Issue #48 - noiZe Magazine

FROM THE EDITOR
At one time it seemed that the main reason
to attend a party was all about the guys that
I might meet there. Sure there were lots of
other ways to meet guys, but where else
except a Circuit party could you meet many
different guys all in the same night? In those
days, a party provided a seemingly endless
stream of hot guys that wanted to squish together for a little
foreplay on the dance floor.
The boys are still there squishing away, and I’m certainly not
squashed, but I’m also not as young as I used to be and the
supply lines have subsequently dwindled. If I had kept my party
focus on always looking for the next hottie on the dance floor, I
would have slowly become more and more disillusioned with it
all and I probably would have moved away from the scene.
Instead, I found that the other elements, which had always been
there and which had always been enjoyable to me, started taking
on a larger role in making the party a fun place to spend time.
This past Winter Party, another seemingly crucial element fell
away when I found myself in the middle of a course of antibiotics
when the beach party arrived. Some of my best friends were in
town, I was feeling fine and I already had my pass, so I didn’t
want to bow out. But I knew that I could not indulge in any
foreign substances.
It certainly did make for a different kind of party. In fact, I left the
party twice during the course of the afternoon, once to grab a
smoothie and once to eat a chicken wrap. Somehow food had
never been part of the party equation before.
As I enjoyed a glorious Florida beach day, surrounded by both
my friends and the ever squishable Circuit boys, dancing to fun,
upbeat music, my spirit really started to soar. I felt my cares wash
away. I got out of my head and into my body. The dance floor
was once again the mechanism for finding that timeless place
where it was simply good to be alive.
And most interesting of all, I knew that yet another of the
elements that I had always thought to be a critical part of the
party experience had proven to be not so necessary after all.
- Steve Kammon
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2
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Summer Fun
by Paul Wolski
www.alteregopopart.com
DJ
SPOTLIGHT
Eddie
Elias
Eddie Elias
Page 76
up there with “we are winning the
war in Iraq”.) There are literally
h u n d re d s o f s t u d i e s p ro v i n g
ephedrine’s safety and efficacy.
When combined with caffeine and
taken properly and responsibly, it
is the best fat burner there is, bar
none. It is currently legal
when sold in single
doses of 10mg or
less per pill. Make
no mistake, this is
no magic bullet
but it can turn
a good fat
bur ning diet
i n t o a g re a t
one.
The
ephedrine
+ caffeine
combo (EC)
is what is
known as a
thermogenic.
It
slightly
(unnoticeably)
increases body
temperature and
t h u s i n c re a s e s t h e
number of calories
you expend per
day. It also blunts
appetite, diverts
calories away
from fat stores
and towards
muscle, and
provides a great
boost of energy.
To be clear, it’s
important to not
overdo this drug.
At high doses, it can
cause health problems.
Start off with a half dose
(5mg) and assess your
tolerance.
the gym and spend all their time on
the treadmill. These people often have
absolutely no results and see no change
in their bodies. No cardio class in the
world will create the wide shoulders,
barrel chest, massive guns and rock
hard abs the way a solid weight training
routine will. It does not need to be
fancy – chest, shoulders and triceps
on Monday; back and biceps
on Wednesday; and legs on
Friday. Stay in the 8-12 rep
range and concentrate on
good form above all else.
Spend no longer than 45
minutes lifting after a 5-10
minute warm-up.
Do Cardio
Yeah, most of us hate
every second of doing
cardio. Unfortunately for
those of us trying
to get leaner, it
is a necessity.
T h e r e ’s n o
real trick
to it – get
y o u r
heart
rate
Lift Weights
You knew this one right? There
is no better metabolic booster
than weight training. As a trainer
and gym owner, the biggest mistake
I see people make is to come into
112
Summer Slim Down
Page 54
The Premier Guide to Dance Events Worldwide
TM
Editor in Chief
Steve Kammon
editor@circuitnoize.com
Publisher
Stephen Ceplenski
stephen@circuitnoize.com
Associate Publisher
Advertising Sales
Gary Steinberg
818-769-9390
gary@circuitnoize.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS
16
26
In The Mirror
by Robert Notter
Senior Editor
Jeffery Taylor
jefferytaylor@circuitnoize.com
Gay Games VII
Art Director
Anke Mackenthun
by Chris Morgan
32
Keep Believing Love Will Find a Way
by Kat Coric
38
Making Love (Out of Nothing at All)
by D. Michael Taylor
50
Imitation Intimacy
by John R. Ballew, M.S., L.P.C.
