Certain countries may be known for their underground – or alternative – music scenes, but in Wales, we like to take things a little more literally.
In October, North Wales adventure tour operator Go Below and G-Shock watches teamed up to organise, what they believe to have been, the world’s deepest underground rave.
The subterranean soiree was hosted in a vast underground cavern in the former Cwmorthin slate quarry, located in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.
Intrepid ravers invited to the event, who won their tickets via a ballot, had to undertake a two-hour journey to reach the dancefloor, located approximately 420 metres (1,375ft) below ground level, wriggling through narrow tunnels, wading along waterlogged passageways and abseiling down cave walls.
The party itself was headlined by drum & bass pioneer Roni Size, who started his one-of-a-kind DJ set with an atmospheric, echoing rendition of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, the Welsh national anthem. Specialist recording equipment was used to incorporate the unique reverb the set attained from the surrounding slate walls, meaning the Welsh landscape contributed to the final sound of the mix, which is now available to listen to online.
Speaking before the event, DJ Roni Size, said, ‘Raves can take place in some crazy and unexpected places, on someone’s front lawn, down in tunnels, but what I’ve always done is play to the environment, and the crowd.’
‘And how much more could you reflect the environment than by pumping a set into the mountain, hearing the sound travelling through the slate, rock and mud, and bringing it back into the mix. It’s the most underground of underground raves ever,’ he added.
The team behind the event are still waiting for confirmation that the event has set the world record for the deepest underground rave in history. If it does indeed achieve the accolade, it will be the latest in a long line of weird and wonderful world records set in Wales and by Welsh people around the world.
Such records range from the world’s longest continuous unicycle ride, which took place in Aberystwyth in 2007 and lasted for 105.5 miles (169.9km), to the baking of the world’s largest Welsh cake, which was made in Camarthen, West Wales, in 2020 and weighed a whopping 28kg (4.4 stone).
Who knows what record the people of Wales will set their sights on next!
Learn more about exciting music events happening throughout the year in Wales, or watch award-winning blogger Chris Knight venture into Cwmorthin slate quarry with Go Below.