Raw Footage from the Craziest Midwest Rave Ever
“Good Times 2000” was a rave I produced outside Kansas City, KS with two other guys at the turn of the century. It’s impossible to know exactly how many souls were in attendance. The massive horse racing stadium GT2K called home wasn’t equipped to handle all the folks trying to sneak in. Suffice it to say, GT2K was the largest of the many raves I produced and possibly the largest in Kansas City history. (When all was said and done, we estimated the attendance to be about 4,000 people.)
Fast-forward thirteen years and I’m having one of those coming-of-age moments when you rent a 10-foot moving truck and drive it with all of your childhood and early-adult possessions to your grownup home. Unpacking all of these old boxes in Brooklyn sent wave after emotional wave crashing over me like a tsunami of memories. One of the artifacts of my pre-college life surfaced in the aftermath. It was a VHS tape simply entitled, “Rave Footage”. 
When I was throwing raves in Kansas City, people who came to my parties often gave me tokens of support: a neon bracelet with my name beaded on it, photos, endless demo tapes… One time, a kid gave a video tape–this videotape (right). It was footage of my biggest and best-known party, Good Times 2000 that he had shot on a camcorder. I tucked the tape away in a box with the rest of my rave-time mementoes and forgot about it. As time passed, I realized I didn’t have any pictures from GT2K. I was too busy at the party to take them myself and I had recruited all my friends to work alongside me. I had never watched the video tape the mysterious young, camera-man had given me and I wondered whatever became of the footage.
When I found the VHS tape in a milk crate packed with demo cassettes, I was shocked. Overwhelmed by the prospect that images of GT2K may be preserved therein, I wondered how I would retrieve them.
Among my cargo was a VCR. If only I could find a way to route its RCA outputs into a computer I might have a chance at capturing the footage into Final Cut. I phoned an animator friend and was able to borrow a Canopus ADVC-110 (ADVC =” Advanced Digital Video Converter), ran a Firewire cable between it and my laptop and captured the footage into iMovie. (iMovie’s capturing interface is far simpler and more efficient for capturing home movies, I discovered.)
And this is the result…
“Good Times 2000” rave footage from Michael Bradshaw on Vimeo.
There’s plenty to be said about the content of this video. As with all coming-of-age stories, the faces from the past seen here are so familiar to me, it’s almost as if no time has transpired between now and the last time I saw them. I was disappointed that myself nor any of my partners or crew appear in the video, but there’s little to complain about here. It’s an incredible document of a momentous occasion. I just wish I knew who to thank for giving it to me.
Were you there? Do you see yourself in the video? Hit me up in the comments.
16 Comments
eclypz
October 28, 2013hell yeah! Oh man, that was probably the peak of my times in KC too. What a great time…
smyle12
October 29, 2013Man, those were they days! I forgot that the Super Bowl was the next day, and when I got back to Lawrence, slept until 10pm that night! I missed the only Super Bowl I hadn’t seen live since age 7, and the only time the Rams won it all. I remember several of the faces in that video although like you, I too, wish that my own appeared. Thank you for this incredible dance down memory lane! It really does feels like yesterday and not 14 years ago. Ah, yes, those WERE the DAZE!
Paul
October 29, 2013That was nice to see. thanks for putting this up. I do remember a kid running around with a camera. I distinctly recall lying down on the floor for some reason while seeing him. Also got to meet and speak with Juan Atkins. Twas a lovely evening.
Ambs
October 30, 2013I want more, more, more!!! ;) So great! Thank you to whomever you are! How amazing is this to have live footage from a time so memorable and precious. I to was there, but don’t recall anyone in the footage. Nevertheless we will always remember the music, outfits, dancing, and what it was like to be there…or during our raver days in general. Question, was that DJ Nitro spinning? I thought I recognized that crazy, fun hair, but not sure. Can’t remember the time frame of some local KC DJ’s. Sometimes I wish we could all go back and do it over again! :) I wouldn’t trade any of those moments…EVER!!!
Alex Smith
November 12, 2013WOW, those bring back so many memories. that’s when I got to meet most of the big name peeps back then. You and the rest of the Echobass crew, The THC guys, and so many other names come back to me.
What I wouldn’t give to go back to those days.
Imakittenwclaws
May 28, 2014Wow best party ever! I’m officially a dinosaur now, but I can honestly say I have lived a full and insanely fun life! Thanks for sharing.
Adrian Basford
June 7, 2015I was there Mike, was a great time. Your shows were always fun. You probably remember my good friend and college room mate Zak C from Nebraska. I just can’t believe it was 15 years ago :( Raves of our lives.
Patience
December 4, 2019MC ADRIAN!!!! Sorry I definitely remember you guys. Thanks for this and everything!
Raoul
September 13, 2015i’ll have to agree, by far the best rave i ever experienced. it was big enough to be epic without being so massive that it was impersonal. thanks for posting the video real modern nostalgia
Kira
June 18, 2016Missed good times 2000. We didn’t have a ride, we’re only 15 years old, and up to no good. I attended several raves and red barn parties that Spring and fall of 2000. Totally nostalgic. Thanks for posting. We lived fully no doubt.
Jane
March 1, 2017The footage doesn’the seem to be online anymore, but I’d really love to see this. I turned 18 at midnight at GT2K, and it was a really transformative experience for me. Shoot me an e-mail if there’s any chance of you letting me view the video. Thanks!
malcolm816
March 1, 2017Hi, Jane – The vid is now de-privatized. (Not sure how that happened in the first place.) I’m only slightly traumatized by the fact that a 17 yo slipped in, but hey, good for you!
FitzRoger
March 18, 2017I not only went to this and was there, but Robin Urmanic, Todd Urmanic’s sister, and I were on shuttle and chaperon duty from the Airport and hotel to the Woodlands, where the party took place. For who? Why for non-other than one of the three friends credited as the founders of Techno and House Music, Juan Atkins, and to our surprise, his wife that linked up with him at the airport to meet and stay with him that night. He had been on the road for so long then they hadn’t seen each other for a while, so it was also sort of a home coming or reunion for them. He even signed a promo CD I had found while working at a radio station in college, which he said he was unaware ever came out.
Sara Roman
May 17, 2018Such a great party! I stumbled across it looking for possible photos or videos of old parties. Rebirth, Lazarus, Temple of Fu, Everybody loves bubbles, Y2K, etc. Was there one called umpa lumpa? I can’t even remember all of them now. I need to go through my old flyers. Feel thankful, yet sad that we didn’t have cell phones attached to our faces back then aka no evidence, but not a lot of pics either. Thanks for sharing!
Kyle Sexton
August 10, 2019Wow, such a great find! Brings back so many memories, like hanging out at your apartment helping get the echobass website setup. Thanks for going through the effort of getting it converted and online.
Khayjake
August 15, 2019I remember that party! 2nd one at The woodlands… And the one before everyone loves bubbles was pretty fun too! Brings back nostalgic memories!