A Rave New World It Is.
Jessica Audiffred @ Brooklyn Monarch
February 28th 2025
It is now Week 2 out of 3 of my back-to-back winter season. While some may think, “that feels like a marathon”, my mind was starting to reminisce on last summer. For the whole month of July, I can recall going out nearly every weekend, sometimes even twice a week. This winter season felt like light work compared to both last summer and Lost Lands1. Now, it was OFFICIAL; my EDCLV2 training had begun! Not only would my 2025 training regimen involve going to back-to-back raves, but more importantly, it would involve getting back into physical shape by running again.
For regulars in the rave community, partying for 10+ hours a day can understandably take a toll on the body. Staying in shape only seems to go hand in hand with the “lifestyle”. Before going to Dubstep Disneyland3 last year, I dedicated myself to my physical fitness as a test to see how long I could last in the actual venue. Lost Lands was my 5th music festival overall, and I understood the level of stamina that was needed. Although I trained hard last year, it still did not feel like enough due to all of the hilly terrain in Ohio. As I head to Vegas next month, I am determined to train harder and have fun while doing it. There was no better genre to continue this training than with some hardcore dubstep and riddim.
New York was entering what locals call the “fake spring”. Reflecting on it now, it seems like winter does not want to end, even in April. The ice was starting to melt, and the temperature was teasing me as it became warmer than 50 degrees. For the first time in this entire winter, I felt entirely confident in not having to wear a coat to the venue that night. Armed with my thermals and my new Jessica Audiffred jersey that my rave fam gave me for Christmas, I was ready to do some serious headbanging.
A pioneer in Latin American bass music events4, Jessica Audiffred is a Mexico City-based Dubstep artist. I was first introduced to her by my rave brother through her b2b (Back to Back) set with Layz for Lost Lands 2023, and I instantly fell in love. Another Latina who loves to headbang and makes absolutely disgusting beats?! Sign me up! Since then, I have listened to countless sets of hers and finally was able to see her live at Lost Lands this past year. When her current tour, “Rave New World” presented itself to me (for $20 no less), I had to take it. Following her social media as of late, I have seen her experimenting with Y2K Eurodance, and I was curious to hear more.
It felt like old times with my rave brother, whom I lovingly call Maui5. As he picked me up from my house, his LED car lights were bopping right along to the dubstep mix he was blaring from his car. This was already feeling like one of those classic nights as we drove approximately 5-10 minutes away to the venue (God, I love living in the center of the action). After sitting in the car, listening to this new drum n bass Subtronics track and smoking up a little, we head to a surprisingly LONG line to get into the venue. While this was NOT our first time here, the sight of a long line was something we were not used to seeing at Brooklyn Monarch. With a guy like Maui, he requires more munchies; so while we waited, we munched on some Bussin mozzarella sticks from the nearby food truck, fueling up for some serious BANGERS.
Brooklyn Monarch is a venue with a storied history. Commonly reserved for more rock-based shows, it has since transitioned into becoming THEE dubstep destination for bass-loving New Yorkers. This, alongside their neighboring sister venue, The Meadows, has turned into the breeding ground for the ever-growing sub-genres of Dubstep and Riddim. It has also attracted some of the biggest names like Jessica, Space Wizard, and Maurada, both of whom I saw in October 2024. After meeting some interesting characters in line, including one that said he needed to be “Narcan’d” at the last show (I’m watching you closely, sir….), we get inside to hear someone CHOPPING6 on the decks. This would only be an appetizer for what was to come.
As I get my regular White Claw and make my way into the crowd, I notice a lot of people wearing the same Jersey as I. To a regular crowd, one would think the classic Joan Rivers saying: “Bitch stole my look”. But here, I admired the infinitely possible ways of styling the same shirt. I did not see anyone else wearing mushroom chains on cargo pants paired with a cropped thermal shirt and a bandana tied around long, braided pigtails. One thing I love about raves is that you can dress comfortably while still feeling dressed up. It almost felt like a conversation starter wearing the same jersey as others, opening a door of opportunity to connect with fellow ravers.
The bass was bass-ing as the night went on, to the point that one of the openers was even sweating profusely on stage. For those not familiar, that’s how you know the DJ is actually mixing live rather than on a prerecorded track. After some bopping and questionable dance moves, Maui motions to me that he’s “going in”. Where, you ask? Well, naturally, into the newly formed moshpit. Cue that one GTA meme: “Ahhhhh shit, here we go again”. The infamous moshpit: A unique cultural practice to bass-related shows. As a 5’2” woman, I personally try to avoid getting myself involved in one. But I must confess, I LOVE witnessing them unfold.
