The rave exploring New York and New Jersey’s hidden crevices

This story appears in Huck 82: The Music Issue. Order your copy now.

As the world opened up after Covid, Nocturnal Creatures Society started putting on underground events and raves in unusual places across New York and New Jersey. Founded by a duo known as Astrid and Magik who’d taught themselves to mix during lockdown, their initiative has rapidly built a devoted following – especially within the queer community – as young people seek alternative, self-governed party spaces. In a time when many queer individuals report feeling increasingly marginalised, Nocturnal Creatures Society offers a space for uninhibited self-expression and connection.

Italian photographer Matteo Cassina found himself at one of the early raves and has become an unofficial-ish documenter of the goings on. We caught up with him to discuss the photos he’s taken, the adrenaline rush of the events, and why communities like this need to carry rave’s message of freedom to future generations.

How did you meet up with and embed yourself with the Nocturnal Creatures crew?

I first met Nocturnal Creatures while I was studying at New York’s International Center of Photography. I had a portrait assignment due the next day, but the person I was supposed to photograph cancelled on me last minute. I was scrambling for something interesting to shoot, and I remembered some friends had sent me a post about a rave happening that night in Staten Island. I convinced a couple of them to come with me, and a few hours later we were in the woods, following a trail of glow sticks through the trees.

The rave was set in a ruined building, flashes of coloured light flickering through broken windows. The energy was wild, and photographing it was thrilling. After about an hour of dancing and taking pictures, I stepped back to catch my breath and started chatting with people nearby. One of them was Astrid, one of the two founders of Nocturnal Creatures, alongside the DJ playing at the time – Magik. She mentioned they were looking for someone to document the group, and we exchanged contacts. From that point on, it was just a matter of showing up every weekend to whatever remote location they were partying at, talking to people and taking pictures. Over time, I got to know them better, started going to after-parties, and eventually hanging out outside of the raves. That’s when I really felt like I was part of the culture, not just documenting it.

Did people mind you taking their picture? 

The first rave I went to, security just asked me not to use flash – but once I got inside, everyone was really positive about the camera. Some people even used their phone flashlights to help light my shots. I always try to make it clear that I’m photographing and never sneak up on anyone. When I take pictures of individual ravers, I either ask if they’re okay with it or wait for them to make eye contact and then show them the camera as a kind of nonverbal ask.

I’ve never had any complaints – if anything, people usually just ask me to send them the photos afterward. After a few events, people started recognising me and would sometimes come up to ask for a photo. A few months in, Astrid told me there were a couple of running jokes in the group about me being an undercover cop – but thankfully, I don’t think I give off that vibe.

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Did you find yourself part of a strong community? 

I did feel like I became part of a strong community. What first stood out to me about the rave scene – especially around Nocturnal Creatures – was how much care goes into making sure people feel safe and supported. There’s always security around, and they provide free fentanyl test strips at every event. I’ve seen people feeling unwell, and it’s not just staff who step in – other ravers immediately look out for them too. There’s this shared sense of responsibility that really impressed me.

Raving has been a long-standing subculture, and NCS feels like the latest, younger version of that tradition. Like any scene, there can be tension between different groups – mostly around location politics – but in my experience, NCS has always handled things with professionalism, especially when it comes to security, harm reduction, and checking IDs. You start seeing the same faces over and over again, and that familiarity builds a kind of trust. At its core, it really does feel like a tight-knit group.

What was the most weird to get to ​‘venue’ that you went to? 

The one that definitely comes to mind is the tunnel – you can see one of my photos of it in this feature. Just getting there was an adventure in itself. We had to squeeze through a hole in a fence, walk along some abandoned train tracks, and then make our way through a dark, muddy tunnel. It was Halloween, so everyone was in costume – the whole walk felt like some kind of psychedelic pilgrimage.

When we finally reached the DJ booth, the scene was incredible: around 200 people huddled together, dancing in sync with the music. The tunnel echoed every sound, and the lighting bounced off the walls just enough to catch the details of each costume. It genuinely felt like stepping into another world. It was hard to move through the crowd, but I got some of my favourite photos there. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long – it got busted pretty quickly. Still, it was one of the most memorable nights I’ve had. Took me ages to clean the mud off my shoes.

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How many raves get busted? Are the police always on NCS’s case? 

I’d say roughly one in five raves get shut down, though it really depends on the location. Lately, the police seem more on edge than usual – especially after what went down at NCS’s most recent event. They hosted a rave at a warehouse in New Jersey on March 31^st, with official permission to use the space. I arrived a bit late and walked into a scene with police everywhere. Inside, I saw a friend of mine being arrested. When I tried to take pictures, officers told me I wasn’t allowed to. Outside, I asked a few ravers what had happened. Apparently, the police had first shown up around midnight asking to see the paperwork. Once it was presented, they left without incident. 

But a few hours later, two officers came back – this time entering undercover through a back door. Without warning, one of them jumped on the DJ and tackled him, which triggered a short scuffle. Then the rest of the squad stormed in and arrested two people. There are multiple videos circulating that show the moment the officer attacked. Both individuals were released the same morning, and to this day, the New Jersey Police Department hasn’t made any public statement about the incident.

Why do you think, in this current climate, projects like Nocturnal Creatures are so important?

Groups like Nocturnal Creatures Society are important in today’s climate because they create space for freedom of self-expression and celebrate people from all walks of life. We’re living in a time when core values like identity and individuality are under increasing pressure, and that can lead to feelings of isolation – especially for those who don’t neatly fit into mainstream moulds.

But this goes beyond just raves. Documenting subcultures and communities like this is a way of reminding people that spaces still exist where uniqueness is not only accepted, but encouraged. It pushes back against the idea that a person’s identity should be defined solely by their job or role in society. There’s a tendency nowadays to flatten people into their professions – if you’re a banker, people will see you as a banker even outside of your workplace. But that illusion breaks the moment you meet a banker dancing freely at a rave. What people choose to do with their free time is often a far more honest reflection of who they are rather than the job they ​“have” to do for a living. Ultimately, I hope this project serves as a reminder – especially to anyone who feels alone – that there are still communities out there, raves or otherwise, where they can feel seen and represented.

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What makes Nocturnal Creatures events different to other raves?

How much it keeps evolving. It started sometime after quarantine, when clubs became more expensive and were forced to close at 3am. The idea was to bring rave culture back to life for a younger crowd, and also provide people with a cheaper and better alternative that would allow them to dance and connect for the entire night.

Since then, it’s grown really quickly. The crew puts a lot of effort into making each event feel different from the last – new vendors, tattoo artists, merch drops – they’re always trying something new. They change up the locations, music, lighting, even the setup itself. There’s a real attempt not to get too comfortable or repeat a formula.

What I like is that it feels open to everyone – whether it’s your first rave or your hundredth. It still holds onto the core values of rave culture, but adds a more current twist with how they use social media and put things together production-wise. Astrid once described it as having a cyberpunk feel – like remixing ​’90s aesthetics with something more futuristic. That stuck with me, because it really does feel like its own thing.

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Matteo Cassina is a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Follow him on Instagram.

Josh Jones is Huck’s editor. Follow him on Instagram.

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