Eskimo Dance?

[DJL]

ok can someone fill me in on the whole rave situation in london? why is it impossible to hold a party? who is this council?

This is actually about the Empire in Milton Keynes (about 50mins drive from London). Home to the recently destroyed (to make way for MK Dons football stadium, Asda and Ikea ) Sanctuary Music Arena which has played a big part in keeping the underground alive over the last 10 years or so.

 

[ambrose]

anywhere that legally has music events and alcohol, opens late etc needs a licence, granted by the local council. MK is a sort of US style town with a grid system and all zoned out. the local council (local gov. authority) have got the power to grant or not to grant licences to establishments that want to have music, dancing and serve alcolhol (although these are served by different types of licence), and clubs need to have licences that allow them to stay open late at night. so if a venue breaks the term of the licence, eg theres drug taking at the club (hahaahha), rowdy punters causing problems or soemthing, or complaints from residents about nosie, then the council may not renew a licence.

so if you want to stay legal, you have to go through a fairly tortourous prcess to be able to put on events. of course, back in the heyday of raves, it was all illegal, there was no worries about licensing, but since the criminal justice bill of 1994, which was specifically designed to stop raves, people are generally more inclined to use legal licensed venues, which severely restricts the ability to put on big events generally. sanctuary used to host massive hardcore events (legal tho) like world dance and n.a.s.a back in the day until it closed down, and the council might have got problems with basically having 1000's of kids congregating and getting fucked/having fun.

its worth bearing in mind that i have no idea what im talking about, btu theres a kernel of truth in all that i think.

 

[DJL]

anywhere that legally has music events and alcohol, opens late etc needs a licence, granted by the local council. MK is a sort of US style town with a grid system and all zoned out. the local council (local gov. authority) have got the power to grant or not to grant licences to establishments that want to have music, dancing and serve alcolhol (although these are served by different types of licence), and clubs need to have licences that allow them to stay open late at night. so if a venue breaks the term of the licence, eg theres drug taking at the club (hahaahha), rowdy punters causing problems or soemthing, or complaints from residents about nosie, then the council may not renew a licence.

so if you want to stay legal, you have to go through a fairly tortourous prcess to be able to put on events. of course, back in the heyday of raves, it was all illegal, there was no worries about licensing, but since the criminal justice bill of 1994, which was specifically designed to stop raves, people are generally more inclined to use legal licensed venues, which severely restricts the ability to put on big events generally. sanctuary used to host massive hardcore events (legal tho) like world dance and n.a.s.a back in the day until it closed down, and the council might have got problems with basically having 1000's of kids congregating and getting fucked/having fun.

its worth bearing in mind that i have no idea what im talking about, btu theres a kernel of truth in all that i think.

There have been compalints of noise from residents nearby since the Empire got turned into the "new" Sanctuary. This combined with various other stories in the local paper over the years about the Sanctuary have to be behind it.

 

[ambrose]

its weird, but the idea of residents complaingin about noise in MK is so weird to me, i just dont understand where these residents are. there doesnt seem to be any sign of life, or residences in the city at all! especially not near the station, isnt that just all midsummer boulevard and those mirror-glass office blocks?


i bet loads of those residents were actually in some village just outside and just hatwed the idea of a big rave happening so complained

 

[DJL]

Milton Keynes is one of the most mental places believe me. Outside of the central shopping centre (read: church) there are blocks of pure housing estates that stretch outwards from this centre. MK was built in exactly the same way as you build cities in SimCity. The estates nearest the shopping centre are the ruffest with the exception of some of Bletchley. The housing estates are just blocks of identical houses and each block has a pub and a 1-2 corner shops in walking distance. Anything else you want must be driven to.

The estates that have residents who have complained are outside of the inner ruffer band (which are nearer to the Empire) and strangely right next to the MK Bowl which pumps out far more sound when an event is on. Things have changed for Empire this year since they have started putting on rave type events with soundsystems being brought in which are much louder than the installed system - hence the complaints. Tony Rosenberg doesn't have a great rep in MK (although should do) because of various incidents involving the Sanctuary over the years which the local papers like to put on the front of their publications. In real life though, compared to the weekend drinkers who inhabit the hellish Theatre District section of bars and "clubs", ravers are practically godly in their behaviour.

 

[ambrose]

In real life though, compared to the weekend drinkers who inhabit the hellish Theatre District section of bars and "clubs", ravers are practically godly in their behaviour.

lol is the "theatre district" that massive wetherspoons down that way?

i wonder how many of those people actually go to the MK theatre

 

[DJL]

lol is the "theatre district" that massive wetherspoons down that way?

i wonder how many of those people actually go to the MK theatre

None go to the MK Theatre I can guarantee you that much lol

There is actually three Wetherspoons in MK - The one down near the Theatre District is part of the ridiculous Xscape indoor snowslope complex and right next to Oceania - the worst and of course most popular and biggest club...

MK is crap. Most people here are robots who work in offices and get wrecked at weekends standard. But, as a result, the underground arts and creativity here is unlike anywhere else imo.

 

[captain easychord]

But, as a result, the underground arts and creativity here is unlike anywhere else imo.

what do you mean exactly?

 

[Logan Sama]

lol is the "theatre district" that massive wetherspoons down that way?

i wonder how many of those people actually go to the MK theatre

Does the operating Theatre count, after a glassing of a weekend?

 

[DJL]

what do you mean exactly?

Milton Keynes is notorious for many things but one is the belief that there is no culture here or could not possibly be because of the length of time that MK has existed?! We have only had the Theatre and Gallery added recently and many people as a result have no experience beyond what is pumped to them through TV and the latest blockbuster film which has resulted in an army of Rupert Murdoch acolytes obsessed with cheap titilation, sports and lad culture. People think you're weird if you read here - no joke. As a result individuality and free thought is generally suppressed.

Until recently anyone with creative aspirations beyond drawing caricatures of shoppers for a fiver in the church have been silenced. Thank god that we had the Sanctuary in our backyard - literally a sanctuary for the culturally oppressed of MK. Many of the top promotors such as Helter Skelter/Dreamscape/Sidewinder etc, etc are based round or near here and MK has a particularly fervent raving underclass. Some of the nights at the Sanctuary have been legendary and these events inspire us locals to have a go ourselves. Some of the best parties I've ever been to (and i've spent the last ten years clubbing all over the world) have been at really small clubs and pubs round these parts. You'll often find people very close to the above organisations at these nights and they go off in a big way.

I set up my own local music and culture fanzine a couple of years ago as a result of meeting people at these events with, imo, extraordinary untapped talents in art and writing. The fanzine ran for about 8 issues, was distributed all round the local areas and I ended up winning the Literature category for it at the inaguaral "MK Creates" awards at MK Gallery which has got me onto one of the best publishing degree courses in the UK which I start in September

Anyway, with regard to the original question of what it is exactly about the underground talent round here which makes it unique I would say the following: This enviroment forces you to make a choice between "fitting-in" or madness. Those who are strong enough to accept neither have transferred their feelings into a uniquely truthful creativity and, crucially, the recognition of the importance of love in our future evolution.

In the meantime stay away from the Operating Theatre District (bigup Logan on that one lol) if you come to MK and help us close it down...