To go to a rave at 40...

[Squigglewigglediggle]

Just that really, I've been invited to a rave with some old friends from university. I'm thinking I'm just going to look like an absolute tool arent I?

Part of me is really excited - I've not been to one since my 20s and it's so far out of my usual weekend plans but heck, you only live once right?

Aibu to go, is it a young person's game or can I still enjoy some good psytrance and a dance at 40?

I really wanna find some people going to this! There's going to be 5,000 of us aged-ravers there, most of us with our adult kids... I'm taking my 23yr old daughter! 🤣

My husband and I are in our late 30s and still love going clubbing, we're not ravers, our club nights are mostly of the contemporary girl pop variety, lots of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, etc. We're almost always at least fifteen years older than everyone else but we're always first on the dancefloor, have an amazing night and everyone is always friendly to us, even if it is sometimes a bit embarrassing being the oldest ones there!
I would expect the demographics at a rave to be quite different to those of the nights we attend and I wouldn't be surprised if you were younger than the average age of attendees!
Our clubbing days will be put on hold soon as our baby is due in January. Neither of us drink alcohol so that's not an issue, it's just the accessibility of venues and the difficulty in dancing for as long thas I imagine it's going to get harder as I get more heavily pregnant. We went for one last night out at our favourite club last week and have one more Swiftogeddon club night hopefully planned for December at a very safe and comfortable venue with lots of seating, but not sure if we'll be able to make that, fingers crossed though as it will possibly be years before we get to go dancing again, though our kitchen discos will hopefully live on with our little one included!

Have you and your friends gone through the menopause? Are your peer group (58+) not starting to get niggles, arthritis, heart issues, gout, cancers (to give a few examples)? It isn't negative. But as we age, our bodies change. So I'd advise anyone to keep going and doing what they can because you never know when you suddenly can't. My DD (late 20's, small mortgage) was worrying about spending on holidays, but you don't get that life stage back.

No actual way?? are you a mountaineer? Fuck the raves, this sounds amazing!

Congratulations on your baby... everything will be there if & when you both go back

I'm 59 and we we're at Creamfields this year (previous years too!). Absolutely love it.

Can I ask where you get your clothes from ? I love dressing up but always up for new ideas.

We were originally organisers in the 90's, I loved it so much, cannot ever imagine giving up raving tbh.

I got back into raving at 40. Loved it. Winding down now I'm closer to 50 but can't rule out a resurgence. The youngers have always been pretty nice to Grandma and there's often loads of 40 somethings there.

Well as I said above I'm 59 and of course I've got less energy and the odd health concern but you made it sound like menopause was the END , it definitely isn't!

I would love to do this as I loved The Sanctuary and was at the last two there

Dancing in IKEA is not the same

I go to a drum and bass festival every year and I'm 45.
There is a huge crowd of over 40s and a younger crowd. The younger ones are most impressed when you tell them you raved the first time round!!
Have a great night.

My hairdresser is in her mid-forties and her and her years old friendship group from school/majorettes go to raves/events/ibiza all the time. They are in no form frumpy. Go for it.

Not a raver, DH and I are indie/rock kids, but we go to gigs regularly and festivals. Music is life!

I’m 40 next year and me and DH are celebrating by going to a trance festival! From watching videos of previous years on YouTube I think we’ll be amongst similar aged people and older 😂 Love it. I’m so excited to cover my face in glitter and dye my hair UV neon green. Might bring an inflatable alien. Might order some light-up stuff from CyberDog.

How does one find out where raves are happening? I want to go !

Im in my late 50s and go regularly. Im not by far the oldest. Go. Enjoy yourself

I don't actually even know what a rave is

You are 40 OP. 40 not 80!

Just go and have fun no one will care! You don’t instantly hit 40 and have to stay in every night and invest in a good pair of elasticated slacks.

I have a friend who is 41 and constantly telling me how old she is and how she can’t wear certain clothes anymore because shes too old (we’re talking leather jackets and denim jackets here, nothing out f the ordinary) or she can’t do this or that anymore… and it drives me fucking insane when she says it, it’s not bloody ‘old’!

Rant over 😂

Jesus. Most of the 40 year olds I know are always at gigs, festivals, raves. It’s not for me but you won’t be the youngest. I think you have some internalised ageism 😄 40 is nothing.

I went to The Sanctuary for New Years eve one year, best night I had (other than Ministry of Sound at the Dome) even if the music wasn't always to my taste that night.

Not only should you go, you should wear something absolutely fucking ridiculous and dance the night away!! Can I come?

Congratulations! Oldie-skool raver here! I had DS at 41 and never went to another rave after that. I'm wondering whether I'd get away with it at 52 but why the f**k shouldnt i??!!

Just take a few days off after...

Totally this.
Go enjoy yourself OP.

I can’t imagine the 30s and under crowd is going much raving. 😂 It’s definitely going to be an ageing crowd. Young people today are not at raves.

Hey those of us in our 30s are very much raving! 😜