"Rumours of Rave's Demise"

News of a 60,000-strong "rave" party in Los Angeles appeared at LA Metromix (July 15, 2008). The article opens with this paragraph:

"No one expected the onslaught of humanity that crammed in and around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum last month for the Electric Daisy Carnival, the annual rave that has played all over the West Coast since 1997. An estimated 60,000 party people danced to such DJs as Moby, Paul van Dyk and Benny Benassi, and it seems any rumors of rave’s demise have been greatly exaggerated." The article then goes on and on, with typical catchword references to "underground", "rave culture", "positivity" and even "P.L.U.R." (article).

With all due respect, it is nice to witness successful mega events like this, but a highly structured concert, with expensive tickets, in a modern stadium, featuring famous pop artists, is anything but a rave.

To define "rave", just invert the above italicized elements. Unfortunately, even by loose countercultural criteria, most events called "rave" nowadays are transvestites of such original, wild, free parties. Watch out. Or next time, you may be raving with mom and dad.