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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2001)
______ L Feature The CI ac I camas P rínt WedNEsdAy, M arc U 14, 2001 A PAVE NEW WONLP Educating yourself makes the difference Over the weekend, I had the op portunity to finally go to my first rave. I have always been interested in the rave scene, but never moti vated myself to go to one. Now with all this media attention, I felt it was time to get my own opinion on what really goes on at raves. Late Thursday night, I started my search for a local Portland rave. This was not a diffi cult task because the Internet is swarming with websites filled with rave information, chat rooms and up coming event calen dars just for the local scene. With little ef- fort, I came across a rave called Swirl that was happening the very next night. The same company, Big Bam Bass Productions, who only a week prior held a rave where Melissa Flaherty died, was putting on the rave. This would be the best opportunity to really see it for myself. Most likely, the same people would be there and the en vironment would be similar to that of the prior rave. I called the infor mation number given, got a loca tion and went to bed early to pre pare for the all-nighter ahead. I wanted to go with an open mind. I’m not stupid. I knew that people were going to be selling and using drugs, but I did not want to condemn everyone for a few people’s actions. I enjoy techno music and was looking for ward to going dancing, something I hadn’t done for a long time. Late Friday night after work, I picked up Maggie, our Feature Editor, and her friend Jenny and' headed downtown. Even with the vague directions, we were able to find the empty warehouse and the I think what people need to understand is that dealers don’t care about you and your well being. They just want a quick buck or something in return. This brings me to the three girls in line in front of us. Now, like I mentioned ear lier, I don’t want to condemn the whole rave scene for a couple of people’s actions, but the story I’m about to tellyou Editor really bothered not the only reporters looking for me. Three girls in line in a story. Every major television sta tion was present across the street front of us struck up a INTERNET PHOTO as if they were waiting for some conversation with thing terrible to happen so they Maggie, Jenny and me. Many people argue that the raves have more to do with the music the DJ's could flash it on the eleven o’clock I learned that one was produce from 'spinning'than the drugs that are consumed there. fifteen, another was -1 would guess, the middle of the dance floor. I walked away. news. We had probably been in line for sixteen or seventeen (she didn’t say) looked at them and got a good All and all, I enjoyed the rave. I about thirty minutes around a di - and the third was eighteen. The laugh, then realized that it was Lisa, don’t think that raves are the versely dressed group of kids be girl who never said her age, I’ll call the girl we met in line. We met up problem, but instead it’s the tween the ages of 14 and 25, when her Lisa, asked us where we were with her later and she said, “I was people who go to them unedu someone finally said the words, from. We told her that we were stu bad. 1 took drugs, but they were cated. The whole time I was there, every “you guys want to buy some ec dents at Clackamas and we wanted given to me for thing stayed un stasy?” I wanted to ask him if the to see what a rave was like. She then free.” She went drug was so great why he didn’t proceeded to tell us that this was on to say that der control. It was not unlike seem to be high on it. I decided not her first rave too, that we didn’t need three guys had other concerts to because I didn’t want to draw at drugs to have a good time, and to come up to her I’ve attended. tention to myself. I figured if 1 still be safe. I thanked her and assured and made out As for the girl had to spend another five or so her we weren’t going to take any with her. She we met in line, I hours with these people, I should drugs and we would all look after seemed so ex can only hope probably stay on their good side. each other. After another half-hour cited about ev she can learn We proceeded to ignore him and of waiting and a thorough pat down, erything. I tried from her experi soon he got the message and left us we finally made it inside. We parted to explain to her ence and make alone. I don’t particularly have a ways with the three girls and pro that was prob better decisions ably why she warm spot in my heart for ecstasy ceeded to the dance floor. next time. Re After about an hour or so of was given the dealers, in fact, I think they’re scum. Not that any drug is really safe, but showing off all my crappy dance drugs for free in the first place. This member that there were people with ecstasy, you don’t know what moves, Maggie pointed out a bothered me so much, but what using drugs, but there were also you might be getting. That is a couple that were playing tongue could I do. She didn’t seem inter people there that were sober and chance I’m just not willing to take. hockey with a small glow stick in ested in what 1 was telling her and having a good time. huge line of ravers that extended around the comer of the building. I treated it like any other concert I’ve been to and left all my valu ables in the car, except for the $30 to get in and enough to buy some water. We took our place in line and began the long wait to get in side. Itwas obvious by all the spot lights and news vans that we were I don't particularly have a warm spot in my heart for ecstasy dealers "Z was bad, I took drugs, but they were given to me for free." Llsa Raver Rave presents few surprises but ecstasy in full supply Last week I attended a rave party in a Southeast Portland warehouse for the first time. The dance show called “Swirl” was thrown by Kelly Monroe of Big Bam Bass Productions, the same promoter who had been in charge of a rave party two weeks ago when Melissa Flaherty died, possibly from an ecstasy overdose. A long line awaited us.when we arrived at the warehouse. At the front door, security guards were searching backpacks and purses and conducting pat downs. After waiting in line for about ten minutes, a guy tapped me on my shoulder. “You have some ecstasy?” he asked. “No, do you?” I answered, not sure whether he was joking or not. He told me that he had a whole bunch of it and that it was $20 for a pill. I asked him where he hides the drug and how he gets it in there, but he wouldn’t tell. Our conver sation ended with him telling me that if I changed my mind and wanted some ecstasy, to find him and. ask for it. The next person I talked to was a young girl who was at tending a rave party for the first time. She warned me not to do anything stupid and to be care ful. “Don’t do any drugs in there, you can have fun without it,” she said. About an hour later, after fi nally getting inside the ware house, I met the very same girl telling me how much fun she was having and what wonder ful drugs she had been taking, including ecstasy. She com plained about three guys who gave her ecstasy for free, and then they wouldn’t stop kissing her, but it didn’t seem to bother her. It seemed like it was a popular thing for guys to do in there; give away ecstasy for free to girls so that later on they could take advantage of them. Once in a while, I saw the guy who had offered me ecstasy outside the building. He would just appear out of nowhere and say exactly the same thing over did not even bother looking at the screen. Besides the fact that most of the people at the rave were on some kind of drug, it was just like any other dance party. Every body was dancing and having fun. It was really easy to talk to people. When asking a girl why she attends raves, she said it makes her more relaxed. “I used to be really shy and I had a bad attitude. Maggie Jirasek Since I started going to raves, I am much more re Feature Editor laxed and loosened up,” little screen. It was hard to really she explained. It was pretty much what I ex understand what they were say ing since music was playing in pected a rave to be. Nobody got violent and the whole time I felt the background. The message I got out of it was: Be good, be pretty safe. I would have never have yourself, don’t do anything imagined though, that it would stupid, now go and have fun. In be that easy to get ecstasy. You my opinion, it was not very con didn’t even have to go and look vincing. Most of the teenagers for it; the drug came to you, even for free. and over again, "ecstasy, ec- stasy, ecstasy." I figured that ignoring him would probably be the best way to get rid of him. At midnight, a message about the dangers of the drug ecstasy was displayed on a Ecstasy was available at every comer.
