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
Old School
Old School Sundays, 1998, with Cliff T and Baby Anne
Go Lounge
Wall Street, Downtown Orlando, FL
Go Lounge had that cool school bus in the back, right? Groovy.
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:
Taboom
1999
Taboom Thursdays happened in ’99 and featured drum’n’bass DJs.
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:
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.
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…
