Rave: Free Love 96

Date: Saturday, 13 July 1996

Production: Bizerk Productions

Venue: Centennial Basket Ball Stadium, 9 Redfern Road Minto

DJs: Affinity (Live), Reaver (Live), Nik Fish vs Jumping Jack, Spellbound vs Herb, Chester vs Jade, Fenix vs Dynamix, Akira vs Tribe, Airwalk vs Daydream, Budds vs Stoo, Subzero vs Vagas, Nathan Barclay vs Elusion, Asterix vs Vic, Jesta vs Biggles

Description: Ray's Reviews - Freelove 96: The week after the Field of Dreams experience, this was hyped up to continue the great “big rave” events. But it was not to be. The organisation of this event was terrible, and many people were very disappointed. It was advertised as a free event, but did not end up that way. I got there at around 11pm, and there was a queue about 100 metres long. We got on the end of the queue and waited, and waited.. and waited.. and waited. 3 hours later, we finally got to the entrance of the stadium (2pm by this time), and were forced to pay $5 “donation” or else we couldn’t go in. I’m not against paying $5 for an event, but if it is advertised as being free, then it bloody well should be free. Our legs were aching, and our spirits down, only to go into the event to be disappointed further. There were a LOT of people here. Thousands of people had showed up – most of them not even being ravers! The sound quality was terrible, and the volume very low. The only thing happening that was of any interest at all was the laser show on the see through sheet that was up in the air – and often showing gratuitous e-messages. The one live act that I saw when we were there sounded pathetic (probably not due to the performers themselves, but the equipment they were using). And finally the “once you’re in you cant go out unless you line up again” policy was in force, and the line had died down to about 2 hours long instead. A very disappointing night, a long drive, a waste of petrol and $5, and sore legs to match. If Field of Dreams was a night out at the pub, then this was the hangover the next day.