HELP! We are being attacked by Hippies!!!

[ballaratdragons]

This weekend, starting from Thursday is the Rainbow Festival only 20 minutes from here at Beaufort. Driving around Ballarat, Beaufort, and yes, even Snake Valley, you can see an assortment of colourful characters in Kombi Vans, hitchhiking, sleeping in parks, wandering aimlessly (on some planet), and basically looking at peace (or somewhere).

It is a return to the 60's & 70's. This thing is HUGE!!!

Here is the event: http://rainbowserpent.net/

[ngcles]

Hi Ken,

"you can see an assortment of colourful characters in Kombi Vans, hitchhiking, sleeping in parks, wandering aimlessly (on some planet), and basically looking at peace"

While I was at Ceduna for the TSE in 2003, it sounds to me like you are describing the picture at Woomera for the said eclipse.

It was a pretty far-out scene I'm told.

Best,

Les D

[jjjnettie]

Ahhh, I know what you mean.
We had the Woodford Folk Festival here over New Years. www.woodfordfolkfestival.com/
We could hear the music from our place. It rained for practically the entire time the Festival was on. So they were very clean Hippies.

Probably the same crowd has turned up at this event.
They're "Mostly Harmless". Enjoy the floor show.

[Night Owl]

DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF DOOF

What counts for music with that crowd is amplifying the sound of a modem trying to connect to a fax machine, and all recorded in the engine room of the QE2 running at full steam ahead.

And of course they are proud to say there is no alcohol, and no "hard" drugs.

Which means you can drink or swallow all their drugs, you don't have to chew any of them. :love:

[ballaratdragons]

Yep, they say that you can here the music 24 hours a day from here.
:rockband:
I was away last year when this event was on, so it will be interesting to see if I can actually here it this year, Man.

Peace :cool3: :reindeer:
Brother Ken

[omnivorr]

I think you'll find that Doof-Doof-music lovers are not only on a different chemistry, but they despise Hippies more than you do.

...thong-slapped gourds and wind-chimes might be more the weedy astral-travellers anthem:thumbsup:

[ballaratdragons]

:lol: Yep, the doof-doofers are the type to try crash the event! and the local Rednecks!


Might call out and peruse the 'Dream-catcher' and 'beaded necklace' stalls :lol:

I might even have a bowl of Lentil and Lettuce Soup.

I wouldn't dare take a telescope out there :eyepop:
After looking through it they'll all walk around saying "man, I just saw God,"

[gaa_ian]

Yah ... good on em :P
The world needs more hippies !
Some of my best mates have been hippies .... also some of the craziest people I know have been too :eyepop:

[AJames]

Reading this thread and omnivorr's post reminded me of the on -going joke with the character of Eric Cartman in "South Park", who actually really hates hippies (no one knows why). Perhaps Ken should put up of huge image of Cartman to frighten them away. Then again, Ken might then REALLY get attacked by these Hippies!!
At least, I hope for your sake they are like Neil in the TV Series "The Young Ones", who are so spaced out all the time that they wouldn't hurt anyone.

Lentil burgers anyone?

Andrew

Note: I laughed openly at ballaratdragons "Peace brother Ken" ...60's indeed. :lol:

[erick]

Now there's an idea to carry my 12" scope - a Kombi van - surely I can pick one up for nix?

My favourite hippie joke:-

"Arrrgh, I've broken my leg - call me an ambulance!"

"OK, man, you're an ambulance"

[Satchmo]

The `hippies' aren't back : they never went away ;). The younger more obvious ones are part of an international global movement with traveling and experiencing culture pivotal , and dancing to electronic music is a common language/experience meeting point no matter what part of the world they are in. The `doofers' are often better educated and more well travelled than you or I , so beware stereotyping people :).

[leon]

Ah how soon we forget that we to were young once and enjoyed all of that sort of stuff in the 60's and 70's ;)

Leon :thumbsup:

[dugnsuz]

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding..."
:rockband:

[Ric]

I grew up towards the end of those times which is probably why I can still remember it. :P

They are probably the reason why I enjoy permaculture and Led Zeppelin, a lasting legacy :thumbsup:

Good stuff

[ballaratdragons]

Oh I remember those days well. The late 60's and early 70's.

