Issue 42 - noiZe Magazine

Nu
umbe
er 42 • Winte
er 200
04 • © Circu
uitt No
oize
e Maga
azine,, LLC
C.
TM
The Premier Guide to Dance Events Worldwide
FROM THE EDITOR
We’ve often heard that the Circuit was born
out of the need to rebuild our community
after the plague had so devastated it. After
the long dark night of losing so many friends
and loved ones, we rose from the ashes,
dancing to reaffirm our place among the
living.
The truth is the earliest parties were not fundraisers. Huge forprofit dance parties were springing up in Atlanta and New York.
Some brilliant and compassionate men saw what was happening
and decided to harness this idea to raise much needed funds for
the community-based organizations that were helping us to deal
with the crisis. These fundraisers provided money for services
needed by those living with HIV.
Did the boys really come to these parties out of a sense of
altruism? Nah. They came because these parties were
populated by beautiful young men and they were hoping to get
laid. That may sound like sacrilege to some. But is it really?
Should we be ashamed of having a sex drive?
It’s ironic that the gay community had just experienced its first
decade of exploring our sexual birthright, of removing our sense
of shame about sex, of freely connecting to the primal man-toman sex drive that had been suppressed since the time of the
Romans - when HIV surfaced and reinforced all of those old
puritanical views about sex.
Cover Photo
by Onno Visser
o.visser2@chello.nl
As we gain acceptance from the mainstream, some in the gay
community want us to be just like everyone else. But we cannot
allow ourselves to be pulled into the belief systems of society at
large. One of the main reasons that we exist as a people in this
time and place is to teach the world the power of sex. Good sex
can empower us by reconnecting us to our primal nature. Sexual
connections have the power to expose us to new ideas – after
all, is there any time that you’re more receptive to listening to
someone than when you’re laying in their arms after a good
fuck? And ecstatic sex has the power to heal us on a multitude
of levels in ways that we are only beginning to understand.
Sex is not only natural and good but it is an essential part of
what makes us human. No one is better equipped to teach the
world this lesson than the gay community for we know that sex is
about something far more than simply procreation.
--Steve Kammon
Circuit
2
Noize
Fall Circuit
Photo Album
(Page 56)
TM
Editor in Chief
Steve Kammon
editor@circuitnoize.com
Publisher
Stephen Ceplenski
stephen@circuitnoize.com
The Premier Guide to Dance Events Worldwide
Advertising Director
Gary Steinberg
818-769-9390
gary@circuitnoize.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
14
Miranda Rights
by D. Michael Taylor
22
The Ecstatic Path
by Joseph Kramer, Ph.D.
28
Connecting with Strangers
by Steve Kammon
32
The Ears Have It
40
3-way Intersections
by Stephen Ceplenski and Steve Kammon
46
Bro’s and Brokers and Bears...Oh My!
by Alejandro Marin
48
Music Reviews
by Jamie Nicholes
52
The Insecurity Diet
by Cristopher Blake
56
Fall Circuit Photo Album
72
Benefit Spotlight: Jungle
Senior Editor
Jeffery Taylor
Schedule Editor
Tony Hayden
Art Director
Stephen Ceplenski
Prromotions
Circuit Boyz Productions
Cover Artwork
Onno Visser: o.visser2@chello.nl
Event Accent Photos
Moody Mustafa & Getty Images
Circuit Photos
The Boyz of Circuit Noize
David Flower
GreatPartyPics.com
John Stoltzfus
Jeff Trentham
Tim Wong
Writers and Contributors
Josh Adler
Cristopher Blake
Mike Collins
Siana-Lea Gildard
Joseph Kramer, Ph.D.
Alejandro Marin
Tony Miros
Jamie Nicholes
David Sexton
D. Michael Taylor
East Coastt Office
954-764-8210 (voice)
954-764-6392 (fax)
by Mike Collins
West Coast Office
11288 Ventura Blvd #700
Studio City, CA 91604
818-769-9390 (voice)
818-769-5482 (fax)
84
Winter Circuit Schedule
E-mail
Website
98
Winter Party - The Beat Goes On!
by Siana-Lea Gildard
©Copyright 2004 Circuit Noize. All rights
reserved. Contents may not be
reproduced without permission from the
publisher. Publication of name or photo
of any person or organization in Circuit
Noize is not to be construed as any
indication of the sexual orientation of
that person or organization.
100 Let There Be White!
by David Sexton and Tony Miros
102
information@circuitnoize.com
www.circuitnoize.com
www.partyfinder.com
travel.circuitnoize.com
Carnival Awakening
by Josh Adler
Published in February, May, August and
November
Circuit
3
Noize
UNITE!
15th Annual
Produced by:
BLUE BALL
PHILADELPHIA • 2005
January 28, 29, 30
Tickets:
www.circuiticket.com
Information:
www.blueballphilly.com
267-514-2088
Sponsors:
National Constitution Center
DJ Tony Moran • DJ Alyson Calagna • DJ Billy Carroll
DJ Lydia Prim • DJ Junior Vasquez
Bronze
Silver
Gold
davidlewisIMAGES
All proceeds from Jungle 13 go to BCBC beneficiaries.
Each beneficiary provides direct services to people affected by HIV/AIDS,
in the Houston area, ranging from primary medical care to research.
BCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL
PARTICIPATING PROMOTERS, DJS, SPONSORS, NIGHTCLUBS,
PERFORMERS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ALL OF YOU WHO
MADE QUEER AS FOLK - FUTURE BABYLON TOUR
AN ENOURMOUS SUCCESS
WE WILL ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF
2005'S QUEER AS FOLK - BABYLON TOUR
ON JANUARY 1, 2005 THROUGH
MIRANDA RIGHTS
by D. Michael Taylor
There are very few constants in life, especially when you live in a big city.
There are the clichés,, death and taxes, and most of us try as hard as we
can to avoid thinking about either. I still owe New Jersey some tax
money, I think.
I’m considering pulling the
McGreevey card: I’m a gay
American, dammit!
Perhaps a
third option should be added to
that list – boredom. Nothing
seems to motivate me to
distraction like the slow, cruel
monotony of feeling like I’m not
doing anything special. Which is
why we constantly try to find new
and inventive ways to busy
ourselves. Some find distraction in
their work, or a club, or the gym. A
lucky few find someone to stay
busy with on a regular basis –
keeping a home together,
shopping for groceries online,
maybe buying a pet or an
expensive couch. All of which can
take on a monotony of its own if
you’re not careful. And then
there’s my personal favorite, sex.
It was a boring, lonely Saturday
morning for me. I crawled out of
bed, still feeling ill from the beef
and scallops “special” I had on
Wednesday night at a cheap
Chinese place on the Upper West
Side. Don’t ever trust a restaurant
Circuit
that has an all-you-can-drink wine night.
My tender stomach limited my options
for the weekend. Drug binges and allnighters were out. I hadn’t been to the
gym in several weeks, so that was out,
as I didn’t relish the full-body sprain that
follows a gym hiatus. My only options
seemed to be writing this overdue
article and bingeing on Sex and the City
reruns. So I started with the reruns.
No matter how many annoying little
fags they managed to stick in that show,
there was always only one gay
character. Samantha Jones stands out
as probably one of the most vivid urban
gay men on TV. As she would say
herself, “Isn’t she fabulous?” She was
strong and independent, knew how to
keep her game face on even when life
troubled her, and took life by the balls –
literally. She waltzed into every VIP
entrance and restaurant opening in the
city as if she owned the place. She
even ended up with a gorgeous model
boyfriend. It’s every boy’s dream life,
no?
So, the recipe for a cosmopolitan fag is
as follows: flippant, fun, delightfully
14
Noize
shallow, never boring, and sexually
adventurous with a dash of nasty
wit. Add vodka and shake. Those
of us that venture outside the
boundaries, seeking our inner
Charlotte or indulging in our
neurotic Carrie, don’t play as well
with the Circuit Noize crowd, and
generally fall off the radar as far as
gay culture is concerned.
But I’ve always had the nagging
suspicion that under neath my
sparkling wit and endless sexual
escapades (which have been quite
fabulous, actually), I harbor a deep,
dark secret. My sense of humor
tends to be a bit on the bitter side,
I look better in a suit than a Whittal
& Shon ensemble, and I harbor
awkward feelings for an exboyfriend. All of which points to
one inescapable parallel. I’m
actually Miranda. Except for the
rich lawyer part.
Who the hell wants to be Miranda?
She’s the depressing character,
right? The dowdy, realistic downer
of the crew. The quintessential
bitter midtown career woman who
sits there just to make the other
characters look more fabulous. For
Christ’s sake, she just came out as a
lesbian! She’s… boring. This can’t
be who I am.
The parallel isn’t perfect, thank
goodness.
Like any good
ensemble cast, I see a little bit of
me in each of the characters. But
Circuit
the preponderance of evidence points
in one inescapable direction, and I don’t
even like redheads. This is a crisis, an
unmitigated disaster. Which is, of
course, exactly as Miranda herself
would see it.
I certainly know how to get my
Samantha Jones on.
Sex with
strangers?
Check.
Kinky
experimentalism? Check. Slings,
Viagra, parties, role-playing, leather,
neighbors? Check. Everything except
sex with women. (There are some lines
that a girl just won’t cross.) I can turn
any situation into a witty retort. I’ve
even briefly considered PR as a career
move. Unfortunately, the real life of a
flack isn’t nearly as glamorous. The
actual stress and annoyance can drive a
girl to run people over in the
Hamptons.
Underneath all of this fun and frolic,
though, there’s a creeping sense that
I’ve turned my sex life into a sort of
career of its own. Gone are the days
when sex was what followed an
elaborate courtship ritual involving too
much alcohol and intimate conversation
at 2 a.m. in the darkest recesses of the
East Village. The internet makes the
business of sex so simple. Like Fresh
Direct, it’s much easier to sift through
your options online and then wait for
them to be delivered to your door.
Clean, efficient, and if you forget the
guy’s name, you don’t have to rifle
through his wallet in the mor ning
because you can just check your IM log
on the computer. And for those late
15
Noize
work nights, you can turn to the
professional’s drug of choice for a
sleep-free weekend fueled by the
intensity of a well-matched
business merger with someone.
No muss, no fuss. And never, ever
any of that messy intimacy that can
make things so awkward. So there
you have it, even my crazy sex life
has become a sort of Mirandaesque law practice.
All of this is designed to mask my
real fears, of course. The fear that
maybe no one wants an averagelooking thirty-ish gay man who
doesn’t fill out a tank top very well.
The fear that I don’t even want the
cracked-out losers that I order
online without the aid of the same
soul-numbing substances they’re
taking. The increasing fear that I
have outsourced my love life to an
underground culture of decadence
and shallow gratification, and that I
won’t be able to appreciate the
simpler forms of romance again. I
still crave having someone to hold
at night, but do I still have the
tools to find that person and hold
onto him? Is it like riding a bike, or
have I crossed too many strange
thresholds to remain interested in
the boring cadence of a ‘normal’
relationship?
These are the Miranda thoughts
that plague me. These are the
worries that force me to hide
behind a mask of impenetrable
bitterness and false emotional
Circuit
strength. What if I don’t end up with
the guy I’m in love with and my life isn’t
tidied up in six and a half seasons? It’s
enough to make you go Jewish and
marry a fat balding lawyer sometimes.
The strength of Miranda, I suppose,
was her ability to experience emotions
like these in a much more threedimensional way than her cohorts did.
Her bitterness masked a complexity
that tortured her, but it was that
complexity that saved her in the end,
allowing her to experience the richness
of real love with someone that she
always knew she shouldn’t have fallen
for to begin with. Her intricate masks
slipped at all the wrong moments, she
would stubbornly avoid the things that
she knew she wasn’t ready to deal with
yet, and her constant annoyance with
the unpredictable and unwanted
excitement that her life threw at her
made her the understated star of the
show. The most intricate character in
the ensemble, really.
When you compare that to the
predictable monotony of empty banter,
drug-fueled weekends that are
indistinguishable from one another, and
the lifeless ennui of one sexual
escapade after another, maybe her life
doesn’t seem so boring after all. Of
course, that’s just the Charlotte in me,
finding hope amongst the rubble of
emotional wreckage. Wait, maybe I’m
Charlotte!
Oy.
16
Noize
S TE V E N G O M E Z
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Tickets and VIP passes on sale:
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$75.00 Until December 1st - $95 after - $120 at the door.
VIP pass $220 until December 1 - $260 After
Stay at these Host Hotels
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( LA )
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THE ECSTATIC PATH
by Joseph Kramer, Ph.D.
The message was a bit mysterious. “I am exploring erotic trance. I want
to book a session with you
u. My name is Dan,” and he left his number.
Although most of my work as an erotic bodyworker involve
es
transformative altered states, I wondered what Dan meant by “exploring
erotic trance.”
