I went to the world’s deepest rave and getting there was more terrifying than you’d think
You're best off forgetting everything you know about conventional raving before heading to Roni Size's latest underground set.
Overthought outfits, guzzling pre-drinks and heading home in a taxi at an ungodly hour were all out of the question, as this rave took place 1,375 feet below the surface of a mountainous region in North Wales.
Donning helmets and harnesses, a small group made a treacherous two-hour descent to experience Size's exclusive subterranean set at Cwmorthin Slate Mine last week - and it was an adventure which I'll no doubt be recounting in the smoking area of future raves for many years to come.
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As one of the pioneers of drum and bass who is credited with being a driving force behind the boom of this underground music scene, it was only right that Size was the man behind the decks at this potentially record-busting rave.
Arguably, there was no better way for the Bristol-born DJ to pay homage to his roots than by taking on the epic challenge of churning out beats while 419 metres below ground.
He looks as his sets as a 'living, breathing thing that reflects the people there with you' and even made a few last minute changes to reflect the moodiness of the Welsh weather that engulfed us last Thursday (15 October).
Adding another ridiculously cool component to this expedition, the G-Shock team used it as a scientific opportunity and wanted to observe how a slate mine behaves when beats are being thumped inside of it.
Our other-worldly surroundings essentially acted as an instrument - as with the help of vibration transducers, Size's music was driven directly into the surrounding slate, while geophones and hydrophones captured what travelled through the rock, water and mud.
These sounds were then pumped back into the set, adding a genuine layer of Snowdonia to Size's underground sound.
Explaining what inspired him to sign up to this project ahead of the descent, the D&B legend and Mercury Prize winner that is Size said: "Back in Bristol, we'd put on a party wherever we could, and some of the sounds came from what we called happy accidents - playing a track at the wrong speed, hearing something that sounds new but still works.
"Raves could take place in some crazy and unexpected places, on someone's front lawn, down in tunnels, but what I've always done is play to the environment and the crowd.
"By the time we're 1,375 feet underground, everyone there will already have shared an adventure.
"And how much more could you reflect the environment than by pumping a set into the mountain, hearing the sound travelling through the slate, rock and mud, and bringing it back into the mix?
"It's the most underground of underground raves ever."
All of these factors made Size, 56, the perfect candidate to front the ambitious launch of G-Shock's GDG-B100 Mudman watch - which is a bit of kit that seriously comes in handy when you're down a slate mine.
While suited and booted in safety gear, a gang of us made a lengthy pilgrimage into the belly of Cwmorthin Slate Mine to attend what has been touted as the world's deepest rave.
Five of these lucky folks earned their spot by entering a ballot that sparked a buzz among ravers that is only comparable to Willy Wonka releasing his Golden Tickets.
We paced the same subterranean paths once trodden by generations of slate miners up until its closure in 1997, meaning there was a lot of history to soak up while we were attentively listening out for the distant thud of D&B.
Naysayers would have had you believe this was a one-way trip into the abyss, as comments including 'can't wait for the Netflix documentary about this' flooded promotional social media posts about the rave.
But alas, dear reader, we made it out unscathed...and with a story to tell the grandkids.
There was still a very real risk of encountering extreme danger while exploring the Cwmorthin Slate Mine, but we were thankfully flanked by a team of experts from Go Below Underground Adventures.
In tandem with G-Shock, the crew masterminded this rave and expertly executed it in the short span of just six weeks.
Getting the gear down there for Size's set was a logistical feat of extraordinary proportions, as the team took countless trips lugging every single element required to host this event on their backs.
Every piece of sound, lighting and recording equipment needed to transform the chamber into an underground dance floor was hauled through these pitch-black caverns over a period of three-days. There were no short cuts.
But fortunately for these lot, the pay off was worth all of this exhausting preparation.
What the descent entailed
Cwmorthin Slate Mine is a labyrinth steeped in industrial heritage and it doubled as the ideal venue to pull off an attempt at throwing the world's deepest rave.
This excursion was not for the fainthearted, as we were tasked with navigating waist-deep water, crossing underground ravines, abseiling down a 30-metre drop, and strapping into a zip line.
Needless to say, this was a sober rave for a reason - although I'm sure a few of us wouldn't have minded a swig of something for some Dutch courage at certain perilous points.
Still, the adrenaline pumping through our bodies was enough to rouse our inner ravers, meaning we had our gun fingers at the ready by the time we entered the chamber that became Size's playground for the day.
As I'm sure you can appreciate, the prospect of two-stepping to his tunes was the light at the end of a very long, dark, tavern of tunnels.
We were welcomed into Size's makeshift arena by the warmly familiar thud of tracks, just minus the comforts of a conventional nightclub, before being greeted by a gang of around a dozen ravers in hard hats.
DJ Nav nicely set the tone for our entrance before passing the baton to Size - whose set was preceded by a nod to our surroundings, as the Welsh national anthem rang out.
What followed was a masterclass in D&B and many glances of awe shared between those who witnessed this once-in-a-lifetime rave.
After enduring a few harmless bumps to the head on my way down, I then got into some headbanging of a different kind...although for health and safety reasons, the helmet stayed on.
All in all, the experience was definitely worth its salt - and slate.
And if you fancy hearing what it sounded like for yourself, you can check it out here.
Olivia Burke