POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Flyer promoting 'Circles' dance party

Object No. 2016/22/1-570

During the late 1980s and 1990s Sydney was home to a thriving rave and party scene, part of a global phenomenon originating in England. This object is part of an archive of over 1850 items dating from 1990 to 1998, providing an insight into the Sydney party world and the way in which it changed throughout the decade. At the dance parties of the late 1980s, disc jockeys pumped out high-volume music for thousands of revellers on laser-lit, smoke-hazed dance floors at prominent venues like Sydney's huge Hordern Pavilion. Each party was promoted with a strong graphic design. By the end of the decade Sydney was recognised as the dance capital of the world. In June 1990 after complaints from local residents about noise, restrictions were placed on amplified music at the Hordern Pavilion. This forced dance parties underground, into rave venues like abandoned warehouses. Raves differed to other forms of dance parties. They were of dubious legality, especially those held in the early 1990s. They often took place in locations undisclosed until the night of the event and sometimes out of the city. Party-goers typically danced as individuals, facing towards a stage or the DJ. Techno music was dominant. The DJs became celebrities and the flyers often indicated their names. As the 1990s continued much of the dance scene moved above ground. The later flyers more often indicate the location of the parties. The number of events held on a regular basis in established nightclubs also appears to have increased, again suggesting the growing legality of the scene. As rave culture gained in popularity and legality, it is possible to question to what extent its original essence remained. The flyers, whose target audience were actual and potential partygoers, are important for their insight into graphic trends, rave vernacular and the way in which the dance party community communicated among itself. For example, to the uninitiated, it may not have been clear what a 'juice bar' or 'chill out space' was. Similarly, esoteric was the often ironically stated claim that there will be no alcohol or illicit substances. MDMA, commonly known as 'ecstasy', is known to have been the drug of choice. The flyers do not explicitly convey this, although the occasional presence of the smiley face logo carried a hidden subcultural meaning to the initiated. The flyers are also significant as an example of communication methods at this time. Those from the early 1990s belong to the end of the pre-internet era and are valuable evidence of the way publicity campaigns were run before the world wide web and eventually social media became pervasive modes of communication. Some later flyers include telephone numbers but also website and email addresses, evidence of the imminent burgeoning of digital communication. Peter Cox, Curator, 2016

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Summary

Object Statement

Flyer, promoting 'Circles' dance party, paper, maker unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1995

Physical Description

Flyer, Event: Circles . Venue: Club 77 77 William Street. Date: 14.10.1995. Notes:

HISTORY

Notes

This object is part of an archive of over 1850 items (including flyers, cards, leaflets, tickets and a VHS tape) promoting dance parties in Sydney from April 1990 to January 1998. The flyers were collected during the 1990s by David Travis from record stores in Sydney, particularly Central Station Records, where dance party promoters would place them for customers to take for free. As Travis recalled, "I used to frequent record stores during this period and pick up the flyers for upcoming parties".

SOURCE

Acquisition Date

30 June 2016

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