It has been just a year since and it's time to open up.
It's simply dangerous to mention the idea of a party when you are amongst a group of over-energetic and mission worthy ravers, especially in Portsmouth. Due to a large number of businesses going bust and buildings being left for dead, there has been an abundance of squats being occupied by the homeless seeking shelter during the winter months, completely undisturbed for months at a time.
The haystack of buildings couldn't have been hard to go through, you end up knowing of the people living in these buildings; some living as a lifestyle and others unfortunately not of choice. The inquiries to squat supervisors and urban explorers began... Is there a venue?
There were various places around Portsmouth, some residential perfect for a free party but being frank after previous experiences using a certain abandoned casino there was always a way to return.
Frequently a fire jam takes place on the beaches of Eastney shore, however open to the elements this may be - come rain or shine you will probably find on a Wednesday; Instruments and people from sometimes literally all over the world. A fire is always an important element of any outdoor party, centralising the energy and acting as a beacon for a meeting point. The consistent attendance to this social event had maybe been the catalysts for such a strong group of individuals to form in the early part of 2019.
With that, the Kieth Flint Tribute Party was born, in an abandoned casino ballroom in Portsmouth. Decorated with a serious amount of fairy lights and battery operated effect lights where old fixtures would have been. The result was somewhat amazing and was kicking. This time, without intervention it fled from start to finish. James and the rest of the crew involved smashed the logistics of this medium-sized bash ,<50 heads out of the park.
Entering around 18:00 to lay decor and clean up, ready for guests. A romantic pathway lit by candles, lead guests to an onslaught on previously loved, derelict casino venue decor. Old lighting fixtures had been made use off, along with the bar getting repurposed for the night. Members of the party had all contributed in their own way, from providing lighting and sound to just being an energetic legend. Midnight came and it was in full swing, there is nothing stopping a party at that stage. The last few standing, cleaned and exited the location at around 09:00 the following morning, strolling out and to the beach for a picnic.
The importance of the 'leave no trace' principle has been around long before boomtown popularised the phrase. The human impact of gathering alone is, huge when litter and waste is left behind or unmanaged. Free party locations are often left in a cleaner state than what they started in. They are made as safe as they can by organizers, hazards and waste are cleared out of the area before the party has begun. Taking pride in this principle is a for sure way to keep the local authorities on your side along with genuinely helping the local environment.
Keep your eyes out for the "neon rave cult" next time you are out and about in Portsmouth.
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