This is a place for everything related to Electronic Dance Music! Tracks, DJs, light shows, festivals, news, entertainment, reviews, interviews...this is about Electronic Dance Music Culture and Community.
A big part of the rave community that always strikes me as unique and extremely interesting is the artistic side of everything. Between the dancing, gloving, face painting, mask making, painting, decoration design, hitting the decks...there's a lot going on with the art. Why? I think the answer is quite simple, there are a lot of artistically talented people that are in the scene.
Want to get your artsy side on? I got great news for you! There is a monthly event, a gallery event, held at Hi-5. For the first Friday of every month, there is a newly themed art gallery! So far I've personally only been to the photography event and the comic/cartoon event. They also had a UV reactive art, and an art-punk show! It's definitely a different event, but with all the right vibes. A lot of good familiar faces come out to these, and there is always great music, and great drinks! With two floors to play on, and plenty to see, I suggest you check at least one of these shows!
The next one coming up is a Black and White event! It's coming up the first Friday of April, the 6th! Get all your EVENT DETAILS. This is going to be an awesome event featuring DJs like Rainey, Gabbie Giftsz, Spaceman, and Colossal Mantis! If you are an artist make 100% sure you speak with Rael about being part of the show! Thank me for going down later :)
OK,now you have the opportunity to go see art and maybe even get your art seen in a gallery setting. How about getting some art to be seen on a global setting? I'm not just talking about setting about a Deviant Art page. Right now for another couple days, you will be able to enter an awesome contest with the new and quickly budding Production/Promotion group, Blue Star Productions NYC. They are currently holding a logo design contest! Winner of the competition receives the logo on Blue Star's homepage, as well as a years worth of comps to every single one of their events for you and a friend!
Get to the drawing board!! This is the group that brought you the absolutely amazing Pokeball and Heartless Valentine, and the very soon Sith vs Jedi (a charity rave for the Susan G Komen Fund!!) So get your ass down to these events, and make sure to enter the contest to get some exposure and free raving in!!
A Human Carpet?? At First I was as confused as DJ Ashley over here, but now it is a little more clear...keep reading, and Ashley, maybe this will answer your questions....
There are plenty of interesting and cool people in
the rave community. But I have not met anyone who can quite match up to Kevin
Carpet. Known around the states as the human carpet. He was at the last two
events I went to (Power Ravers/Pokèball). To say the
least, he's an intriguing individual. Being on the scene for a very long time,
Kevin has seen major changes to music, people coming to these events and the
community itself. Let's look together into the background and mind of The Human
Carpet!
Kevin Carpet!
[PAUS3] When did
you first joined the rave community, how were you introduced to them and what
was your first event like?
[KEVIN CARPET] I was at the Disco 2000 events at the
Limelight...where I was asked to participate and do my carpet thing. The head
guys doing the event knew me since I ran the doors of some famous clubs... My
first rave carpet was in the VIP area which overlooked the huge dance floor... And
I remember as I peered out during the night I had Joan Jett, Christina
Applegate, Billy Idol’s girlfriend and a lot of other cool people standing on
the carpets to view what was going on the dance floor...
It was a cool night and I went back every Wednesday for the same Disco 2000
party, but sometimes I laid by the bar and sometimes I was with the
Go-Go's... All depended on the night...
[P] Describe the rave community in your
own words.
[K] The Rave community in a whole is like friends getting
together at a party and enjoying great music and vibes and socializing... and
yes Dancing! As they say most Raves I go to are full of PLUR and Unity (I guess
that depends which ones you go to) but all the ones I go to are like that.
[P] How has the scene changed since the
time you've started attending raves?
[K] Well Raves were at least some underground ones
sometimes dangerous… meaning fights and all. Now it’s a Pleasure Peace Love
Harmony... again at most events. It’s great seeing everyone chillin and
enjoying themselves having a good time.
Helping People Over the Ledge Pokèball By: Sam Freund
[P] What is some of your favorite music
styles?
[K] Most people don’t know this but I DJed for years and
I played at a lot of electro, gothic and techno events along with 80's 90's and
industrial music....so I guess that’s what I like.
[P] Where does the name 'Carpet' come
from?
[K] When I first started doing clubs and bars as a carpet
people would say to me.."Hey it's Kevin the Carpet,” and "Hey Kevin
Carpet!” and Walla! The name has been born.
[P] What is it about wrapping yourself in carpets and getting stepped on? Is it a
fetish?