54
Slim Down for Summer
Circuit Photos
Jeff Eason
Scott Goetz
www.GreatPartyPics.com
Joe Pessa
BAD TANK
Circuit Noize Magazine, LLC
Writers and Contributors
John R. Ballew, M.S., L.P.C.
Joshua Carter
Kat Coric
Chris Morgan
Jamie Nicholes
Robert Notter
Bill Swadley
D. Michael Taylor
Cover Artwork
Paul Wolski
www.alteregopopart.com
by Joshua Carter
58
The Ears Have It
66
Spring Circuit Photo Album
72
Music Reviews
West Coast Office
11288 Ventura Blvd #700
Studio City, CA 91604
818-769-9390 (voice)
818-232-7047 (fax)
East Coast Office
954-764-8210 (voice)
954-764-6392 (fax)
E-mail:
information@circuitnoize.com
Website: www.circuitnoize.com
www.partyfinder.com
travel.circuitnoize.com
by Jamie Nicholes
76
DJ Spotlight: Eddie Elias
80
Summer Circuit Schedule
Subscribe: www.circuitnoize.com/subscribe
100 City Spotlight: Montreal
108 Promoter Spotlight: Robert Vezina
©Copyright 2006 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.
Published in February, May, August and
November
Circuit
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In The Mirror
by Robert Notter
When you look in the mirror, who or what do you see? Do you
accept the muscles as well as the wrinkles? Or do you judge your
appearance, wondering what else you can do to look better and
to feel good about yourself?
Do you wish you looked like a Bel
Ami model; or if you do look like
a Bel Ami model, is there a part
of you that still isn’t quite as good
as the hot guy you saw at the last
Winter Party?
Truthfully, I don’t know of a single
person on the planet who does not
succumb to judging themselves at
some point. As a Life Coach, I’ve
met many very successful people.
Every one of them didn’t like
something about themselves. If
you are 5’6 and you want to be 6’0,
what can you do about it? Breaking
your legs and putting in metal
extension rods may be an option,
but I doubt you’ll be dancing very
well after the surgery.
People often ask me, “Robert, what
can I do to look better, have people
like me more, get a better job, find
a hot boyfriend?” At first, I would
give people advice like: go to the
gym, eat less sugar, go to therapy,
get a facial, try online dating or cut
back on alcohol. Then I realized,
as much as I gave unlimited advice,
people didn’t necessarily feel any
better, even if they ate all of the
broccoli in California. So, what is
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the real answer to feeling and looking
better? The answer is actually quite
simple: accepting where you are now,
while making improvements along the
way.
As I write this article, I anticipate some
of you could view this as just more
self-help jargon, or some positive
thinking exercise that you learn at
one of those men’s healing retreats in
Arizona. Honestly though, my advice is
simple and effective, and comes from
the lessons I’ve learned working with
hundreds of other men just like you. If
you want to make a plan to feel better,
look better, have a great body, or find
that hot boyfriend, you must first start
with where you are now.
Let me give you an example. If you
are in your car, and want to drive to
Miami, don’t you think it’s important to
first know where you are leaving from?
Getting to Miami from California is a
much different journey than driving there
from New York City. If you want more in
your life, you have to start at step one
– the present situation.
So first step ask yourself, “What do
I like about my life? And then what
would I like to improve?” Honestly, you
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Noize
have it so much better than most
people on the planet. I assume
most of you have a job, friends, and
money to travel. Being grateful for
what you do have is important. If
you are only focused on what you
want more of, or what isn’t going
well, then how depressing is that?
