An old ‘90s rave documentary about UK nightclub Sterns, called ‘Mensa Lord of the Rave’, has resurfaced as the 30th anniversary of the clubs closing approaches. You can watch the entire thing for free on YouTube below.
With no phones in sight, this was a time when illegal outdoor raves had been making their way into nightclubs.
According to the testimony of ravers that frequented Sterns and DJs that played there, the club – a 19th Century mansion in Worthing, West Sussex – had an atmosphere like nowhere else, although it somewhat slipped under the radar in the early ‘90s when compared to spots like the Hacienda up north in Manchester.
N-Joi and The Prodigy played there, plus DJs like Sasha, Moby, Carl Cox, Fabio and Grooverider, Mr C, Rhythm Doctor and others. There was even a dedicated afterparty location on a nearby farm – simply referred to as ‘The Farm’!
Sterns was largely promoted through flyers and word of mouth, attracting coach-loads of party-goers from all over the country and even European visitors before closing in 1993.
The nights were led by a guy called Mensa and promoted by ‘In-Ter-Dance’, which you’ll hear more about in the doco. The 90-minute film was produced & directed by David Kenny. Enjoy.
Mensa Lord of the Rave, full documentary:
Thanks to the BBC for supporting data and photo of the crowded dancefloor. Outdoor image credit: Factmag.
