In the shadow of the Haçienda, ravers past and present come together our annual consideration of the state of the (rave) nation.

‘One Foot In The Rave’: Representations and Reputations of the Club Scene

Louder's Annual Club Culture Panel discussion

The club scene has continually reformed and regenerated, whether the lindyhoppers in 1920s Harlem nightspots, pill-popping mods in 1960s swinging Soho or the ravers who parried their way through 1988’s Second Summer of Love. But then the beauty of subcultures is that the needle leaves the record and the music falls silent. Usually. But not so with the club scene… the DJs still spin, the clubs still run and new ravers swarm the dancefloor to replace those whose arthritic knees necessitate their retirement.

So what is it about club culture that means this scene endures?

In the shadow of the Haçienda nightclub, ravers past and present come together for our disco discussion … our annual consideration of the state of the (rave) nation.

There is a particular focus this year on Ibiza. Is that innocent looking Mediteranean island still the clubland HQ… or has it been forever altered by roped-off VIP areas and moments captured only for the ‘Gram? Is the magic of Ibiza now lost to those heady late 90s days of the Manumission Motel, or is the buzz still there? And why does the scene continue to form subject matter for mediation and reopresentation, from the series White Lines, to the Netflix movie Ibiza… none of which was filmed on the island?

To get to grips all this, Louder welcomes a rare gathering of club voices. We are delighted to welcome legend of the Haçienda Graeme Park to this panel, along with DJ Danny Whitehead (now producing music as Black Hawks of Panama, who lived on the island through the 90s and continues to do play there). Also with us is Steve Machin - resident of the island, running music and cultural events there, offering an important insider perspective. Joining us again is the club culture photographer Rachel McHaffie… how do actual images from those days for the likes of DJ magazine and Ministry of Sound compare and relate to fictional representations of the dancefloor? What does this mix do our collective memories? The panel will once again be chaired by Louder Than Word’s Dr Disco - Dr Simon A. Morrison - columnist for DJmagazine and editor of Ministry in Ibiza; author of books such as Discombobulated and Dancefloor-Driven Literature and now Programme Leader for the Music Journalism degree at the University of Chester.

So join us, and some special guests, and let’s indulge in some Friday Night Fever…. As Simon once grafittied on the wall of the club Zouk in Singapore: Life is a disco. And then there’s always the after party.

About Graeme Park:

Graeme is a clubland legend, principally from his eight year residency with Mike Pickering at the Hacienda.

Still in demand all over the world, and still in love with new music, he has also become known for his work with the Hacienda Classical orchestra.

About Steve Machin:

Steve Machin has worked across electronic music, culture and technology since becoming immersed in Manchester’s club scene during the 1990s. Now based between Barcelona and Ibiza, he works with cultural radio platform OpenLab, programmes music at Soho Farmhouse Ibiza and Pikes, and hosts conversations with artists including Norman Cook, Idris Elba, Blond:ish, HoneyLuv and Justin Robertson. Steve is a co-founder of The Chill Out Tent with Chris Coco and DJs as Strictly Poolside.

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