Raving Mad: Satan vs Allah

August 6, 2007 8:55 AM

Satanist Rave Shut Down outside Tehran.Iran's drive to enforce Islamic morals netted revellers from Britain and Sweden after police swooped on a "satanic" concert organised over the internet. Police arrested 230 people and seized drugs, alcohol and 800 illicit CDs after raiding the event in Karaj, 12 miles west of Tehran. Those arrested included young women in skimpy and "inappropriate" clothing, officers said.
posted by domdom (58 comments total)

Sounds like Catholic school.
posted by four panels at 8:56 AM on August 6, 2007

Or Utah.
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:58 AM on August 6, 2007

What the hell were these people thinking?
posted by delmoi at 8:59 AM on August 6, 2007

Four Panels: Which part, the rave, or the rave being shut down? It could go either way.
posted by dismas at 9:00 AM on August 6, 2007

illicit CDs are the root of all evil.
posted by quonsar at 9:00 AM on August 6, 2007

Q: How paranoid would you get doing drugs at a rave in a fundamentalist police state?

A: As paranoid as Anne Frank with the Nazis knocking at the door.
posted by domdom at 9:02 AM on August 6, 2007

we need strilcter policing of our clubs! there is much too much immorality and this has turned a great nation into a cesspool! Wake Up Congress!
posted by Postroad at 9:02 AM on August 6, 2007

I guess that's that finishes Iran as a party destination.
posted by QuietDesperation at 9:04 AM on August 6, 2007 [5 favorites]

Now that would be a tricky comedown to negotiate. A Michael Caine chill cd might not even help you then.
posted by Onanist at 9:04 AM on August 6, 2007

That will be a stoning.
posted by Mr_Zero at 9:05 AM on August 6, 2007

Satanist Rave Shut Down outside Tehran.

I say these guys should do a gig there next.
posted by jonmc at 9:09 AM on August 6, 2007

How stupid would someone have to be to go and do something like this in a country like that? Speaking of which I am organizing a gay pride parade in Yemen next week...
posted by BobbyDigital at 9:09 AM on August 6, 2007

(so you complain about metafilter looking more and more like a five-month old digg/reddit frontpage, and what do you get instead? yesterday's copy of your local swedish newspaper? ;-)
posted by effbot at 9:10 AM on August 6, 2007

This is like that one time in 9th grade and a Mercyful Fate t-shirt.
posted by The Straightener at 9:12 AM on August 6, 2007

"Satanist Rave Shut Down outside Tehran."

At first I wackyparsed this as "Scientist Rave" and wondered what she's upset about.
posted by davy at 9:13 AM on August 6, 2007

People make such strange choices sometime. What, Ibiza isn't edgy enough, so you gotta pump up your cred by going to a rave in Iran? Iran?

Risking arrest in your home country is one thing; flying somewhere specifically to break their laws is quite another. Even as a form of protest it's not a great idea, but for a party?

"Hmm, my parents fled Iran, so I'm gonna go back there to party. I grew up in Sweden, but hey, I'm still Iranian, it'll be cool!"

Yeah. Hmm indeed.
posted by aramaic at 9:14 AM on August 6, 2007

I don't mean to be a buzz kill, but there really are Satanists in Iran.
posted by Pollomacho at 9:19 AM on August 6, 2007 [4 favorites]

Maybe they were secretly filming it for Dateline NBC?
posted by R. Mutt at 9:20 AM on August 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

As a form of *mass* protest it could be a great idea. Get these guys so worked up about girls enjoying themselves and they might forget all about bombing us[1].

[1]Promulgation of Bush Admin propaganda unintentional.
posted by DU at 9:20 AM on August 6, 2007

DU: that would backfire. All the rock and roll fans would get angry and have to kill something.
posted by jonmc at 9:21 AM on August 6, 2007

Are the Yazidis really Satanist in the Western sense?
posted by davy at 9:24 AM on August 6, 2007

Glow sticks are the work of the devil.
posted by StarForce5 at 9:30 AM on August 6, 2007

It's really no different than certain parts of America from what I read in the article. With the exception of the whole female singer thing.
posted by Gnostic Novelist at 9:30 AM on August 6, 2007

What does Iranian Gabber sound like, anyway?
posted by redteam at 9:31 AM on August 6, 2007

I read this as Satanist Rove Shut Down and for a split second the last 7 years all made sense.
posted by Mick at 9:32 AM on August 6, 2007 [3 favorites]

So, we can start the bombing, yes?
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:33 AM on August 6, 2007

From the article: "The authorities described the artistes as "satanist" without elaborating."

