Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer at the main bar of The Haçienda Manchester.
Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer, the British comedy duo best known for their surreal and often absurd humor, were indeed involved with the rave scene in the late ’80s and early ’90s, a time when the Hacienda nightclub in Manchester was at the height of its influence. Though their connection to the scene wasn’t as prominent as some of the DJs or clubgoers, they were part of the cultural zeitgeist that surrounded the rave movement.
The Hacienda, which opened in 1982, became the epicenter of the Manchester rave scene, bringing together the worlds of acid house, dance music, and youth counterculture. It was a hub for a generation that embraced all-night partying, the spirit of rebellion, and the euphoria of electronic music. Vic and Bob, while primarily known for their work in comedy (their shows like The Smell of Reeves and Mortimer and Shooting Stars), were part of this wider cultural movement, not just because of their involvement in the music scene but because of their connection to the unique energy of the time.
Vic and Bob were known to attend events at places like the Hacienda, often mingling with musicians, DJs, and fellow comedians. Their offbeat, irreverent sense of humor was very much in tune with the unconventional, experimental ethos of the rave scene. They didn’t just witness the rise of acid house and rave culture—they were participants in the general creative ferment of that era, which was also reflected in their television work. Their comedy had a chaotic, freewheeling quality that resonated with the anarchic spirit of rave culture.
Although Vic and Bob didn’t make rave music themselves, their comedic sensibilities and playful subversion of traditional formats seemed to match the experimental and boundary-pushing ethos of the rave scene. They captured the wild, anything-goes nature of the time, making them unlikely but fitting figures in the broader narrative of British pop culture during the era of the Hacienda and rave music.
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