1990

January 27th

"Freedom To Party" campaign marches in London against the "Increased Penalties" bill. 8,000 people gather in Trafalgar Square to hear speeches from the main promoters, Wayne Antony. Tony Colston Hater, Dave Roberts, Jarvis Sandy, Obsession fm and othe pirate station reps. Amplified music is banned by the Police. Debbie Malone sings "Rescue Me" accapella. MC Chalky White is arrested as Police bring the demo to a close. Obsession fm create a live broadcast and fully cover the protest but the tabloid press make no mention at all! Later that night a warehouse in Radlett is cracked by Weekend World. They are joined by Sunrise, Genesis and Biology for a free party organised in just a few hours. Police road block the convoys and running battles between the Police and ravers trying to get into the building result in it being allowed to continue until 9am.

January

James Perkins teams up with Chris Griffin to hold some nights in Cheltenham called Cage Blackburn's illegal warehouse scene continues to grow with the Revenge and Hardcore Uproar parties.

February 24th

Tommy Smith and Tony Creft's run of Blackburn raves ends in a warehouse at Nelson, Nr Burnley. 200 riot Police raid the party while there are over 10,000 people inside.

On the same day Resurrection in Cobham becomes a disaster when the prohibited rave turns into a riot. Dave Thomas (DJ Bizzle T), Otiz F. Angel, El-Chicano Matt Crushaw & Dirty B are just a few to be arrested.

A few legal nights then follow at Malfoy's nightclub before this too is shut down.

March 17th

Chris Griffin holds the first Perception at the Brunel Centre, Bristol.

June 9th

Brave New World, nr Blackburn Amnesia House are joined by Mickey Lynas (Bambam's brother) and they start to hold nights at the Coventry Sports Connection.

June 22nd-24th

At the Glastonbury festival travellers start hooking up with inner city sounds systems like DiY.

A new and powerful trend evolves with travellers entering the rave scene. With sound systems these events were free festivals. Again a loop hole in the law is exploited.

As these are free festivals the 'Pay Party Unit' has no powers. It's now 'mass trespass' or 'breach of the peace' both difficult to enforce when there are so many people – especially if many are travellers.

July

Increased Penalties Bill is passed. Penalty for organising an illegal event is raised to £20,000 and 6 months imprisonment.

'Introspective' at Longton Leisurebowl.

Sindrome, started by Martin Redmond and DJ Bod becomes the first weekly Saturday night at Shelleys, Longton, Stoke-on-trent. The club up to this point has been 'the local sharon & tracey meat market'. Along side the other residents Unknown DJ and Steve Warner guests on the following weeks include Derrick May , Ritchie Hawtin, Colin Dale, Jam MC's, Neil Macey, Dave Angel and Tony Ross.

After Amnesia House "One Step Beyond" at the Sports Connection a young man from Leicester dies. This is the Matthew in Friends of Matthew - Out There.

July

About 836 ravers are arrested & detained at the Love Decade party held at Gildersome in Yorkshire. This remains one of the biggest mass arrests in British history. Only 8 are actually charged with anything! Police attempt to shut down the Hacienda for a death in the club. After a lengthy court case the Hacienda stays open but has lost its original atmosphere as Manchester's (now called "Madchester) gangsters take over the drug scene.

August 10th

"The rave scene is just a fad. It will be over in 3 months" claims Superintendent Mick Bromwich of the Coventry Police. Years later he has been proven to be a very foolish man.

August 23rd

Amnesia House hold "Sky Blue" their last party at the Sports Connection, Coventry.

September 1st

Pirate radio station Kiss becomes Britain's first legal dance music radio station then sells out completely to commercial pop.

Pandemonium are joined by Mark Chamberlain as the public face for dealing with Councils and the Police. They do 3 sell out events in a Sports Centre in Maidly.

Alex Patterson (later of the ORB) and Jimmy Cauty (KLF) take over DJing in the VIP room at Land of Oz (held at Heaven in London). They play a weird mix of film music and animal noises! Ambient house is born.

Delight at Shelleys in Stoke-on-Trent with resident DJ, the then virtually unknown Sasha. Shelleys rocks to Sasha's blend of techno and rushing pianos every Friday (after it closes so do Knutsford & Hilton Park motorway service stations!).

October

Spiral Tribe (Mark & Alex Harrison, Debbie Giffith & Simon Feeney) hold their first squat party, Detention, at an abandoned school house in London. They take the name (or so the story goes) from a spiral shaped fossil Mark had found.

