Kandi Kids like to Party in Edmonton

With our ear on the ground and our feet in the sky SLICE witnesses the return of the party scene in Edmonton, AB. Old skool ravers will argue that the scene is dead and gone (unless they're from Quebec anyway) and that it reached it's peak in the 90s and has gone downhill ever since. These people are obviously OLD, found 9-5 jobs, haven't been partying in years or live in Toronto. Edmonton is witnessing a rave rebirth, and they are quite possibly leading the pack as far as the underground sound goes. Boodang music and Connected Events have been at the forefront of Edmonton's party revival. There is so much going on there you'd think it was '96.

Canada has always had a pretty strong rave culture that has stretched from BC to QC with world class parties being hosted by promoters like Hullabaloo (RIP). But with recent flexing of the legal muscle in cities across Canada and the introduction of by-laws such as the Extended Dance Event by-law in Calgary, the party scene has been pushed into clubs, or further underground. Such is the case in Toronto, where most raves are held in clubs like The Guvernment (March 19th Revolution), or in fields out in the middle of Ontario or Quebec promoted by communities like Freetekno. Occasionally events like Nuit Blanche's annual Mobile Rave downtown Toronto, put on by Rothko Institute, keep the spirit of partying alive in the city, but for the most part you have to really search for what you want. (An honourable mention goes out to London Ontario, where their underground and house party scene is thriving and seeing world renowned international DJ's making London town a stop of priority)

Down Vancouver ways the Shambhala Music Festival in Salmo, BC has been a triumphant success and is likely the largest rave event to be hosted out west each year. Montrealers still party hard with events like Bal en Banc, as Quebecs rave culture is far more mainstream than other parts of Canada. As far as the East Coast goes, I'm afraid there doesn't seem to be much of a "scene" out there any longer however there are a flurry of events that are hosted in local clubs and centres.

But as far as raving goes in Canada, Edmonton definitely has it in the bag.

For more info on your local party scene, keep your eye out for flyers at clubs, music and clothing stores or hit up forums like ravelinks, rave.

Peace and Love-
SLICE

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