Weird Stuff

90s Rave Flyers Part One

posted by Chris Valentine

I still have a bunch of flyers lying around from the 1990s, back when trance, breakbeat, and other techno styles were popular, and raves were a phenomenon. Down south, things were heating up, especially in Florida, although raves were certainly not limited there.

I scanned in a few flyers below – some of them you might recognize (Zen Fest, for one, which was massively popular, kind of a Lollapalooza for the raver crowd). Central Florida peeps will recognize now-defunct establishments like Aahz, Go-Lounge, and Barbarellas.

Icon

Central Blvd, Downtown Orlando, FL

Popular club back in the day, with international and local DJs like Andy Hughes, Icon is mostly a hiphop club now, but I did just recently see a flyer saying that Uberzone was coming, and that their resident DJ was Baby Anne.

Andy Hughes Wedding
October 23, 1999

Icon - Andy Hughes 1andy Hughes  wedding - side 2 flyer

Old School
Old School Sundays, 1998, with Cliff T and Baby Anne

Icon Old School SundaysIcon Old School Flyer Back Side

Go Lounge

Wall Street, Downtown Orlando, FL

Go Lounge Groove Garage

Go Lounge had that cool school bus in the back, right? Groovy.

Ultra Sound Lounge at Go LoungeUltra Sound Lounge - Go Lounge, 1998Go Lounge Groove Garage

Barbarella

Orange Ave, Downtown Orlando

Barbarella was EBM/Industrial/new wave/80s/synthpop and I used to go there on many a Saturday. They also had some interesting live acts in the back patio area (I saw Juno Reactor there). Now, of course, it has been replaced with Independent Bar.

Aahz Reunion
Interestingly, in 1998, they held the 10 year Aahz Reunion at Barbarellas. (Aahz was a popular club at the Beacham Theater) Here’s a flyer:

Aahz Reunion - FlyerFlyer for Aahz Reunion in 1998

Taboom
1999
Taboom Thursdays happened in ’99 and featured drum’n’bass DJs.

Taboom Thursdays at BarbarellaTaboom Flyer for Barbarellas 1999

Sol-Rays

Daytona Beach

OK, I never went to Sol-Rays. But I believe they were very popular. Here’s a flyer from July, ’99, with an anime theme:

Sol-rays Flyer July 99sol-rays Daytona Flyer side 2

Sun-Ra : Sunrise 2000

Miami Beach

This was a party at the Seville Hotel at 29th and Collins. I like the Egyptian theme they used.

Sun Ra - Sunrise 2000Sun Ra - Flyer - side 2Sun Ra 2000 Flyer Side 3

Zen Festival

Sept 5, 1998
Zephyrhills, FL

I remember going to Zen Fest once and enjoying it. I think most people would recognize Zen Festival as the most popular rave event in 90s North America. They had really cool flyers and lots and lots of artists. Check this multi-page flyer from 1998 – that was the year they had Zen Fest in Zephyrhills, Florida, which was nice because now ravers didn’t have to worry about running out of bottled water! I think bottled water grows on trees there…

Zen Festival 1998 Flyer Page 1Zen Festival 98 Page 2Zen Festival 98 - Flyer Page 3Zen Festival Flyer 1998 - Local DJsZen Fest 98 Flyer Page 5Zen Fest Be As OneZen Festival in Zephyrhills, FLZen Fest 98 Flyer Ticket InfoZen Fest Flyer Page 9Zen Festival 98 Flyer - Page 10Zen Fest 98 Flyer - page 11

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