If you're new to the rave scene you've probably noticed a lot of slang terms that ravers use to refer to certain things. Whether it be something about the music, the scene or the people in it there are lots of sayings that ravers use both online and IRL. Here is a running list of popular raver terms and what they mean:
Back 2 Back (B2B)
- Two or more DJs playing a set together.
Bootleg
- a new version of a song created by someone who was not the original producer, and without the stems.
The Build
- the part of the song that speeds up rapidly and builds energy before the drop.
Campers
- people who get to a spot and stay there waiting for the set they are interested in seeing several hours later. They don’t show much enthusiasm for the sets they aren’t interested in that come before the one they came to see, but stick around so they don’t lose their spot.
The Drop
- The catchiest part of the song that comes right after the build. You'll know when it hits.
Feels
- Feelings
Filthy
- Describes a beat and means it's good
Flip
- Another word for a bootleg.
Flow
- Fluid movement of dancing or flow toy manipulation.
Front Left, Front Right, Back Right, Back Left
- Where you stand/dance/hangout with your friends in relation to where the stage is. It's usually referring to the perspective from the crowd, not stage directions which would be the opposite.
Gloving
- A style of flow featuring gloves with micro LEDs at the fingertips. Flow artists move their fingers in elaborate and mesmerizing patters.
Grimy
- See “Filthy”
- Grime also refers to a genre within the drum and bass genre, specifically referencing UK grime and the music that comes from that underground scene.
Headliner
- The main artist people come to the show to see. Usually has the biggest logo on the flyer and plays last.
ID
- An unreleased artist or song title (ex. ID - ID means we don’t know the artist or song title)
Kandi
- Stretchy, colorful bracelets made from pony beads that often say words or phrases. They are made by ravers to give to other ravers at events.
Kandi trades
- When one raver trades a Kandi with another raver at an event. There is a special way we do this and it involves hand motions for each part of PLUR.
Light Show
- When a flow artist demonstrates their skills with LED flow toys to a targeted individual.
Massive
- A large show almost on the level of a festival.
Opener
- The DJ that opens the show for the headliner.
Perlers
- Similar to kandi but instead of the beads being on a bracelet, they are small beads melted together to form a design. Often used on necklaces or as attachments to Kandi cuffs.
PLUR
- Stands for Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. This term was created in the 90s and is still widely used in the rave scene. PLUR reminds us how to treat people at raves, festivals and beyond.
Rave Aunt
- She’s as experienced as the Rave Mom, but is down to get lost in the sauce
Rave Baby
- Someone who is new to the rave scene. They probably don’t have a favorite EDM genre yet and are still unsure of their personal style.
Rave Cave
- either when a rave is in an enclosed venue vs. outside or when you make a room to rage in at your house
Rave Mom
- Someone who has been raving for at least 2 years and is the leader of the group. Will be your buddy for bathroom breaks, make sure you have water and snacks and often plan what DJs the group is going to see.
Rave Squad/ Rave Fam
- The group you are going with to a particular rave or your rave family that you go with to every event. They might be your best friends or your friends that you mostly only go to raves with but don't see elsewhere.
Totem
- A handmade sign that a rave group makes so you can see it in the crowd. This works wonders if you have to leave your group to go somewhere but want to be able to find them again.
The Pit
- The center of the crowd close to the stage.
Rage
- Dancing super hard to heavy music.
Rail Rider
- Someone who goes hard on the rail
Remix
- A new version of a song created by someone who was not the original producer with the stems (sound design, vocals, etc)
Shuffle
- A style of dance stemming from the running man with a swing influence.
Techno snob
- Someone who is very into techno and is picky about techno music. They might also like to talk poorly about the artist they don’t like.
Trap
- A type of EDM with hip hop origins featuring complex triplet hi-hat patterns and kick drums. Trap’s tempo typically falls within 130-170 BPM.
Wook
- A person who dresses in pashminas, goes to transformative festivals and can probably be found chilling on the ground or in a hammock. They're usually dirty and can be known to mooch off of others or get really intoxicated. This is usually a negative term but can sometimes only refer to a style of festival fashion similar to a hippie.
(VIP)
- A new version of a song created by the original producer (stands for Variation In Progress)
- An elevated experience at a festival that usually offers better bathrooms or access, usually at a higher price tag than General Admission.
