The Plush 3 Experience

i'm finally back from vacation - let me tell you about my first ever RAVE!!

i went to plush 3, which took place at the den, a venue in portland, oregon - check out the flyer!. my friend robin invited me and my girlfriend, and so, we went together!

neither her nor i have been out to something like this before - i mean, she went to a muse concert when she was a teen, and i went to sacanime a few times when i was a teen, but nothing like a high-energy dance party! i had no idea what to expect, honestly..

walking in, i was kind of nervous, because my ID had expired on my birthday just a few days prior, but the bouncer was chill and wished me a nice night. i found myself feeling rather underdressed, as i hadn't brought my collar or anything with me when i traveled up to oregon; i was invited post-travel.

so, nervously and with my "toby" plush in hand, i stepped into the dance hall...

it's like, suddenly, i understood all the metaphors i'd heard about raves. the music throbbed in my chest like a heartbeat - it was drowning out my real one. it was dizzyingly rhythmic and powerful.

my girlfriend wanted badly to dance in the front so i led the way like a good girlfriend and danced with her! it probably helped that i am larger so i could nudge people aside better. i think she wanted to go further forward than i did, but the seating didnt extend far enough forward and chronic fatigue necessitated staying wherever the seating was.

speaking of the chronic fatigue, i'd been stretching daily up to this point, so i was more prepared for physical activity than i generally am at home. i was having a great time dancing. for the first time in a long, long, long time, i felt like i could dance and not feel like some sort of spectacle. it was so freeing. everyone else was busy having a good time at the rave and absorbing vibes; there was no way they were looking at me. hell, there were multiple people my size there, and they were dancing great too. we were all so awesome.

the set that i was there most for was by DJ TOÑO XCX, by the way, and the music was BUMPING! (video linked might be flashy.) the projector was showing a hypnotic display of images. boykisser dancing, lola bunny throwing it back, a thicc kobold, and a few dog furry dancing gifs...

i even bumped into local creature tuxedo dragon in their fursuit! super cool fursuit, super cool person. i didn't end up meeting with my friend robin because they were volunteering, but maybe next time...? eheh

my gf and i had also brought along my gf's brother's girlfriend, who is "not" a furry (we'll work on that) but is super chill. i still think i could design her a fursona. it was nice seeing someone who is "not" a furry interacting so nicely with furries; she even complimented someone's hair color LOL. it was nice. i wish i'd socialized a bit more but i was kind of nervous and self conscious still.

near the end, there was a dance competition featuring a badger puppet by a local puppeteer i can't remember the name of now... it was cute and witty. they had a locally famous drag queen come on the dance floor and fuck it uuuuup and she was awesome. then they got someone in who had been doing fursuit choreography who was also fucking it uuuuup. i can't imagine doing something like that, let alone insulated by dense faux fur!

we ended up leaving a little bit into the last set for the night (K9 Unit). i dropped one of my earbuds, and then realized my body had kind of been dancing for the past three hours and was at its limit. so we left and got some food at jack-in-the-box.

if there's one moment i wish i could crystallize, it's the moment we entered portland that night: the lights were bright on the dark sky, really idyllic sort of 'night life in the city' vibe, and 'creature city' by vylet pony was playing on the car speakers. it was SO FUCKING COOL. I GOT CHILLLLLLLS. NO JOKE...... it was life changing. god damn

i hope i can go to another event like this in the future!!!!! that was my first ever furry event!!! and i don't want it to be my last!!