Pixelate Draws 1,000 to London Cat-Themed Rave as 00s Internet Nostalgia Fuels UK Tour
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
Pixelate Draws 1,000 to London Cat-Themed Rave as 00s Internet Nostalgia Fuels UK Tour
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
More than 1,000 people packed Vauxhall Arches for Pixelate’s cat-themed London rave, where Crazy Frog, Nyan Cat and other 00s internet memes drove a night of cosplay, glow sticks and high-BPM dance music.
Founded in December 2024 by 22-year-old DJ Compulsive Leia, Pixelate grew from a 100-person Hackney Wick party into a touring event with sellout dates in Manchester and Glasgow.
Mixmag’s Patrick Hinton said meme-heavy immersive raves reflect softer cultural boundaries online and a nightlife market that increasingly rewards playful, experiential events over more challenging club programming.
For attendees such as 21-year-old Cherry Archive, the appeal is also social: Pixelate offers a safer, more welcoming space for people once mocked for niche internet tastes to find community offline.
The craze points to a broader UK boom in hyper-specific nostalgia nights—from Shrek and Lord of the Rings raves to a planned Pokemon-themed EDM festival at the O2 Arena in November.
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