Ishkur's Guide to Rave Culture

Scene
Only the rave scene understands itself as the "rave scene".
      For most outsiders (and indeed, even some party-goers), raving is regarded as just another recreational weekend activity, no different than watching sports, going to the movies, or playing videogames.
      Since this is the case, then it can be argued that perhaps a vibrant, underground scene of sports fans, film buffs and gamers--complete with their own special clothing attire, attitudes, and jargon--exist somewhere out there, forever cursing at the media for misrepresenting them, believing whole-heartedly that what they’re doing is embarking on something unique and revolutionary, and deliberately segregating themselves from those they think are trying to intrude and commercialize their scene. (see AWOL)

Scenester
Someone who is always advocating for stricter enforcement and segregation of VIP rooms.
      Scenesters are people who base themselves not on what they know, but on who they know. And in the rave scene, the only people worth knowing are promoters and DJs. The beauty of this is that scenesters never have to pay to get into a party (or club). Or even stand in line, for that matter.

Security
An important faction at raves. The real responsibility of Security, in addition to curbing violence and aggression, makes them more than unwelcome by just about all ravers in attendance, who simply wish that they wouldn’t be there.

Seizure
If this happens to you, it means the visuals/lights/special effects people are doing too good of a job. You should thank them when you get better.
      Either that, or you vastly overestimated your body’s tolerance for psychoactive substances.

Shit (shite)
Slang. The mispronouncement of a single letter in this word can completely throw off its implied meaning.
      For instance, if one were to say that something is 'the shit' then it means things are very good (see Bomb). However, if one inferred that something is 'the shits', then it means things are very bad. Therefore, this word must be used sparingly and under extreme caution at all times to avoid miscommunication.

Sick
Slang. It means 'good'.

Sketchy (sketcher, sketchpad)
A state of mind, equivalent to complete and utter confusion mixed with anxiety, on half a functioning brain.
      Sketchers are basically people who can’t tell if they’re still high or not. (see Drugs, After-glow)

Smart drink
A chemical remedy designed to counter the negative effects caused from ingesting chemicals.
      Or sometimes enhance them.

Speaker fucking
Usually aided by psychoactive substances, this is an activity ravers like to do when it’s just not enough to hear the music--they’ve got to feel it as well.

Speed
(see Crystal meth)

Speed garage
Speed Garage is the opposite of House. When you listen to House, it makes you smarter. (see House)

Spin (spinning)
It's something that DJs do quite well.
      It's also something that methheads do.

Sticker
Quite ineffectual as per its purpose, actually, when it tends to fall off due to excessive sweat and moisture. Unless its placed in a dry location, which, at a rave, is not exactly an easy place to find. (see Fire hazard)

Straight-edge
A self-proclaimed elite class borrowed from punk culture that shuns drugs as a measure of their high status. They often exhibit overly-boastful markings of giant black X’s on the back of their hands (the more visible, the better).

sXe
(see Straight-edge)

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Seizure: Also means you didn't hide your crack well enough when you tried to sneak it past security. Always follows a search, and is the term used to justify stealing another person's crack.
-- Curtis, January 21, 2000

Stupid House: A combination of lack of intelligence and willingness to cheese out has brought about the largest amount of egocentric and holier than thou genre devotee's since the inception of Jungle.
also:
Stralt: A term coined during a chance encounter between two ravers, a scrabble board and a large bag of ketamine. Later thought to be the state in which you are both Agro and Sketchy. As in; "That dude is stralting harsh.", "Stralt!", and "I'm a bonafide stralter."

-- Don Springford, January 26, 2000

1. Selectah - New Brit slang for DJ.
2. Largin' it - To go all out on the weekend.
-- Skibadee, January 30, 2000

You may want to add to the 'Seizure' entry that these have been known to happen to people who've taken too much crystal.
-- Nice Guy, March 9, 2000

'Speed Garage' is House music played at a relatively standard four-on-the-floor dance tempo (132BPM or higher) accompanied by rolling bass lines typically found in D'n'B tracks. Its general mood is much darker than House.

People either love it or hate it. Some who hate it refer to it as 'Speed Garbage'.
-- Nice Guy, March 9, 2000

'Sketchfest: A bunch of people sitting around after an after party. Being really confused and feeling weird. Pot is usually smoked!
-- marcel marechal, April 18, 2000

Smile Hider: A dust mask coated with vicks on the inside or outside.
-- Timmy, July 5, 2000

smart drinks - drinks made up of fruity extracts and otc nootropic drugs and herbs mixed together into a slurpy type drink so kids can get wired and/or "smart"
-- Jonathan Hart, July 11, 2000

In 8+ years of observing and being in the scene, the scene extols PLUR only to those within the scene. The rave scene is NOT actively trying to change the world (with maybe the exception of hippie ravers), and it's not all that different from past social movements. For one, it's all about the TAZ --creating a bubble within the world that is different. Change only what's in the bubble of the TAZ. Lingo and private terminology are a way of strengthening the wall between the suspended zone and the real world, and distinguishing those who are 'in' from those who are not.

Go to any rave, hang out with any so-called ravers, and you'll see a tolerance for everyone except those that would do harm to them or try to stop what they're doing. Consistently you'll hear complaints about the barstars, ginos and gangstas that hang out at raves and of how the party people wish they weren't there. In those cases, you'll see the ravers move away from those people within the venue and create their own bubble within the rave space, as if creating a zone within a zone. No one is going to mingle and try to get those gangstas in the vibe.

It may not be so much the case now, as raving has gone mainstream, but in the past you could always rely on the jocks and Johnny Football Hero's of high school to bully and harrass those that were different. In the early 90's ravers were no exception. I think this ill regard for mainstreamers by ravers has carried on through the years, and is probably mirroring a cycle that has happened in the past with punk rockers, new wavers, disco freaks, hippies, and goths.
-- Psychic Sphincter, September 14, 2000

the straight edge movement is not about higher status....it's about personal choice. I don't choose to be straight edge because i am higher than anyone...its because i don't want to take drugs. i have friends that do and i nag them but i don't critizize what they want to do. It's their choice not mine.
-- edge, October 15, 2000

straight edge those who do not have to take drugs to appreciate the music.usually possessing a better ability to dance than the the average person.DONT HATE CAUSE WERE NOT ALL CRACK HEADS LIKE YOU!!!(only applys to crackheads)
-- drug free, Friday, March 2, 2001

(author's note: see Straight-edge)

hey, not all of us sXe'rs are elitest (and i hardly call it elite).

it's just a choice. live drug free. what's wrong withbeing proud of it? i dont care what people around me do, it's their choice. the only thing i have a problem with is smoking; makes my ill physically and i hate second hand smoke. that's about it.

only the bad ones are elitest =P
-- pete, March 29, 2002

(k) 2000-2006 Ishkur
and the kickass artwork of Satoshi Urushihara