NEWS
EVENTS
New Years Eve @ Whirl-y-gig
Monday 21st January 2013 | Ewan
Not satisfied with doing the usual fireworks-in-central-london milark, I decided I would celebrate the turn of the New Year a bit differently. Where better than London Bridge's very own psychadelic hippy-rave known as Whirl-y-gig? Hosted at the Jack's Club just around the corner from Cable.
Whirl-y-gig has been partying for over 30 years now, keeping the spirit of Peace, Love, Unity and Respect alive in unique style. As the doors open around 22:00pm I'm greeted by one of the notoriously friendly and understanding bouncers at this event, who asks me what I'll be wearing for the night as he checks my ID. Of course it's the usual bunny-onesie, or as I like to call it the “Raving Rabbit” … Get it? The bouncer gives me a friendly smile and says “That's what we like to see!” and wishes me a good night.
Making my way inside I'm greeted again by that familiar thumping bass that awaits all whirl-y-goers upon their entrance to the venue. It's a sound that evokes a plethora of memories and emotions; memories of past whirl-y-gigs and other legendary rave nights spent jumping up and down like lunatics in the middle of the dancefloor or of taking a well-needed breather in the chillout room. After depositing my coat in the cloakroom and emerging in full rave-bunny attire it's time to pay a visit to resident face-painter Maya, so that I can be properly anointed in Whirly war-paint. It's a tradition that some people (including myself) hold dearly to the experience of raving. It's what we did when we were kids and we were allowed to have the sort of fun that is frowned upon in adult life. This is what Whirl-y-gig is all about. Reliving those happiest moments in your life, letting go of inhibitions, worries, stresses and simply being yourself.
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The venue begins to fill with the population of a psychedelic rave tribe, many of which are old friends and many more who are bright and eager to welcome newcomers. Reunions are met with earnest hugs and the usual “What have you been up to?” rave chitchat that leads to more hugs, smiles and anticipation of the cosmic journey to higher planes of tripadelic rave-states that the one and only Monkey Pilot is about to take us all on. Being the events main resident DJ since it's birth over 30 years ago, Monkey Pilot has taken myself and many other on voyages that lead to spiritual enlightenment and personal fulfilment, which is what keeps us coming back time and time again. It's that moment when a drum and bas track comes on and everyone cheers and hoots in unison, or when a classic dubstep tune kicks in and reminds us all of the good and the bad times we've had.
In these fragmentary moments, time stops for just a moment and we are all more than just ourselves, we become part of something that is greater than the confines of the venue and stretches to the farthest reaches of the universe. The feeling of being connected to not just everyone in the room, but all souls in existence, a moment in time that seems to last forever when you're in it. It's a feeling that truly defies explanation and must be experienced to to really understand. The DJ sitting atop his holy pedestal becomes a spiritual shaman, guiding us all on our individual paths to enlightenment through the manipulation of sound, music and careful timing and selection of specific songs. We look up to them, for they are the purveyors of musical enlightenment, melodic understanding and aural unification. They are the gatekeepers, they are the music makers and they are the dreamers of the dreams.
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It's these moments that for some people like myself, turn raving into a spiritual and emotional religion. The venue becomes a church, a place of healing, faith and communion with a higher entity. This entity could be identified as love, or it could be enlightenment, what is clear is the undeniable feeling of being connected to human beings around you, not just as separate entities but facets of a much larger body. From beginning to end, we are but passengers on a metaphorical and poetic adventure starting with ourselves and travelling through every other body in the venue. It's a narrative consisting of love, happiness, joy and enrichment that leads to a greater understanding and appreciation for life. Yes there are substances involved, but it's not the taking of them that's important, it's that feeling of being in love with life itself.
Bodies move in empathic synchronization, attuned to the vigorous unwavering bass rumbles and fellow ravers expressing themselves through ritualistic movement. Eyes meet each other on the dancefloor with warm enthusiasm, a look of non-judgemental affection that leads to blissed-out raver grins. It's an interaction which many are familiar with on the rave scene. Then there are the unwritten commandments which consist of ravers sharing bottles of water, starting conversations with random faces and aiding those in need of space for air or light-headedness. It's these unwritten codes which constitute an emotion-responsive rave bible, not written in ink on paper, but in the hears of all human beings who call themselves ravers and identify which it's core values – those of Peace, Love, Unity and Respect for all other human beings.
If the purpose of religion is to unify people via love for a higher entity or cause, then where does raving differ? There is no image of a white, bearded old man in robes with glow-sticks, only the atmosphere of love, understanding and peace. Trance, Psytrance, Drum and Bass and Dubstep are the only hymns which are not sung, but danced to – stimulating adrenaline and endorphins in the brain that trigger emotions such as happiness and love. A final hour is spent in the chillout area as resident DJ Wingnut lulls us back to some sense of reality after some mind-bending sets of psychedelic Dubstep and warped Psytrance from the likes of Celt Islam and Eat Static. All too soon it's time to leave Whirl-y-land and return to a world that is mundane and monotone in comparison to what we've just experienced. Still, there is always next month to look forward to. Until then we can only glimpse the magic of Whirl-y in our wildest dreams.
Words by Ewan Phillips
The next Whirl-y-gig takes place on the 26th of January. Visit the website for more details.
http://www.whirl-y-gig.org.uk/
