Notes1 Turner maintained a distinction between the liminal as obligatory and the liminoid as
optional, part of the leisure world as opposed to the religious world. See also Richard
Schechner (1977) for how he contrasts the two categories in terms of efficacy and
entertainment. While acknowledging the differing characteristics of both realms, I
have opted for ‘liminal’ in recognition of the significance of rites of the leisure world in
young people’s lives.
2 The legal drinking age in Toronto (and the entire province of Ontario) is 19.
Although Turbo had previously been an all-ages venue with a wristband giving access
to roped-off bar areas, that policy changed for many events following the summer of
2000.
3 Prohibited substances at Toronto raves and clubs include all illegal drugs, weapons and
food or drinks from the outside. While patrons at such events generally agree that
security should confiscate weapons, the fact that many cross the entrance threshold while
concealing Ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and other illicit drugs underscores the
conflicting agendas of participants and those of promoters, club owners and the
police. Considering that four Ecstasy-related deaths occurred in Toronto between
1999 and 2002, one might suggest that some clubbers and ravers are notoriously
prepared to flirt with substances many believe to be central to producing heightened
states of liminality.
4 I refer to flyers, event phone lines, advertising, magazines, websites and other
promotional tools, which are largely responsible for conveying information about the
‘scene’, events, DJs, etc.
5 While a number of both rave and club DJs have taken to using CD mixing technology
in their sets, on the night in question only vinyl records were used.
6 Filtering refers to a method of digital production in which sound is shaped by
reducing or increasing the loudness of certain frequencies by processing specific sound
samples through an 18dB octave low-pass filter. The effect is rather like ascending or
descending through sound. Looping refers to a process where a sample— such as a
word, spoken or sung phrase, or a particular instrumental hook from a horn or guitar
(most often taken from classic disco and funk records)—is edited in a repeating cycle
throughout a section of the record. Both digital effects are often created by producers
using an Akai S1000 stereo 16-bit linear sampler, first available in 1985.
7 EQing refers to a process through which DJs manipulate the frequency spectrum of
vinyl records. Most DJ mixers feature three knobs controlling the bass, mid and treble
ranges fed to the amplifier and speaker system.
8 In Toronto, circle dancing generally indicates that patrons have been schooled in
clubbing primarily at Top 40 clubs, where the ‘female huddle’ is often employed to
rebuff male advances.
9 Snug is a Toronto-based clothing label worn mainly by ravers and clubbers across
North America.
10 Mixing, spinning, selecting and DJing all refer to a particular performance idiom in
which DJs often seamlessly connect and combine separate records into what is
recognized as a whole performance. Although being a DJ necessarily involves related
activities such as buying records, practising privately and programming records for
public play, mixing is the most visible activity of the DJ. Its importance in the relevant180 MORGAN GERARD