When I finally reached him, he told
me, “You’re an expert on
prolonging orgasm, aren’t you?
So am I. My whole sex life shifted
into high gear nine months ago
when I started using crystal. I want
to go further.”
I get a funny feeling in my
stomach whenever someone tells
me the glories of sex on crystal
meth. Why this drug? Why aren’t
thousands of Circuit boys eating
mushrooms to discover what is
erotically possible? Why don’t gay
men in search of an astonishing
high check out the ecstasy
produced by eating only
uncooked foods?
For many guys, the first contact
they have with crystal is with a sex
partner. That first introduction is
often a powerfully charged
experience. Crystal, like coffee,
stimulates the central nervous
system, so a sex scene usually
involves high levels of excitement.
With all of our neurology firing
with this excitement, it is easier to
focus on the sensations of the
body. It is also easier to obliterate
any thoughts outside of the sexual
experience.
Circuit
For guys who normally experience some
level of shame or self-judgment during
sex, crystal overwhelms these distracting
thoughts. It can feel liberating. However,
the excitement of crystal also overrides
clear thinking about unhealthy sexual
choices. Sex on crystal can quickly
degrade into compulsive behavior when
sex without the drug ceases to be
interesting.
I spent some time talking to Dan, trying to
understand what he thought I could offer
him. I learned that what Dan called
“erotic trance” was having long sex
sessions while crystal stimulated an
electrical storm within his body. We spoke
for quite a while. I told him I couldn’t
work with him while he was using. He
asked me if he could call me if he
stopped. I told him, “The first six months
after crystal is a crucial time to explore
orgasmic states. I look forward to your
call.”
I decided that if he called back, I would
invite Dan to commit to the same amount
of sex he was having while he was using.
If he was having twenty hours of sex a
week on crystal, he would need a month
or two of twenty hours of erotic education
a week while he is rebuilding his life.
Learning to have blissful sex is a behavior
that can assist Dan not to relapse into
using. This pleasurable relearning of sex
22
Noize
as conscious, sacred, and heartful
can be the foundation for all the
other changes he wishes to make.
So where do wayward boys go to
become great lovers? Are there
pleasure schools for queer lads
who have burned out on sex as
overexcitement?
T h e B o d y E l e c t r i c
(www.bodyelectric.org) offers over
a hundred classes throughout
North America in erotic touch and
conscious S/M for men who want
guidance in waking up and
sustaining the erotic energy in their
bodies. The erotic education
offered in their weekend class
“Celebrating the Body Erotic” is a
good place to create more deeply
satisfying erotic relations with one’s
self and with others. This school
specifically recommends their sex
classes for “men in recovery from
substance, mood, and behavior
addictions.”
Where might a seeker of sexual
wisdom find a guide? The gay
community is full of eroshamans
and erotic coaches. I personally
recommend men (and women)
trained
as
“Sexological
Bodyworkers”. Members of this
new profession, certified by the
state of Califor nia, teach
individuals, couples and groups
how to consciously access
profound ecstatic and erotic states
that are not limited to the
experience of excitement.
S a c re d E m b o d i m e n t
(www.sexologicalbodywork.com) is
a month-long program in Northern
California for queer men. This nonresidential training offered by a
team of Sexological Bodyworkers is
limited to twelve committed men.
Sacred Embodiment helps men
Circuit
develop pleasurable, healthy and loving
ways of connecting with others. This
erotic-spiritual training includes twenty
hours of erotic rituals and other
structured group erotic experiences
each week, involving erotic massage,
erotic self-massage, conscious
breathing, and anal massage. Sacred
Embodiment allows men to bond
intimately with each other while
reclaiming the awesome pleasure
available in their bodies.
Pleasure - as great lovers know - is not
just excitement, but also involves the
physiological state called bliss or joy.
This more peaceful and heartful aspect
of pleasure is defined by a decrease in
the rate of neural firing in an individual.
Blissful sex revolves around the calmer
experiences of sensuality, playful fun,
and intimacy. Crystal meth never takes
one to bliss, joy, or heartfulness. I
recommend the Body Electric School
and the Sacred Embodiment trainings
for all men - even those who have never
tried crystal meth - because these
programs help us to grow in our
capacity to love.
Men in recovery from crystal need to
know that none of their new sexual
experiences, no matter how orgasmic or
loving they are, will offer the intense but
narrow experience of crystal. This will
cause disappointment in some men.
The healthiest way to deal with that
disappointment is to learn to savor all
that is erotically possible. Sex is not the
problem. Sex - ecstatic, heartful sex - is
the solution.
Joseph Kramer has offered trainings in
erotic trance states for thousands of
men through the Body Electric School
and The New School of Erotic Touch
(www.eroticmassage.com). He has
produced seven instructional DVDs; the
latest is “Anal Massage for Relaxation
and Pleasure”.
23
Noize
CONNECTING WITH
STRANGERS
by Steve Kammon
The lighting was very dim, but he sure looked hot sitting in the doorway
of his cubicle. He nodded to me as I passed, and I hesitated only briefly.
What if his hotness was an illusion of the shadows??
I was in the sauna in Amsterdam –
the city of anonymous connections.
I went with the flow and leaped
into the abyss of his opened door.
As my hands explored his body, he
kissed me. It was an easy-going
kiss, just a hint of tongue, not too
intrusive, but tantalizing in its
promise. It would be the last sign
of affection he’d show me.
Circuit
His body was incredibly ripped and
smooth. His nipples perky, stretched
from prior pleasures. He pushed my
head towards one of those nipples and
like a puppy finding its mother’s teat, I
gladly sucked on it. He stood up then,
removing his nipple from my mouth and
replacing it with his dick. He slammed
it into me, seemingly hoping to make
me gag. Thankfully it wasn’t that large,
I don’t do the violent deep throat thing
so well. I prefer to apply a long, slow,
luxurious technique to a man’s cock.
28
Noize
After face-fucking me for a while,
he dropped back to his knees and
shoved me backwards; spitting in
his hand, he reached for my hole.
This wasn’t what I’d signed up for
and I resisted his aggressive tactics.
He grunted in frustration and
moved to put his cock back in my
mouth. I decided to humor him,
letting him pummel my face while
my hands explored his body,
massaging him, trying to get him
to relax a bit, to settle into a more
easy rhythm.
But he wasn’t having it. His
motions became only more
spasmodic; his hands gripping my
head, he was determined to use
my body for his own selfish
purposes. Soon he pulled out and
shot a load down my chest. But his
domination wasn’t yet complete.
He flicked the cum off his hand
onto my body and, almost
sneering, tossed the only word of
this encounter over his shoulder as
he exited the cubicle, “Ciao.”
Circuit
I told this story to one of my friends
living in Amsterdam and his comment
was, “Wow, that’s hot!” It immediately
made it clear to me that his behavior
was only evil when reflected through
the lens of my experiences and
expectations. Perhaps I’m the fool,
expecting to find a little affection in a
bathhouse – but does having sex with
strangers have to be an empty
experience?
Amsterdam is a place where anonymous
sexual encounters are easy and
guiltless. Coming from America, where
so many guys are conflicted about
hooking up, I certainly like the fact that
the gay guys that live in this city suffer
from very few hang-ups when it comes
to sex. But, it seems this casual attitude
towards sex is often coupled with a
mechanical attitude towards the act
itself. Rather than looking to meet
someone halfway, to explore another
being in the most intimate of ways,
guys are simply looking for a body onto
which they can project their sexual
fantasy.
29
Noize
Maybe this “fantasy projection” is
what all of us do when we have sex
with strangers. Could it be that my
disenchantment with the sex scene
that opened this article was merely
a case of my beautiful stranger’s
fantasy being a total mismatch with
my own? I don’t think that’s the
whole truth. I’ve met guys that do
play out roles that are more
aligned with my fantasy of the boy
that allows
me
to
pleasure
him. And
w h i l e
t h o s e
encounters
were far
m o r e
satisfying
than the guy who flicked his cum at
me, they still left me feeling a bit
disconnected. There was some
ingredient that was lacking.
Over time I understand more
about what that missing ingredient
is. That understanding does not
provide a magical path to finding
what I need, but having the goal
clearly identified does help in the
search.
At one time, my search for sex was
all about the conquest, about
needing the validation of having
someone find me attractive
enough to shed their clothes with
me. Meeting strangers for sex will
always have some of this
motivation wrapped around it – it
simply feels good to be desired.
This simple pleasure isn’t
something that we should just
throw
away
because
the
psychologists tell us it is a
component of sexual addiction.
Why not revel in those good
Circuit
feelings? But if this need for validation
is your primary motivation for meeting
boys, you aren’t experiencing all of the
life-affirming joy that can be yours in a
more fully grounded sex life.
Some people shrink from having
connected sex because they feel that
opening themselves up to the
experience of connecting with
someone else is going to leave them
too vulnerable. They could get hurt.
O t h e r
people are
afraid of
t
h
e
opposite –
that if they
act
too
war m and
caring, this
stranger
could get the wrong idea. What if this
person falls for me and then I have to
hurt them? Neither fear is real. Having
sex with someone one time is not a
commitment. This is especially true if
the sex happens the first time that you
meet them and there is no existing
emotional connection. And this is true
whether the sex is cold, disembodied
sex, or whether it is war m and
enchanting.
Rather than worrying that connecting to
someone could get us into an
uncomfortable position, we should be
more worried about what we’re doing
to ourselves by having disconnected
sex. Whenever we repeat a behavior
pattern over and over again, we are
making that behavior more and more a
part of who we are. That’s just the way
our brains work – repeated behaviors
reinforce the neural pathways
associated with that behavior. Have
you ever met someone that is only
turned on in a certain sexual position or
when using a certain mix of stimulants?
These are not necessarily unhealthy
30
Noize
behaviors – rather, they are
limiting. The people trapped in
these behavioral cages are missing
out on the richness of experience
that is possible when you are
willing to continue to explore other
ways of being. Disconnected sex,
when repeated often enough,
becomes a behavior pattern that is
extremely difficult to shake.
★ Mix it up. It’s not all about
jamming it in anymore than it’s all
about feathery kisses. Let the
intensity ebb and flow. Allow
yourself to both give and receive
pleasure. Look for those transition
points where you can switch back
and forth between giver and
receiver.
Here’s some ideas on how to
connect – and they can be used
whether or not the person that
you’re having sex with is a stranger
or your long-term partner:
★ Resist the urge to establish
comfortable mental patterns that
allow you to disconnect from the
present moment. This doesn’t
mean that fantasy is a bad thing –
rather that too much fantasizing
about the same subject is likely to
create a mental rut that becomes a
necessary part of your lovemaking.
★ Look into your partner’s eyes
often during the act. Your
willingness to gaze into
someone’s eyes says that
you’re willing to be vulnerable.
Looking into someone’s eyes
establishes an energetic
connection that goes much
deeper than what you can see
with your physical eyes.
★ Maintain an attitude of
exploring another being.
Really listen to what your
partner’s body is telling you.
Adjust and adapt your
technique based on the signals
that you’re receiving.
★ Hold on to your sense of awe.
If you forget what this is like, try
having sex with someone who
only discovered sex with men
in the last couple of years.
Remember how the simple act
of reaching inside someone’s
pants used to send an electric
charge through your whole
body? It’s almost impossible to
reconnect with that level of
intensity – but you can allow
yourself to be more wide-eyed
and less jaded.
Circuit
★ Breathe. There’s no better way to
bring yourself into the moment and
connect with the person in your
arms than to periodically check in
with your breath. Send the air deep
into your abdomen and simply
watch as your body naturally
exhales without any effort from you.
This is also a great way to relax
when you’re having trouble opening
up to allow someone inside of you.
Sex can be one of the most lifeaffirming of acts. It can also leave us
feeling empty and alone. You can have
either kind of sex regardless of whether
it is with a stranger who you will never
see again. Having connected sex
doesn’t mean that you’re making a
commitment to the person you’re
playing with – don’t confuse the two. If
you’re going to take the time to open
yourself to someone on the physical
level, why not create a more rich
experience that leaves you both in a
better place than where you began?
31
Noize
THE EARS HAVE IT
…you never know who’s listening!
"You know what they say - you give
‘em an inch, they want all ten."
"He works out all the time and his
body still looks like that?"
"His body is just not susceptible to
fierceness."
"I had heard he was
back in the sling of
things."
"He's looking at you like a
cheetah eyeing a gazelle with
a limp."
Circuit
"Some people think
monogamy is that island off
the coast of Africa."
32
Noize
"Please, that one wants a
husband so bad he puts the
ring on their cock as soon as
he meets them."
"If they say they have a
swimmer's build, my next
question is 'How big is the
pool?'"
"His asshole has its own
gravitational field."
"I tried a 12-step
program, but I'm afraid
of heights."