I have no doubt that what these partygoers were up to was ill-advised. Flying to another country to break its laws in the form of a rockin' party is... somewhat shy of shrewd.

But who knows what was really going on. I'm not going to just believe what the Iranian government puts out about it, that's for darn sure.
posted by ibmcginty at 9:35 AM on August 6, 2007

Are the Yazidis really Satanist in the Western sense?

The best description I heard of Yezidis was as "devil propitiators," rather than "devil worshippers."
posted by deanc at 9:39 AM on August 6, 2007

Satanists at a rave? Wouldn't they be more likely to be listening to Goth? In their rooms? Or at least in the safety of their covens?

Now the Cthulu cultists, they're CRAZY into the rave scene. They even have pacifiers with tentacles. Go figure.
posted by PlusDistance at 9:41 AM on August 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

How stupid would someone have to be to go and do something like this in a country like that?

There's a big party scene in Tehran. It's deep underground of course and patronized only wealthy kids and their foreign friends, but it's there. Many of these kids have lived in NYC, London, Paris. I knew some Iranians in Bangkok and some friends of mine went to party with them at a ski resort a few hours north of Tehran for a weekend. They aren't all zealots and the 'normal' ones like to live, and some can do, just as many of us do.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 9:45 AM on August 6, 2007

Are the Yazidis really Satanist in the Western sense?

In the sense that they worship Shaytan the mythological character from which we in the West derived our concept and name of Satan, yes. In the sense that he's red and has a pitch fork and pointy tail, not so much. Then again, since when do non-Western societies have to live by Western definitions anyway?
posted by Pollomacho at 9:45 AM on August 6, 2007

To be fair, if I lived in Iran I'd be a Satanist too.
posted by DU at 9:48 AM on August 6, 2007

Are the Yazidis really Satanist in the Western sense?

If you mean like those of the Church of Satan, then nope. They really don't worship what could be associated as "Lucifer", but more it's a question of paying homage to ameliorate his influence. Kind of like village Muslims in Asian countries making offerings to the spirits of ancestors who they think will cause them trouble otherwise. They believe in Almighty God, but also don't want any trouble from anyone they perceive as higher up on the food chain than themselves. Classical monotheistic Muslims would consider this kind of practice satanic in the sense that these people are recognizing a power apart from the Creator. But goofy Satanists are not the same as Yezidis by far.
posted by Burhanistan at 9:50 AM on August 6, 2007

You can always tell the Satanists when you see Iranians on the news - they are the ones who AREN'T chanting "death to America."
posted by any major dude at 9:53 AM on August 6, 2007

As soon as the Shareef was outta there
the jet pilots tuned the cockpit radio blare
as soon as the Shareef was outta their hair
the jet pilots wailed
ROCK THE CASBAH
posted by Flood at 9:54 AM on August 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

Finally, something the fundies in the US and Iran can come together and agree on! Can global peace be far behind?
posted by Thorzdad at 10:07 AM on August 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

The e sucks there anyways.
posted by ageispolis at 10:12 AM on August 6, 2007

Finally, something the fundies in the US and Iran can come together and agree on!

What do you mean, "finally"? Fundies in the US and Iran already agree on almost everything, from the status of women to the role of government. All they need to do is get buy their clothes at the same spot and learn the same language and they'll be indistinguishable.

Wait...that language thing is going to be hard. I don't know about Iranian fundies, but no Christian one is going to speak anything but what Jesus did.
posted by DU at 10:21 AM on August 6, 2007

Q: How paranoid would you get doing drugs at a rave in a fundamentalist police state?

maybe it's not a fundamentalist police state, or rather
try holding your rave in Utah.

Nevermind, two fundamentalist police states deserve eachother, the bombing will begin in 5 minutes...
posted by geos at 10:30 AM on August 6, 2007

How stupid would someone have to be to go and do something like this in a country like that?

They're kids. It's not like they're long on choices on what country to party in.
posted by Malor at 10:36 AM on August 6, 2007

They're kids. It's not like they're long on choices on what country to party in.

Kids from Britain and Sweden.
posted by winston at 10:55 AM on August 6, 2007

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese writes "There's a big party scene in Tehran. It's deep underground of course and patronized only wealthy kids and their foreign friends, but it's there."

