The jubilant mob thronging last year's inaugural route proved a few things straight up. Despite its recent expulsion from our dance floors by the mighty hand of the '80s, there's still a vital electronic dance music scene snaking its way through Bay Area iPods and house parties. There's also a whole generation of neglected ex-ravers ripening for some smart promoter's plucking, eager to relive the frantic nights they can't remember and the days that form-fitting fashions forgot. But mostly there was, yes, the love. Who knows where it had been incubating all those years (psy-trance gatherings?), but a familiar sense of warm, gooey unselfconsciousness eased its way through the crowd. No, I don't mean ecstasy. Nor GHB. No stars, no trends, no wardrobe issues – dude, it was just, like, a great party.

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