DJ Radgirl’s ‘CUNT’ RAVE At The Mortuary: P.L.U.R. is C.U.N.T.
DJ Radgirl by LOUD BARK Magazine
Mind-numbing beats reverberate through The Mortuary’s chipped ebony floorboards. CAN YOU FEEL IT? Bouncing feet are landing with the force of a lightning strike, a few attendees curious if the old wood will cave beneath the pressure inflicted by their combat boots and wrap-around-heels. Couples are LIP-LOCKED, BUMPING hips on the dance floor, while others are entertaining themselves along the vandalized walls of the underground Olympia venue, giggling and tripping through fuzzy mindscapes.
LOUD BARK Magazine
Taking place on August 21, the night’s ‘CUNT’ rave has been advertised to be 18+, with tickets being $15 at the door. The function’s lineup highlights the unique talent of exclusively local creatives: Bellrider, DJ @ric, DJ Sym, and the rave’s coordinator herself, DJ Radgirl, interposed between the latter two.
Aside from her strong track selection and smooth mixing, much of DJ Radgirl’s allure lies in her unapologetically expressive spirit. Spiraling strokes of silver eyeliner decorate her lids, shifting under the light as she moves along to her own high-energy, earworm set; a free grin takes up half of her face when a bass drop earns a particularly positive reaction from the crowd. This infectious enthusiasm is only amplified when friends of the fresh-out-of-college creative—who seem to be the upmost dedicated hype crowd—join her to dance upon the platform.
The after-hours event is a display of optimistic nihilism tucked into one of Olympia’s many hidden pockets. Looking around the room, there’s a great impression that no one really gives a fuck. Not about what anyone’s wearing. Not about what they’re doing. Half of them seem like they’ve forgotten where they are all together, giving themselves whiplash with shut eyes and swinging limbs.
For many of the CUNT rave’s attendees, the dance floor offers a judgement-free zone for physical catharsis—an intimate experience between one’s being and the music that snuffs their senses. The burden of public perception is completely lost once one steps across The Mortuary’s threshold, entering an atmosphere of Peace, Love, Unity and Respect curated by the varied artists inside.
While acknowledging the meaningful individual experience provided, the aspect of community is equally present within the walls of the historic building and around its perimeter. Friendships are forming near the rear lounge area, where beads and string have been provided to create kandi, handmade beaded bracelets exchanged at electronic dance music events to share the community’s core values. Strangers are sitting on the curb outside the venue’s entrance, swapping stories over vape pens and hand-rolled cigarettes.
At DJ Radgirl’s cunty affair, there’s a feeling of living and breathing rave culture in its rawest, most unvarnished state: gritty, inclusive, and heartfelt. The liberating environment pays homage to the core, fundamental values of the electronic dance music community that originated from Chicago’s warehouse parties, and the sheer passion and do-it-yourself attitudes shared between this generation’s participants show an honest effort to keep the culture of uniting through music alive.