Promoter launches dry night for ravers
ASTRICTLY alcohol and drug-free club night for dry ravers is taking off in Stockport.
Dry Wave is the brainchild of promoter and recovering addict Ben Riley, who set up the initiative to unite various sections of the community who abstain from both drink and drugs, often for contrasting reasons.
The first club night attracted more than 120 revellers, and the second will be a Halloweenthemed event later this month.
Ben, 36, intends to hold the dry raves every six to eight weeks and also wants to develop Dry Wave into a Community Interest Company. This would allow them to tap into funding for workshops helping people recovering from a variety of conditions, including addiction, trauma and sports injury.
Explaining his personal story Ben, from Heaton Norris, said: “I was clean for close to seven years and had built up a name as a reputable promoter and drum and bass MC/ rapper in and around Manchester working some of the prolific Manchester event brands at clubs including The Academy, Bowlers and Sankeys.
“I was on Judge Rinder and spoke about the work that I did with young people, using rap to engage the hard to reach youth and creating issues-based workshops designed to find solutions through music and sound.
“Unfortunately I relapsed for two years and lost everything. It was a horrendous experience of drug taking daily, depression coupled with anxiety, thoughts of suicide and manic psychosis and back to a life of criminal activity.
“I came back to recovery in January after a breakthrough in my mental state. I realised that I wasn’t mentally stable and accepted help.
“That set me off on a new journey of self discovery and recovery, where I used my promotional skills to launch Dry Wave.”
Ben says he has identified a demand for a dry clubbing environment where there is strictly no drink or drugs.
The first night at Life Leisure Sports Complex consisted of three arenas with live music and a convention hall for signposting and networking.
Crawl the Walls, at the new venue of Vernon Mill, Stockport on Saturday, October 26, promises ‘old school’ favourite DJ Jay Wearden, plus many more artists and grassroots DJs. Ben says the event is in memory of his late friends Ste Fitz and Daniel Kelly.
For tickets, visit ‘Dry Wave presents Crawl the Walls’ on Facebook or text @DRY WAVE plus name and how many tickets to 07398 545267.