______ 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.