I was a fringe Hippy myself.
Trying to dress like them, but parents stopping me. Listening to Zeppelin, Hendrix, Cat Stevens, Janis Joplin etc and being told to turn it off.

Geez it was tough trying to be 'with it, man' whan your parents say you can be 'without it, man'

Ahhhhh, those were the days. :cool2:

But times change and by late 70's I was a bad-ass biker. Total reversal. Causing 'mayhem' rather than 'Mayflowers'. :doh:

[fringe_dweller]

Snake Valley (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair)
*
If you are going to Snake valley,
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair
If you are going to Snake valley,
You're gonna meet some gentle people there

For those who come to Snake Valley,
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of Snake Valley
Gentle people with flowers in their hair


wasnt charles manson and the family hippies :scared:

hippies have always dissappointed and depress me, with everything should be free man, and next minute they're trying to screw you out of something (financially) and make a profit, scratch that tye dye t-shirt, underneath they're dirty capitalists - i much prefer beatnix, they were the best, and the original :thumbsup:

[Satchmo]

They are all part of the same youthful wave flowing through history..individualists, free thinkers, each having their own style and poisons. Such kind of people were probably far more common in Pagan times where people honoured many gods not just one that was the centre of power and money and indistinguishable from the state.

[fringe_dweller]

yes true satchmo, but was mostly restricted to arty educated classes back then?, ie aristocracy, gentry, upper middle classes, merchant classes lord byron, shelley ect. - wasnt there a whole country of hippies - bohemia :p altho the peasants actually looked and lived like hippies - too busy grinding their dirt gruel and starving to be free thinkers?

hey Ken, i'm thinking that must be a serious nexus of ley lines in snake valley :eyepop:

[fringe_dweller]

Les that was dec 2002 for TSE ;) did you accidentaly inhale airborne fumes at time?

[janoskiss]

Well, I was at last year's Rainbow Serpent with my 8" Dobbie and the scope was a huge hit! People's reactions after seeing Saturn's rings with their own eyes for the first time ever were well worth the effort! We even caught Comet McNaught on the first couple of nights with 20x60s.

I'll second Mark on not stereotyping people. There are lots of different people at RS. People of all ages, professions, with all sorts of backgrounds. Attendance is in the 1000s and not everyone likes the music. (I for one found it quite torturous at times!) But just about everyone is friendly and respectful of others. The site was awful though, mostly barren with tonnes of dust and/or heavy rain + strong gusty winds constantly.

[Kal]

It's futile resisting Ken! Slap on a Jimmy Hendrix shirt and start feeling the love brother!

[Kal]

BTW - I'm a lover of Doof Doof music. It is one of the few forms of music that can actually give me goosebumps, so I know I love it because of the music, not because it is what some capitalist music lablel wants me to listen to. Having said that I also went and saw Jeff Waynes' 'war of the worlds' live last year, and this year I will be seeing Andre Rieu live at the Sydney Olympic stadium - so I am open and diverse and accepting of all music that is of quality!

[avandonk]

It could be far worse, by being invaded by merchant bankers!

These giants of fiscally aware intellectuals are too scared now to lend each other money!

And now you will pay for their absolute brilliance in still getting their overinflated bonuses when the edifice of cards that they built is falling around them! You will all pay by higher interest rates.

Bert

Some of my best friends used to be merchant bankers.

[M110]

Make sure you're upwind of the smelly buggers.lol

[Night Owl]

International global movement. Yeah, thats a good name for an international drug cartel supplying ravers with extacy tablets. And lets face it, the only way you can listen to the digitally generated broad spectrum noise pollution is be pilled off you head.

Experiencing culture being pivotal. Experiencing the consumption of illegal drugs, which are largely produced, distributed, and sold by ruthless organised crime cartels now accounts for "culture" does it? I wonder when the Louvre or the Guggenheim will start selling cocaine, extacy, magic mushrooms, GBH, marijuana, and heroin in its gift shop, and piping DOOF DOOF in galleries!

