Graeme Armstrong for Raveheart

A high NRG, whip-smart look at the state of modern Britain through the eyes of a disparate band of rave rebels, from the author of acclaimed, best-selling debut The Young Team and one of Granta's Best of Young British Novelists.

William Patterson - better known as DJ Turbo - is living a soulless existence after his glory days as resident spinner at a local Coatbridge ice rink, The Time Capsule, have been snatched from him. As a far-right UK regime sweeps to power, 'The New Greatest Britishest Party' cracks down on youth, culture, drugs and - the final straw - electronica. Incensed by a blanket ban of their beloved tunes, Turbo and his comrades launch a rave revolt - resurrecting the illegal warehouse parties of the past in this new darker, monolithic Greatest Britain, as a powerful act of resistance.

But, as the political situation escalates and secret police surveil every corner of society, Turbo and his troops fly ever closer to the sun in the dangerous world of the anti-rave abolitionist paramilitary. Mixing classic hardcore anthems, nu-gen euphoria enthusiasts and psychotropic chemical courtships, they will fight the war for the rave. Deciding who to trust... and who may betray the cause is everything. The future of the whole nation is on the line... can Turbo be the hero not just of rave, but of Scotland?

Hilarious, tragic and incredibly clever all at once, this unique, narcotic trip of a novel is a modern, meta, mayhem-filled cultural coup d'etat and cult-classic in the making, written in an inimitable and energetic voice, from one of the most electrifying young writers in Britain today.

GRAEME ARMSTRONG is best-known for the hard-hitting, multi-award-winning gang epic The Young Team (Picador, 2020) currently in production as a BBC drama, and his extensive violence prevention work with youngsters. In his early days, rave culture, as well as gangs, was an essential part of his identity. During a Scottish rave renaissance, he and his crew attended countless events and took many mind-altering substances. Graeme now lives alcohol and drug free, but his lifelong passion for electronic dance music remains. His critically-acclaimed BBC documentary Scotland the Rave was nominated for BAFTA and RTS Scotland Awards and gave him the chance to interview his rave heroes, underground DJs and fellow fanatics. He remains a cultural ambassador for the Scottish scene and a dedicated super fan.

This event will be chaired by Kirstin Innes, an award-winning writer, journalist and arts worker living in the west of Scotland. Her first novel Fishnet won The Guardian's Not The Booker Prize in 2015, and is currently in development for television with STV. Her second novel Scabby Queen will be published by 4th Estate in 2020, and she is currently developing a play with the National Theatre of Scotland.