No one likes a complainer. In my
coaching practice, I help clients
think about what they do enjoy
about life. When you start with
the positives you have a much
stronger foundation from which to
move forward. And no, I don’t
suggest you stand in front of
the mirror like Saturday Night
Live’s Stuart Smalley chanting
positive affirmations like, “I
love myself, and people like
me.” That may be fun for
you and the mirror (or the
person listening from the
other room who thinks you
missed your last Prozac
dose) but it isn’t going to
get you very far. I do
suggest, however, you
start to really examine
what type of person
you are. Is your cup
half-full or half empty?
One of my previous
clients is a very
successful model. He
worked on runways
all over the world and
appeared in various
magazines.
By any
person’s standards, he is
a physically stunning man.
However, during the course
of our coaching program,
I realized that he didn’t like
what he saw in the mirror. He
could only think about the parts of his
face or body he thought were not as
perfect as they needed to be, or that
fashion shoot he didn’t get accepted for.
Coincidentally, he judged his boyfriends
and dates similarly – as never good
enough. So ultimately he ended up
alone.
During the course of our program, he
began to focus on the things in his life
that he did like, and the parts
of his appearance that he
thought were OK. As
he began to change
his perception, his
life changed. He
became happier,
more focused, and
u l t i m a t e l y m o re
successful. And
for the areas of his
life he did want to
improve, we made
a step-by-step
plan towards those
goals. I ask you
to consider the
s a m e a p p ro a c h
– focus on what is
good about you
now, while working
on improving the
rest.
I realize that the gay
world is sometimes
very superficial, and
people are often
judged only for how
they look. It simply
is what it is. When
discussing this once,
a friend told me
that “comparison
is the biggest form
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17
Noize
of unhappiness.” If you are bald,
over 50 and no longer look like
that 22-year old at your gym, you
simply are bald and over 50. You
can’t be 22 again. Perhaps you
can buy hair, or get a referral to
Cher’s plastic surgeon, but there
are certain things you cannot
change. So why spend so many
restless hours worrying about what
you can’t change, or comparing
yourself to others? You are the one
causing yourself to be unhappy,
not the 22-year old. He will get
older too.
And for the things you can
realistically change, what are
you doing about it? Have you
formulated your goals, taken time
to figure out what you really want?
Or do you sit at home watching
the latest “Nip and Tuck” episode,
just waiting for that hot guy to
happen upon your door. Frankly,
if you don’t have the things in
life you want, you have no one
to blame but yourself. We are all
ultimately responsible for what we
get and what we have. If you want
something new in your life, you
have to stop spending so much
time at the club or at the next
party, and take equal time to work
towards having the things in your
life that make you feel good, even
when you aren’t in the middle of
Victor’s latest mix.
By taking steps to actively create
your life, you will have optimum
health, greater happiness, more
energy, your body will look its best,
you will age less, and you become
more desirable to others. Do you
want to be the guy in the corner
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of the dance floor who is insecure and
wishes he were someone else, or do
you want to be the guy who knows he is
hot, even if he isn’t the most physically
stunning guy at the party? Confidence
is attractive, insecurity isn’t. Which of
the two do you choose?
6 tips for creating an amazing life:
•
Focus on the things in
your life that you do like
and that are going well.
•
Determine what your
goals are for your life and
health. Develop a plan and
timeline, with action steps,
to help you reach these goals.
•
Wo r k t o w a r d s y o u r g o a l s
one step at a time. Don’t
take on too much at once.
•
Spend time with people
w h o i n s p i re a n d e n e rg i z e
you, not people who drain
you or are unsupportive and
envious of you or your goals.
•
Eat well, get plenty of rest,
drink lots of water, and find
some type of exercise you enjoy.
•
Get support to help you reach
your goals and continue your
plan.
Robert Notter, HHC, is a Board Certified
Life & Health Coach. He works with
individual and group coaching clients.
Additionally, he is a workshop presenter
and teacher. You may email him at
Robert@WholeLifeHealing.org or visit his
website at www.WholeLifeHealing.org.
18
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GAY GAMES VII
by Chris Morgan
"Welcome to a dream that is now a reality… welcome to a celebration of freedom."
