I like the sound of the drums. Always have. The long tradition of the opening of our annual Jade Festivals is the sound of the drums — our drumming circle. But ALL day and ALL night, for part of three days and ALL of two nights, plus bass and amplifiers? Nah … that I don’t like.
Another rave party across the canyon … the second in two weeks and the third in two months. I’ve contacted the LEO of the USFS as well as the district ranger, and they are working on solving the problem. It is has moved beyond annoyance.
Living in the Wilderness, I expect to bring my dogs in every night before sunset, to guard against mountain lion attacks. I expect to deal with the loss of cats to owls, foxes, and coyotes. I expect to deal with hunters, trespassers, and illegal campfires. This obnoxious behavior I did not expect, and did not experience, until the last year or so. I will fight back and see that it is stopped.
I live in the city and hate loud music (noise) also. BTW there is supposed to be a large fire northwest of Gilroy.
The Loma Fire is around 600 acres and 20% contained near the Summit Fire of 2008.
My father moved way out here (Horsehoe Bend…outside Weatherford, Texas) 13 years ago because it has an airpark and he loves to fly, but also because he likes quiet and to contemplate Nature. I have been staying with him for 8 months now, and just in that time, it has really changed here. A family has moved in behind the house and the man works on hot-rods in the hangar they have, revving the motors at top decibels. And just next door (where a friend of Dad lived, but died recently), some family member of theirs comes every weekend with 4-wheelers, and rides them like dune buggys all over his property and “The Bend” with his nephew. I feel for my Dad…he is such a lover of Nature and not noise! So…we commisserate, Kate!
Who is hosting these Ravers? I’d be stark, raving mad, of course, if this was happening in the gulch where I live. The reverberations would kill me.
This particular show was hosted by Acid Totem Sound Systems. I am still trying to locate who else is hosting them, and have a lot of leads. There is an underground system of communicating venues for these all-night techno parties, which are difficult to find venues for. I will be putting a stop to them, though.
The first one in October was hosted by Straylight Productions in Monterey. This is what they advertised (as you can see it was non-stop from 7 pm until 3 pm the following day:
Above the Sky
October 10 2009
As many of you know, the Straylight family recently lost our founder and friend, DJ Ian Dice, after a valiant battle with cancer. As a result, we took a slight break earlier this year. However, as Ian would have wished, the show and the tradition must go on, and the beat must not stop. That being said, we are back with one of the most epic lineups for Big Sur EVER! We felt this one should be extra special and it will be. In traditional Straylight fashion, you will find a well thought out and flowing lineup across genres, leading into a heavy dose of psy trance and bringing you back down on the other side.
LINEUP :: ORDER OF APPEARANCE
* 19:00 – 20:00 : KONUNDRUM
:: Raw Heaven + Bass Star \ San Francisco CA \ Downtempo
* 20:00 – 21:00 : ITTEKI
:: Itteki Productions + Addictech \ San Francisco CA \ Psy Dub
* 21:00 – 22:00 : BIRD OF PREY
:: Celestial Dragon \ San Francisco CA \ Psy Dub
* 22:00 – 23:00 : OMEGA :: Live ::
:: Earthmen \ Dub Animals \ Denver CO \ Dubstep
* 23:00 – 00:00 : K1
:: Straylight \ Monterey CA \ Breaks
* 00:00 – 01:00 : MICHAEL LIU
:: Illumination + Straylight \ San Jose CA \ Breaks + Psy
* 01:00 – 02:00 : ARWIN
:: Dilated Sound + Straylight \ San Jose CA \ Minimal Tech Psy
* 02:00 – 03:30 : ARABALI :: Live ::
:: Mubali \ Trishula + Straylight \ Austin TX \ Dark Psy and
:: Arahat \ Psycircle \ San Diego CA \ Dark Psy
* 03:30 – 04:30 : SPYROS
:: Psytribe \ Los Angeles CA \ Dark Psy
* 04:30 – 05:30 : RANDOM
:: Geomagnetic \ San Francisco CA \ Hi-Tek Psy
* 05:30 – 06:30 : E11EVEN
:: Sound-Mind \ Denver CO \ Twilight Psy
* 06:30 – 07:30 : PARADIGM
:: Straylight + Logical Light \ San Francisco CA \ Full On
* 07:30 – 08:30 : HELIOS
:: Logical Light + Straylight \ San Francisco CA \ Full On
* 08:30 – 10:00 : POLI
:: GMS Music \ Ibiza ES \ Full On
* 10:00 – 11:00 : KAMELEON + LABYRINTH
:: Greenville SC \ Tribal + Progressive
* 11:00 – 12:00 : SATURNIA
:: Phoenix Family \ San Francisco CA \ Progressive
* 12:00 – 13:00 : WILLY
:: Electronarcosis \ Los Angeles CA \ Progressive + Minimal
* 13:00 – 14:00 : DAVID JUSTIN
:: Psybooty \ San Francisco CA \ Minimal
* 14:00 – 15:00 : BRIEN SCOTT
:: Straylight + 530Techno \ Redding CA \ House
Sound by Dilated Sound
Deco by Psylotus and Straylight
Free, donation only event.
