Rave: Stories of an Endless Rebellion

The term "rave" first appeared in the fifties in England and was used to describe wild bohemian festivals that originated in the alternative youth culture.

Over the years, rave culture has changed but the desire of challenging the status quo is always present. Rave is much more than the impulse of partying, it entails a refuge from gender prejudices, a quest of freedom away from moral standards, and even a pleasure in the act of rebellion.

2020 will be remembered for many as a year that the night-life culture was holding its breath. However, despite all odds, it was also the year in which the Vietnamese rave collective Gãy decided to change the global rave scene, with the aim of bringing anarchy to the dance floor in a (post)pandemic Saigon, while calling time on mental health taboos. Both in Saigon and in the Vietnamese diaspora, the collective is organizing raves and art events that are a safe place for self-expression: They ensure that no one is left behind.

Join this talk to explore the various characteristics of rave as a counterculture. The importance of creating safe-spaces during pandemic times. The role of the diaspora in creating a global movement.

In collaboration with Jæger, Klassekampen and Goethe-Institut.