Goa
Information - what is Goa ?
If you know nothing about
Psychedelic Trance Music, or come from a country
where such a thing as Trance Parties are unknown,
then I hope this description helps you to
understand them.
What for the hippies flower-power
was, is for the techno generation
"Goa". A term borrowed from the
portuguese colony in India where these parties
originally began, and to some extent still
continue. Nowadays the parties occur all over the
world, with specific centres where they are more
or less popular. In north Germany there is a
large following, some 20 thousand or so, with the
largest of the group around Hamburg. There are
also smaller groups across the whole of Germany,
the smallest of these in the South. Not many
people are required to make party viable -
wherever there are enough people to cover the
costs of at least one DJ and the hire of sound
equipment and venue. The size of parties varies
enormously. From very small private/birthday
events for 100 to annual "happenings",
"gatherings" and "festivals"
of up to 10,000. It isn't possible to give
figures on the size of attendances - reliable
information is simply not obtainable. As a
general guide in our party info it can be taken
from the number of DJs in the lineup, especially
when a larger number of professional DJs are
included, that the party is of the larger
variety.
Psy-Trance is an absorbing form of
repetitive beat music to which certain melodic
and accoustic sounds are blended or are performed
live in addition. Some of these sounds stem from
exotic instruments, such as sittahs, gongs, drums
and didgereedoos. Unlike other forms of techno
music there is little by way of verbal addition,
although some samples are derived from the human
mouth. There are no songs or anthems (as with
House) or repetitive speech elements (such as
with Rap). Trance music is designed to increase
and decrease in the higher frequencies in waves
which ebb and flow, leading the dancer to
repeated ecstatic peaks. To some it is a form of
meditation. To some merely a way to work off a
bit of winter fat. The dancers are extremely
social and gentle with one another. If anyone
else is accidentally touched or trodden upon
there follow hearty apologies, or sometimes just
a gesture, the palms pressed together in a prayer
position, the traditional Indian greeting. Many
Osho/Bhagwan followers (sanyassins) go to the
parties and contribute their particular sexual
and philosophical thinking to it. Osho advised
certain dances as a form of meditation, as did
Gurdgieff with his spiritual and ritualistic
dances, drawn from the traditions of the whirling
dervishes.
Dancing to trance is a very personal
and individual experience. No advice is given or
to be expected and experiences vary according to
the background and outlook of the individual
"trancer" him/herself. No common
philosophy appears to exist amongst the dancers -
most of the sayings, rituals and thinking at
parties seems borrowed rather than adopted.
Images of "Shiva" or
"Krishna" may often be found in parties
but most seem unaware as to what they actually
are or what their significance is. These images
are simply "used" to lend flavour to
the party and not hallowed as something sacred.
As is the use of tippees, totem poles, pyramids
and runes. They merely provide atmosphere and
carry no further meaning. Certain similarities in
social approach can be perceived amongst the
people and these are the hallmark of trance
parties - the gentleness and respect, the chance
to dance unmolested (this is especially noted by
the women), the smiles and feelings of joy.
I have often been asked to describe
the difference between a "rave" and a
"trance party". Ravers dance to fast
and furious beats until they are completely
exhausted. Generally such parties are frequented
by the younger set, teenage through early
twenties, and are accompanied by a large
consumption of chemicals which stimulate fast
dancing such as "speed". Trancers, on
the other hand, tend to be older on average,
although a wide age range is common, from older
teens to grandfathers. It's a question of outlook
of the person. I know many 50-something trancers
who dance as hard and as long as the younger
ones, and bring a certain air of mysticism and
experience to the party. Raves are generally
organised by commercial undertakings and are
advertised and reported on in the press and on TV
and Radio. Trance parties are generally organised
by ordinary people, a small group of DJs and
helpers who expect little in remuneration and the
parties are rarely advertised or reported upon in
the press (some reports exhibit total surprise
and call the scene "neo-hippy" or
"techno" and attempt to compare it with
things such as the Berlin "Love Parade"
or even "Woodstock"). The Trance
parties are therefore something special and wish
to remain underground. They are a grass-roots
welling-up of a new format for open air
festivals. North Germans are indeed lucky to have
so many such parties to choose from during their
short but extremely colourful summer.
The elements of an open air trance
party in Germany (in no particular order)
1. Soundsystem with a surround (4 speaker)
effect. Normally enlosed by circle of staves to
determine the dance area proper. Sometimes this
area is surrounded by a ring of tippees - which
is popular.
2. Some kind of booth, stage or shack where the
DJs can spin without being bumped by dancers.
3. A chillout area, offering carpeted areas under
makeshift "tent" material (normally
using brightly coloured indian/asian printed
hangings and not very waterproof) complete with
someone offering chai (spiced tea with ginger)
and light snacks.
4. An adequate carpark where the people can setup
tents, barbecues or whatever they need to feel at
a kind of home-from-home for the duration of the
gathering.
5. An assortment of private traders selling
everything from imported asian fabrics and
clothing, jewelery, records, tapes and CDs and
the sort of stuff one finds in a headshop.
Sometimes this is called the "hippy
market" area, and can spread around a large
area.
6. A bar/tent (in Germany a lot of beer is drunk
at any event, regardless of how spiritual the
premises of the party). Sometimes there are
alternative drinks available too such as
"smart drinks" and guarana mixes from
private traders.
7. Trance-DJs, of course. Otherwise it wouldn't
be a trance party.
8. Lots of colour - particularly neon which glows
under ultra violet light, of which there is
always a lot too! The "deko"
(decoration) of parties is often undertaken by
struggling artists who paint large pictures on
fabric specifically designed to be hung at a
series of parties.
9. Flyers are distributed in parties, also
magazines such as the Mushroom and the KERNEL Goa
Infoblatt.
10. Of course there is also a lot of dancing
too...
(c) 2001 Alan
Frostick (new web site) KERNEL Goa
used with permission
|
