At Pixelate, the music is as vibrant as the meme-laden costumes. Is this internet ‘brainrot’ brought to life, or a vital need for offline community? “It’s time to get… crazy!” DJ Compulsive Leia’s voice booms from the stage. Around me, partygoers adorned with cat ears enthusiastically wave LED glow sticks and shriek with anticipation. Suddenly, a recognizable melody erupts: the notoriously divisive rendition of Axel F by Crazy Frog, but remixed at an even more frenetic tempo and pitch. “Ding, ding!” Tonight, Vauxhall Arches in London transforms into a high-energy dreamscape for Pixelate, a touring rave across the UK that revels in the “internet cringe” of the 2000s era. This particular event is cat-themed, featuring a dancer in a colossal Hello Kitty costume gyrating wildly on stage, accompanied by remixed hits from ’00s memes, video games, cartoons, and dance anthems.

English Translation:

‘You can let your inner freak out!’: Welcome to Pixelate and the growing craze for internet-culture raves

At Pixelate, the music is as garish as the meme-referencing costumes. Is it internet ‘brainrot’ come to life – or a much-needed offline community? ‘It’s time to get … crazy!” DJ Compulsive Leia is yelling at us from the stage. Around me, clubbers in cat ears wave LED glow sticks and squeal in anticipation. Suddenly, an all too familiar sound: Crazy Frog’s much maligned version of Axel F, albeit remixed at an even giddier pitch and speed. “Ding, ding!” Tonight, Vauxhall Arches in London is a hyperactive fever dream for Pixelate, a rave currently touring the UK and celebrating the 00s era of “internet cringe”. This edition is cat-themed, and a person in a giant bobble-headed Hello Kitty costume is dancing frantically on stage, soundtracked by high-octane versions of 00s memes, video games, cartoons and dancefloor hits.