Rave On?

"Now I know this isn't going to deter everybody," says Sgt. Hogenmiller, "and that there will be parties underground. That was one of the reasons that we brought them aboveboard to begin with." He emphasizes that the department doesn't have a problem with the events in and of themselves, and would be more than willing to permit a venue in the right location if it receives fire safety and building approval.

Some within the scene feel that a number of promoters will take the risks. Some of the practices of the old days, like breaking into warehouses, will probably not happen again, but people are "dynamic with what they think of as a space for an underground party," says Spire.

Paul Trapani

DJ D.

Related Content

• Second Chief Resigns From Oakland Police Department in 48 Hours
  May 10, 2013
• Blind Spot: A Motorcycle Death Raises Unanswerable Questions
  March 20, 2013
• San Francisco Man Gunned Down in Oakland
  March 11, 2013
• Oakland Police Department Dodges Federal Receivership -- For Now
  December 13, 2012
• Cops Arrest Man on Suspicion of Beating, Sexually Assaulting Autistic Teen on Muni Bus
  December 3, 2012

More About

• Martin O'Brien
• Eric Spire
• Vlad Cood
• San Francisco Late Night Coalition
• Jim Hopkins

Michael Robbins, better known to his cultlike following as Mars, alongside DJ-partner Mystre, has been spinning cybertrance in the Bay Area for about seven years, sometimes at massives. He too believes the scene may go back underground. "I think that it's just an ebb and flow," he says. "When the forest gets too big there's a forest fire. It's happened before. We used to be able to party here in San Francisco, throw events here. But they don't let you do that anymore. You just have to have faith that everything is happening for the benefit."

In the meantime, there are definite signs that the scene is changing. "Raves are having to move further and further out," says DJ Jim Hopkins. Already, parties are in full swing in 2000, and as before, some are being held farther away -- in Vallejo, Sacramento, or San Jose. Perhaps all rave events will be forced into the backwoods eventually; nothing is yet scheduled at the Second and Jackson, 633 Hegenberger, or 689 85th Ave. warehouses in Oakland this year.

"People are wondering what's going to happen next," says Hopkins.