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DAVE RAVE HALLOWEEN
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Words: Kirsten Hamilton
Photography: Dave Rave
The college crowd fills the dark, foggy corner as it booms with electronic music. A crowd of neon masks and glowsticks bounces, lit by nothing but blacklights and colorful lasers racing across the walls.
The music slices through the thick air while dancers, both amateur and professional get on stage, appearing as slinky black female silhouettes, lighting up the walls behind them.
This party is one of the many parties hosted by Ohio's local electronic music group, Dave Rave, and the exciting Halloween festivities have just kicked off.
Tonight Dave Rave is hosting a masquerade party at a local bar complete with black lights, neon masks and a lot of dancing Ohio University students. We're all here to enjoy the rare type of music and atmosphere that Dave Rave provides.
“We started Dave Rave in 2008 because we weren't happy with the electronic music options in Athens,” says Dave Alexander, co-founder of the Dave Rave crew. “I think our success on stage has a lot to do with how far electronic music has come in Ohio and in the United States.”
Alexander, stage name DJ Time Traveler, and co-founder Brandon Thompson, stage name DJ B-Funk, are both alumni to Ohio University, naming Athens as their ‘home.’ As local residents, Alexander and Thompson take much pride in becoming a part of the Halloween block party tradition.
“Athens is our home and we love it here,” says Alexander. “Being a part of the Athens Halloween is something we are really proud of.”
The Athens Halloween weekend block party is the main event for the weekend and is the area’s largest party that draws in a crowd from all over Ohio.
After a successful performance during last year’s block party with an audience of over 10,000 people, this weekend Dave Rave are beating their last performance with a larger target audience along with more recognition and encouragement from the Athens community.
“We set goals for ourselves, and one of those goals last year was to become the first DJs and electronic music act to headline the Athens Halloween block party,” said Alexander.
The echoes on Court Street turn from a mild roar to loud screams as Dave Rave takes over the stage and wows the masses. Glow sticks line the cracks of bricks along Court Street under the stomping feet of excited crowd members as the music thumps and the laser lights gleam on surrounding buildings.
As the night draws to a close, we ask Alexander how Dave Rave has managed to bring electronic music to the small town's block party. He says, “I don't remember how exactly we made it happen, but we did, and it's awesome.”