The location is a mountain top vista that places us above cloud level, with a panorama of the Pacific Coast laid out as far as the eye can see.
NO FIRES !!! NO FIRES !!! NO FIRES !!!
We are in one of the driest years on record and fire danger is extremely high. Any fires will be put out immediately. This includes cook stoves and fire dancing equipment.
Please bring what you need to be comfortable over night. This includes clothing for hot afternoons as well as cool nights, sun screen, water, TP and food. Please bring sandwich fixings and other cold foods due to camp stove and fire restrictions. You may camp if you wish.
At sunset, we will be gathering and releasing the ashes of Ian Dice to the winds. This was his favorite place and we feel it is only a proper send off for him before we get down and have a great time in his honor. If you are one of the many people whose life Ian touched in some way, please join us early and share this moment with us as we wish his physical form a goodbye from the world.
Funny thing you posted this! I’ve actually stumbled across these parties and heard them in the far distance while camping and backpacking Big Sur on a number of occasions. I think the first time I ran into one of these was at Prewitt Ridge sometime around 2000. I decided to make my way to one of these parties under the moonlight while it was in full swing, not knowing what I should expect. I can definitely tell you I wasn’t really into their music (kids these days!), but I was actually taken back by how friendly these people actually were- kind of reminded me of how Big Sur used to be. I’ve also been out in the middle of nowhere when you can hear the faint pulse of the kick drum in the far distance. My biggest thing with folks in the wilderness is fire danger and waste. I don’t know how far you live from Prewitt Ridge, but it would seem if these two things are under control and the local USFS fire unit is aware, what’s the big deal? I’ve checked out the camp on numerous occasions after the kids left and was quite amazed that they left absolutely zero trash- can’t say that for most hunters who come out here! As long as it doesn’t get out of control, let the kids have some fun!
Signed: just another old mountain man.
Bob, I am all for letting the kids party, in a safe environment, but not at the expense of the environment, or my sanity. Some of the hosts are very conscientious, other less so. No matter how friendly the kids are, or how conscientious, what about the effect of the ear-splitting music on the critters that live here? We’ve had studies that Navy sonar interferes with sea life, you don’t think these loud, lengthy parties don’t disrupt the wild life?
Three serious problems I have with the parties. One, the fire danger. Even though they may not build campfires, I have seen photos of charcoal fires when they have been banned, and cigarettes or other smoking material is not monitored. Even a muffler or hot exhaust parking on grass can start a fire. Two, they go on for 24 or 48 hours solid, and the music is loud and obnoxious and NEVER – literally — stops and the bass is felt in my bones. Three, the larger parties create all sorts of sanitation problems with 200 plus people defecating and peeing in the woods, wherever they want, which creates water contamination issues, as well, as Prewitt Ridge is the headlands for several water sources.
I would have no problem with them if they were not held during the high fire season; If sanitation could be worked out; and a curfew of midnight were enforced on the music. That would address my major concerns. My neighbors’s issues, over near Prewitt would not be addressed, as the people that attend these parties have been known to set up camp on private driveways, in front of gates, use vehicles not made for these roads, thus getting their cars stuck in the middle of the road so that others cannot get in or out, and have been known to get into local cars parked near homes. The concerns of my neighbors nearer the site goes on and on. Mine are limited to three specific issues.
I would love to “let the kids have some fun” but respect for the land, the water, the critters, and the neighborhood would be a prerequisite. As you say, it has been going on for a number of years, and I have never complained. The problem is that is is fast becoming the primo site for all manner of party sponsors, most of whom are in it for the money-making capabilities — not all, but many. It is no longer one or two a year. Fortunately, I think the party season is just about done for a while. No one likes it during the winter.