'I'm K-Holed' – We Talked to Ravers at the End of Their 'Freedom Day' Night

Pausing a night out for a kebab or takeaway box of cheesy chips is tradition. It’s also incredibly necessary. After jamming down on the dopamine button for hours, these processed piles of greasy brown are the elixir of life that helps get you from the nightclub to the afters, or home to bed.

As clubs in England reopened their doors on Monday the 19th of July, kebab shops, chippies, burger vans and hole-in-the-walls all prepared to welcome back their biggest fans: intoxicated clubgoers. 

When “freedom day” came to an end in Bristol, VICE caught up with some of the heads still carrying on. 

VICE: How are you feeling tonight?
Harvey: My day starts off, 5AM. I jump in the van, try and get to work on time.

Haha. No, I mean how’s your night been tonight?
Harvey: But I want to tell you all about my day! Do you not want to know what I ate this morning?

No. But fair play for getting up so early.
Harvey: Yeah, I’m good like that. I started off with some civilised drinks with V, but we met some wrong’uns. Before you know it, I’m K-holed in Stokes Croft [points at the guy he blames, who tries to drop his Soundcloud]. What do you study?

I’m an English Literature student.
Harvey: Ahhhh yeah. Of Mice and Men. I love that shit! Lucky you.
V: Sorry about him, we’ve had a big night and he can’t hack it like me. Lockdown has fucked everyone’s tolerance.

VICE: Big night?
Tom: Very hot.
Tash: I think the general mood was a bit of apprehension, like – should we even go out? Is that morally right, you know? But as soon as you’re out, you forget about it. It was like going into a bubble from two years ago.
Jamie: I was nervous. I don’t think the test really meant anything, you could just lie and say it was negative.
Tom: It was scorching in there. Fucking scorching.
Tash: Tomorrow, I doubt I will even be able to tell if it’s a hangover or COVID. That’s the vibe.

VICE: Tell me about your night.
Jacob: I’m feeling fuckkking free on freedom day, I’ll tell you. I’ve been on nursing placement most of the year, like 50 hours a week in a hospital, so I think I deserve this. It’s my fourth night out in a row, my mate’s fucked it a bit, so we’re sorting her out with some chips. Chips cure everything.

VICE: Big night out?
Felix: Rather decent I must say. As you can see we are leaving a little early, as we’re pretty pissed and we have work.

Very responsible! I think everyone’s tolerance is pretty low though now.
Felix: Oh, extremely low, exceptionally low!
Katie: Very!

Have you been disappointed by anything tonight?
Felix: No, it’s been wonderful. Well, actually my good friend got mugged at knifepoint, which is scary. He’s a blokey-bloke as well, which is surprising. But I would be scared too. Other than that, it’s been great.

How old are you guys, by the way?
Felix: I’m 20.
Katie: I’m a cougar. I’m 22.

VICE: What’s tonight been like for you?
Aiden: Fucking brilliant. First time in Bristol as well, darling. It was amazing. I thought it would be like a country village.

Like a small village surrounded by fields?
Yeah yeah. It’s a lot smaller than Birmingham, but now I know it’s not a village.

That’s good. How does it compare?
I love it. I wanna live here. It’s cute! It’s so cute and cool. I’m very into the rave scene in Birmingham, and I love the feel of the scene here. But you know what, there are no sniffer dogs here, so it’s not too bad at all.

Have you seen any weird sights tonight?
I actually saw someone shitting in a skip. Thought that was kind of cool, in a way. You don’t get that in Brum as much.

VICE: Hey, what are you doing swimming in the fountain?
Henry: It’s boiling, isn’t it. Even for 5AM, or whatever this is. My mate pushed me in, but it’s actually fucking nice in this heat. Do you guys wanna get in?

Nah, we’re okay – but glad you’re enjoying it.
Yeah, tonight’s been mental. I think swimming after a night out is the future.

@izzy_copestake