Raven 9 — Open Your Mind

Catalogue note

Original double-sided flyer for Raven 9 — Open Your Mind at Leisure World, Colchester, on 2 April 1993. Its importance lies as much in the promoter’s unusually candid narrative as in the line-up: the reverse says the event followed a forced cancellation by the university, describes the move to a larger venue and more cooperative management, and sets out a precise itinerary from Freedom through Dr S Gachet, Shades of Rhythm, Doc Scott and Kenny Ken. Alongside production specifications, ticket outlets and member pricing, the flyer preserves the practical infrastructure by which a regional rave organisation adapted, relocated and continued operating.

Advertised programme: Live: Shades of Rhythm. DJs: Kenny Ken; Doc Scott; Dr. S. Gachet; Freedom. MCs: MC GQ; MC Conrad.

Graphic-design significance: The front is dominated by a close-cropped eye rendered in black, red and blue, with the Raven bird mark at the centre and large vertical “OPEN YOUR MIND” typography. The reverse uses strong red, green and blue display lettering to separate event narrative, performers, itinerary, production and venue information. No designer or illustrator credit is visibly established.

Historical context: Raven 7 is already preserved in TMR as TMR-000579, documenting the promoter at Essex University Students’ Union on 24 October 1992. Raven 9’s own text records that a subsequent event was forcibly cancelled by the university and that the promoter responded by securing a larger new venue with management willing to support the event. This object therefore materially extends the Raven sequence from university-based regional rave activity into a larger commercial leisure venue in Colchester.

Production note: Colour-printed front and multi-colour information reverse; exact printing method and stock not established.

Condition note: Very Good+ appearance, ungraded. The sheet is flat and highly legible with light edge/corner handling, faint surface scuffs/scratches visible against the dark front, and minor handling marks on the reverse. No major tears, paper loss or heavy fold lines are visible.

Confidence / uncertainty: The event date, venue, admission, hours, line-up and running order are physically printed and treated as verified advertised information. Printed billing establishes advertised appearances, not proof that every billed performer ultimately appeared. “Pyramid Productions” is preserved exactly as the production credit and is not silently merged with the existing TMR “Pyramid Promotions” authority. “Freedom” is retained as printed but not linked to a permanent People authority because identity is insufficiently resolved.

Through the flyers

Explore the club-culture timeline to follow advertised dates, places and billed performers across the held flyers.

Event details are drawn from the held object and the qualified catalogue research above. A printed bill establishes an advertised booking, not confirmation that a performer appeared.