Given that Rave in Australia’s a topic that comes up occasionally on this board and that I’ve just written a short email reply to a friend on the subject, I thought I’d post what I wrote here too.
If anyone else reading this has something to contribute t’would be really good to know what you think as well…
Dr Bunsen
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As with anywhere depending on where you go you’ll tend to find varying types of music. For example Queensland’s supposedly really into hardhouse and some psytrance although I never made it that far unfortunately while Byron Bay’s predictably all about psytrance music. Sydney’s very much a house, tech house and psytrance heaven, although it’s a big city so there are lots of alternatives (I saw Paul Van Dijk and others at Home, Sydney’s biggest club, which was very good indeed. Although I don’t often go to clubs, you’ll find yourself doing a lot of it if you want to go out in Oz). While Melbourne’s the place for techno and drum & bass, although again there’s yet more psytrance to be had there as well. Anyway I was mostly in Melbourne during my year in Australia which I recommend heartily. There’s a small techno free party scene (acid techno, tekno and gabba) and a good mix of other influences (watch out for the Melbourne shuffle though! Victorian ravers like to put talcun powder down on the floor and shuffle about on it!?). Also despite the fact that I’m not all that fond of psytrance, I’d definately conceed that it’s great music for bush parties, so those are also really worth checking out as well where ever you are.
Anyway, although I used to have a few URLs for free parties down under most of them are out of date now. However I do recommend:
http://www.australiens.net/<--- Probably the best aussie trance party site with lots of free and pay party listings.
http://www.aka-sound.com/ <-- Old melbourne free party site.
