Brief History of the PsYcHeDeLiC Trance Scene in New York.

I still remember the first Psychedelic Trance party that I went to in New York to this day...
It was by the legendary SYNTHETIC SADHUS @ the Amazura Ballroom in Queens NY in November of 2000. 　At the time, I was into the techno, hard trance, and Drum & Bass scene, and did not know much about the psytrance scene nor the music. The headliners for the event were: Hallucinogen, Raja Ram, Dimitri and Paul Taylor. 　All whom are well respected and active artists in the scene still to this day.

(Dimitri Nakov playing @ the Synthetic Sadhus party- click pic for full view)

I was shocked when I set foot into the venue to see the massive Ballroom decked out with never seen tripped out psychedelic UV deco & backdrops. It was as if I had walked into another dimensional world, and was simply blown away. Not only was the decoration and the vibe of the party top notch, but it was the music that put the icing on top of the experience. Since that day, my heart has been sold to Psytrance, and never looked back...

(HALLUCINOGEN playing his Live set from the actual party)

The Psychedelic Trance Scene in New York was at its peak around 2001-2002, where the bigger parties attracted anywhere from 500-2000 people per event. The two major organizations that threw these gatherings were Synthetic Sadhus and TSUNAMI. Both of these organizations have closed their doors since, as smaller events still take place on a regular basis. Organizers that still take an active roll in the scene today are: Alladin Project, TDC, Dreamcatcher aka Psycheground, 28th Day, Yogi Bogey Box, Spectra, Omni Tribe, Repsychle and Psybotik (sorry if I've forgotten any other groups). Many groups have come and gone over the years, as well as newer groups seem to pop up once in a while...

Since most parties are usually thrown in clubs in or around Manhattan, it takes away much of the vibe from what it should be, compared to the open air (out door) festivals in other countries. However, there are outdoor festivals and parties in New York during the summer time that usually attracts a larger crowd than the usual club events. Also the laws in NY make it difficult to throw these events, due to the Rave Act that was passed in 2003. Ever since, organizing events became difficult for promoters and organizers, but we still strive to keep it alive...

The Psytrance scene attracts a divrese mix of audience from different cultural backgrounds, such as Israelis, Russians, Japanese, Brazilians, Indians, and Eastern Europeans. You will not find a diverse cultural crowd in any other club/party in the city... I simply believe we need more Americans to join the scene to make it grow... As a result, the scene in New York has been underground, and will stay that way unless changes are made.