Rave Culture as Art: The History of a Musical Movement

Tobia D'Onofrio's updated 2018 book "Rave New World: L'ultima controcultura" argues that for the first time in music and youth culture history, an alternative lifestyle has been banned by law. This follows the Italian government's decree-law 162 of October 31, 2022, which imposes 3 to 6 years imprisonment for organizers of unauthorized gatherings of over 50 people, targeting rave parties near Modena. The rave culture originated from the acid house subculture in the UK between 1988 and 1992, evolving into peaceful gatherings of thousands across nationalities, ages, and classes, addressing political and social issues. Jeremy Deller's film "Everybody In the Place: An Incomplete History of Britain 1984-1992," shown at the Pecci in Prato during the exhibition "Second Summer of Love" (commissioned by Gucci and Frieze), traces rave's roots to depressed industrial peripheries, indebted to working-class protests, Chicago gay club electronic music, and ecstasy. Unlike clubs, raves had no bouncers but an underground network. In the 1990s, acts like Adamski, The Orb, 808 State, and Prodigy became stars by performing live with sampling and keyboard improvisations, as The Orb described in Sarah Thornton's 1998 essay "Dai Club ai Rave": they aimed to bring their recording studio before 2,000 people, mixing sounds live. The article equates rave culture to the art world, both critiquing mainstream superficiality and seeking unconventional tools for free expression.