"I would love to get together but I
have a boyfriend now."
"Well, I'm gonna keep your number
because boyfriends come and go but
phone numbers are forever."
"Lord, have mercy on his
hole!"
"I am NOT messy... just
a tad untidy."
"It's just a hop,
sniff, and a bump
away!"
Submit your own “Overheards” to us at
editor@circuitnoize.com
Circuit
33
Noize
P R E S E N T S
J A N U A RY 2
FROM 11 PM - 10 AM
Rio
MUSIC by producer
ABEL
/ ALL NIGHT LONG
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.
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3-WAY INTERSECTIONS
by Stephen Ceplenski and Steve Kammon
One of the great things about our relationships is that we have so few
expectations about how they should be structured. While some may
strive to imitate the straight world’s surface obsession with monogamy,
many of us understand inherently that two men can be so much more
creative and accepting ab
bout forming non-traditional relationships that
allow sex outside of the primary relationship.
There are many possibilities for
allowing outside sex. Finding the
right fit for you and your mate is a
complex task that depends upon
each person’s level of trust and
their need to feel in control of
things. Some can only feel safe
when they can be present in the
room to actively monitor what’s
going on, while others can’t stand
the idea of actually seeing their
partner intimately engaged with
someone else. Some people want
to know everything about their
lover’s dalliances, while others use
the “out of sight, out of mind”
coping technique.
Lots of guys start out their
experimentation by bringing in
strangers for 3-way hookups.
Before you decide to go this route,
compare notes on the kind of guys
that you like. Are there crossover
types that you will both be able to
appreciate, or is your type so
wildly different that you will never
both be satisfied with the same
guy? Talk about what you want to
do, everything from what you’d
like to do with an outsider to
whether they should be allowed to
stay overnight. As you select
Circuit
someone for an encounter, beware of
falling into the trap of “I want that one”
– instead create an experience where
“we” are picking up someone else.
But a 3-way is hardly the only possibility
for sex beyond your partner - the
possibilities are endless. Below we
discuss just some of the rules for open
relationships that various gay couples
have adopted. Perhaps not all of these
relationship rules are equal in terms of
how healthy they are for the participants
– but all of these have been seen to
work for the people that dreamed them
up.
__________________
Faux Monogamy
This is perhaps one of the most
common arrangements out there.
Sometimes it’s used by those who can’t
admit that they want sex with boys
besides their husband – that would
make them immoral. Other times this
arrangement works because half of the
fun in extra-marital sex is that feeling
that you are doing something that
you’re not supposed to be doing.
Togetherness in All Things
Sometimes I think the Circuit was
invented so that couples could hunt for
40
Noize
boys together. It often seems
easier to pick up a couple than it is
to pick up a single guy.
Nonetheless, this arrangement is a
good way to ease into playing
outside of the relationship as it can
allow the slow building of trust
between partners that want to play.
It can also be a recipe for disaster
because some people simply can’t
handle seeing their other half in a
compromising position with
someone else.
eliminates a lot of the stress, because it
is during the selection process that
people’s feelings tend to get hurt.
When you find someone that works for
both of you – why not keep them
around for a while? They are often glad
to return because the service is so
good. The danger of this arrangement
lies in the fact that you will now start to
explore the issues of intimacy with
outside partners – an issue that never
arises if you only do boys once.
Unlimted Trump Card
This is what happens when the regular
fuck buddy moves in and the two of you
take on a third boy friend. Making a
relationship with one guy work is hard
enough; this arrangement simply
boggles the mind.
Throuple
This is a variation on the “3-ways
only” rule. You’re only allowed to
play together but you recognize
the importance of everyone being
completely happy with the
selection process. To achieve this
end, both partners always have the
option of vetoing a potential third
wheel. There are no questions
asked – you only have to say, “Nah,
that doesn’t work for me.”
Extremely Limited
Untrump Cards
The problem with unlimited trump
cards is that you might sometimes
meet a guy who is your idea of the
perfect extracurricular activity and
your partner is simply being selfish
by not seeing that you really, really
want this one. The extremely
limited untrump card can be
played to overrule your partner’s
veto of this dream date. These
untrump cards work best if they’re
extremely limited in how many of
them you get – as they can easily
lead to resentment.
Regular Fuck Buddy
In this arrangement, you adopt a
boy toy who comes over regularly
for some 3-way action. This
Circuit
Don’t Bring It Home
Under this set of rules, the partners are
allowed to do whatever they want, with
whomever they want - they’re just not
allowed to bring it home. The marital
bed is considered a sacred place – it
should only be used for sex with your
boyfriend. What you do on your own
time is your own business – and I may
or may not want to know about it.
Limited Yearly
Dispensation Coupons
Under these rules, a couple is primarily
either monogamous or they only play as
a couple. However, each partner is
allowed a limited number of coupons
for playing outside of the relationship,
without their partner present. Honesty
is a key component - you’re supposed
to tell when you lay around, thereby
using one of your allowed coupons. If
you do meet a hottie using a
dispensation coupon, it’s only
considerate to try to set up a future
rendezvous that includes your partner –
share the wealth, baby!
41
Noize
The Cat’s Away
This is a variation of the mostly
monogamous relationship. Under
these rules you can play around
but only when one of the partners
is out of town. The advantage to
this rule is that you know that your
cheating ways will never interfere
with the dinner that your other half
has planned for his visiting sister.
Buffet Dining
This is where you’re only allowed
to play around separately when at
the bathhouse. The logic behind
this one is that this environment is
all about anonymous sex – there’s
virtually no chance for a romantic
entanglement to arise from a tryst
in the sauna.
Hunter and Gatherer
In this kind of relationship, the
partners recognize that they have
different talents for picking up
boys and in the name of efficiency
they stick to those roles. The
hunter holds the fishing pole
making sure that the bait is fresh.
Once a big fish has taken the bait
and the hunter has reeled him near
the surface, the gatherer whacks
him over the head and gets him
into the boat.
Tag Team
Under this arrangement, you pick
up boys together but you never
actually do them at the same time.
Each partner takes a turn with the
invited guest, but when it’s not
your turn you leave the room. This
works best for partners into the
idea of togetherness but who don’t
like those down times when you’re
sidelined watching your partner
get fucked by some hot stranger.
Circuit
This arrangement is no cure for the
problem of excessive jealousy – your
imagination about what is going on in
the other room can often be worse than
what is really happening in there.
Limited Action
You’re allowed to play around, but
there are acts that are permitted and
those that are not. The logic behind
this can have something to do with safe
sex, but more often it is based on a
twisted sense of the intimacy involved
in certain forbidden acts. One guy
simply was trying to keep his boyfriend
from turning into a sex pig. He was
allowed to suck dick or get fucked, but
he was not allowed to become a
human shish-ka-bob.
Wife Swapping
While some people swear that you
should stay away from even numbers in
any multiple partner encounter, others
simply feel more comfortable when
everyone involved is getting the
undivided attention of one other
person. In a party setting, you can
make this work by writing the names of
all the tops on a slip of paper, put them
in a hat, and let the bottoms draw.
__________________
While many different arrangements are
possible, there is undoubtedly one
overriding rule to remember when
dealing with the thorny issue of sex
beyond marriage. Your outside sex
partners should be viewed as frosting
on the cake. Your life partner is the one
that you wake up next to and you’ve
likely got quite a bit invested in him. If
you’ve managed to create a loving
relationship where you also get to bop
boys under terms that are comfortable
to both of you, then you really do have
something special.
42
Noize
2
SSCANDAL
CANDAL
CARNIVAL
LAST YEAR’S BEST PARTY!
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F E B RU A RY 7
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MUSIC by producer
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Pickup
at these Preferred
Locations:
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Outwrite Books
The Poster Hut
Backstreet
Boy Next Door
Austin, TX
Splash
Boston, MA
We Think the World of You
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MAP
Fritz
Francesca's
Vinyl Connection
Machine
Calgary, Canada
Priape
Dallas, TX
Cross Roads Market
Detroit, MI
Menjo's Detroit
BodyZone Club
Elk Grove, IL
Hunter's DanceClub
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Better Bodies Gym
Georgies Alibi
Colliseum
Catalogue X
Gay Mart
Boom
Cathode Ray
Honolulu, HI
Cabana Waikiki
Tryst
Angles
Las Vegas, NV
Blue Moon Resort
Krave
Los Angeles
West Hollywood, CA
Perfect Beat
The Factory
PowerZone
Raving Rainbow
Pleasure Chest
Jocko
L.A. Sporting Club
Rage Nightclub
Hollywood Spa
A Different Light
In 101
Video West
VideoActive
Miami, FL
Sidetracks
Borderline Music
Universal Gear
LA Tan in Century Mall
Circuit Nightclub
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Unabridged Bookstore
JR's Bar and Grill
Rich's
M2M Fashions
O
Houston, TX
Crobar Miami
Score
Iron Works
Twist
Space
Ulloa Sport
11th St Diner
BodyBodyWear
New Concept Video
Columbia, SC
Laguna Beach, CA
Minneapolis, MN
Chicago, IL
Club Metropolis
Columbus, OH
Torso
An Open Book
Boom Boom Room
Woody’s
Mainstreet
Rainbow Road
Montreal, Canada
Presse Cafe
BodyBodyWear
Priape
New Orleans, LA
Bourbon Pub / Parade
Oz Nightclub
New York, NY
Splash SBNY
Energy Kitchen
XL Lounge
Roxy
Revision
Universal Gear
19th St Gym
Wear Me Out
Eagle NYC
Rainbows and Triangles
Orlando, FL
Urban Body Men's Clothing
Pulse
Palm Springs, CA
AEU Studios
Heaven
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Crobar
Provincetown, MA
Mussel Beach
Crown & Anchor
Ptown Gym
Provincetown Deli
San Diego, CA
Club Montage
Obelisk Bookstore
San Francisco, CA
Mezzanine
Powerhouse
BodyBodyWear
Citizen / Body Clothing
Books Inc
Club 220
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Metropolis
Sanctuary
Always Tan
Saugatuk, MI
The Dunes Resort
Tampa, FL
Urban Body Men's
Clothing
Club Underground
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City Side
Tomes & Treasures
What2Wear
Toronto, Canada
5ive Lifelounge
BodyBodyWear
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GayMart
Washington, DC
Nations Night Club
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Universal Gear
Lamda Rising
Capital City Health Café
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12th St Gym
Shampoo
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Send an Email to:
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BRO’S AND BROKERS
AND BEARS...OH MY!
by Alejandro Marin
Gay boys continue to blossom into a more diverse and colorful spectrum
of subcultures. It used to be that your choice of identities was limited to
leather man, Circuit boy, or twink, but today’s homo
osexual has more
options from which to choose.
And why limit yourself to just one
subculture? No one fits neatly into
just one crude stereotype. Today’s
boys are taking bits and pieces
from various identities, remixing
them, and creating something
entirely new. Increasingly, the
variables of color, age, nationality,
and language play less of a role in
determining gay identity. There
are an infinite variety of options for
the modern gay man.
Yet, crossing over between
subcultures is easier said than
done. Take your time and observe
a little before trying one on for size.
It’s all about having fun, but you
don’t want to become a wannabe.
If you are obviously not already
part of a subculture (for example,
you’re an older white gentlemen
who wants to start going to hiphop clubs), then be sure to keep
some of your own essence. Don’t
impersonate people – just adapt
some of their sensibility. Combine
your own point of view with some
elements of the clan you are about
to conquer and you have the best
Circuit
chance for success.
Here are some of the gay subcultures
you’ll find in most big cities today that
you can sample from to create your own
fabulous personality:
The Bears
This is one of the classics, having grown
out of the leather scene. These guys
really appreciate masculinity, so butch it
up. A pair of old jeans and a sleeveless
carpenter shirt or a black stretched tshirt with some kind of black leather
accessory works great. Forget about
shaving, and shower early in the day
rather than right before the party.
The Bro’s
This is a quickly growing crowd, so
chances are that sooner or later you’ll
find yourself bouncing to a hip-hop
beat or throwing down to a salsa
rhythm at a club near you. If you feel
uncomfortable with all that baggie
clothing and the huge gold chains,
realize that in the end the rewards can
be huge. Underneath the gangsta
attitude, most of these guys are real
sweethearts.
46
Noize
The Brokers
If you dig the preppy Wall Street
type then you’ll need to invest in a
couple of nice suits. If Armani and
Pink are out of your financial range,
try Century 21 or your local
discount label store. Don’t forget
to google the latest political and
economic news so that you can
impress your date between
cocktails.
The Exhibitionists
They say that when we’re naked
there aren’t so many differences
between us. Not sure I agree with
that, but this subculture certainly
has the lowest cost for
accoutrements.
The Dot-Cummers
This is the easiest subculture to
invade. In the virtual world, you
can be anyone you want to be.
