Hey there, in case you didn’t know, Lives After Dark is a weekly Substack where I talk about stuff often connected with club culture and sometimes the different facets of what a life looks like during and after tough times. Also I write some fiction. Yes this is a passion project and a labour of love, but if you feel like contributing by becoming a paid subscriber that would be very nice indeed. I believe it comes out to €5 a month so that’s a pretty good deal I think.
Early this morning as I was scrolling socials I came across a post about a person who DMed the promoters for a refund because they didn’t like the music at an after hours.
The organizers weren’t upset but instead posed a question, stating “not everyone is going to like every rave. Taste is taste… but how much do you research before buying a ticket?”
It made me think about all the tastemakers and gatekeepers of the so-called underground scene, and the kinds of club culture status one person can attain depending on the Djs one likes or the clubs you frequent.
Years ago, probably a year after I moved to Amsterdam, a DJ acquaintance of mine hit me up to see if he could crash at my place during Amsterdam Dance Event. He was lucky to enough to secure a gig during the conference and I was happy that I could host him. I remember vividly at one point during ADE I met up with him after one of the day workshops where he ran into a friend from Toronto. His friend asked us if we were going to see Hernan Cattaneo that night and I said we had tickets to see Solomun. The look of disgust on his friend’s face made me feel so embarrassed that I even mentioned Solomun’s name. What’s worse, I could sense that my house guest was just as embarrassed by this guy’s reaction.
That small interaction made me shrink into my clothes and through me into a dramatic inner turmoil. Was I not supposed to like Solomun if I wanted to be taken seriously as a purveyor of electronic music? What did liking Solomun say about me?
We did end up going to Solomun and I had a very enjoyable night. Over ten years later, I’m more inclined to buy tickets to other DJs, more local when possible. But I’ve never been much of a snob when it comes to electronic music. Recently, I also saw on socials a rather famous author (I can’t remember which and I’d rather not misquote someone) advocating for reading all different types of books. Books are not only meant to educate but they’re written to entertain, to open up different worlds. In essence, fuck what people say and read what you like. I have a similar sentiment toward underground club music which feels like both a gift and a curse. I feel it’s important to expose yourself to a variety of music and club scenes if you’re someone who takes a real interest in club culture. Sure, not everything is going to be your cup of tea, but who am I to yuck someone’s yum?
And who says that I can’t like or participate in different facets of the culture? Is it actually ok to be someone who is curious about Burning Man but dreams of getting into Panorama Bar, likes the idea of experiencing Tomorrowland at least once in my life while still wanting to go to intimate chic clubs in Paris or dank warehouses in Montreal? Is it ok to appreciate multitudes or more important to appear niche to be taken seriously?
We collect DJs like Pokemon cards. A friend attended Mutek and said he had the best time at a few parties. “Do you know Ben UFO?” He asked. I had to secretly fight the urge to be defensive and simply said, “yes,” even though I what I really wanted to say was “Duh, of course I know who Ben UFO is! I may not go clubbing as much as I used to but I still know DJs!”
I really don’t go clubbing much anymore and that is a concern of mine. I don’t know why exactly but it feels like a defeat somehow. It’s also perfectly fine to outgrow club culture, people do it all the time and so many young people (if the internet is to be believed) find it cringe for “old” people to be out clubbing anyway. I just don’t like the idea of a society that subconsciously dictates when I’m too old to go out dancing. I belong to the school of Bjork. I want to be raving until I’m 90 (or at least feel I have the option to do that).
Coming back to the initial rant of this post, I do believe that doing research is an important aspect of being perceived as someone who takes electronic music seriously. I genuinely enjoy when people can talk about their club nights out with a somewhat critical eye and ear and I’m slightly miffed when I ask someone about their night and who was playing and they have no idea. I’m an old school raver and I still strongly believe that a night out is primarily about the music. If you can’t tell me the name of a genre or at least a description of the type of vibe a DJ was creating I just automatically think you went to Croatia for some pics that look good on instagram. Again, to each their own and I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum but I probably won’t take you seriously when it comes to clubbing advice.
Next month I have a few tickets for ADE and for the first time in a long time I’ll be attending with some people who seem to genuinely like electronic music. These are not close friends yet but certainly friends in the making and I’m excited to take in some of the Amsterdam nightlife with a few people I can connect with on the dance floor.
I have undoubtedly passed the age most people consider clubbing as part of their lifestyle. With the little amount of clubbing I’ve done in the last few months I’m not even sure I can even call myself a clubber anymore. I’m still looking for people to match my vibe, people who are responsible, who hold steady jobs, who party on occasion, who know when it’s appropriate to be messy, who see the dance floor as a place of connection and healing, who know how to express themselves through movement, who see nightlife as an interactive experience and not just a photo op.
If you’re out there and live in Amsterdam, hit me up. I know who Ben UFO but there’s plenty more I’d love to discover.