I went to my first rave when I was 18. I stepped into the venue and felt the thumping music, looked around and saw the dazzling outfits, everyone embracing each other’s weirdness. I knew instantly that “this” is what I wanted to do. No matter what I did, it had to do with this music.
Flash forward four years, I am moving along well with my capstone project: a free-charity rave celebrating the Riddim Dubstep community. This event, titled “Castle Rave: Riddim Royalty,” will be held from 5PM-10PM in Grey Towers Castle. Rather than purchasing a ticket, guests are encouraged to bring donations to support homeless shelters, families, and youth in the Philadelphia area. The event is Suit and Tie formal, featuring live touring DJs, discussions, workshops, and information booths from prominent figures and collectives in the Riddim Dubstep community.
It has been a bit of a challenge to organize an event of this scale, and I’ve had close to ten meetings with nearly every department on campus since I started planning on January 20th. The safety and security of the guests and castle are top priority, and making sure everything is sound and won’t create disturbances or risks are my main tasks right now. The photo above is the first draft of the potential setup. All but one of the artists slots are booked, the charity is still being determined, the sound system is confirmed, and a majority of the discussions/workshops/booths are gathered.
The next few weeks will be spent nailing down details, confirming agreements and creating a script/rundown for the day of show that all staff can use to keep track during the event. I am starting to work on a presentation for Thesis Day to show the process, objectives, and the history behind events of this kind. I am beyond excited to host an event that will show just how powerful this community is and have the opportunity to help and support those that need it most in our local communities.