I’ve gone to plenty of raves by myself and picked up on the pros and cons of trekking it alone. But is it really worth risking it for the biscuit?
From Peggy Gou in Greece to club nights at my local, I love a wee ‘me party’. The times I do end up going out with mates I end up off on my own adventures anyway (yes, I am the run away friend).
To get an idea of what others thought about the yays and nays of solo raving, I of course went straight to Reddit.
DO'S OF RAVING BY YOURSELF:
1: “You're not going alone... you're just meeting 1000s of your friends there.”
So bloody true. DO remember that you’re not actually alone. I’ve met so many awesome people who are always ready to adopt.
A few years ago I went to a rave alone on my birthday and ended up kicking on till 8am with a wholesome crew of strangers and even snagging a B2B with a widely known DJ.
I also went to Peggy Gou’s gig in Mykonos solo and ran into a well known Tiktoker who ended up buying me Red Bull and vodkas all night. Did I miss my flight home? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes.
2: “I'm not particularly a smoker but every now and then I go outside and hang out with the people who smoke for a bit to get some fresh air.”
DO visit the smokers. Even if you don’t partake I guarantee more than half the punters outside are just there for the yarns. Smokers chat is top tier. Hot tip, bring a lighter and be that guy to save someone's day.
3: “Bring a big bag of starbursts…Offering people starbursts, especially at raves, is the quiet way to meet new people and friends. Feel the vibe of the group and move on if anything happens.”
Rave hack - Apparently bringing a sweet treat along with ya up the chances of attracting a wholesome crew! Just make sure the bouncers don’t rax it from you at the door.
4: “It’s helped me gain confidence in myself and improved my socialization”
DO get out of your comfort zone. A reason why I became a DJ was so I didn't have to socialise with people at parties. Coming from a major introvert, going to gigs solo made it super easy to meet people with the same interests as myself. And when in doubt, I could always disappear and no one would even know, woohoo!
Now this brings me to an honourable mention from the George office.
5: “No need for an Irish exit!”
DO call it a night whenever. Social battery drained? No more awkward b lines to the door. Leave as you please chief.
Now speaking of some not so fun realities of unaccompanied raving. Along with missed flights I’ve also caused a bit of damage when out and about by myself.
DON'TS OF RAVING BY YOURSELF:
1: “ Don’t get too cooked. Best to be in control and aware of your surroundings and vibes of people.”
DON’T get too sauced. It goes without saying that you have to have your wits about you when hitting the gigs alone. Try to ease up on the bevvies or go sober! Don’t be like me and fall into a randoms $1500 TV leaving your pocket a bit light.
2: “There is NO shame in staying towards the back.”
DON’T feel like you have to be front left the whole gig, we won’t judge you (much). Nothing wrong with the old back middle boss.
3: “Just don’t drink other people’s drinks.”
DON’T think this needs explaining.
I wise man once said:
In my eyes when I do go out I want to dance, enjoy music and feel free in the safety net of the sound system. I just want to go out and be free to dance and I’ll smile with anyone who’s into that. - Inja
While partying on your own may not be for everyone, I fully encourage people to do it at least once. In a forever changing rave scene, sometimes all that needs to happen is to strip it back to just you and the music. Dance on, party people!
