NO-DOZ - 20 Year Reunion Recap - Volterock Anomalous

Dr. Freeclouds presents the No-Doz 20 Year Reunion! On Saturday night, June 30th, 2012 the first generation of Southern California ravers gathered together once again, this time, in Pomona. It wasn't about cliques, trendy music genres, or a hierarchical dress code declaring a social order. This wasn't just any event. It was a family gathering, a reuniting of friends just being themselves as love glowed from one person to the next, a collective iconic symbol for the newer generations present. In 1992, some had even met their future husband or wife at No-Doz and came back 20 years later to relive the memory. Rockie "Diva" Raccoon and Boom Boom, the original LA klub kids, were our fabulous hosts for the evening and a plethora of marvelously decorated individuals filled the dance floors with imaginations run wild. Each DJ played a complete vinyl set of classic oldskool tunes dating back decades and decades. Memories began flooding back for so many who attended and were reminded of their roots among California's underground.

DJ time slots

Photo by Snach Ez

Main room...

7 - 8 E-Zone
8 - 9 Fester
9 - 10 Mellinfunk
10 - 11 R.A.W.
11 - 12 Barry Weaver
12 - 1 DJ Dan
1 - 2 Ron D Core

Roof top...

7 - 8 Remo
8 - 9 Slyten
9 - 10 Mordrum
10 - 11 Oscar Da Grouch
11 - 12 Machete
12 - 1 Crs?
1 - 2 Apx1

Unfortunately DJ Robin was not able to make it to the No-Doz Reunion due to personal family reasons.

Photos by Michael Ivankay *

There was a flyer contest and the winner was the very creative Omar Miramontes pictured below:

Winner, Omar Miramontes

Blast from the past:

Left to right: Lady Xtra , Peter Vincent, Jimmy Crackcorn

Peter Vincent remembers his first rave, Jack And Jill, in April 1991 when "Ron D Core" went by "Ron-D" and reminisces the days when promoters handed out water and *fresh fruit* to partyers for free at the end of the event. He still has the Jack And Jill flyer just when the method of fliers being sent by snail mail were phasing out:

"This flier pre-dates the 1/2 (5.5x8.5) page full gloss 4-color fliers... i think die-cutting did not come until '92"

Some of the other pioneering events where many experienced their first rave included:

Family Groove
Genesis
Paw Paw Patch in 1990
Frankie Bones Brooklyn Storm Rave
808 State w/ Oscar Odg Gonzalez & Rudolph A Gonzalez in 1991
Akhenaten with Sean Martinez, Oscar Odg Gonzalez, and the Ill jaina from Akhenaten
the Messiah
SEX pt II with Trefford in 1989
Armageddon in 1991
K-Rave
Radioactivity at Compton Swap Meet
1989 Mac's Garage
Monster Mash at the Hollywood Park during Halloween in 1992
Calvin and Hobbes 2
Insomniac Fridays
Grape Ape
Double Hit Mickey's Electric Daisy Carnival at the Chino swap meet
circa 1989
Pandemonium in the LBC
Tron at the casa 1991
Billy Limbo's 1970's
In the Jungle
Venus
Egg salad
Alcohol salad
The apartments (with Cee farrow)
Plantasia at the NOS till dawn in San Berdo with Moby
Double Up at the Santa Monica airpark in 1992

The first LA Rave was LABRYNTHE inside a shopping mall in the upper floor in Korea town.

Family and Teknoklub were midsize events while Coolworld and B3 marked the beginning of Massives.

Rockie Raccoon, Infamous Boom Boom, Glitter Girl, Gabby Galaxy & other Los Angeles klub kids appear on Jenny Jones in the '90s:

Old skool picture collage on the wall at DrFreeclouds Record Shoppe

Today's generation of electronic music enthusiasts are still able to experience the true origins of such a vibrant culture. After asking Ron and Helen if another No-Doz event was in the works, they said they are leaving the possibility open. Throwing an event like this takes a lot of work and financial risk! If you come by their Dr. Freeclouds Record Store, you can meet them yourself and show your support for another No-Doz. They still have No-Doz T-shirts and slip-mats available.

Ron D Core and Helen Dedmon put everything into this event to reunite the kids of '92 and I'd say they succeeded.