Raindance² — Climactic Communion

Catalogue note

Original double-sided Raindance² — Climactic Communion poster advertising an all-night 9pm–6am event on Saturday 11 May, attributed with high confidence to 1991, at Woolwich Manor Way, Barking. Artwork is explicitly credited to influential British rave artist PEZ. The reverse bills FACE, Ellis Dee, LTJ Bukem, DJ JD, Slipmatt, DJ Rap, Mickey Finn and DJ Lime, and preserves the £20 advance ticket price, extensive UK-wide outlets, safety rules, multimedia/amusement promises, an advertised premiere of Raindance's film 'Always There!', and a significant promoter statement defining rave through dance, friendship and broadmindedness. The approximate A3 poster format is not physically measured; historic handling, fold and edge wear are visible.

Advertised programme: FACE; ELLIS DEE; LTJ BUKEM; DJ JD; SLIPMATT; DJ RAP; MICKEY FINN; DJ LIME. No claim that all advertised DJs appeared. FACE is not assumed to be The Face magazine; DJ JD and DJ Lime remain unresolved individual identifications.

Graphic-design significance: The colour-illustrated face sets oversized orange-red vertical RAINDANCE² typography and contrasting yellow event title against a deep black ground and three surreal inset images: stylised blue/purple figures, planetary/celestial forms, water, sunset and atmospheric electricity. The information side switches to a restrained magenta-black typographic architecture with branded section headings, densely formatted national ticket outlets and a prominent eight-DJ bill. PEZ is credited directly for colour illustration; this is a strong early large-format example within his history of British rave visual culture.

Historical context: Original early Raindance event of 11 May (1991 strongly supported by two specialist archives). Raindance began as an East London promoter in 1989; this poster from its early era documents how underground dance events adopted national sales networks, commercial spectacle and written communal self-definition. It advertises an outdoor cinema, video and film presentation, projections, laser concepts, gyroscopes, simulators, a fairground and dance stages. The reverse's 'Raindance Wishes' statement invokes dance, friendship and broadmindedness, rejecting ignorance and hype. A new Raindance film titled 'Always There!' is advertised for première; this does not establish that screening happened or that a copy survives. Phatmedia gives 'Jenkins Lane' for the event; original printed event-place wording is Woolwich Manor Way, Barking, with no invented reconciliation.

Production note: Colour print on paper; exact offset/screen/digital process, finish and weight unverified.

Condition note: The sheet displays a pronounced fold running across the illustrations, with several additional creases, edge/corner bumps, rubbed black ink zones, small pale exposed areas along edge/fold and scattered light marks. Outer corners and top side have local nicks and wear; no substantial printed information loss is visible. Exact condition under the fold, reparations and sheet size cannot be certified without direct inspection. Do not grade as near mint.

Confidence / uncertainty: Event day/month, 9pm–6am, printed site, artist billing, ticket price and PEZ credit are photograph-verified. The exact calendar year 1991 is independently specialist-supported but provisional under TMR's source-validation rules. PEZ is linked to the established PEZ person authority. Other named artists reused where secure; FACE, DJ JD and DJ Lime lack verified identity resolution. No actual ticket, event attendance, film surviving copy, exact poster dimensions, specific production firm, rarity or copies count proven.

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.