A history of rave in dance music documentaries
Hours of gold watching material, from '88 to '16
Although someone whipping out a camera in the dance is usually a moment of great panic for fear of being caught slipping, raving has been a significant cultural phenomenon for generations and we’re glad that there’s been people there to capture the story of raves over the decades.
From acid house to EDM, jungle to gqom, drum ‘n’ bass to techno, dance music’s diversity is vast, and each subculture has its own thrilling story and has impacted upon the world.
If you’re interested in learning the history, we’ve got you covered. The numerous documentaries listed below provide an insight into many of the movements that have risen up and made their mark. There’s hours’ worth of gold to watch, so get stuck in below.
World In Action – A Trip Around Acid House (1988)
This ITV film goes in depth exploring acid house and the moral panic surrounding it that was pushed by the British media.
The Summer Of Rave (1989)
The BBC takes a celebratory tone in its depiction of the positivity energy generated by 1980s rave culture.
E is for Ecstasy (1992)
The BBC follows a group of ecstasy users to determine the motivations people have for taking the drug and the cultural impact it had in this illuminating documentary, which parallels its stories with insight from health professionals about the potential harmful effects.
All Black Jungle Fever (1994)
“England’s not just The Beatles.” Journey back to the birth of UK genre jungle, featuring the rise of computer-made music, MC culture and cutting dubplates.
Lola Da Musica: Gabber (1995)
With an average tempo of around 170 bpm, gabber is one of the most frenetic genres of dance music ever made. It’s certainly not for everyone, but its popularity in Holland was astronimcal, and as the genre name indicates (“gabber” is Amsterdam Bargoens slang for “friend”), it was built on love and community. English subtitles are available on the YouTube version above.
Dancing on Narrow Ground: Youth & Dance in Ulster (1995)
Desmond Bell looks into the sectarian political landscape of Northern Ireland in the '90s via the lens of rave culture, and questions the idealised narrative of rave’s impact, asking whether it had long-lasting, unifying effects or if the respite was only temporary.
Lola Da Musica: DnB (1996)
Made by the creators of the Dutch gabber documentary, this documentary focuses on drum ‘n’ bass and innovative St Albans duo Source Direct. Fans of Joy Orbison, keep an ear out at the 1 minute 27 seconds mark.
Modulation (1998)
This feature-length film combines a range of archival material, video clips, concert footage, and multiple interviews with musicians to investigate the rise of electronic music and many of its styles, from John Cage and Kraftwerk to Moby and the Future Sound of London.
Talkin’ Headz (1998)
Few can hold a torch to the influence Metalheadz has had on UK dance music, to the extent that founding member Goldie has even been recognised by the establishment with the award of an MBE. Follow its story above, featuring an all-star cast of drum ‘n’ bass pioneers.
Better Living Through Circuitry (1999)
Jon Reiss’ journeys into the culture behind the dance music of '90s America, exploring the attitudes, DIY ethic, spirituality and more present in the underground, with interviews from the likes of Moby and The Crystal Method.
The Chemical Generation (2001)
Boy George presents this Channel 4 documentary about acid house, journeying from Manchester's legendary The Haçienda club to Ibiza, and looking into the impact of the devastating Criminal Justice Bill of 1994.
Don't Forget To Go Home (Feiern) (2006)
The title of this film is something many of us need a reminder of on occasion, and captures the immersive, addictive, life-changing thrill that dance parties have. DJs featured include Ricardo VIllaobos and Nick Höppner, and there’s also vision from many others involved in the scene, from punters to bouncers.
High Tech Soul (2006)
Did you know Derrick May was initially in favour of naming the genre he invented alongside Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson as 'hi-tech soul'? Learn more about the origins of techno, a global sensation of rave culture, in the documentary above.
Underestimated (2011)
You shouldn’t underestimate Dublin drum ‘n’ bass heads, as this heart-warming film highlights. At the heart of all music and passion, and this lot have it in abundance.
The Truth About KaZantip Republic - Switch On The Night (2013)
Eastern European festival KaZantip has a cult-like following, inspiring intense, connected feelings within people through its atmosphere of spirituality and freedom.
Studio 54
Studio 54 is one of the most iconic clubs in history, with everyone from Michael Jackson to Donna Summer partying there. It was defined by its sexual freedom, and became a safe space for oppressed minorities to let themselves go.
20 years of Jungle Mania (2013)
To this day, when jungle gets pulled out in the rave its dancefloor impact is ferocious. This documentary spotlights the enduring power of UK soundsystem genre.
Dancers of Ibiza (2013)
Most of us enjoy going to raves to dance as a hobby, but what about the people who have made it a life profession? Take a look behind the scenes of Ibiza’s pro dancers.
Oceans Apart (2014)
Melbourne has arisen as a hotbed for dance music in recent years, carried on a wave of progressive attitudes that situates it in stark contrast to its north-easterly neighbour Sydney. Take the trip Down Under.
EDC 2013: Under The Electric Sky (2014)
There’s no denying EDM’s extraordinary popularity in America this decade, and the Electric Daisy Carnival festival is one of its biggest productions, summing up the outrageous, colourful nature of the phenomenon. If even for a morbid interest, it’s worth seeking out EDC 2013: Under The Electric Sky for an understanding of the mania fuelling EDM.
Waiting For The Drop (2014)
As above, this EDM film explores how DJs became the rock stars of the modern era, featuring the likes of Tiësto and Hardwell.
Pull Up: Grime Through The Eyes of Butterz (2015)
Grime’s star has risen up to the rank of chart-topping status now, but for a number of years its popularity was far more contained. Elijah & Skilliam’s label Butterz has been a driving force on pushing grime towards realising its massive potential.
Eskimo Dance (2015)
Eskimo Dance is grime’s most iconic party, in which MCs line up to clash each other into the early hours in front of electric, hyped up crowds. Can we get a reload?
Unsung (2016)
Can you feel it? No genre is deified for its emotive strength and unifying power quite like house music. Unsung traces the genre’s lineage from disco via Chicago warehouse parties and seminal selectors Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan.
Britain’s Illegal Rave Renaissance (2016)
The UK government has been doing its best to suppress nightlife over recent years. With the legal options for partying depleting, ravers have been reviving the illegal scene of the '80s. This documentary from VICE digs into the struggles faced by illegal promoters, from London to Denbigh.
Exploring Ukraine's Underground Rave Revolution (2016)
Ukraine underwent a political revolution in 2014, with protestors taking to the streets to riot and toppling the regime of Present Viktor Yanukovych. Turmoil followed in the country, including a financial crash and widespread job losses, but from this chaos emerged a spirited underground rave scene as people sought to find new meaning in their lives, as i-D examined in the short film above.
Space Ibiza: 27 years of clubbing history (2016)
Grief and mourning greeted the closure of Space last summer, but there was also joyous feelings of celebration for the legacy of the beloved White Isle establishment. Relive 27 years of clubbing history above, with every body’s favourite person Carl Cox featuring prominently.
Woza Taxi - Gqom Secret Stash Out Of The Locations (2016)
Gqom is an explosive style of music born within South African townships and spreading across the world. Discover more in this feature, and the documentary above.
Diving into the Seoul's electronic scene: Les Siestes in Seoul (2016)
Peggy Gou became the first Korean-born DJ to play outside of the country when she began gigging around 2014. The capital city of her homeland Seoul has a population of 10 million people, but hasn’t had much of a scene to speak of for electronic music fans until recently. Now it’s growing from strength to strength, and the influence of Korean electronic music could soon be felt internationally.
Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Digital Staff Writer, follow him on Twitter