[K] When I first started doing this at gothic events I didn't
use a carpet just laid by the bar dressed in all black, gloves, a ski mask and
goggles... I laid very still all night and it was funny some people didn’t
think I was real they had to touch me. Then when I received a government grant
to do this. I had to think of other way to try and do this at different events
clubs and bars… So carpet idea came when some people told me it was hard to
stay on me cause my belly moved and they fell off sometimes, plus when girls
wore heels that would hurt so that wasn't too much fun.
Then a bar owner said to me if I came there early and lay in a carpet in the
corner where all the bartenders go and the shot girls and the patrons I could
be incognito and be a part of the bar. People would think I was bunch of
carpets there... Hmmm this sounded interesting....so it began. I got to this upper
east side bar that got packed by 10pm. I got there by 8pm before the staff got
in and set up. That lasted about 2 years and was fun except if I had 6 big guys
standing there for an hour and never left. Those times I was thinking I should
show myself, but didn’t. The owner also paid me and I got a ride home plus a
meal… So this was good! Then I started doing this at many other clubs and bars
all over NYC, NJ, Boston, and LA.
One thing about getting stepped on is not the main reason for the art… which is
a part of it, but the art factor comes to play when you’re at a space laying
there and being used as the object your portraying. Me a carpet... It’s about
being ONE with the venue as people go about their business and your there like
a chair, or a sofa. This IS a fetish for many, but to me this is an art. In
fact I get messages all the time from guys all over the USA and beyond saying
to me “Dude… How can you have guys walk on you? that’s gay.” I guess if I did
this for a fetish or other reason maybe. If a guy loves girls then he would
just want girls on him. Being a carpet is just that, being a carpet and carpets
can’t say you can go on ‘em and who can’t.
I have to delete (comments) on my Facebook. A bunch of guys every now and then
who do this for fetish and who write weird things on the pics and who may
harass the people on my page.
Let me take this opportunity to say I tried a rave at Rebel a few years ago and
I was by the bar and everyone looked at me, took pics and maybe went on the
carpet for a second to take pic and then came off. I remember I left that Rebel
after 2 hours and went to a downtown Hipster event where they loved me and had
fun.
My first idea was to be incognito doing this, however ravers are real cool
people and when they know when I'm there they bounce, jump and say hi to me as
they pass by… It’s a whole new idea and thus helping me to make my grant more
interesting. I do get some people who jump over saying sometimes “I don’t wanna
hurt him,” which is another misconception...I HATE PAIN! However, this is non
painful. When I lay where ever I'm at I get in a Zen like state and listen as
people trod on me and go by...hearing and sensing the environment. Being an
actual carpet... When this works it’s great... Doorways I like cause of the
interaction with people I hear... ”Love ya carpet guy...Hey Kevin...You Rock
Dude.”
It’s sad when I hear, “Oh no I hate stepping on him,” and then they gingerly
step or jump. Then I feel bad... For the people. But, for the most part I'm happy
and excited that I have been accepted at these events and people do write and
tell me these days.
It’s not a party if you’re not there or you’re a staple at these events... Of
course I know there are some who think otherwise and for that I'm sorry. It
really amazes me how people can adapt and have fun with this....the thing that
I do. Nowadays I have to thank ALL the cool promoters that ask me to join their
events...
[K] Gee I never thought about that...hmmm I think I try
to go almost weekly if there are events... And just until 5 months ago I never
could go to events for years on a Friday always missed those events cause I had
this Top 40, 80's 90's DJ gig... Paid well so I kept it, until I said to myself
I'd rather be carpeting and now I'm having a Ball at these Friday & Saturday
events.
[K] I forgot to mention Lady Gaga saw me at a few events (not raves) and
talked about me in a Youtube video I thought that was cool. She and her friends
stood on the carpet :D
I have to thank Kevin Bracken, Sam Black and Michael Dj
Ritalin for letting me carpet at their events (Refugee) in Brooklyn. Then when
that stopped I didn’t do raves for a long time till Ritalin said I could do The
Marvels event. That was at Ten Eckyk St... When I go there I ended up doing the
door for that one and it was cool cause it was there that when I went
inside I saw these cardboard boxes in front of the path to the outside smoking area.
That’s when doorway carpet came in effect....
And thanks to Aeryck NYCRAVERS Ritalin, Jeff Cohen and Atom C. At the
next one they found me a nice spot by the doorway... Which worked out great. No
one knew at the first event but the promoters by the end of the event some word
got around and it was cool the crowd had fun with it for the most part.
BIIIIG THANK YOU to Kevin for his time and honesty!! Make sure you say hi to him next time you see him at an event near you!!
