international news _ 22nd May, 2007

Upper Classes Go Raving Mad

Text by Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

Princess Michael of Kent's daughter, Lady Gabriella Windsor, declared Britain's debutante season over this week, suggesting that modern high society lady should ditch garden parties and balls for Ibiza clubbing and music festivals like Burning Man instead.

"Raves can be just as romantic as flower shows," Lady Gabriella decreed in top people's magazine Country Life, "The Earl and Countess of Mornington courted at Space in Ibiza," she pointed out.

Her ladyship also revealed that 'the hardest-core partiers' now do America's Burning Man (there's a group called Pink Pussy, which is all the Euro toffs in stripper outfits, she said) and suggested "a lot of the smaller festivals have gained more momentum as a result of Glastonbury losing its edge."

Festival organizer Nick Ladd, whose hosting Burning Man crew Nectar Temple at his 12,500 capacity Glade festival this summer as well as looking after the alternative dance area at Glastonbury, was not so sure, however.

"I think its fair to say that since the super-fence went up the crowd at Glastonbury has changed; it now consists largely of people who can afford 130 quid for a ticket for a start whereas before 60,000 skint nutters would be over the fence and getting’ hammered on Diamond White (cider) at the Stone Circle and creating a very special kind of chaos," Nick told Skrufff.

"And personally I miss em, but you are also less likely to get your tent ripped off or get sold dodgy acid by a bloke with no shoes and sick on his jeans. But what the festival hasn’t lost is any of its creative edge, for my money Glastonbury is still the most creatively diverse place on the planet in any given year."

He also unsurprisingly emphasised the creative attractions available at his own much smaller event Glade though insisted high society ravers have minimal impact on its vibe.

"I cant say that I really identify with the term 'upper class', but I am aware that there is a good representation of people from privileged backgrounds at festivals".

"This is nothing new - some of the best early M25 raves were put on by people that might be referred to as 'upper class' and were enjoyed by people from all walks," he pointed out.

"One of the reasons people love festivals is they give people an opportunity to let go of their conditioning and really understand the concept of unity. At a festival it's OK to smile at strangers or talk to your neighbours, this is one of the strongest themes of the festival / rave scene worldwide and one of the reasons why it is still going strong. You get to see the best of humanity.

In my experience, most people actually don’t want to be put in a box called 'class', and anyone who goes to a festival with the need to put themselves in a box will either see the light or get spat out pretty quickly.”

Ibiza club promoter and Skrufff contributor Judge Jules also downplayed the dangers of upper class clubbers, saying 'I've never noticed people's classes at all'.

"Most folk look the same from the democratic angle of the dance floor," Jules added.

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