These guys prefer to live and cruise
in the ether. You can use this blank
canvas to try out various takes on
your personality that incorporate
elements from any of the other
Circuit
subcultures we’re discussing. If you
strike out, you can always create a new
screen name.
The Fetishists
If your thing borders on the fringe of
sexual excitement, there are all sorts of
specialized communities of freaks out
there to amuse you. The outerwear
depends on the kink, and there are
usually pretty specific modes of
conduct, so tread carefully and enjoy!
Just don’t let your mother find the
leather paddle in your closet.
These are just a few of the lifestyles you
have to choose from when trying to
decide who you want to be in this big
gay world. Throughout history, gay
people have excelled at the art of
theatricality – mimicking, creating, and
improving on modes of fashion, lifestyle
and sexual quirk. Finding the look that’s
right for you depends entirely on what
makes you feel comfortable, what turns
you on, and what makes you happy
ultimately. Be creative and unique, and
in no time at all you’ll have a fabulous
look tailor-made to suit you.
47
Noize
MUSIC REVIEWS
by Jamie Nicholes
Bloom
Gabriel & Dresden
Nettwerk Records
This so isn't your father's trance
compilation. I'm actually reluctant
to classify Josh Gabriel and Dave
Dresden as trance; the product of
their musical union doesn't easily
fit into a single category. Gabriel
& Dresden have headlined a
progression in club music that
blends the ambience of old-school
trance with the hard-hitting beats
of house and created a sound
entirely their own that is equally
intoxicating in both their remix
productions and their original
material. On Bloom , Gabriel &
Dresden
mix
their
own
compositions with tracks by other
forward-thinking artists like Push
and Junkie XL who have also
played a part in ushering this new
sound. Remixes for mainstream
pop artists like Dido and Lili Haydn
Circuit
are also included: the white label-only
mix of "Don't Leave Home" and the
Code 313 Dub of "Anything" are
exclusives on this two-disc mixed set.
There is an acoustic version of the new
track "Imagination" by Motorcycle (the
Gabriel & Dresden moniker that
brought you "As the Rush Comes")
again with flawless vocals by Jes
Brieden. There is also a new offering
from Andain (the voice from "Beautiful
Things" and "Summer Calling") - a
cover of Depeche Mode's dark ballad
"Here Is the House". After the dust
settled from the frenzy of people
running to get their hands on "As the
Rush Comes", easily the biggest club
track of the year, all eyes were on
Gabriel & Dresden to see what they
would come up with next. With the
release of Bloom, any doubt that G&D
are one of the biggest names in club
music was dragged outside kicking and
screaming, stripped of quality hair
products, and forced to dance on a
podium at the White Party while
wearing hideous clothes. Take that.
48
Noize
Party Groove: Soakin Wet
Mixed by David Knapp
Centaur Music
Centaur's Party Groove series has
consistently delivered with DJs like
Alyson Calagna and Ralphi & Abel.
It never rests on its laurels,
zealously striving for an even more
amazing track listing with each new
release. But when David Knapp's
Soakin Wet dropped, the heavens
opened up and bestowed upon
the party boys an anthem-laden
pink diamond tiara that would
make J-Lo wet herself. The instant
attraction of this release is Debby
Holiday's "Dive". Debby came
into Perfect Beat and told owner
Jeff Tardiff that she wanted to be a
"dance diva". Then, after a few
phone calls and an enormous flow
of talent from both Debby and the
remixers involved, "Dive" emerged
and proceeded to become one of
the biggest summer Circuit
anthems, possessing the capacity
to be "that one song" you
remember from a night out every
time. Knapp was smart enough to
Circuit
include the masterpiece just as the
single disappeared and wedge it
among a slew of hard-hitting buzz
tracks to produce the most complete
"sum of the Circuit" cross-section in
recent memory. The disc is mostly
"chorus/verse" vocal, with two dubbier
tracks that serve as intermissions and
tease so as to make you a slave to the
lyrics all over again when the vocals
reappear. Jahkey B's "Heart Attack"
appears in the form of the Sarrin
Friedman Club Mix (previously
unreleased), Junior staple Vernessa
Mitchell lends her ferocious rasp on
"Took My Life", and Tony Moran gives
you a warm fuzzy with his cover of "The
Promise" (Deep Influence Dub). The
disc closes with another 80s cover,
"Chains of Love", produced by Liquid
360, whose name I haven't seen since
their bootleg remix of Destiny Child's
"Independent Women Pt.1", but who
do Erasure proud and conclude the disc
with a positive energy that sends you
off with a smile and the belief that love
conquers all as long as you don't give
up.
49
Noize
Buy these releases and all your other
dance music favorites at
Perfectbeat.com.
Boy
Mixed by Roland Belmares
One Tribe Entertainment
There is a clear difference between
commissioned work and something
that an artist willed into existence
purely for the sake of their own
creative thirst. Roland Belmares
stands out to me among most DJs
for how turned on he is by the
music he spins. Most DJs stand
motionless behind the decks, head
cocked to one side to hold the
askew headphones in place,
looking more like a secretary
flipping through a rolodex than an
artist flipping through records. But
when Roland spins, the energy he
washes over the crowd flows in
both directions, charging both the
room and himself with tribal beats
and seething vocals. I remember
the first time I saw him spin in Los
Angeles; I was floored because I'd
never seen a DJ behave as he did bouncing around with head
bobbing, arms in the air and hands
clapping along with the beat. He's
as excited to be doing this as you
are to be experiencing it. On Boy,
Circuit
his 6th commercial compilation release,
Roland brings together 11 peak-hour,
big-room anthems that flirt with the
separation between progressive and
tribal house. The set begins with the
beckoning sensuality of Betty Dee's
voice on "My Body (Tu Cuerpo)" then
consents to the lust it just conjured with
Dolce's "Feels Good" and draws you
deep inside its beat-driven core. The
breadth repeatedly builds and breaks,
forming a rhythm of stimulation and
"bedroom-eyed" sensuality. Contained
within are two percussive beatings by
Brown Sugar, "Hornetz" - a tribalized
reincarnation of "In De Ghetto" by Bad
Yard Club featuring Crystal Waters, and
"One Ticket To Chicago" which loops
the line spoken by Robert Hays in
Airplane! ("Smoking or non?"). The set
refuses to exit quietly and does so as
ungraciously as possible with the
incomparable Pat Hodges and the
nearly ten-minute Rosabel Mix of
"Saving My Love". If the scene has
gone stale and the current sound has
exhausted itself, then Roland is the
messiah come to save us all, raise the
standard, and create a new atmosphere
of positive Circuit energy.
50
Noize
3 Pak:
Everybody Dance Now
Remixed, Remolded & Remade
Various Artists
Sony Music
Like the first remix disc I ever
bought back in junior high, The
House of Groove: Arista's Most
Fierce Tracks , Sony Music has
released all their best remixes in
one package. The set includes
three unmixed discs of all the club
makeovers they've commissioned
over the last umpteen years, many
of which were never commercially
released. And to add compliment
to cosmetic surgery, the list price is
only $17.99 for 40 tracks! The
contents are both full-length and
radio-edited, and include a lot of
artists that you'd never think would
be remixed like Jimmy Ray, Sophie
B. Hawkins, and Earth, Wind &
Fire. The collection features classic
early 90s "keyboard and high-hat"
garage with immortal gems like
Rozalla's cover of R.E.M.'s "Losing
My Religion" and the first remix I
Circuit
ever fell for: Cleve's 122 Classic House
Mix of Groove Theory's "Tell Me".
There is also the "hands in the air"
sound of more contemporary club hits
like the Thunderpuss remix of Donna
Summer's romantic relinquishment of
freewill "I Will Go With You (Con Te
Partiró)" and Hex Hector's mix of
Anastacia's enormously successful
breakup maelstrom "I'm Outta Love".
The album also contains several near
impossible-to-find concessions like the
Soul Solution Vocal Dub of Cyndi
Lauper's "Ballad of Cleo & Joe", The
Indigo Girls' "Shed Your Skin" remixed
by Stephen Nikolas, and Sandra
Bernhard's "You Make Me Feel (Mighty
Real)". My personal favorite is the
massive Hex Hector 12" Main Mix of
Lara Fabian's "I Will Love Again."
Being single sucks when you're a
hopeless romantic (read: helplessly codependent), and I've a profound
appreciation for a song that glorifies
that agony into an 11-minute wail with
one of the most elongated builds I've
ever heard. This CD set is a gold mine,
and with that price, I don't know how
anyone could resist.
51
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THE INSECURITY DIET
by Cristopher Blake
I have a thirty-inch waist, complete with rippled abs. This is due to my
strict adherence to a veryy modern and simple diet plan, which was
developed by leading nutrition specialists, all of whom were
e taught by
the very best Soviet prison camps.
My issue is that I don’t get any
credit for my abs, despite the fact
that my midsection - through
constant vigilance, even in my
advanced years (in party-boy
years, I am very near retirement) retains the unvarying appearance
that I have ingested nothing that
day with the exception of a turtle
shell. Still, no individual credit at
all. Nope. In fact, I am constantly
accused of actually cheating . I
cannot appear shirtless for longer
than twenty-minute intervals
without being accused of either
having an eating disorder, or using
enough
ephedrine-based
chemicals to sterilize a herd of
sheep. Why does no one believe
that I retain my slim waist and thick
pectoral muscles with a diet
restricted to moderately spiced
vegetables and live squid?
I am only kidding. I hardly ever
eat live squid anymore. But I do
have, I believe, an exceptional
discipline when it comes to what I
will consume foodwise. [Outside
of the area of food, I must admit
that I have very feeble criteria
regarding what I am willing to
consume.]
Circuit
There are some very basic principals
within the human psychology of desire
for which I believe I have a viable
comprehension. I understand, for
example, that if Twinkies had never
been invented, then no one would
ever develop a craving for them.
Therefore, I never eat Twinkies. Never.
Ever. Not if they were made from tofu
would I consider eating a Twinkie,
thereby completely eliminating the
possibility of developing any degree of
desire for them. Of course, I do this
because Twinkies are certainly not
made from tofu. They are made of a
substance that is a compilation of
unpronounceable, yet apparently
digestible, ingredients, which may in
fact
contain
ephedrine-based
chemicals.
In regard to diet, that particular
psychological component - let’s call it
the ‘We Crave Only What We
Consistently Eat’ component - is
certainly not unknown. What is
unknown, evidently, is its actual
successful application. I understand
that if I ever ‘treat’ myself to fattening
goodies, that doing so would
unquestionably cause me to want even
more of them, forcing me to either
endure the desire or submit to it
52
Noize
(thereby rolling down the road
toward looking like Tom Arnold in
the event that he were to ingest
James Earl Jones). For that
reason, I never, not ever, never, not
ever, ever, even after a hunger
possibly developed from typing
the word ‘ever’ several hundred
more times, ‘treat’ myself to
anything fattening, or fried, or
containing an unreasonable
number of carbohydrates, or that
doesn’t yet have his driver’s
license.
metabolism-augmented, insecure
observers will say is, “So, are you on
the pipe, or do you just make yourself
throw up?” This is the point where I
am goaded into screaming, “I am not
bulimic, you asshole! I’m neurotic,
godammit!” Despite its possible
contradiction, few individuals are able
to
construct
a
viable
counterargument to this particular
proclamation, thereby revealing their
probable level of intellect, as I
believe that bulimia could quite
possibly be a type of neurosis.
Of course, I also understand the
psychology that bolsters my
dietary discipline, which is based
upon a neurotic compulsion similar
to anorexia, where I am
subconsciously unable to feel that
I look – or, indeed, am – good
enough. But do I ever get any
credit for this? No, dammit!
Instead, all these young,
That is all beside the point. The point
is that the behavioral manifestation of
my particular type of neurosis has
beneficial aspects. That is no
accident. Through a frighteningly
long process, whereby I gave a
number of alternative ‘behavioral
manifestations’ a very good, hearty
try, I’ve been able to develop and
maintain one that makes much more
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53
Noize
sense in the long-term, healthwise,
though still does not force me to
actually address my core neurosis
directly, which might be a very
unpleasant experience, I believe,
in the fact that it would totally suck
and I won’t do it, dammit.
I believe instead that it says much
more about the subconscious
condition of an individual who
would maliciously make the
assumption of drugs or an eating
disorder without considering more
socially respectable possibilities
first. For example, there’s the fact
that I could actually have
successfully restricted myself to an
effective diet, in addition to the
sensible degree of exercise
provided by a battery-powered
nylon belt I ordered from the
television that, once delivered, will
electrocute my stomach muscles
every twenty seconds. I believe
that it says a lot about such a
person, in regard to their need to,
not only make such an
observation, but to actually go so
far as to publicly articulate it. It’s
one thing to use private
judgements about total strangers
in order to reinforce your own selfimage, but to publicly criticize
someone in the hopes of
influencing still others toward such
an assumption is another issue
completely.