- Dr. Tom Waddell at the first Gay Games
Kezar Stadium - San Francisco
28 August 1982
In 1982, Dr. Tom Waddell, a 1968
Olympic decathlete, founded the
Gay Games to showcase sport in
our community. He described it as
"an experiment in global unity; an
experiment in education; a vehicle
for change." Since that time, nearly
50,000 individuals of different
races, genders, sexual orientations,
origins, physical and athletic
abilities, ages, religions, and health
status have come together in the
spirit of participation, inclusion, and
pursuit of personal best.
The Games have traveled to three
different continents in their history.
The Games were first held in San
Francisco in 1982, and then again
in 1986. Four years later, they
traveled north to Vancouver making
it an international event. In 1994,
the Games came to New York,
coinciding with the 25th anniversary
of Stonewall, then crossed the
Atlantic in 1988 for Amsterdam.
Most recently, the Games were
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held down under in Sydney in 2002.
This July, the Gay Games return to the
United States with Chicago playing
the role of host city. Attracting 12,000
participants from all over the world, this
city will be electrified with some unique
energy.
We Love Our Ceremonies
In 1982, Tina Turner rocked Kezar
Stadium in San Francisco for the closing
ceremonies. In 1998, it was raining men
over Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam when
the Weather Girls took the stage. In
Sydney, k.d. lang and Jimmy Somerville
gave the boys something to talk about.
This year the Opening Ceremonies
will be held at Soldier Field, home of
the Chicago Bears, with an expected
attendance of 60,000 people. Gay
Games Ambassadors include rock
legends Melissa Etheridge and Elton
John. Fingers are crossed in hopes that
they will appear at some point during
the ceremony program!
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Participants from all over the world
will enter the stadium in the Parade
of Athletes and proudly hear The
Athletes Oath, which is taken on
their behalf.
"In these Games I have no rivals,
only comrades in Unity."
-David Kopay
New York, 18 June 1994
Athletes who win medals during the
day will be awarded their prizes in
an evening ceremony at the 'hub'.
These ceremonies will become
the daily focal point of the Games
and are attended by competitors,
spectators, and officials.
Let the Games Begin!
Gay Games VII will be the place to
see the leanest, fastest, strongest
and best physiques in the world.
The most talented and athletic
gay sportsmen and women come
together to participate. There
are over thirty sports represented
in the Games including Athletics,
Badminton, Basketball, Dance
Sport, Figure Skating, Flag Football,
Rugby, Soccer, Softball, Squash,
Tennis, Volleyball, and Wrestling.
The following are a few of the most
popular sports for spectators.
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Swimming
Swimming is consistently among the
largest and most popular participant
sports at the Gay Games. Chicago will
be no exception as they host as many as
1500 swimmers from all over the world,
all striving for their own Personal Best.
Watch out for Gay Games, European,
and World records being broken in the
Masters categories, as former Olympians
like Bruce Hayes and Peter Prijdekker
show their world-class credentials.
Powerlifting
The strongest gay men in the world
meet only once every four years, as
they normally compete in mainstream
competitions only. This is their chance
to challenge the world over what gay
represents and break some stereotypes.
The three lifts in each of the Squat,
Bench Press, and Deadlift sections make
up this trial of strength with competitors
adding their best lifts together. The
weights are huge, the adrenaline is high,
and the winner will be crowned world's
strongest gay man.
Physique
Bodybuilding has been consistently
part of the Gay Games since 1982, with
the best of gay muscle showcased at
this event. The Physique event will be
divided into bodyweight classes and
will feature both singles and pairs
categories.
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The competition has three elements
with prejudging on symmetry,
muscularity, and free posing. It all
culminates in an evening show that
features all of the finalists in each
Pier Dance on Sunday stretched along
the banks of the Hudson for blocks to
accommodate the enormous crowds.
division presenting their posing
routines.
Europe. Since Amsterdam has lots of
experience at being a party engine,
the Dutch did throw its share of parties,
but the influx of boys simply wasn’t the
same as Stonewall 25. The biggest
event of that year was produced by
Robert Reidjik, who made his debut
as a promoter with his first White Party
featuring DJ Billy Carroll.
It’s Party Time!