And the DOOFERs are better educated! That's why they swallow chemical cocktails of the proceeds of underground chemical labs run by criminals. Just forget that most of the grunge they are taking has never been tested for any long term side effect, and in some cases were stopped because they were found not to be safe for human consumption.

Yeah, if they are an exmple of being better educated and culturally enlightened I'm going to get a lobomomy and start burning books!

Then again, why not quit my job, go on the dole, abandon any concept of personal hygiene or hair care, wear dirty rags, evade public transport fares, begin an illicit drug habit with long term effects on mental health, and hitch lifts to remote locations so I can drop some acid, scoff some ecckies, and dance like a drugged out dervish for 24 hours, while listening to trance music. And when I come down, or are released from casualty from overdosing on crap, I'll go and do it all again! :lol:

[fringe_dweller]

are you speaking from experience night owl? you sure know a lot about it ? :D

[Night Owl]

Jimmy actually had something that the DOOF DOOF generation don't have.

Musical talent and self discipline.

[Kal]

The only way you can say this with an ounce of confidence is if you listen to the music pilled off your head yourself and you are in the scene for the drugs - not the music. If this is true, it is people like you that give the rave scene a bad name, because you are there for the wrong reason.

If you don't like the music fair enough, but don't be a shallow moron that stereotypes everyone and anyone that enjoys the music.

[leon]

Andrew, I don't agree with the drugs and stuff at these rave parties, but by all means, if you are young and enjoy that sort of music, then go for it. ;)

Some of us are just old, and getting older, and forget that we were young once, and did some things in those young days that we probably rather forget. :whistle:

Leon :thumbsup:

[Satchmo]

Self discipline ? :)Love those 25 minute guitar solos .( Post edited 'cause we definetely don't need a Jimi Hendrix thread ;-)

[jjjnettie]

We seem to be talking more about the drugged out dregs now, not Hippies.

Hippies are the ones that are usually Artistic, Musical and are proud of their Self Reliance. The "Beautiful People" who love to wear exotic clothes, grow their own veggies and keep chooks, goats, and like nothing more than an impromptu jam session with guitars and drums.

[xelasnave]

I agreed with your ideas here JJJ.
A lot of the folk around here could be called hippies by your definition.
AND it is hard work to follow the life style (I sortta live like a hippie I suppose) because being self sufficient demands it...

Most I know work when they can get it but dont spend what they get all at once but survive on what they have until next time rather than living on credit cards.

MMM I would love a Jam session I must admit.

alex

[Dennis]

Nicely put Jeanette; very nicely worded indeed.:thumbsup:

Cheers

Dennis

[Ric]

I'm nearly there Jeanette

Artistic - sort of, do stick figures count:D
Musical - I'm into 60's and 70's music
Self Reliant - Very
Exotic Clothes - Bib & Brace overalls usually
Grow my own veges - Sure do and fruit. Long live Permaculture.:thumbsup:
Keep Chooks - Yep, you can keep the battery eggs. no goats though
Jam sessions - Can't play a musical instrument to save my life. My Jam sessions usually involve making jams and preserves:lol:

Cheers

[Night Owl]

A friend of mine is an ambos, and if I remember correctly 13 stereotypes had to have hospital treatment for drug overdoses of one kind or another after another fantastic rave party at Kryal Castle near Ballarat. Some stereotypes ended up on on life support machines, that could have been used to treat others who didn't take drugs just so the could listen to DOOF. Some of them were on ICE, and had to be fought off by hospital security staff and police.

How many other DOOF DOOF stereotypes never required treatment after they took their drugs is unknown.

Meanwhile the general community had to go without ambulance cover while they were saving drug taking ravers.

That one event for stereotypes cost tens of thousands of dollars to treat idiots who put their own lives at risk by taking illegal drugs made my organised crime, just so they could spend the day dancing to electronic crap.

And about stereotypes...

When was the last time a fleet of ambulances had to take patrons of the Melbourne Sympony Orchestra to hospital for mass drug overdoses? Where do you think stereotypes come from fool?

And you call me a shallow moron!:lol:

Anyone offer me illegal drugs better be prepared to lose their teeth.

[xelasnave]

Night Owl asked....When was the last time a fleet of ambulances had to take patrons of the Melbourne Sympony Orchestra to hospital for mass drug overdoses?

