At this moment, Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheatre is swarming with ravers and punks and rockers, who are dancing in the pouring rain to a techno DJ or huddling on the saturated grass, passing joints or cigarettes between umbrellas.

Ordinarily, these are nocturnal crowds, content with abandoned warehouses or basements; but today is a special occasion: They’ve invited the public to come see them in the light of day.

The hope was to inform some of the critics who blamed these sub-cultures for the shootings that happened March 25 on Capitol Hill. Several survivors of that tragedy are at this event.

I don’t think a lot of critics came. The last two hours of unrelenting rain haven’t helped, either. Ah well, maybe for some, ignorance is bliss; and all the partiers seem to be having a great time, despite the shortage of the usual party enhancements — alcohol and darkness.