Vibrant vibes and a clear mind: A night at Club Loosen’s ‘Sober Rave’ at The Complex

In Dublin, where partying and alcohol often go hand in hand, there’s a refreshing alternative on the rise.

Club Loosen, a high-energy sober rave/party founded by Paul Walsh, is breaking the mould of traditional nightlife, offering a unique experience that promises vibrant vibes and a clear mind.

The Liberty was pleased to speak to founder Paul Walsh about the recent rave he held on October 7 where tickets cost €22.

Club Loosen had hosted two events previously, in April and July, and founder Walsh has plans for another upcoming project.

Paul Walsh came up with the idea of Club Loosen while he was living in Berlin from June 2015 to June 2016.

He attended over 25 raves in Berlin sober, where he came up with his motto, “The good energy the night before can be carried on to the next day, without the hangover.” 

“I walked into the club, the music was banging, and I was in my shell, but I began connecting to the music and allowed myself to open up,” Walsh told The Liberty. “I was on a buzz, completely sober.”

“I had moved back home to Ireland a while now, so it wasn’t until during COVID when the restrictions started to lift that I decided I was going to create a sober rave, and I did.” 

The event was held at The Complex in Smithfield. It provided a perfect setting for this innovative event, with its spacious dance floor, immersive lighting, and top-notch sound system.

“The Complex is an amazing space to hold a rave,” Paul said.

Almost 100 people attended the rave that night. 

After an hour of high energy music, people really started to loosen up. People were there to dance, connect to the music and to have a good time without alcohol or substances. 

“There was this moment of essence where everyone was just connecting to the music, and I just thought I need to keep pursuing this – it’s going to turn into something,” Walsh added.  

Club Loosen had prominent Irish DJs Roo Honeychild and Brian Ring at their event.

Roo Honeychild is a music producer and DJ from Dublin and has been an eminent force on Ireland’s rave circuit for the last eight years – delivering cheeky edits and high-energy grit-filled DJ sets.

Brian Ring, an Irish DJ Based in Berlin, instinctively plays several of his favourite dance tracks spanning decades. 

The club hasn’t faced any problems with people entering intoxicated – they have a trust policy that expects people to come sober. If they encounter a situation, they would gently ask the person to leave, as their club is completely sober. 

The Liberty asked Paul Walsh, founder of Club Loosen, what he envisions for the future of sober raves. 

He said, “I know sober raves are not for everyone, but a cohort of people will appreciate a space like this, and I hope it will grow over time. Our next event will be on New Year’s Eve, and we can get at least 200-250 there, and people can enjoy not paying the price for having fun.”