a great party. There was a laser, and lots of great lighting. The sound was loud and pumping. Unfortunately not many people turned up, until about 11:30. Also unfortunately at about the same time so did the police. I had never seen anything like it. They were definitely determined to shut it down. Not only did a car full of police show up, but then another one. And another, and another…. eventually about 20 cars and 50 police had showed up strongly determined to stop the music. Local residents had supposedly been complaining, but as the stadium was not close to any homes and you could not hear much from outside the stadium, I don’t believe a word of it. The promoter argued with the police for about half an hour outside while everyone looked on! Finally the music was stopped, and never started again.

Love and Flim Flam – Easter ’95

Location: A little alleyway across the road from UTS Broadway

Date: 15th April, 1995

Rating: 4/10

The Easter long weekend brought this little rave. Three rooms were set up, one with happy hard, another with Hi-nrg, and another with hardcore. Funny how the hardcore rooms seem to be double the temperature of the others. It was a pretty good night, although one of the rooms was partially outside and it rained for some of the time. The Hi-nrg room was a wicked pumping strobe flashing party, the hardcore room was also going off. Lots of loud, dark and smokey rooms, with lots and lots of people. It was absolutely packed, which caused the main problems of the night.

At around 2am the bouncers stopped anyone from entering. This was a huge disappointment, as I was one of the people outside at the time. People who had bought tickets were not allowed inside due to some council crowd limitation or something. After hanging around outside for about 45 mins hoping I could get back in, they finally let us. For some reason though, the two best rooms had been shut down. What started off so well ended up a bit disappointing for lots of people.

A Perfect World

Location: 4 Canley Vale Rd, Wetherill Park

Date: 22nd April, 1995

Rating: 7/10

This was a great production put on by the Buck Rogers Ravers. Three rooms – Main, Hardcore, Trance. In a large warehouse, this party went off. The area was an industrial zone, so the music could be as loud as they wanted. Heaps of ravers turned up for what was to be a massive event. In the main room, a HUGE technological construction had been set up at the front, with multiple floors of DJ and lighting equipment.

There was more lighting at this place than any other rave I had been to. A huge moving circular lighting rig hovered above the dancefloor, with lasers and tonnes of other lighting on stage. Infusion did a great act, with a bit of pyrotechnics on stage, and a laser dancer dazzled the crowd with beams of all colours. The dancefloor was pumping all night, and there was a good atmosphere. One of 1995′s best.

Passion 2

Location: 288 Botany Rd, Alexandria (Graffiti Hall Of Fame)

Date: 29th April, 1995

Rating: 3/10

This was a free rave, close to the city, so as you might expect it was absolutely packed with people. The Graffiti Hall Of Fame is a basketball court with a couple of rooms in shelter. The walls are covered in graffiti paintings. There were two rooms and both were crammed with people. The main area was outside on a basketball court and there were stairs leading to the DJ mixing area. There was also an old Volkswagen that people were dancing on top of that had been brought in especially.

A laser covered the people throughout the night in the main area, and there was so shortage of smoke (mainly from people with cigarettes!). The music was good, but the sound quality was pretty bad. For some of the night it sprinkled, making the outside area well… err wet. The second room was much better. It was inside in a tiny room that was full of people. The room was extremely hot, because of its size and the partying that was happening. Harder techno and hardcore was the main focus of this room and it had a good atmosphere.

Little did we all know that at this exact place the following week there would be another rave with a double shooting. Fortunately no-one died. This was a good party for the price ($0 + $5 “donation”), but there were way too many people for the limited space, and the rain made it a bit disappointing also. Little also did we all know that the rave scene was about to be virtually destroyed by the death of Anna Wood which was to happen within the next 2 weeks.