Let’s talk about what that person is
really saying. What that person is
really saying is they believe
themselves to be completely
incapable of applying the
Circuit
necessary self-discipline to achieve
what they consider a worthy, aesthetic
goal. Therefore, no one else in the
entire world could possibly have such a
level of self-discipline either. Consider
the times you might have been at the
gym with a friend and, as the two of
you took notice of someone who
happened to be looking very, very
good lately, your friend said, “Oh,
yeah, baby, he’s juicin’.” That’s exactly
what I’m talking about. That’s exactly
the typical manifestation of deeprooted insecurity seeming to consume
a hearty portion of the community.
Pointing out an assumed behavior in
others, a behavior that is generally
considered mendacious, is nothing
more than a clear attempt to shore up
one’s own self-image by bringing down
the image of someone else.
For example, quite often I’m accused
of using steroids myself.
That
infuriates me! Clearly, as my use was
so minimal and nearly ten years ago, it
means that it does not count!
We all should remember a very basic
rule of human psychology, which, I
think, if I’m not wrong, is, “We criticize
most that which we fear of ourselves.”
That simple message, which may have
been on a bumper sticker, or inside a
cookie that came with my chicken
salad, I don’t recall, is crucial in
contemporary social interaction. This
is especially true when dealing with
insecure people, whose personal
paranoia has obviously been
exacerbated by their use of ephedrinebased chemicals.
54
Noize
Fall
Circuit
Photo Album
Photographer: Moody Mustafa
Location: Crobar, NYC
Event: Victor Calderone’s “Light” Pride Party
Circuit
56
Noize
Find your friends.
V iew amazing performances and light
shows.
Perhaps even see yourself.
For even mor e photos, visit our r enowned
website, www.cir cuitnoize.com, for the
largest online library and ar chive of event
photos.
Are
Are you a photographer? Do you
bring a camera to events?
Submit your photos to us and we’ll
feature
feature them in upcoming issues.
Contact publisher@circuitnoize.com
publisher@circuitnoize.com for
more
more information.
Circuit
57
Noize
BENEFIT SPOTLIGHT
by Mike Collins
photos by Paul Stricklin & David Lewis
Like so many benefit events on the Circuit, Jungle emerged from
humble beginnings. In 1993, a group
p of Houstonians, each celebrating
their 30th birthday that year, hosted a combined birthday party on
n the
Saturday night before Easter.
Anticipating about 200 guests,
the group secured a tropical
plant warehouse as the venue
and hired a local DJ to spin.
Given the venue, it seemed only
natural to dub the party “Jungle
Lust.”
an ambiance that no amount of
professional decoration could have
duplicated. Imagine a dance party in a
tropical rain forest with narrow trails
wandering off into the darkness of the
jungle and away from everyday
civilization.
The dance floor and two bars
were carved out of the forest of
tropical plants that filled the
warehouse.
The birthday
boys worked
with close
friends who
volunteered
to move and
arrange the
hundreds of
p l a n t s
warehoused
in the facility.
What they
created was
That first Jungle Lust was a labor of
love and a celebration to help heal a
community that was wearied and
shocked by
the loss to
AIDS of so
many of its
members and
friends. Like
communities
everywhere,
Houston had
b e e n
devastated by
more than a
decade
of
AIDS. Each of
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72
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the those original organizers had
been touched in some way by this
relentless plague and so decided
to use the party as a means of
giving something back to the
Houston community. Guests were
asked to make a donation to the
Houston
Clinical
Research
Network, a non-profit organization
conducting clinical trials for new
HIV/AIDS medications.
As a fundraising
mechanism, the party
was a huge success,
so the group agreed
to make it an annual
event. Soon after, the
group incorporated,
acquired non-profit
status, and was
named Bayou City
Boys
Club,
Inc.
(BCBC). The founders
of BCBC made very
clear
in
its
incorporation that the
sole mission of the
new organization was
to raise funds for
Houston-area HIV/AIDS service
providers, education efforts, and
research.
Over the next five years, Jungle
Lust grew steadily in both size and
popularity, and the donations to its
beneficiaries
increased
dramatically. After Jungle Lust 6 in
1998, it became clear to BCBC’s
leadership that the party had
outgrown the plant warehouse, so
the search began for a more
accommodating venue. In 1999,
the group settled on the Houston
Polo Club, ironically one of the
Circuit
more conservative bastions of the
Houston “old money” set. Jungle Lust
7 and 8 were held in the open-air
pavilion adjacent to the polo fields.
Legend has it that some of the more
adventurous guests found time for selfguided tours of the off-limits stables
complex.
Jungle Lust 8 in 2000 marked a turning
point for the event, when BCBC made
determined efforts to take the party to
a
higher
level,
establishing it as a firstrate event that compared
favorably with other
regional and national
parties. Joe Gauthreaux,
a young DJ from New
Orleans
who
was
beginning to make his
mark on the Circuit, was
selected to spin for the
event.
After much
consideration,
the
budget for the party was
increased based on
BCBC’s certainty that if it
built a first-class Circuit
event in Houston, people
from other parts of Texas and the
United States would attend, thereby
increasing the fundraising potential. To
offset increased expenses, an additional
event was added to the weekend to
compliment the Saturday night main
event. Ben Parsley of Austin’s Splash
Productions graciously produced a
Sunday night closing party at Rich’s
Houston, sharing the proceeds with
BCBC’s beneficiaries.
This would also be the year that one of
Houston’s
most
prominent
fundamentalist churches unwittingly
contributed to the fundraising efforts.
73
Noize
Limited parking at the Polo Club
caused BCBC to seek offsite
parking for guests. The closest
significant
parking
facility
belonged to the First Baptist
Church of Houston. While the
church would not donate the use
of its parking lot, it did agree to
allow use of the lot for a fee. After
the event, a check was mailed to
the church to cover the agreed
upon fee. The check was returned
along with a letter explaining that
the church did not condone events
that promoted a homosexual
lifestyle.
Seeing no other
acceptable response, the returned
fees were donated to the
beneficiaries and BCBC gleefully
sent a letter to the church thanking
them for their donation on behalf
of
the
local
HIV/AIDS
organizations.
Even more changes were ushered
in for the 2001 event. The
Houston Polo Club issued an edict
that future events could not
exceed 800 guests.
Since
attendance at Jungle Lust 8 had
surpassed 1100, the organization
again sought a new venue. A
warehouse in the near east side of
downtown Houston that had once
been a blimp hangar was selected
as the new site. The owners
promised improvements such as
working restrooms and sufficient air
conditioning, which did not
materialize. Portable toilets were
brought in along with a backup
generator for sound and lighting
should the building’s dated power
system fail. Having attracted some
more conservative corporate
sponsors, the name of the event
Circuit
was changed to “Jungle 9” so as not to
offend their sensibilities. Despite
logistical challenges, the new venue
proved to be very popular while giving
the party an edgier, more underground
feel.
Jungle 10 in 2002 was one of the most
successful Jungles ever, but also
presented the organization with its
most significant challenges. The plan
was to return to the warehouse where
Jungle 9 had been hosted. With less
than two months before the event, the
venue lost its occupancy permit. A new
venue had to be secured with no time
to spare. After pursuing numerous
leads, a cavernous space on the south
side of the city was finally located.
Because it was four times the size
needed for the party, the members of
BCBC set about the considerable task
of downsizing the venue to a more
intimate and appropriate space. This
was achieved by assembling a massive
framework to support huge sheets of
black plastic. Hundreds of tropical
plants and life-sized topiary animals
were also carried in to create the
customary Jungle atmosphere. Among
veteran members, Jungle 10 is still
affectionately known as the “Black
Plastic Jungle.”
Despite the challenges, Jungle 10 set
new records for attendance and
fundraising. Jungle 10 also marked the
first time that the event would host an
entire weekend of affiliated parties.
Working with several veteran promoters
and club owners, a Friday night
opening party, an after-hours party on
Sunday morning following the main
event, and a Sunday night closing party
were added to the weekend.
74
Noize
When the dust settled from Jungle
10, a core group of active and
committed BCBC members were
faced with two significant
challenges – what direction to steer
Jungle in the future and how to
attract new, capable members to
the all-volunteer organization. It
did not take long for the group to
come up with the answers. An
e m e r i t u s
membership
tier
was
established,
a l l o w i n g
v e t e r a n
members who
no
longer
desired active,
day-to-day
involvement to
remain
as
members of
t
h
e
organization to consult and to
assist with fundraising. To recruit
new talent, the organization also
established
an
associate
membership tier to augment
membership and to educate new
volunteers.
This new organization unanimously
committed to take the popular
event to an even higher level. In
2003, Jungle 11 moved to Verizon
Wireless Theater in the heart of
downtown Houston’s arts and
entertainment district. One of the
finest perfor mance and event
spaces in the southwest, the new
venue provided Jungle revelers
with an unmatched party
experience including upgraded
sound
and
lighting,
live
entertainment, and enhanced
Circuit
overall production values. Miami’s
Monty Q was hired to spin and live
entertainment included Circuit Mom in
her Texas debut, backed up by a troupe
of Houston’s beefiest male dancers.
DJs Roland Belmares, Dawna Montel,
and Barry Harris performed masterfully
at the opening, after-hours, and closing
parties. The entire line-up of weekend
events was talked about by the amazed
attendees for
m o n t h s
afterwards.
Jungle’s name
and Houston’s
place on the
Circuit were
now
fir mly
secured.
Not willing to
rest on the
laurels of its
m o s t
acclaimed effort to date, BCBC sought
to once again upgrade the 2004 edition
of Jungle in subtle but meaningful
ways. Superstar DJ and producer
Manny Lehman was hired to spin for
Jungle 12 where he gave one of his
signature high-energy performances
that have vaulted him to superstardom.
Special attention by the members was
given to theme and decoration in order
to evoke memories of the earliest
Jungle parties held in the plant
warehouse. BCBC arranged for the
donation of bottled water, which was
distributed to guests free of charge.
Over 130 generous individuals provided
a record amount of underwriting
support for Jungle 12. In return, these
VIP guests received exclusive use of the
entire upper level of Verizon Wireless
Theater, where they enjoyed an open
bar, private restrooms, concert-style
75
Noize
seating, and a view overlooking
the main event and dance floor on
the lower level. Both the closing
party with DJ Roland Belmares and
the after-hours party with DJ
Dawna Montel set new attendance
and fundraising records as well.
Jungle 12 attracted a record
number of out-of-town guests, with
about one third of the attendees
traveling to the party from outside
Houston. Best of all, the party
received overwhelmingly positive
feedback from guests from all over
the country.
While Jungle has evolved over the
years, the core values of BCBC and
the principles guiding the event
have remained unchanged. BCBC
continues to be an all-volunteer
organization with no paid staff, no
offices, and virtually no overhead.
BCBC is steadfast in its dedication
to raising funds for HIV/AIDS
education, services, and research
in the Houston area. Individual
underwriting and corporate
sponsorship still largely cover the
cost of Jungle, allowing BCBC to
donate general admission ticket
proceeds to the designated
beneficiaries. Over the past 11
years, BCBC has donated over
$605,000
to
Houston-area
HIV/AIDS charities, the majority of
which was generated by the twelve
Jungle events.
Jungle 13 over Easter Weekend of
2005 promises to be the best
Jungle yet. The main event returns
to Verizon Wireless Theater on the
Saturday night before Easter. The
name of the nationally known and
infamous DJ talent for the main
Circuit
event is a closely guarded secret by the
organization at the present time, but
watch for announcements to be made
soon. Once again, BCBC will partner
with
promoters
and
local
establishments to create an exciting
and benevolent weekend of fun. The
organization’s goal for Jungle 13 is to
surpass the expectations of our guests
in ter ms of music, ambiance, and
production values as set by previous
Jungle events. At the same time, the
members of BCBC have a renewed
commitment to ensure the intimate feel
and sense of community celebration
that were hallmarks of the first Jungle
Lust parties in the 1990s.
By
comparison, Jungle remains one of the
most affordable weekend Circuit events
in the country. While Jungle 13 pricing
has not been released, a four-event
weekend pass to Jungle 12 cost only
$95 with host hotel rooms available for
well under $100 a night.
In planning for Jungle 13 and beyond,
BCBC is keeping a watchful eye on a
number of trends it sees emerging from
the Circuit world.
There is an
awareness that attendance at some
events appears to be down over the
past several years. Charity events can
be hard pressed to deal with a squeeze
between declining attendance and
rising costs. The leadership of BCBC
believes that the future for our
organization remains bright because it
is one of the more intimate and
affordable events while simultaneously
conveying a strong sense of community
celebration and maintaining the highest
standards for music, sound and
lighting, and overall ambiance.
