ABSTRACT
As early as 1987, the first London styled acid house parties were organised in Amsterdam by a trendsetting organisation called Department Store, which were very exclusive. Music from Chicago was provided via friends in the London underground circuit. Since the term ‘house’ was imported, it took several years before a ‘second generation’ of house consumers gave it its own meaning in the Netherlands. Although house music had been known to dance music import enthusiasts since at least 1985, popularity and mainstream attention of house music started with the arrival of English rave parties in the summer of 1988. By the end of 1988 acid house was described in the Netherlands as a new ‘subculture’. News of police raids on parties in Britain made it attractive to young people to engage themselves in the music, clothes and parties inspired by the raves across the North Sea.
