Ditch the drugs and lose the booze with Life360’s essential guide to the world’s best conscious clubbing events
There’s a new trend among the clubbing set at the moment: conscious clubbing. No, it’s not a reference to successfully making it through the night without passing out, this is about being – and staying – sober. While this admittedly sounds like the antithesis of any good party, Teagan Hecht, from the event team at conscious clubbing brand Morning Gloryville insists it’s actually rather good.
“It’s about breakfast raving like it’s the 80’s,” she explains. “We’re bringing the same sense of euphoria, ecstasy and oneness only you’re completely sober, awake, conscious and authentic. We are trying to change how people feel about the word rave. We’re turning clubbing on its head and subverting morning culture.”
Teagan isn’t the only one looking to challenge the social norms of clubbing in favour of a more meaningful going-out experience. In fact, a number of alternative events have sprung up all over the world in the last year which is testament to the fact that there is a genuine demand for something different.
Here’s the Life360 guide to a banging night (or morning) out minus the banging headache. Vive la différence!
1. Morning Gloryville
If a spot of healthy raving before work sounds about as appealing as mouldy old toast this may not be your cup of tea, but Samantha Moyo and Nico Thoemmes’ midweek morning events are proving surprisingly popular with those wanting to ‘rave their way into the day’. Their 6am start is quite early, although Gloryville’s own ‘Wake Up Angels’ are on hand with massages, superfood smoothie bars and of plenty of gourmet coffee to help you lose the snooze and get moving!
Gloryville has gone global since its launch in East London in 2013. The last 18 months has seen them set up in 15 cities worldwide, with more in the pipeline this year. You can find parties in Amsterdam, Bangalore, New York, Barcelona, Berlin, Dublin, Montreal, Paris, San Fran, Sydney, Tokyo, Zurich Liverpool, Leeds and Brighton.
2. SOBER
Swedish comedian Marten Andersson only launched his drug and alcohol-free club night in September 2014, but this nighttime sober clubbing event is no joke as it’s even been endorsed by the Swedish Temperance Association. While this may not sound like a barrel of laughs, the first event sold out weeks in advance with subsequent events receiving rave reviews. Expect top class electronic beats, a pulsating dance floor and more mocktails than you can shake a sober stick at. A word of warning though – everyone is breathalysed on entry so lose the booze if you want to boogie.
Iconic music venue and oldest theatre in Stockholm, Södra Theatren, plays host to Sweden’s only booze-free rave. Don’t be fooled by the 800 person capacity though, these events sell out fast and expect a lengthy queue on arrival.
3. Ecstatic Dance
Originating in Hawaii in 2000, this fusion of DJ culture with conscious dance hit the US mainland in 2009 and has since been exported all over the world. Advertised as ‘spiritual, barefoot dancing’, these three hour moving meditation sessions are geared more to hippy types looking to get their free-form groove on rather than hardcore clubbers. Just remember: no shoes and no booze.
Spiritually-minded movers can find Ecstatic Dance parties all over the USA as well as in Berlin, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Paris, Ibiza, Byron Bay and Ghent.
4. The Conscious Club
The brainchild of Australians Tim Brown and Gary Gorrow who, tired of the regular pub and club routine, have created ‘enlighter-taining’ drug and booze-free evenings of music, film and talks. Their aim is to make socialising more meaningful, not to mention memorable with a little bit of meditation thrown in for good measure.
Conscious Club events currently run in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra with plans to extend to the USA and UK in 2015. If you can’t find an event close by, you can also apply to host your own Conscious Club meaningful meet-up via their website.
5. The Get Down
Not strictly sober, this one, but New York house DJ Tasha Blanks’ midweek, early-evening dance party is aimed at those who love to rave but don’t want to part with their precious snooze. Kicking off with a 6pm yoga class, the party proper starts at 7pm and finishes no later than 10pm meaning there’s ample time to rest up before that dreaded morning meeting. Raveolutionary!
Electronic music haven Cielo in New York’s Meatpacking District is more commonly associated with all-night forays into America’s commercial EDM scene, nevertheless, this fashionable venue is proving extremely popular with the clean clubbing crowd.
Photo credit: carnagenyc / Foter / CC BY-NC