For more information about BCBC and
Jungle, go to www.bcbc.info or
www.junglehouston.com.
76
Noize
W i n t e r P a r t y™ F e s t i v a l
March 3 - 7, 2005
South Beach
A world-class beach dance
party and cultural festival
benefiting the Miami-Dade
gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender community
and the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force.
www.winterparty.com
| National
Media Sponsor
| Host
Hotel
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Charles Robbins at (323)857-8746 or crobbins@thetaskforce.org
© 2004 GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Abel
Phil B
Roland Belmares
Tony Moran
Lydia Prim
Peter Rauhofer
p u r e
e x h i l a r a t i o n
It's a run on fresh powder,
majestic mountains, breathtaking views and dazzling casinos.
Our 10th year
on Lake Tahoe’s
Scenic South Shore
G AY A N D L E S B I A N S K I W E E K
march 6-13, 2005
Lake Tahoe’s Premier
Gay Winter Dance Party
LakeTahoeWinterFest.com
PASSPORT
m
a
g
a
z
i
n
e
Nevada Gay and Lesbian Visitor & Convention Bureau
WINTER
CI RCU IT
2004
As the cooler weather of fall changes to the cold weather of winter, the
coat check lines of the Cirrcuit become both an annoyance and a delight
as you get to watch the boyz disrobe from their jackets,, scarves and hats
to reveal their skimpy dance floor costumes.
The cold weather doesn't slow down the pace or number of events
during this season. Miami is one of the few warm-weather destinations
during this period with three different upcoming events - White Party
over Thanksgiving, New Year's and Winter Party.
As we head into the holiday season, New Year's festivities in every major
U.S. city, and many more exotic destinations across the globe including
Brazil, Europe, Australia and South Africa provide plenty of opportunities
to get the year started right.
Three major ski weeks take place this Winter, providing a bit of sport in
conjunction with some dancing and playing. Blue Ball and FireBall prove
that cold cities only make the boys of the Circuit's dance floor that much
warmer.
Circuit
84
Noize
WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
November 23 - 29, 2004
LATIN FEVER-7 - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Will Gorges and Gilles Belanger return to sunny Puerto Vallarta over Thanksgiving
Weekend. Five boy-packed parties on this fun-filled trip south of the border will
rock Mexico’s gayest resort town. New York’s Tony Moran is the headliner at this
year’s event.
Info: www.willgorges.com
________________________________________________________________________
November 24 - 29, 2004
WHITE PARTY WEEK - Miami, Florida
Expect the unexpected this year during Miami’s White Party Week. Preparations
are currently underway at Care Resource, Florida’s largest HIV/AIDS organization,
for the 20th Annual White Party at Vizcaya and the week of events that surround
this jewel of a party. In keeping with this year’s Revolution theme partygoers can
expect some brand new parties and cultural events added to this year’s sizzling
schedule. There are also some surprising changes to old favorites including
moving the main event, The White Party at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, to
Saturday - instead of on the traditional Sunday night - and moving the Muscle
Beach party to Sunday afternoon. This year’s dance parties will feature more
than a dozen of the world’s A-list DJ/producers including Manny Lehman, Abel,
Junior Vasquez, David Knapp, Smash, Kim Dazy, Bill Hallquist, Peter Rauhofer,
Victor Calderone and many more. The hottest clubs in Miami, Miami Beach and
Fort Lauderdale will be hosting events through the week. White Party guests will
come together to celebrate life in the time of AIDS, remember those they have
lost to the pandemic, and help raise much-needed funds for the direct HIV/AIDS
services that Care Resource provides.
Info: www.whiteparty.com
________________________________________________________________________
November 25, 2004
VISION THANKSGIVING - Los Angeles, California
Thanksgiving Day, Will Gorges and John Brady deliver the perfect solution to
those unwanted T-day calories. Take an extra helping of stuffing provided by DJs
Roland Belmares and Phil B. Start your holiday weekend with an all-night event
at the renowned Avalon Hollywood, 1735 N. Vine Street in Hollywood. This is
LA’s newest, most talked-about event for you to gobble-gobble up.
Info: www.willgorges.com / www.johnbradypresents.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
85
Noize
WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
November 25 - 28, 2004
MR. LEATHERMAN - Toronto, Canada
Mr. Leatherman Toronto (MLT) once again hosts one of North America’s largest
and most acclaimed leather celebrations over American Thanksgiving weekend.
Four days of official events, including meet-and-greets, dinners, brunches, leather
market, Bootblack Toronto Contest , and much more. Climax at the Mr.
Leatherman Toronto Competition 2004 and Victory Ball on Saturday night. If the
hunks competing for the coveted title of Mr. Leatherman Toronto 2004 don’t get
your attention, try the daddies, muscle boys, titleholders, and beautiful leather
folk in attendance from all over the world. MLT Weekend Pass includes VIP
admission to leather contest and Victory Ball , Friday reception, Saturday
breakfast, SM seminars, Victory Brunch and more. Don’t forget to stop at
Toronto’s hottest bar, Woody’s, in the heart of boystown. This is a cavernous
space with five bars, nightly DJs and regular theme parties. You’ll recognize the
space from the TV show Queer as Folk.
Info: www.mrlt.com / www.woodystoronto.com
________________________________________________________________________
November 27, 2004
INDUSTRY - San Francisco, California
Dance off those Thanksgiving Day calories at Industry, San Francisco’s biggest
Saturday night dance event located at famed hot spot, Mezzanine. Resident DJ
Rob Kaftan and New York’s super-hot DJ star Alex Lauterstein will be providing
the sounds to bring in the holiday season.
Info: www.industrysf.com
BEGIN: New Year’s Celebrations
December 28, 2004 - January 2, 2005
NEW YEAR’S RIO! - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
New Year's in Rio is one of the biggest celebrations of this world-wide event.
After all is there anyone on the planet that understands how to celebrate in quite
the same way as Brazillians? Brazil's leading promoter, Xdemente, always throws
an amazing event with production standards that far exceed what is being done
in the United States. Be sure to keep your eye out for his flyers when you're at
the beach. On Sunday Steven Gomez presents White Party 5. This over-the-top
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
86
Noize
WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
event will take place at Scala, the Biggest club in Brazil. Dance to the mythic
sounds of DJ Abel all night long.
Info: www.stevengomezproductions.com / www.xdemente.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 29, 2004 - January 3, 2005
NEW YEAR’S EVE PUERTO VALLARTA - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Six weeks after Latin Fever, Will Gorges and Gilles Belanger return to sunny
Puerto Vallarta for New Year’s Eve Weekend. More boy-packed parties than you
can count on this NYE south of the border.
Info: www.willgorges.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 30, 2004 - January 1, 2005
NEW YEAR’S LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles, California
Jeffrey Sanker and Brett Henrichsen once again present the largest New Year’s
Eve event in the country. This year they team with Resolution to present an
entire weekend of three massive events. DJs Abel and Adien spin the Last
Dance of 2004 at Circus Disco on Thursday night. DJ Manny Lehman takes
control of New Year’s Eve at the legendary Mayan Theater on Friday. Finally, the
most popular event of the weekend returns on New Year’s Day. The legendary
morning party Day One features DJ Brett Henrichsen at the Stock Exchange.
Also on New Year’s Day, Will Gorges hosts Vision Hollywood, a morning party at
L.A.’s hottest club space, Avalon Hollywood.
Info: www.newyearsla.com / www.jeffreysanker.com / www.willgorges.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 30, 2004 - January 2, 2005
SCANDAL - Miami, Florida
Leave the cold behind and cause a Scandal in Miami this New Year’s.
International Circuit promoter, Steven Gomez, is proud to present one of the best
New Year’s weekends in the world. Your fun begins with the Last Dance on
Thursday night at Amika lounge and featuring DJ Eddie X. The highlight of the
weekend is Scandal, an all-night dance party at the James L. Knight Center in the
Hyatt Hotel, Downtown Miami. Internationally acclaimed DJ Abel will keep the
dance floor as hot as our sun-drenched days and our tropical nights. Singing
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make
fast travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
sensation, actress and diva - Deborah Cox, Dance with the Divas, Kitty Meow and
Flava will all be performing during this star-studded evening. Jump start your
New Year with First Dance and DJ Paulo on Saturday. Sunday don’t miss the
Loverboy Tea Dance at Bongos with DJ Tony Moran. From there it’s just a few
blocks to Space for Deep Dark Jungle with DJ’s Victor Calderone, Escape, and
DJ Andre Xcellence. As a world-famous and international destination, Miami’s hot
Latin flavor will captivate your heart and leave you with a life-time of memories.
Tickets are on sale now at circuiticket.com. and ticketmaster.com. Vito and PM
Parties in conjunction with Ferosh Records bring you the first party of the New
Year. This morning party at Crobar features DJ diva Tracy Young.
Info: www.stevengomezproductions.com / www.pmparties.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 30, 2004 - January 3, 2005
NEW YEAR’S NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans, Louisiana
The Bourbon Pub and Parade has a weekend of dancing fun with a major surprise
or two! On Thursday, they host a special 3rd Anniversary Student Body Contest
with DJ Jayskee. Friday is the big night with DJ Darren Thomas. There will be a
$1000 balloon drop and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight in the
Parade with the year’s top videos in the Bourbon Pub with VJs Wayne Mancuso
and Brendan Thompson. On Saturday, the Hung Over and Broke Early Tea sets
the tone with special guest DJ Joe Gauthreaux. Sunday is the legendary Sunday
Tea with Free Draft! Across the street, Oz is the other hot spot, with hot boys
dancing on the bars all weekend long and special guest DJs.
Info: www.gaynewyears.com / www.bourbonpub.com / www.ozneworleans.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 31, 2004
NEW YEAR’S EVE - New York City, New York
John Blair, in association with Junior Vasquez, presents New Year’s 2005 at Roxy.
Join Junior, Kevin Aviance, and a special performance by Tamyra Gray. Hands go
up as the ball goes down in the city that does New Year’s the best. On Saturday,
don’t miss Men’s Room Saturdays at New York’s favorite dance bar, Splash. With
the hottest male strippers nightly, and a slew of your favorite DJs spinning in the
main room, you can always count on Splash to heat you up and cool you down.
Info: www.JuniorVasquezMusic.com / www.jblair.com / www.splashbar.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
December 31, 2004
KRAVE - Las Vegas, Nevada
Krave is the brand new glam hot spot in sin city and the only gay club on the Las
Vegas Strip. Kimberly S. guides you on a dance journey to usher in the New Year.
Info: www.kravelasvegas.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 31, 2004
BAL DES BOYS - Montreal, Canada
Ring out the old and bring in the new with The Bad Boy Club of Montreal. This is
the 15-year anniversary of the BBCM and what a better way to celebrate than
with their impressive end-of-the-year blowout.
Info: www.bbcm.org
________________________________________________________________________
December 31, 2004
NEW YEAR’S VANCOUVER - Vancouver, Canada
Join the influx of sexy men, feel the joy of the music, and the heartbeat of the
crowd at Escape. Toy Box Boys Productions is proud to host the Western
Canada and the Pacific Northwest’s largest gay New Year’s Eve event at Atlantis
Nightclub. Now in its sixth year, this Toy Box Boys Productions event features
top-name DJ talent and live performances each year.
Info: www.NewYearsVancouver.com
________________________________________________________________________
December 31, 2004 - January 1, 2005
NEW YEAR’S 2005 - San Francisco, California
San Francisco's number one dance club, Industry, returns for another massive
New Year's Eve dance fest. Featuring the return of DJs Jamie J Sanchez and DJ
Paulo on the decks, expect a night of tribal madness and hands-in-the-air
anthems. Bring in the New Year at the gayest city in the world and dance the
night away on the west coast's only Funktion One sound system. The party
continues on Saturday at Industry as New York's groove master Susan Morabito
plays the hangover party - all night long! Gus presents a Colossus Weekend as
well. With five parties over the course of three nights and eight of the country's
hottest DJs including Roland Belmares, Tony Moran, Kio Kio, Kimberly S., David
Knapp, Rob Kaftan, Phil B. and Manny Lehman.
Info: www.industrysf.com / www.guspresents.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
December 31, 2004 - January 2, 2005
SHORT CIRCUIT WEEKEND - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the place to be for New Year’s Weekend 2005. This is the new,
New Year’s East Coast hot spot. DJs Joe Gauthreaux, Chris Cox and Kimberly S.
ring in the new year with style. Philadelphia is known throughout the country as
having one of the most exciting New Year’s celebrations, featuring a weekend of
parties as well as cultural events like the historic Mummer’s Day Parade.
Info: www.nightlifegay.com
END: New Year’s Celebrations
January 6, 2005
HUSTLABALL - Las Vegas, Nevada
This party happens the week of the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas.