October 13th

The legendary Eclipse opens at Lower Ford Street, Coventry. Britain's first legal all night rave club. The club is packed all night every Friday & Saturday. December Obsession Fm closes down. After a final bust, Obsession cannot recuperate. The arrests at Resurrection ends in the radio station having a vulnerable administration team and forces the station to end their programme.

November 24th

284 Ravers arrested as the Police raid the Mad Hatters Tea Party in Burnley, Lancashire

1991

January 30th

Hacienda ends following a door staff member was endangered with a firearm. "We are sick of the violence" - Tony Wilson February Saturdays at Shelleys becomes the brand new home of Amnesia House with Daz Willot as resident.

April 16th

After the shut down of Obsession FM, Otiz F. Angel releases a single called New Generation ‎– All Mighty Dredd.

He also focuses on a new Resurrection campaign and publishes a memo called 'Hardcore -Do Yu Know The Score ?'. To summarise, the content talks about:

The House phenomenon causing a spiritual awakening within the rave generation and modifying the way people think.

Rave culture upgrading modern day society.

The necessity of meditation, yoga and good health becoming a big part of the rave culture.

An awareness of a collective conciousness experienced by many people, in a rave environment (connecting all people and all things in the universe).

A future rave business or corporation, giving ravers a voice while enabling ravers to network, share and make money together (legitimately).

Over 10,000 copies were handed out outside all rave events, busy streets and large malls in London. Hundreds of ravers, hippy spiritualist and new age enthusiasts found common ground with the literature and joined the Resurrection membership.

Yet there are mixed reactions with critics accusing Angel of forming a rave cult.

several weeks following the doc was published, a producer called the Hypnotist – coincidently released a successful track called 'Hardcore You Know The Score'. No connection.

April 18th

Time & Underground hold their last party at the Rag Market, Birmingham Time & Underground

April

Carl cox has his first hit with 'I Want You' and performing on Top Of The Pops when the record peaked at number 23 in the UK charts!!

April 19th

James Perkins and Gideon hold a party at the Eclipse in Coventry. The line up includes Sasha, Carl Cox, Jumping Jack Frost, SS, Ellis Dee and a PA from The Scientist.

April 27th

First of the Forest Hill free partyies held near Oxford

May 8th

Second Forest Hill free party (the Easygroove tape)

Resurrection is busted by riot police just as the rave reaches over 1,500+ members. The prohibited warehouse in Tottenham hale is closed. Later, founding members and management merge with a Tottenham sound system changing their name to become 'the Electrybe'.

May 22nd

After filming the video for “Move any Mountain” The Shamen’s Will Sinnott drowns off the coast off Gomera, Canary Islands

May 25th

Steve Gorden host the Elevation rave. The venue was at The Wonderland Arena. June Shelleys is allowed to keep its licence after Longton Police object on grounds of "serious overcrowding" June After on going battles with the Dti fantasy FM closed down and ended the broadcast, leaving a long legacy of house music.

June 20-25th

Longstock free festival. Spiral Tribe join the fesitval with their now mobile sound system.

29 June

Elevation Part II July DJ Welly takes up residency at The Pleasuredome, Farnworth, near Manchester. Within three weeks the usually quiet club is transformed and full to capacity week in week out.

July 26-29th

Happy Daze free festival nr Bala, Wales. Circus Warp & Spiral Tribe on site.

August 2nd

ESP do a joint event with Weekend World near Northampton. This outdoor event is licensed for 7,000.

August 2-5th

Camelford free festival. Spiral Tribe, Circus Warp, Adrenaline, & DiY on site. MC Scallywag and DJ Aztek join Spiral Tribe. The following week they move their vehicles to the Stoney Cross travellers site. A move which un-nerves a lot of the travelling community due to the violent Police confrontation seen there in the eighties.

August

Heaven on Earth

August 28-31th

White Goddess free free festival. August 30th free party organisers, Paul Shurrey and Rob Vega (Brainstorm) put on their first legal event in Bath. Rave legend Universe is born. September Quest is born at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Sept 14th

Altern-8 turn up outside Shelleys with a sounds system on the back of a lorry as people are leaving at closing time. They manage to play 5 numbers to a crowd of 1000+ in the car park before the Police arrive.

Dec 6th

ESP hold an event at Denby Leisure Centre (later to be known as The Sanctuary) calling it Dreamscape. New Years Eve Fantazia at Westpoint Exhibition Centre, Raindance-Big Bad Head at Melton Mowbury.