The Revival of the Rave
House music is pulsing back to life, and Gen Z is leading the return to the dance floor.
BY Ava Caiati ★ July 6th, 2025
Photo Credit: Ava Caiati
After years of niche SoundCloud mixes and underground Boiler Room sets, house music is finally outside again, and it’s taking over major cities, like New York and Los Angeles. What began as a post-pandemic revival in basements and discord servers has evolved into a full-blown trend. From my own experiences in New York, the buzz hit a new level this summer, with a major house artist headlining almost every weekend.
Let’s talk specifically about the cultural shift in Brooklyn. A once gritty and industrial borough is now trendy and upscale. Think overpriced matcha, curated thrift stores and a perfect backdrop for the house music renaissance. The rusted-out shipyards and old Navy terminals are still there but are being reborn as rave venues — and it kind of works.
Earlier this summer, I was at a FISHER concert in an abandoned Brooklyn terminal surrounded by rusted buildings and cracked pavement. That’s the thing about this new wave of raving: Even the most random industrial space can feel like the center of the universe. A week later, Mochakk played the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Now, all eyes are on Keinemusik, who are about to take over Corona Park in Flushing Meadows with their afrohouse beats. Yes…the recreation center.
And, if grungy warehouses aren’t your vibe, there’s something for everyone. I saw both John Summit and Dom Dolla at Madison Square Garden, and the energy was still insane. But, if you’re open to stepping outside your comfort zone, I recommend checking out a more underground or artsy venue. It’s less polished, freer — and honestly, it’s where the fun really happens.
Fred Again recently sent New Yorkers into a panic with a surprise show at the Brooklyn Paramount. I was checking TikTok at my internship in the city and texting my twin brother (also a big house fan) about any updates we saw. I was ready to leave work and take the subway straight to the set — if I could somehow secure tickets. Rumor has it: Before the venue was confirmed, fans were already lining up outside. With only cryptic hints and a Twitch preview of “Victory Lap,” over 150,000 fans were in front of me on the Ticketmaster queue, after he finally posted the event details at start time. If you got in, you were chosen by the cursed Ticketmaster algorithm. If not, you probably saw how long the line was on TikTok. Fred turned a random Tuesday into a major house moment. Sammy Virji, a friend of Fred’s, also had the city buzzing with a surprise Times Square pop-up ahead of his Forest Hills set, with fans literally dancing in the street.
House music isn’t just back; it’s everywhere. Social media helped but so did the rise of producer talent and new technology. When I told my mom I was paying to see DJs instead of traditional singers, she was confused. For her, house peaked in the late ’80s and ’90s in European club culture. She couldn’t believe it was back — let alone that my friends were buying DJ boards as a hobby.
But for us, it’s not just a trend, it’s a scene with its own vibe and following. From pop-ups to open-air street sets, NYC is having an EDM renaissance. House music is no longer a thing of the past.