Tom Weise and rentboy.com host this mega event. DJ Nineteen69 and DJ Andre
Mendez provide the sultry sounds. Porn diva Chi Chi La Rue is the MC for the
night and there will be lots of porn stars to entertain including Cody Cash, Chad
Connors, Blue Blake, Robert Van Damme, Jason Adonis and many more.
Info: www.hustlaball.com
________________________________________________________________________
January 16, 2005
VISION MLK1 - Los Angeles, California
Will Gorges’ newest, most talked-about event celebrates its one-year anniversary.
There’s going to be a catfight in the house, because hot chick DJs Tracy Young
and Kimberly S. are ripping and tearing into some fresh ‘05 tracks especially for
you. Arrive early for a Vision Card. The first 500 “Visionaries” to enter receive a
special Club Card for discounted VIP perks.
Info: www.willgorges.com
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make
fast travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
January 16 - January 23, 2005
ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK - Aspen, Colorado
Picture this…four world-class mountains, daily après-ski parties, signature
nighttime events with the world’s best DJs, Downhill Costume Competition,
Comedy Night, a Gay and Lesbian Film Fest, and you right in the middle of all
this fun! If that’s not enough, did we mention that there will be over 3000 other
people there to share it with you? If you’re searching for a week to remember,
Aspen is the place to be.
Info: www.gayskiweek.com
________________________________________________________________________
January 28 - 30, 2005
BLUE BALL 2005 - UNITE - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love and sisterly affection, wants you! The Blue
Crue, Blue Ball’s all-volunteer staff, asks not what the community can do for them,
but what can they (and you) do for the GLBT community? Unite! in dance as
multiple events culminate into the experience that will be Blue Ball’s 15th year of
charitable fundraising. Rallying allies for Friday night’s event, ShamBlue, at
Shampoo nightclub is DJ Alyson Calagna. Leading the charge for Saturday’s
main event, Unite!, at the magnificent National Constitution Center features DJ
Tony Moran. As dance advances into the morning hours, DJ Billy Carroll will
command reinforcements at Pure nightclub for Cobalt. Newly charged with
officially closing this endeavor Sunday afternoon will be DJ Lydia Prim for Release
at the Trocadero Theater. For those willing to re-enlist for one more charge, DJ
Junior Vasquez heads up the Metallic Blue party at Transit nightclub. This will be
the time to rise up and UNITE!
Info: www.blueballphilly.com
________________________________________________________________________
January 29 - February 7, 2005
ALTITUDE 2005 - Vancouver, Canada
Over 4000 skiers and snowboarders from around the world hit the slopes, the
dance floors and the hot tubs at Whistler Resort, the number one rated ski resort
in North America. Whether you come for the skiing, snowboarding or all-night
dance parties, there is something for everyone. It all begins in beautiful
Vancouver with an over-the-top fashion show and the Avalanche kick-off party.
Once in Whistler, it’s non-stop with more than 24 events and activities including a
cowboy night, a uniform party, a mountaintop tea dance, the high-energy Snow
Ball, Meltdown, and Recovery. An all-star DJ line-up awaits you. Whistler Resort
was recently awarded the honor of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Info: www.outontheslopes.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
February 3 - 8, 2005
MARDI GRAS WEEKEND - New Orleans, Louisiana
Although Mardi Gras is celebrated around the world, no one does it like New
Orleans. The Bourbon Pub and Parade is your gay hotspot to observe one of the
wildest free shows on earth with some of the craziest street scenes available to
the public. The official gay kickoff for the weekend is their annual Battle of the
Bulge Contest on Thursday. The DJs currently on the lineup to spin upstairs at the
Parade for the weekend are Lydia Prim, Max Rodriguez, Kimberly S., Joe
Gauthreaux, Rick Mitchell, Darren Thomas and Jayskee. Mardi Gras is a great
pre-spring party to check out before the rest of the Circuit gets busy.
Info: www.gaymardigras.net / www.bourbonpub.com / www.ozneworleans.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 4 – February 8 ,2005
CARNIVAL - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
While this party has long been world-renowned as a destination for the
international jet set that love a good party, in the last several years it has also
become a major gay destination. The boys from Europe and the U.S. have
discovered the beautiful beaches and boys that are so plentiful in this capital of
fun. Xdemente presents a Saturday night event at the Marina de Gloria, where
you can dance in an outdoor setting, surrounded on three sides by water, to the
sounds of Tracy Young. Steven Gomez is back by popular demand on Monday
night with Scandal 2. DJ-producer Abel entertains the dance floor all night long
at Asa Branca Ballroom. On Tuesday Xdemente rocks the three story Fundiçao
Progresso in downtown Rio for the closing party of Carnivale.
Info: www.Stevengomezproductions.com www.xdemente.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 18 - 20 2005
FIREBALL WEEKEND - Chicago, Illinois
The Great Chicago Fireball returns to the Windy City. The weekend promises
world-class talent and takes advantage of some of Chicago’s amazing venues.
The Hearts Foundation, an all-volunteer organization, continues its fundraising
tradition for Chicago’s GLBT and HIV/AIDS beneficiaries. Friday Night will Ignite
the weekend in a spectacular location. Abel and Ralphi Rosario return as Rosabel
to headline Hearts on Fire Saturday night. Anyone who has experienced Rosabel
and the star-studded talent will marvel at what 2005 will bring. Sunday keeps the
party going as we join in the FraterniTea of our fellow revelers. You do not want
to miss the sounds of Warren Gluck as he guides your journey at Chicago’s famed
Excalibur Nightclub. The music continues into the morning as your spirits rise
with Brett Henrichsen leading the way. Check the website for ticketing and
further weekend details including the listing of our other exciting venues and
additional DJs.
Info: www.thefireball.com / www.heartsfoundation.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
February 19, 2005
PRESIDENTS’ DAY - Las Vegas, Nevada
Krave, the new hotspot and the only gay dance club on the Las Vegas strip, is
hosting a special party. Jeffrey Sanker is hosting this event, which features the
first desert appearance of Junior Vasquez.
Info: www.kravelasvegas.com / www.jeffreysanker.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 19, 2005
PRESIDENTS’ WEEKEND - San Francisco, California
Industry brings back the beat with special guest DJ/producer Victor Calderone.
Presidents’ Weekend has proved to be one of the busiest times in the “City by
the Bay” and Mezzanine’s Saturday night hotspot promises a massive all-night
dance event. Opening the night will be Industry’s head resident DJ Jamie J
Sanchez.
Info: www.industrysf.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 25 - 27, 2005
VOLCANO PARTY FESTIVAL - Honolulu, Hawaii
Where will you winter? Get hot in Hawaii’s never-ending summer. Come and join
the hip-shakin’ fun at Volcano Party IV for yet another explosive dance party. The
event includes state-of-the-art laser shows by Laseronics, local entertainment, and
the hottest men and women from around the world. DJs for this party include
Hex Hector, Brett Henrichsen, Barry Harris, Tracy Young, Julian Marsh, Paulo and
Phil B. This edition’s line-up will be announced soon. Your participation in the
festival will help Maui AIDS Foundation to continue providing the services for
individuals and families affected by HIV and AIDS as well as prevention services
and advocacy.
Info: www.volcanoparty.com
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make
fast travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
February 27 - March 6 2005
ASCENT WINTER PARTY - Lake Tahoe
Gus presents a gay ski week in Lake Tahoe with lots of winter fun in the day and
a series of dance parties at night that feature DJ's Paulo, Jason G, Kio Kio, Joe
King and Kimberly S.
Info: www.guspresents.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 2005
RED PARTY WEEKEND - Montreal, Canada
Let the color red seduce you to a heart-pounding weekend of BBCM’s best.
Although Montreal is a vibrant city all year long, Red Party Weekend turns the
volume up with pulsating production and international DJs. This spectacular
feverish feast combines all the global allure of Canada’s best with the warm,
welcoming atmosphere so characteristic of this wonderful city.
Info: www.bbcm.org
________________________________________________________________________
March 3 - 7, 2005
WINTER PARTY - Miami Beach, Florida
The Winter Party Festival heats up Miami Beach now and into the future. 2005
marks a new beginning for this spectacular event. The one-of-a-kind, worldrenowned dance on the beach is Sunday. Dancing under a warm sun while a
cool breeze caresses your skin - this how every winter should be! Where else
but on Miami Beach can you have the sun on your back while thousands of sexy
hard bodies dance all around you?
Info: www.winterparty.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 4 - 7, 2005
MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL - Sydney, Australia
This month-long arts and cultural festival culminates this weekend with the overthe-top parade down Oxford Street and one of the biggest parties on the planet
on Saturday. Televised nationally, with tens of thousands of spectators lining the
parade route, this parade has grown into an Aussie national spectacle that is
loved by gays and straights alike. The main party is housed in multiple venues
that feature different sounds and different styles of crowds. With some of the
most spectacular lighting and performances anywhere, this event has to be seen
to be believed.
Info: www.mardigras.org.au
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
March 6 - 13, 2005
WINTERFEST LAKE TAHOE - Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Join the fun for Lake Tahoe’s tenth annual high energy Gay and Lesbian Ski Week.
Lake Tahoe WinterFest is a seven day celebration that includes world class skiing,
boarding, nightly receptions, DJ dance parties and the very popular WinterFest
Comedy Night, plus a private dance party on the MS Dixie as you cruise Lake
Tahoe! Lake Tahoe WinterFest always attracts the friendliest boyz from around
the globe. This 10-year milestone marks WinterFest as Lake Tahoe’s premier gay
winter party. You’ll find an atmosphere of camaraderie among skiers and nonskiers alike. With so many winter activities to choose from and daily receptions,
everyone experiences a true winter vacation.
Info: www.laketahoewinterfest.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 9 - 13, 2005
ELEVATION 2005 - Mammoth Lakes, California
With seven parties and zero attitude, this is a great party week. More than 1000
boys (and girls) will make the trek up to Mammoth for the 3rd year of the fastestgrowing gay ski event in North America. Mammoth Mountain is ranked the #1
snowboarding mountain in the U.S. and has the best spring skiing and
snowboarding anywhere, with a season lasting well into May. Headlining DJs
include superstar DJ Manny Lehman, Masterbeat DJ Brett Henrichsen, and LA’s
DJ Scotty K. World class parties, superstar DJs and hunky boarder boys from all
over the country. Snowboarding is for fags.
Info: www.mammothgayski.com / www.tomwhitmanpresents.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 12 - 19, 2005
EXOTIC CARIBBEAN CRUISE - Caribbean Islands
Atlantis, the leading provider of gay cruises for the party boy set, sets sail from
San Juan with stops at some of the southern Caribbean’s most exotic islands.
With top DJ talent, exotic islands, theme parties, and entertainment targeted to
gay men, this is a cruise you don’t want to miss.
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
March 19 - 20, 2005
THE SAINT AT LARGE BLACK PARTY - New York City, New York
The hottest of the hot turn out for this renowned party. Black leather, uniforms,
and a touch of bondage doesn't come close to describing these manly hours of
darkness. Unleash your fetish for a wildly wicked night to the pulsating sounds of
the finest DJ/Producers. If tingling testosterone is your thing then Sunday night at
NYC's Crobar will not disappoint. Alegria Extreme 5 will once again have a full
roster of gorgeous men who are ready to dance to the hot and hard sounds of DJ
Abel. Black Party Weekend is a real down 'n dirty experience with some of the
most hottest most provocative parties on the Circuit.
Info: www.saintatlarge.com / www.alegriaevents.com / www.splashbar.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 24 - 27, 2005
JUNGLE 13 - Houston, Texas
If you like warm springtime weather and hot Texas men, join the tribe in Houston
over Easter Weekend for what promises to be the best Jungle yet. Jungle 13 will
feature the very best music and production values while retaining the intimate
feel and sense of joyous celebration that have been the hallmarks of every Jungle
party. As always, the men of Bayou City Boys Club are working hard to add fresh
wrinkles and twists to a party that is now receiving critical acclaim from guys who
come from all over the country. The main event returns to popular Verizon
Wireless Theater on the Saturday night before Easter and will once again feature
a nationally-known top-tier DJ. As in years past, BCBC will partner with local
clubs and promoters to create four days of affordable fun, featuring top DJs and
entertainment in some of Houston’s hottest clubs. Best of all, BCBC will donate
all proceeds from the main event to designated Houston-area HIV/AIDS service
and education providers. Watch for DJ and entertainment announcements
coming soon.
Info: www.junglehouston.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 25 - 28, 2005
WHITE PARTY - Palm Springs, California
Remember the past…now experience the evolution. Join us as we look ahead to
the future and embark on a new journey of music, dance, and celebration: a new
vision… new venues…new technology — unlike anything you have ever seen.
Info: www.jeffreysanker.com.
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make
fast travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
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WINTER CIRCUIT 2004
March 27, 2005
BUNNIES ON THE BAYOU - Houston, Texas
Bunnies on the Bayou is celebrating its Silver Anniversary on Easter Sunday.
