OK, finally have a moment to address this.
I started DJing in 1992 and have seen all the scenes (mainstream and underground) from then to now.
When you speak of the “loved up drug infused part”, I mainly saw it as the many outsiders and amateurs rushing out to anything “rave” in search of drugs over anything. Most “underground” folks I’ve known did use drugs, but they were not as blatant or reckless about it. They were the ones who popped one E to get sorted, or smoked a bong after the event. The amateurs were the ones tossing multiple pills into their systems, washing it down with vodka. They’re the ones chopping lines and playing with fire.
In my book, that never changed. I’ve seen them in the 90s raves, then the 00s trance scene, and the festivals then on. What I’ve noticed more is in how many more complain how the music they saw as “awesome” is gone, and the replacement seems to not live up to their tastes. Junglists and D&B fans not finding deep love for dubstep or trap. House heads and trance fans not finding joy in EDM. Techno fanatics hating all of it. Usual story.
Times changed, and the megaclubs of the 90s are gone. Ibiza isn’t the big underground mecca it used to be. The amateurs all ran out to the big corporate-driven fests for EDM and Molly. However, it doesn’t mean the underground is gone. Mainstay underground clubs still thrive, but they’re not 2000+ capacity venues. Raves still happen, but they’re not big mega festivals.
I would not dwell or hope for the past to “come back”. In my eyes, the mainstream scene will at times overtake the DJ culture, and many will see it as a downfall, but like clockwork, the mainstream explosion will die, and a new underground will arise.
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