PRO RAVER TIP: if you want to avoid moshpits at festivals/shows, try to stick to the sides of the crowd, the front railing aka “the rail” or behind the lighting/sound guys.
Moshpits are a special practice of those in the “basshead” community or those who enjoy the subgenres of dubstep, riddim, and even drum n bass. Always located in the middle areas of a crowd, moshpits can start with one person or a small group of people. More commonly started by men, it begins with these thought starters hyping the crowd, being extra in movement i.e “accidentally” bumping into people, and more importantly, egging people on to join in on the madness. Certain people look for and/or encourage the moshpits and my friend Maui is no different. If I were over 6’ and ~200lbs, I also would probably get into the pit as well. Once it begins, others seem to understand the unspoken code of creating barriers in the crowd itself, so that participants can safely7 execute their PURE rage.
While I stay away from this cultural practice, obviously aware of my own size and power, I spot a rare sight. An ALL GIRLS pit, lovingly called the Pussy Pit. Seeing the gworlz go into the pit feels like a different experience altogether. Pure feminine rage, let out by knocking into one another, pushing each other around while simultaneously hyping each other up. I do admit, there have been a couple of times that I have found myself attempting to go into the all-girls pit, but with some reasonable fear. Although I didn't see it, Maui let me know after the show that he “got laid out…TWICE” in the pit. Suffice it to say, I have a right to have some fear around moshpits.
Raves in general, but dubstep shows in particular have more interesting visuals that pair with an artist’s “set”. Usually filled with chaotic motion graphics and animations, it is a fascinating accompanying piece to the overall show. Throughout Jessica’s set, I started to hyperfixate on the visuals, noticing all her special details. Goku from Dragon Ball Z and Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen grace the screen in chaotic animation. This was also followed by animations of her dressed as a Pokémon trainer with Charmander as her main Pokémon. Needless to say, it seems her music is inspired by anime as a whole, and while I can go on and on about the analysis of dubstep visuals, that is an entirely different essay for another day.
Jessica did an amazing set, and the crowd came correct. She did so great that I waited until she completely finished to take my annual smoke break. Over the years, I have utilized this time as a great way for me to get some fresh air, cool down from my sweaty dancing, and sometimes even give me a boost to go back in for more. As I go onto the back patio by myself (I left Maui at the rail), I reflect back on the experience I just had. I’ve seen this artist 2x now and in completely different settings, with this current one being a little more intimate. Both experiences felt completely different, regardless of the fact that is was the same artist. This is not new to Electronic music acts. Unlike other “concert”-like experiences, you could see the same artist twice and have 2 completely different experiences. This is simply due to the fact that DJ Sets are like snowflakes; they are all unique, even if constructed from similar parts.
Coming back inside, I forgot what time it was….The Gremlin hours. The power hour that is 3 am-4 am. Not only were there 5 DJs on the stage absolutely cooking, but many were starting to make their exit, leaving the real ravers to reclaim their spot on the dancefloor. Gremlin hours might be one of my favorite parts of going to the “functions”. The best way to describe it is the meme of Squidward from the show Spongebob Squarepants doing his squid dance. It is a time of truly feeling the music as you see fit. As Maui and I eventually left the function, we couldn’t help but smile. Dubstep was one of the ways we had initially connected as friends nearly 3 years ago, and the nostalgia was mutual. A classic Oracle and Maui adventure, and our last one together for the 2025 Winter Season. This would only be a preview of the summer to come because if it is anything like last summer, it’s about to be a LIT one.
Lost Lands: A bass music festival hosted by Excision
EDCLV = Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas
A nickname I gave Lost Lands :)
According to her Spotify bio, she created the first bass-centric event series in Mexico, “Mad House.”
No, seriously, he looks just like Maui only if he were Puerto Rican; down to the very mosturized curly hair pattern
Chopping- a term referring to the method of mixing by manipulating the channel levels on a DJ board in a slightly agressive manner.
While I think people who participate in mosh pits understand the physical risks of this activity, we are not dumb. Maui got “laid out” in the moshpit twice that night ALONE. Participate at your own risk.