TOAs the first notes of John Williams’ “Imperial March” blared from the speakers at Catch One nightclub, a sea of smartphones rose to record the moment. As was the first piece of Star Wars' The iconic score we'd been listening to all night I couldn't help but capture too, my arm raised alongside those pumping their stuffed Baby Yodas into the air. Others waved Technicolor lightsabers in the air like they were the famous Oscar-winning conductor. Darth Vader's twin helmets stared at each other on the graphics behind DJ Meetch as he raised the beat to a crescendo, leading into another song that had the crowd shaking their heads in approval.
“This was a Star Wars event, right? Obviously I needed to make a great introduction to the subject of Darth Vader! DJ Meetch said The independent. He noted that she had performed with event organizer Mayhem Events for years, but this set has easily become one of his favorites. “Everyone was very interested in cosplay and dressing up for it.”
He Star Wars All the fans had gathered that night to celebrate our collective love for Star Wars On the franchise's May 4 holiday, a play on the series' popular line “May the force be with you,” or at least most of us, some were simply looking for an excuse to go out on a Saturday night. evening. Whether you were a die-hard or casual fan of the Star Wars franchise, or you had another reason for finding yourself under the roof of this notoriously labyrinthine nightclub, one thing was certain: we were all hell-bent on having a good time.
The moment I got out of my Uber and walked down a long driveway, I could hear the unmistakable thump of glitched bass and dubstep coming from the doors of Catch One's giant warehouse. A long line stretched down the block, with a myriad of people dressed as Jedis, Sith Lords, and Stormtroopers shivering in what Angelenos call cold weather, which is usually anything in the 50s. Thanks to some friends in high places, I was able to skip the line and get into the fight immediately.
The dark, cavernous warehouse was illuminated by rainbow strobe lights, a disco ball, and Star Wars-Style graphics that at one point included rows of rotating Star Destroyers that moved in sync with the music. I took in the scene, taking in the small statue of R2D2 and the array of Jedi robes, nervously smoothing out my Padmé Amidala costume I had just received in the mail.
It was a cheap replica of the costume worn by Natalie Portman's Senator Padmé Amidala in the prequel trilogy. Attack of the clones during the climactic battle of Geonosis, fighting side by side with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, but under the dim lights, you could be convinced he was the original.
Speaking of Anakin Skywalker, that night I encountered multiple variations of the character, starting with Avary, who I had met in the club's house music section, wielding a glow-in-the-dark fan while dancing to a Jungle remix. “I've been in love.” Little did we know that soon we would be each other's dance partners at night, headbanging all night. Avary told me that not only were they big fans of the franchise, but it wouldn't be in character for him to pass up the opportunity to dress up: “I love themed events!”
They added that they were almost like Jawa, but that his 6'4'' height ultimately didn't make sense to be able to represent the remarkably small scavengers from the original trilogy. Although we didn't encounter any Jawas as the night went on, we did meet some Sith Lords, who were die-hard fans of the series, to varying degrees.
A model named Andrés who wore messy makeup like Darth Maul told me it was “overly casual.” Star Wars fan, but he wasn't hardcore enough to master the trivia. “Ask me the names of things and I probably won't remember, but I love movies with all my heart,” he said.
Others expressed their commitment to the franchise in different ways. A person I met, whose name was T, flexed his Star Wars devotion showing off the Millennium Falcon tattoo he had gotten on his forearm. If there's one thing about the fandom, it's that they're dedicated to the galaxy far, far away, no matter where the series stands in the court of public opinion.
Over the last decade, the franchise has been inescapable within pop culture, thanks to Disney continuing to release multiple films and television series beyond the normal trilogy format that films typically adhere to. Some sects of the fandom have become famous for spewing vitriol against the franchise's stars, including Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey, the protagonist of the sequel trilogy, and who took a social media hiatus to escape the attack. . Fans have also been known to complain whenever behind-the-scenes creatives take the story in a direction that doesn't adhere to their preconceived notions of what movies or series should be, feeling a sense of ownership over a franchise that they own. has provided joy or respite from a chaotic outside world.
Whatever negative energy circulating online certainly hasn't reached the real world, with my fellow rave-goers cheering each other on the dance floor, applauding when a woman in a Stormtrooper mask made a move or when a couple busted moves interpretive dance. with his Baby Yoda doll with a hat. Meanwhile, I had met another Anakin Skywalker, this one was in contact with the dark side and wore mysterious yellow contact lenses. Under the glow of the ever-changing LED lights, we all drifted away to the techno beats of DJ Baby Yoda.
“Looking out into the audience and seeing a sea of Stormtrooper helmets, Mandalorians, lightsabers, and Baby Yoda dolls made me smile so much it hurt!” DJ Baby Yoda admitted The independent. “The Los Angeles public was really interested in Star Wars My vibe and being a big fan, I felt at home.”
He added that he designed his set for fans, “adding samples” from the film to the delight of the crowd.
“There's something very special about her rave scene in Los Angeles,” he said. “People are full of love for music, for dancing, and in this case, Star Wars also. It's a culture I'm proud to be a part of. “
In my experience, the nicest crowd you'll ever meet will be at a rave, and May 4th was no exception. As Yoda would say, the positive energy of the force surrounded us and united us in a common goal: a celebration of the unabashed nerd.
