Underground Dance Music Culture in Boston | Basement Movement

There’s something so uniquely special about the rave that I find myself always wanting to replicate this experience - the holy grail of underground dance music events - wherever I go in life (at least if only in some aspects). To me, the quintessential, clandestine gathering is simply the purest brand of fun you can have on the planet. With this in mind, I wanted to write a quick thought piece on the top five locations hypothetical locations that could host a rave… hypothetically. 

1. Must be a real place

2. Must be strictly illegal to throw an unsanctioned event in, and

3. Must have at least four walls. Outdoor areas only count if they have an indoor aspect.

With these guidelines in place, let’s look at my top five.

This made the list mostly because it’s my home city, and I’d do literally anything to see this happen, but also because it’d make a seriously goddamn groovy hypothetical rave. Sitting on a full floor 52 stories above Boston, this party would be perfect for the summertime. The logistics would be incredibly difficult - from gaining access to the building, to delivering and installing the audio components, to getting the hundreds of people who’d definitely be down for this all the way to the top, I’m thinking a helicopter and some seriously talented ex-security-industry professionals would be required. This party would feature a lineup of classy, down-tempo, psychedelic house DJs — paying homage to the soulful jazz that usually fills the room. 

Similar logistical difficulties would exist for this event. However, in this instance, I’d like to see everyone arrive via helicopter. It would be required that all attendees dress in black from head to toe, as this would be a dark, driving techno party in true Seattle fashion. I think that the room at the top of the Space Needle spins, so we’re gonna have that spinning in sync the RPMs of whatever record is on. 

This is going to be our jungle bass party. We’re going to get in a lot of trouble if we get caught doing this one - if you’ve ever seen Brendan Frazier’s The Mummy, you’re catching my drift right now. Dress for this party as though you’re attending a party in an actual jungle - this is so that we can at least somewhat confuse the spirits while we boogie in the depths of the tombs. Laser light shows will accompany torches lit all over the various dance floors.

This seems like a super spooky place for a tech-house rave. I’m thinking Seth Troxler takes one stage all night, while Brodinski b2b Gesaffelstein hold down the other, perhaps from the bell-tower, representing their home city. Expect electronic body music, many ghastly outfits, and an overall dooming air. The gothic architecture, combined with history of the church and the spiritual authenticity of the people will make this one they’ll talk about for a while. 

One of the bastions of techno in America, San Francisco is nonetheless comparatively lacking, domestically to New York, and certainly to many others abroad, in terms of the quality and quantity of their clubs. This is why my number one choice for a groovy hypothetical rave (at the time being) is San Francisco’s Pier 39. With breathtaking views, consistently beautiful weather and a people so genuine you can literally feel it, this would be an absolute blowout. Pier 39 features many different buildings, so this would actually come out looking more like a festival. I can imagine a scenario in which each of many of their different massive rooms plays host to a different, specific variant of dance music, catering to all in the true fashion of the city. We’d have our kandi kids, house hipsters, goth ravers, soul seekers, trainspotters, hard-stylers and moon-lighters all in one harmonious get-together. And after all, isn’t that what raving is all about? 

What are your top five? Comment below and let us know!