On the Trail of Tucson Earthdance

A few weeks ago, word started to spread in certain circles about a massive (1000 people plus) rave scheduled to take place in Tucson on Sept. 15th. What the official website referred to as a "peace festival," the rave was to be one of 360 taking place simultaneously in 57 countries around the globe. Moreover, while many raves take place outside the sphere of what could be considered "legal," Earthdance was rumored to be completely licensed and legitimate, ensuring a full night of dancing without police intervention.

Much more than glowsticks and booty shaking, Earthdance was a humanitarian event as well, requiring that half of all event proceeds go to a local charity. Being a strong humanitarian myself, the following video only enforced my resolve to go.

It was the ultimate call to the lazy activists of our generation. World peace was nearly at hand, and all it would require was a little partying on our part.

Intent on making my contribution to humanity, i began the difficult and extremely shady quest to find my tickets. The success of a rave depends on the organizer's ability to keep it a secret. The more people that know, the more likely an authority figure will be alerted and the operation shut down. Therefore, information is only passed on by word of mouth, usually from friends and people in the raver community.

On a tip from my friend, I was sent to a local jewelry shop. From there, I was sent into a back room where someone took down my name and provided me with my tickets. When I asked about the location, I was told he couldn't tell me anything. Instead, he gave me a hotline number to call two hours before the rave, with a message that gave more specific directions. Raves often use these hotlines to ensure that no one (including the police) can find out about the rave too early and have it shut down.

With my tickets in hand and a ridiculous glow in the dark cowboy hat on my head, I waited until sundown and called the hotline. The message gave directions to a location on the border of national park lands. Driving closer and closer, I could see the lights in the distance and feel the bass line pounding in my chest. I knew I had finally found my rave.... er, I mean "peace festival". And a festival it was. Crazy costumes,twirling glowsticks, and music loud enough to rattle your soul.

Drugs are an integral part of the rave scene as well, and the evidence was all around. Orange juice and pacifiers for ecstasy users, tabs of acid tucked into headbands. "Heads up man," said a kid who couldn't have been much older than 15, "The DJ in the back is selling Mollies for 30... I'm rolling so hard right now." Mollies are a particularly potent form of ecstasy that can also cause hallucinations.

I came to have fun but not that much fun, and drugs weren't my scene. After all, I was here on a humanitarian mission and the dealers definitely weren't going to be giving any proceeds to charity. I pressed on towards my target, the dance floor. There, I proceeded to move with as much rhythm as any Caucasian could muster.

Unfortunately, the festival wasn't without it's downsides. First, was the rag tag security team armed with shotguns who wandered the premise, hassling ravers and searching for contraband. Shotguns? At a peace festival? Not cool.


Second, the rave only ran a few hours before noise complaints from neighbors drew the attention of the sheriff's department. The music was cut and a drug addled army of ravers were instructed to get in their cars and go home. Obviously the sherrif's department realizes it's much safer to have people tripping out behind the wheels of cars than in a field dancing. Ridiculous.

As we headed en masse back to the parking lot, we lamented our rotten luck. "I don't get it" said Adam Westreich, an acquaintance and fellow dance fiend i met earlier in the night. "This was all for such a good cause, the money was suppose to go to help Tibetan refugees." Oh well refugees, we tried. Hope the rest of Earthdance had better luck.

Experience a rave firsthand at a similar event called "Innovation in the Sun"


or get a feel for what you missed with glowstick demos