Starting as a small party, Bunnies has grown steadily in its 25 years, and now is
one of the most eagerly anticipated gay events in Houston. Described once as
the “world’s largest cocktail party,” thousands of partygoers spend an Easter
afternoon enjoying great music, spending time with old friends, and making new
friends. 100% of the gate receipts go to local charities. Celebrate Bunnies on
the Bayou’s 25 years of parties this Easter.
Info: www.bunnies.org
April 29 - May 3, 2005
QUEENS DAY AMSTERDAM - Amsterdam, Netherlands
This is the perfect time to visit this vivacious city. Are you ready for six days of
partying in Amsterdam? It’s one of the biggest and most popular national
holidays in Holland as literally millions take to the streets. Amsterdam transforms
itself into a fairground as the streets become one huge market. There are
parades and orange pendants flying from every conceivable position.
But what’s probably of most interest is the array of gay parties, which coincide
with this spectacular event. Riedijk Productions presents the main event of the
weekend Orange Ball Amsterdam V.
Info: www.gayeventseurope.com
________________________________________________________________________
Spring 2005
CHERRY - Washington, D.C.
The nation’s capital once again welcomes the ultimate spring festival. From the
historic streets of D.C. to the magnificently grand venues, Cherry is prepared to
celebrate the extraordinary. This party features hot boys, hot DJs and plenty of
Cherry pickin’ fun. It’s easy to see why so many Circuit boys from all over
congregate to this event. The Cherry Fund’s weekend dance event is one of the
few that is produced entirely by volunteers, and that still donates all of its
proceeds to worthy non-profit charitable organizations in the Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area.
Info: www.cherryfund.org
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
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WINTER PARTY THE BEAT GOES ON!
by Siana-Lea Gildard
With the recent announcement that Hotlanta has been cancelled and the
news about the bankruptcy of the previous entity running Winter Party, it
seemed that some prominent Circuit parties would be disa
appearing from
the national event scene.
Fortunately, a new organization is
going to keep Winter Party™ alive
and kicking. The National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force has recently
acquired the rights to the Winter
Party. The goal is to continue the
legacy of a
l o c a l
fundraiser via
an event that
has national
appeal.
The
Task
Force is the
n a t i o n ’s
o l d e s t
lesbian, gay,
bisexual and
transgender
( L G B T )
organization
and is well known for its
partnership with Miami-Dade in
working on ballot initiatives.
Recently, they held their annual
“Creating Change” conference in
Miami. Winter Party is another way
Circuit
for the Task Force to partner with a
local community - one of their main
objectives - to help support local
organizations.
“It’s an amazing party – sand, surf, sun
– and one of the
few events that
continues to grow
in strength and
visibility,” said
Charles Robbins,
Director
of
Development for
the Task Force.
“There are also
very few dance
events that are
fully operated by
and for the LGBT
community. Winter
Party is near the top of that list.”
Robbins also reported that two-thirds
of the net proceeds from Winter Party
will be donated to Miami-Dade LGBT
organizations through the Dade
Community
Foundation.
The
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remaining one-third will help fund
the national work of the Task
Force, which focuses on helping
local communities facing anti-LGBT
ballot initiatives.
The Winter Party is scheduled for
March 3-7, 2005, and will continue
to include the popular Saturday
pool party and iconic Sunday
beach party. Working with local
community members such as Joe
Guerrero, the chair of the event,
and a dedicated group of over 500
volunteers, the Task Force hopes
to not only continue the strong
points of this event, but to add a
few new ones.
“The event will be even more
spectacular than ever,” said Chris
Verdugo, Miami native who
Circuit
previously served as the producer of
the Saturday pool party and now works
with the Task Force as an events
manager. “We are adding a few cultural
events such as a Friday night dining
out, weekend brunches, and an art
show and exhibition to appeal to a
wider range of partygoers.”
The line-up this year will include an
international slate of DJs and a special
Saturday night performance from a
nationally recognized celebrity at
Barton G’s “1501” in South Beach.
The full line-up of venues including DJs
will be announced in November.
In speaking about the event, Robbins
added, “You’ll have an amazing time,
but more importantly, you’ll be
contributing to the strength and vitality
of the LGBT community.”
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LET THERE BE WHITE!
by David Sexton and Tony Miros
In the beginning, back when Reagan was running the White House, when
“circuit” was a word used only by electricians, and when we still called it
GRID, a group of people got together for a small cockta
ail party at Vizcaya
to raise a little money and help some sick friends.
The world was very different in
1984. The gay community was
fighting a hostile conservative
environment
and
trying
desperately to do something to
stop the terrible illness that was
plaguing our people. Okay, so
maybe things are not so different.
But since it first burst into being
twenty years ago, the White Party
at
Vizcaya
has
changed
dramatically.
For one thing, the typical White Party
attendee has changed. Back in the
day, the attendees were all in their 30’s.
There was this group of a few thousand
gay men who had lots of disposable
income and very little body fat. They
were the ones who traveled from city to
city on the weekends, following the
hottest parties. We referred to them as
“The Fabulous Four-Thousand.” Now
the “Fab 4000” are in their Fab 40’s (or
50’s even), but they still want to be a
part of the big tribal celebrations. With
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the majority of the attendees in
their 20’s today, the age range has
really expanded.
Our community is about inclusion,
and we want to reach out to
everyone. Not just to get them to
be a part of the festivities, but also
to help raise awareness about what
Care Resource does and how it
helps the community. So, more
and more, we try to offer different
kinds of events to satisfy all of our
attendees. The newer generation
really loves the morning parties,
and this year we have added the
very first officially sanctioned hiphop event to the week to keep the
young’uns happy. On the other
hand, many of the older crowd
think “rap” is spelled with a silent
“c” at the beginning, and they are
just not interested in partying past
dawn anymore. For them, we have
created more elegant events. The
VIP Cocktail Party will feature
sophisticated standards instead of
hard-core house. There is also the
addition of the first ever theater
Circuit
event as part of White Party. The show
is called It’s a Fabulous Life, and it’s a
hilarious, but heartfelt, gay holiday
show. It kicks off The White Week on
Thursday, November 25th.
As we look towards the future, we see
further changes on the horizon. It’s a
matter of thinking outside the box and
trying new things - which is why the
theme of this year’s White Party Week is
“Revolution.”
HIV and AIDS are still very big
problems in our world, and for us to
help those infected and affected by it,
this week-long series of events must
continue. Millions of South Floridians
count on us to be there for them, and
the only way we can do that is by
making this event as successful as
possible. The White Party started a job
twenty years ago that is far from over.
And until that day comes, we’ll still be
wearing white and supporting those
who need us the most.
For tickets or more information go to
www.whiteparty.org
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CARNIVAL AWAKENING
by Josh Adler
It is 9 p.m. on Sunday night in New York City, and I am standing in the
Daryl Roth Theatre in Union Square watching a harnessed woman
descend from the ceiling on a bungee cord, land feet first on the crowded
floor, and proceed to undress a sinewy, tattooed party boy who is
standing next to me, grinning widely and bouncing to a pulsating tribal
beat.
He grabs his clothes in one hand
and his pierced cock in another,
and people around him clap and
cheer as he pushes his way into the
center of the space where he
explodes into dance. There are
multi-colored lights ricocheting like
scattered rainbows throughout the
otherwise darkened space, and
there are showers of warm water
cascading from the ceiling and
drenching several hundred dancers
below, many of whom have joined
the party boy in his joyful
nakedness. There is an unbridled
spirit of sheer revelry and a sense
of danger and unpredictability that
permeates the smoky air.
No, this is not Eden before the fall,
nor is this some bacchanalian
hallucination brought on by too
many of those triple-stacked pills.
This is the final performance of De
La Guarda , the off-Broadway
spectacle that originated in
Argentina, opened in New York
City in the late 90s and became an
Circuit
international cult phenomenon among
experimental theatre aficionados, club
kids, and Euro-ravers. This was my first
and, sadly, my last experience with this
mind-boggling show, and most people
in the crowd - audience is too
conservative a word - had experienced
it multiple times. Last year, the
producers promoted several exclusive
“Boys Night” performances that drew
flocks of Chelsea boys to hear DJs like
Brett Henrichsen and Manny Lehman
spin during the show. While I was one
of a handful of Circuit types present for
the final New York show, most of the
die-hard fans were heterosexual men
and women who looked like they spoke
at least three languages and had lived
outside of the United States for a large
chunk of their lives.
“This is Carnival, the celebration of
Spirit and Flesh,” I thought, as I stood
shirtless in the falling rain, splashing
with smiling strangers. This is the
Carnival energy that is missing from so
many of our parties, and this is the kind
of color, exuberance, exhilaration, and
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ecstatic danger that we must
rediscover.
Our tribal gatherings began out of
an urgent need to celebrate life
and claim a community of our own.
In the beginning, we entered the
Circuit in order to shed the old skin
of fear and betrayal. Eventually,
we created a space where we
could celebrate our bodies,
believe in the rapture of sexuality,
and proudly say, “I’m a different
person…turn my world around!”
As I stood in the rain at the final
performance of De La Guarda , I
wondered, “What do we need to
reintroduce into the Circuit in order
Circuit
to bring it new life, new spirit, into new
territory?” There seems to be a vocal
desire to re-invent and re-imagine the
Circuit. All you need to do is flip
through the pages of recent back issues
of Circuit Noize . Many parties have
become crystallized into hard,
impenetrable caves of darkness. Other
parties continue to play it safe by
refusing to integrate new forms, and
some parties are simply stuck
in monotonous ruts. The
Argentinean acrobats who
flew above my head in a
dizzying array of party
splendor reminded me that
magic still exists, and such
magic can be transported
into the Circuit if we open
our parties and our minds to
new possibilities.
It’s no big surprise that our
friends on other continents
can teach the partygoers of
the United States a few
things about re-establishing
Carnival spirit at our events.
Gay Pride in London is a
perfect example. Imagine if,
on the last Sunday in June,
the mayor of New York City
sectioned off a large portion
of
Central
Park
and
sponsored a massive festival that
included carnival rides, champagne
bars, food stands, above-ground pools
and hot tubs, a stage for live
performances, and several circus tents
with DJ lineups from nightclubs all over
the city. This pipe dream would look a
lot like Big Gay Out, London’s festive
and outrageously fun answer to Gay
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Pride. No, it is not an overpriced,
over-heated and over-capacity tea
dance on the pier; it is an
affordable, all-day party that
manages to lure a beautifully
mixed crowd to Finsbury Park after
the parade. Is there a Gay Pride
festival in America where you can
dance on the lawn to a cute boy
band, make out with a twink in a
hot tub, pop a pill in a funky-house
circus tent, and then ride the Tilt-aWhirl, all in one setting? Will there
ever be a party like this in the
States?
There are deep threads that run
through the fabric of our
consumerist, capitalistic culture
that block the Carnival spirit. Many
of us have heard the statement
that Americans live to work and
Europeans work to live. Albeit
overused and perhaps a bit
simplistic, this expression is
actually quite true. We Americans
are obsessed with work. We have
become slaves to a toxic culture
that
promotes
rugged
individualism, unparalleled wealth,
celebrity worship, and corporate
mass marketing. The people of
Madrid, Milan, Paris, and
Amsterdam have not been as
intensely seduced as we have.
There are places across the Atlantic
Ocean where people of every
stripe spend their days and nights
enjoying life and living as though
every day were a holiday.
As a Circuit community, we need to
not only acknowledge these
Circuit
cultural differences, but also actively
embrace them and consciously
integrate them into our parties. We
can look to these festival cultures as
models for redefining our party
landscape. If we really do desire to
“tur n on the switch,” we must be
willing to open our minds to new
possibility and open our bodies to fresh
perspective.
So much of this
reawakening is simply a matter of
looking at our American life through a
critical lens. Not a pessimistic or jaded
lens, but a lens that allows us to
examine our position in the world from
a place of humility, empathy, and
concern. So much of this reinvention
depends on our individual and
collective abilities to resist oppressive
political structures, challenge the
dominant paradigm, and return to the
origins of Peace, Love, Unity and
Respect.
It’s easy to fall prey to neo-liberal
fatalism by thinking that this country
has moved so far to the right that there
is no chance for a Carnival Awakening
here. I often fall into this trap, and I
must constantly remind myself that true
change, vibrant change, radical change
starts with each individual and spreads
like wildfire through communities who
hunger and thirst for liberation.
Transformation happens when we smile
at a passing stranger on the dance
floor. Transformation happens when
our bodies connect in an ocean of
compassion. Transformation happens
when we walk boldly into the darkness
knowing that the most powerful light
shines through our eyes.
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On the Street: February 15, 2005
Ad Deadline: Janauary 15, 2005
(818) 769-9390