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Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:07 am
by BassSaber
Hey everyone, my friend's been through some tough times recently and what she needs now is a good old-fashioned rave. I've had a look at some of the tips on throwing small raves, but I've noticed that they're for public venues. We're probably gonna be at a house or a very small venue, but she's adamant that she wants to get a club atmosphere, like dark with flashing lights and stuff.
As you can already tell we want to be low budget, nothing that breaks the bank. The main question I want to ask is about lighting. I suggested to compensate for not having good lighting, or having very little lighting, having lots and lots of glowsticks. Is a glowstick rave possible without being supplemented by other lights?
The numbers are going to be small, about 20-30ish, but even so we still want to try and remain authentic as possible. I'm pretty much an amateur at this, as is she, so I'd like in addition to suggestions about lighting tips about setting up the sound system and other things to account for as well as extra tips.
Thanks for all the help, and peace
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:12 am
by bum robot
if you can afford it grab a strobe, maybe one of those lights that flash different colors aside from that i think the glowsticks would just be a lil plus.
oh btw search for a user on here by the name of aesthetics, i remember him making a thread talking about setting up a rave and whatnot you might find some good info if you find his thread.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:16 am
by sigbowls
all you need is a blow up dall!
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:47 am
by EDN
Strobes at small parties can become very annoying very quickly though.
Try coloured lightbulbs or parcans, hippy drapes or see if there is anyone who puts on events that you can borrow some lights off.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 9:54 am
by bum robot
EDN wrote:Strobes at small parties can become very annoying very quickly though.
Try coloured lightbulbs or parcans, hippy drapes or see if there is anyone who puts on events that you can borrow some lights off.
i reckon he could even find a rental service with "dj" kits including audio and lighting
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:12 am
by wub
Cheap option - get hold of a smoke machine for the night, and go down your local army surplus store for some camo netting. Suspend the netting from the ceiling will give it that closed in feel, and the smoke machine bursts will give the atmosphere and 'taste' of a rave.
Keep the rest of the lights to a real minimum.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:23 am
by nowaysj
The last poster to ask this question was never heard from again.
Proceed with caution.

Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 3:19 pm
by AxeD
nowaysj wrote:The last poster to ask this question was never heard from again.
Proceed with caution.
Haha
I'd keep lights to a minimum anyway, for me the best rave is where only the stage has some fancy flashing going on.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 4:42 pm
by gnome
Keep it dark and deep. No need for lights!
But then it wouldn't have the club atmosphere. Get a load of glowsticks and cut them open and launch the glowstick semen everywhere. It creates some nice effects. Although it may stain clothes.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:53 pm
by erratech
The most important thing to remember for a house party is MAKE SURE NOONE WHO IS NOT INVITED KNOWS. Seriously. Strobes are less fun than they seem, especially after the first hour

. Blacklights can be fun, you can even buy ones that plug into your lightsocket. It sounds cheesy as fuck but a well lit discoball provides a lot of light. Lasers will fuck you up if they hit you in the eye, LED "stage effect" lights are probablly better, rope lights might be appropriate? If I was gonna go for a rave vibe Id probably section off most of the house, so people are forced to be in proximity. Keep it as dark as possible, just a few lamps near tables and seating etc, if you put a few blacklights/ropelights around it should be easy to keep things interesting cheaply. The idea about the netting is good i reckon, although any light fabric would work well cos it will billow. Play the music your friend wants to hear and you should be right. Reread the first sentence.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:30 am
by Aquathesis
nowaysj wrote:The last poster to ask this question was never heard from again.
Proceed with caution.
Yeah are we thinking of the same kid with the forest party?
OP, Dude a house party is not a rave, by any standard, no matter how off the hook it gets, its still, a house party.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 2:58 am
by nowaysj
Aquathesis wrote:Yeah are we thinking of the same kid with the forest party?
It is said that his bleached white bones can still be seen in the remote cedar forests of Ein Hod.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:32 am
by shoot2stun
If you are throwing it at home you might want to talk with your neighbors(assuming they are cool) beforehand to let them know it might be ''loud'' that night. That way you can hopefully avoid a noise complaint causing problems.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:58 am
by deadly_habit
get the proper permits and check with neighbors if it's in a high traffic area
illegal raves, well scout your location, find out who owns the building, and surrounding ones, see if they're cool to rent it and be careful who you invite and knows about it
industrial areas and warehouses are so great because there's not really anyone around to notice a system blaring or loads of people
ffs someone threw one here in the old abandoned rochester subway tunnels
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:15 am
by decklyn
Am I allowed to ask how old the involved parties are?
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:42 am
by nowaysj
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:52 am
by deadly_habit
yippe! pedobear!

Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 10:23 am
by ughog
I hate to give away my ideas I haven't tried out yet, but this is something I thought up if you have the time and patience. Get a piece of plywood and a bunch of Christmas lights in the color of your choosing. Drill holes into the plywood the size of the lights but relatively close together. Set the lights so they flash randomly and put that behind the DJ or something. It could be a cheap version of an LED wall.
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 7:28 pm
by Aquathesis
nowaysj wrote:Aquathesis wrote:Yeah are we thinking of the same kid with the forest party?
It is said that his bleached white bones can still be seen in the remote cedar forests of Ein Hod.
He was talking like, border jumping renegade ravers and all kinds of crazy shit though if you think about it...
Re: Tips on throwing a private rave/party
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 9:28 pm
by bum robot
Aquathesis wrote:nowaysj wrote:Aquathesis wrote:Yeah are we thinking of the same kid with the forest party?
It is said that his bleached white bones can still be seen in the remote cedar forests of Ein Hod.
He was talking like, border jumping renegade ravers and all kinds of crazy shit though if you think about it...
haha i think this was aesthetics the guy from israel... yea dude made that thread and was never heard of again, those israelis are nuts and also i checked that guys facebook n other pages and he hasnt been on since that thead haha i can only imagine