In 1994, happy hardcore was just beginning to set a new culture in the rave scene, it was only predicted by the dihard few, that 10 years later it would make a comeback. Although the style has remained part of the dance scene throughout the years, I had to find out: How popular is happy hardcore in 2003? Area 51 – Alien Factory, an all ages rave, with renown hardcore DJ’s, and a secret location to boot. When the time came to ring the party hotline for venue details I was advised that the location was in Minto, near Campbelltown. Fortunately, my brother had quickly drawn up a map with directions, so we arrived at the destination without any dramas.



We made our way in, and the venue, a local sports centre, had been amazingly transformed into a fast-paced arena with an impressive laser show that complemented the immense underground vibe. Bodies were in full force throughout the room and everyone looked like they were in deep concentration, even when continuously bouncing up and down. Now, it was safe to say that there was no-one over the age of 18, (besides my friend and I), and the showcase of fashion was an eye opener, with “grown” men and women sucking on dummies?? Council vests and fur legwarmers were popular too and it seems that wearing as many beaded bracelets as you possibly can, is the way to go. Whatever happened to the good old whistle



The first set we caught was Crystal vs Statik, followed by Fenix against Matrix with MC Losty, who, I might add, had me quite impressed. Emotions arose when “Don’t Speak’ was thumped out. The sharp sounds being dished out were hard and fast, (as you would expect), and everyone seemed to be in routine to the uplifting happy hardcore. When Hixxy started up with “Strut”, this only encouraged faster lashings of movement and this continued throughout his set.



I found though, that nothing really stood out for me, and don’t get me wrong, I like a good old happy hardcore track, but after a couple of hours, the monotony becomes too overbearing.



It was crystal clear that I was the only one with that thought- and the evidence was staring me in the face. These people loved it but I could not keep up with the commotion on the dance floor, and I was naturally concerned as to why, with hundreds of teenagers around me, I could not spot any form of security guard.



Marcos vs Weaver were now hyping up the energetic crew. The accelerated tracks sustained the energy that was circulating. Team Rocket was next in line, followed by Exile vs Buggin. Both of these sets prolonged the enjoyment by delivering ballistic beats and the dedicated followers could not manage to keep still.



Whoa!!!!Chaos, I felt like I was watching a movie in fast motion. I had come to the conclusion that happy hardcore is, in fact, still alive. By what I had just witnessed I could not say otherwise.