I've heard much the same from Iranian friends and colleagues. Occasionally a party will get busted: everyone gets hauled to the police station, their parents are called, they pay a fine, and that's that. No stoning involved.
posted by mr_roboto at 11:04 AM on August 6, 2007

redteam: "What does Iranian Gabber sound like, anyway?"

Exactly the same as English-language Gabber.
posted by Drexen at 11:06 AM on August 6, 2007

So, anyone know any warehouses in Mecca that'll be unlocked and empty this weekend?
posted by washburn at 11:16 AM on August 6, 2007

Don't bother, washburn, too many vice-police are around because of parties the past few weekends. I know of a couple good places in Medina, though. I can get sound and some people to play. I just need an info line. Do you have a pager with voice mail?
posted by redteam at 12:33 PM on August 6, 2007

forget the rave, they get arrested for their haircuts.
posted by Dr. Twist at 12:46 PM on August 6, 2007

Those arrested included young women in skimpy and "inappropriate" clothing

Pics or STFU.
posted by Slothrup at 1:08 PM on August 6, 2007

I can get sound and some people to play. I just need an info line. Do you have a pager with voice mail?

I still want to know if we've met, redteam. It seems... likely.
posted by flaterik at 1:19 PM on August 6, 2007

We have, flaterik, just email me already goddammit :)
posted by redteam at 2:47 PM on August 6, 2007

This kind of thing apparently goes on all the time in Iran. Not necessarily the arrests, but the parties. Note that we're talking mostly about rich Iranians & a handful of Iranian expats, and most likely not a bunch of western ravers:

Most of the detainees came from rich families and included people from Iranian backgrounds who had travelled from Britain and Sweden, Mr Zarei said. "This is the first time that tens of male and female participants have been invited to such an event through an internet call"

Tens!

I've heard first hand that Iranians hold all kinds of alcohol parties, swinger parties & whatnot, but with a complicated system of stooges on the lookout for the religious police. This sounds like pretty much the same thing.

On preview: as stated earlier by Kraftmatic & mr_roboto.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:21 PM on August 6, 2007

forget the rave, they get arrested for their haircuts.

Well, we coulda used some of that in America back in the 80's...
posted by flapjax at midnite at 4:37 PM on August 6, 2007

"That will be a stoning."

The best one yet. Thanks.
posted by Sukiari at 4:50 PM on August 6, 2007

"In the sense that he's red and has a pitch fork and pointy tail, not so much."

He takes the form of the peacock.
posted by Sukiari at 4:51 PM on August 6, 2007

Yeah, because a bunch of dancing happy kids who just want to hug everyone are such a fucking danger.

What's sickening is that people in the USA (not those commenting here) will say "LOOK LOOK THEY'RE BEING REPRESSED" while blithely turning a blind eye to their police doing exactly the same thing. Classifying glowsticks as drug paraphernalia? WTF?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:39 PM on August 6, 2007

Now I've got the song Footloose in my head...
posted by Tube at 7:40 PM on August 6, 2007

Hardly any need to point at Iran in the matter, when UK and US authorities alike (remember Utah?) have similarly disapproved of raves. Of course, we've "evolved" to the point that we don't need to invoke Deity any more ... just Federal law.
posted by Twang at 8:33 PM on August 6, 2007

Doesn't the Iranian government call Americans "The Infidel"? Their idea of of satanists would include The Osmond Brothers, Flickerstick, Lorrie and Larry Collins, and anything with the word "wholesome" in it.

Not that I should paint with such a broad brush...

okay so maybe Flickerstick IS a little evil...
posted by ZachsMind at 4:54 PM on August 7, 2007

Well, most of the raves I'm aware of being shut down were due to permit issues.

I go to weekly clubs that would put anything I've seen at a rave to shame, and they never get in trouble, despite regular police visits. I think saying America=Iran when it comes to this sort of thing is, to put it mildly, hyperbole.

That said, it's a very regional thing in America. The clubs I go to these days are in San Francisco, and the authorities there are a wee bit more tolerant than my days in Texas or Georgia, say.

No, America is not a perfect land of even-handed tolerance, but in most cities here, the only way you're likely to get arrested at a party, club, or rave is for drug-related issues (and yes drug laws are bullshit, but there are very very few countries in the world where this is not true).
posted by wildcrdj at 7:56 PM on August 7, 2007