Riddim and Raves.

Raves is where you find love. It's just everything about it. The messaging your favourite people on the day to set the plans after waking up jolly excited knowing in a matter of hours your heart will be pumped with adrenaline and excitement. The dancing around your bedroom in your underwear destroying your bedroom trying to figure out what to wear. You'll try on a million outfits but settle for the first one. The creativity in hair and make up and the appreciation of your friends make ups and outfits. The running to the shop for predrinks. Bottle of rum for starters? Hell yeah! And this is just the beginning you're not even at the rave yet.

You meet your friends and head to the venue and that's when it hits you, unexpectantly. You feel like you have fallen into a bubble bath, warm and tingly. A buzzing that covers all your body, and an immense feeling of joy. You look good, You feel good and so do all your friends and tonight is going to be a movie. You have a mini panic attack on the tube "fuck have I even got my ID?". Whilst necking the predrinks with not a care in the world. Once you're in the queue you start to notice that everybody around you is all equal, we are all one. There is no better and there is no worse. Tonight regardless of anything we are all under one roof raving, differences are set aside and we are coming together as a unity to celebrate and appreciate our music scene and artists that we adore with all our hearts. "Right do I look smashed" your mate would whisper. "Nah you look fine probably lose the sun glasses though".

After a heavy pat down and awkward looks you bust through into the rave kingdom for the night. You've made it, now enjoy it. The running to the find the set times on the wall to try and plan your night ( which you never ever end up following). You hear people laughing, shouting, music thumping and feet stomping. All the stress and worries from the week are a distant memory and you've come alive. You are in your element. You follow the sound of the music after saying hello to all the happy buzzy faces you recognise. "Make sure you come have a little dance later!"

The opening of the first door, the music slapping you in the face and the bass making your legs wobbly. That's when the excitement bursts. You rush to the bar to get in line for a drink watching people waving credit cards and looking impatient. But you don't care because you're in your element. You order a drink whilst playing eye spy across the rave trying to spot the legends. You then notice the cheeky imbecile trying to push and sneak his way through the bar queue because he's impatient but that gets settled with a little elbow to the rib or the sliding into the spot blocking his way ( or is this just me? Haha).

You bop to the already wet dance floor and check in on the DJ yep he's there he's alive playing dirty riddims already what a phenomenon. You do the head bop to your pal to let them know what's up and that it's game on. Couple of hours slide you've experienced lift off, you've chatted more wallop than wallop himself and you've created all these plans with people you've already forgotten about. You've made 8 toilet trips and brought 2 lollipops off the toliet attendant to stop your jaw wobbling. You spent the past 10 minutes smiling and giggling on the toilet about how smashed and happy you are. Life is fantastic. You're in the middle of the roaring crowd. Fists are pumping, hands are waving in the air, bootys are wriggling and bouncers are scouting. Sweat is dripping and energy is building. Everybody you look at is smiling like cheshire cats. You've introduced yourself to the random gurner next to you and now he's your new friend. This is happiness. Top tier sets from your idols from the scene engulf your soul and light you up like a Christmas tree whilst making your eyes roll. You feel electric with not a care in the world. You are free and you are alive trying to Shazam a tune when you finally find a braincell. But of course it's a dub plate so you're never gunna find it. From cuddles to handshakes, Oi ois and fuck offs, you have seen it all. You got lost for a few hours and now the events coming to an end. The dance floors emptied so you can bust your best and wildest dance moves and you're scouting for the after party. Your trainers are battered, your hairs stuck to your face and your chewing gums disintegrated in your mouth. But you are still in your element. You notice the lights are now on and everybody's looking as lost and confused as each other. Does it really have to end? You all stagger together outside and spill out to the pavement trying to sneak out your recently purchased drink in your pocket to find the after party

And that my friends is a story for another day......