I give up when was the last time?

alex

[fringe_dweller]

wouldnt that take up valuable ambo space with your victim? :poke:

melbourne symphony orchestra has probably put a few young people into deep coma's ? :zzz2:

[fringe_dweller]

i thought people into peaceful self reliance were called alternative lifestylers these days? not hippies? and pre 60's evryone grew their own vegies lol, were they 'hippies'?

is this the kind of music they listened too at festival?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIQz6YcFgQ4

[xelasnave]

Kearn it is about how much money one has...like.. if you are poor you are a "nutter" ...if you are rich with the same views you are "eccentric".

Hippies who have a little cash are called Hippies or those happy to follow an alternate life style...but if poor they are called ferals and if you dont like their music they are sterotypes:D... as we have already worked out:D... but if they are real people.. you know retired corporate lawyers or biker accountants then they are sea change folk:whistle: ... but most have one thing in common and that is they all seek a change from what they are doing to what they think they would like to be doing... which means really no one is really happy with who they are at the moment maybe..

maybe thats why those poor folk take drugs they are just not happy... maybe thats why folk drink to excess and drive without regard for others on the road...they may just not care...

A deep matter here for consideration so many perplexing aspects...

I had a Doof over the road a couple of months back and after two days I wished they could have changed the record... but up close the music has a rather strange effect..sortta tribal ..but I dont think you have to take drugs to enjoy it..maybe after two days an asprin maybe...

The neat thing about this country is that we can have folk who walk to the beat of a different drum and no one cares about the difference...unless you are of course not main stream...and if you are not main stream within your group then you will have a problem... I mean you could not have a hippy in a business suit could you..it just would not be right...or a feral driving a BMW that would not add up... and so some are strange to all even those from within their own stereotypical group... and as such they cannot be classed as stereo types..and there is your problem.. confusion..

Its the rain my brain has mould on it!!!

alex:):):)

[Kal]

Yes, you are a shallow moron, and you are showing that you lack the basic mental capacity to comprehend that the love of one particular type of music does not make you a pill popping ice taking druggo.

If the world had more fools like you then maybe we would all think that people only go to see the tennis to start racial motivated fights, or everyone that goes and sees a game of cricket is an alcoholic because you saw an ambulance take someone away to get their stomach pumped because they drank too much.

But what would I know - according to you I must be taking drugs while I drive to work each day because I dare listen to a trance CD in the morning :rolleyes:

[Night Owl]

After being branded a "shallow moron" for stereotyping drug taking ravers as useless no hopers, who are proving to be a burden on the thinly stretched resources of hospitals, and funding organised crime, I have to say xelasnave that there has never been an occasion of a fleet of ambulances being needed to take OD'd Melbourne Symphony orchestra patrons to hospital for life support as the result of a mass overdose of illicit drugs at a recital!

But that would be stereotyping MSO patrons as not being irresponsible drug taking losers wouldn't it! :lol:

[Kal]

Maybe you aren't even reading what you are typing. I didn't brand you as a shallow moron for stereotyping drug taking ravers as useless no hopers - I branded you as a shallow moron for labelling electronic music lovers as drug takers. There is a big difference and you know it.

[xelasnave]

I get it you were joking:lol::lol::lol:
alex:):)

[xelasnave]

Still on the serious side I see that precious resources are redirected for drug over doses...

I was thinking about the problem only recently and how to fix it...

I really think that our society has reached the point where we could have a special responce unit ..on the street and again a special unit at hospitals...

So that these folk who get themsleves into this situation dont clog the system..we should not need it but the reality is that we do need something better than the current way of managing the very real and very unfortunate situation of folk near killing themselves ...
alex

[Satchmo]

Night Owl , if you are seriuosly trying to tell us that ellicit drugs in society are anything like the problem in society compared to alcohol then you need to go and do your homework. 30% of all hospital admissions are due to alcohol related mishap or progressive related disease. Smoking is still the major cause of cancer. A young reveller going off in an anbulance after a party might be news worthy , while a significant part of the population shake their heads as they slowly destroy there bodies with drink and cigarettes .

