What About the Sober Rave?
When you Google 'Sober Raves' what pops up in the list of questions is :
... Our team laughed at the prospect of falling asleep dancing!
Sober raves for many years have not been common practice. In fact typical Western nightlife is renowned for heavy drinking and heavy partying and possibly binge culture has dominated the scene.
With the turn to focus on lifestyle and longevity more and more people have changed their perception or perhaps their priorities and how they chose to celebrate.
This week's intense temperatures indicate the need for hydration being more essential than ever, not to mention at a rave where typically heavy drinking, narcotics and plenty of dancing take place.
We wanted to touch on the significance of how not just rave goers but some artists have taken it upon themselves to transition into sobriety. Naming first, techno producer and DJ Rebekah who previously took substances. In terms of remaining sober as a DJ she shares her experience:
She continues by saying:
To anyone struggling with drug and alcohol addiction, you are not alone and there are many options for rehab, counseling and support groups that can get you started on your journey towards freedom.
Strictly sober-themed parties have been navigated around this culture which aren't hard to find if you do a quick search.
Another way of looking at the sober rave culture is regardless of the theme if you're committed to trying the process, to go at it regardless.
Specific sober themed parties and raves may be more of an incentive for anyone tempted to fall into a non sober state when the environment isn't build around this focus.
It's simply down to preferences but touching on a mental health note it's important to emphasise the discipline required to remain in a state of balance. Often this involves self-reflection and work.
All in all if you are in it for the music over the substance then no doubt you will enjoy the process.
Multiple other artist's have shared their own experiences of practicing a clean lifestyle, including the likes of Moby who has published books about his lifestyle.
We think it's fair to say Rebekah's personal accounts of non-sober cuture lead her to experiences that pushed her into heading a campaign: #forthemusic, a me-too movement dedicated to fighting sexual abuse within in the music industry. This came around in 2021, some time after turning sober. Details on the #forthemusic campaign can be found here. A topic in itself we can use for another day.
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