I don't support the idea of anybody harming there bodies with any kind of substance , but I do believe in freedom of choice and if a large part of the `respectable' poulation want to ruin their health with heavily taxed legal highs like drink and smoking then so be it. Thats their choice.
Theres plenty of information about all the substances out there for people to make informed decisions.

BTW your `wowserism' is about as convincing to me as a 'preist in a porn shop' :lol:

[Satchmo]

Hmm shall we have special places to put gay Aids patients seeing as they chose to have `unatural sex', so they won't clog the system . Or special hosptals for lung cancer patients because they `chose' to smoke.

No I don't think that would wash. Drug overdose victims are just people like any other often with jobs and families. Excessive drug use is a social problem and should be treated as one. Deaths due to narcotics are miniscule compared to smoking and alcohol.

[xelasnave]

But alcohol is not a drug is it? The Government taxes it so it can not be a drug surely.
alex

[xelasnave]

I take your point.
alex:):):)

[fringe_dweller]

well said Alex, as usual you are right on the money!

I agree there seems a lot of unhappy uptight people right now

speaking of tribal drums, one of my weirdest but pleasant experiences was sitting and communal dancing around a large bonfire near the acoustic stage at glastonbury festival in UK years ago (ley line capitol of the world?) with all the 'hippies?' banging on many bongo drums into the wee hours - till I passed out :p surreal :thumbsup:

[jjjnettie]

Unreal isn't it Kearn.

Every March I go up to a small festival near Toowoomba and give workshops on making drums and shakere. My friend Cruzi, an exceptionally talented person, takes along his bongos and leads the drumming, it really draws people in.
What is most satisfying though is when you observe the uptight man or a prim and proper woman or someones cranky grandmother, they stop to watch the funny looking people on the drums. Very soon their feet start tapping in time, their heads are starting to nod a bit to the rhythm, so you put a shakere in their hand, or offer them a drum and the next thing you know, they've given themselves over to the music and they're having the best time they've had in years.

[Satchmo]

Which is all 'Doofs' are about too. Whether you are dancing communally or drumming communily its all about tribalism and syncing in to an energy flow. People who focus on the drug aspects of dance parties are missing the point completely. The apparent fear onlookers have is a symptom of the kind of `stereotyping' we have seen great examples of in this thread. People don't realise that to be at one with a crowd isn't that complicated at all...look at any large footy match for example.

I drum with a belly dancing troupe on the Central Coast and have been to some Doofs when I was younger so I feel qualified enough to comment.

[fringe_dweller]

I can easily believe that Jeanette! should be compulsory for some people eh ;) wildly cathartic - i would do it again in a heartbeat :thumbsup:

[xelasnave]

Thanks Kearn for the on the money compliment I was worried that I was rambling more than usual you see... my concern has vanished even if I was right about the rambling more than thing...

Well I have had a great day..went to a market at Drake..and could not help think about the stereo type thing so I looked around..similar but not the same was the closest I could get...

there were three goats for sale:lol::lol::lol:..
some drums under the "shoes off" tent, and a guy who would play you chess for $5 at 10 to 1..yes $50 if you win:eyepop:..with those odds he scared me off and everyone else I guess...I didnt see him play a game...

But he and some others were playing guitar and one playing a drum under the tent so I borrowed a guitar and joined in... now that is magic..folk I had never met and we "talk" to each other with our music... and two of them hit me up for lessons... I said yes and they are free so they probably wont take me up on the offer..charge them and they do???? why is that:shrug:...

AND there was "hippy" jewlery, hair cuts...mm not hippy that...kids on stilts... a great day...no drugs did I see or smell..and no blood spatters up the wall in the toilet... it was friendly and nice.

I felt however someone passing in a car perhaps could have passed by and formed a different perception to the reality of the day...

Dam I really enjoyed that jam it was nice to have a drummer holding the beat:thumbsup:.

alex:):):)

[Glenhuon]

I used to go to folk festivals in Scotland and it was just as Alex described, groups of musicians playing here and there and you could join them if you wished. I can't play an instrument, but I sing folksongs and since coming to Aus have learned a few Aus country songs. Its great fun, long may it continue. Just don't let the arty fartie mob in, they spoil it for everyone :lol:

Bill