Circuit parties have always followed
in the wake of the Gay Games. The
parties reached a new level in New
York, however, when the Games
coincided with the 25th anniversary
of Stonewall. It was the largest New
York City Gay Pride in history and
the parties were off the scale. They
ranged from the “Butch Ball” – a
full-on leather sex party sponsored
by Tom of Finland – to an event
on the deck of the aircraft carrier
Intrepid with a crowd decked out
in military gear and the cityscape
of Midtown as the backdrop for
the party. That year, the traditional
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Four years later, the Games moved to
During the Sydney Games in 2002,
the parties returned with a renewed
force. Three major events highlighted
some of the best party venues in the
city, borrowed from the classic Mardi
Gras events. The Sunset Party on the
Harbour was simply magnificent in its
setting. The Black Party at Horden
Pavilion and the Farewell Closing Party
at MGM Studios were also done with
the kind of spirit that is so special in
Australia.
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This year in Chicago, Atlantis and
Masterbeat are producing two
incredible dance events which
will follow both the Opening
and Closing Ceremonies. The
first event, Inspiration, will be on
Saturday, July 15th, immediately
following the Opening Ceremonies
and will feature DJ Brett Henrichsen.
The closing event, Triumph, will be
held after the Closing Ceremonies
on Saturday, July 22nd, with DJ
Manny Lehman. Both events will
be held at the legendary Aragon
Ballroom, which was a favorite
for those attending Fireball years
ago. With so many in town, this
spectacular venue will most likely
sell out its 4500 capacity for these
events. The Closing Party of the
Gay Games is always very special
as athletes, spectators, and Circuit
boys take a rare opportunity to
unite together.
CALENDAR OF HIGHLIGHTS
Saturday 15th
Opening Ceremonies
Soldier Field
Saturday 15th
Inspiration - Opening Party
Aragon Ballroom
Sunday 16th
Powerlifting
Welsh-Ryan Arena - Northwestern University
Monday 17th
Wrestling
Welsh-Ryan Arena - Northwestern University
Tuesday 18th
Step Out Band Concert
Millennium Park Music Pavilion
Wednesday 19th
Physique Finals
Welsh-Ryan Arena - Northwestern University
Thursday 20th
Figure Skating Ice Show
McFetridge Park
Friday 21st
Dance Sport
Grand Ballroom - Hilton Towers
Saturday 22nd
Closing Ceremonies
Wrigley Field
Saturday 22nd
Triumph - Closing Party
The training is over, the sports are
finished, and the medals have been
awarded. The exalted spirit of the
athletes joins with the always-festive
soul of the party boys, creating a
unique opportunity for a new level
of celebration.
Chris Morgan is the current British,
Gay Games, and World Drug Free
Powerlifting Champion. He is an
Ambassador of the Federation of
Gay Games and Chicago 2006.
Visit www.chunkymuscle.com for
more information.
Aragon Ballroom
USEFUL WEB LINKS:
www.chicago2006.org
www.gaygames.com
www.openingclosing.com
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Keep Believing
Love Will Find A Way
Junior Vasquez speaks to Kat Coric
Pussycat, picture it: New York
City, 1997; a young Croatian girl
braves the big city in search of Doc
Martens and illegal German studs.
She goes dancing in a club called
Twilo and there, with her own eyes
and ears, she is seduced by the
shaman in his lair. Thus began an
intense musical love affair with a DJ
named Junior Vasquez.
For many of us clubbers, those
glory days of Junior at Twilo are
the Studio 54 of our generation. A
decade has passed, and we have
been through so much. The history
of the Circuit has been written out
and our actions are the words.
There has been so much pleasure,
but so much pain, too. We now
know that Tina is not our friend. Or
do we?
In the spring of 2005, Junior
shocked all when he came out
publicly about quitting meth. Love
him or hate him, he has helped
make it easier for people to get
off crystal just by admitting that he
himself had a problem. This is only
the beginning and I’m just waiting
for more of you to follow suit.
Children, we are at a crossroads of
paramount proportions. You can
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choose to either listen to or ignore the
signs.
Kat: They say that the hardest things
yield the best rewards. Your public
announcement about quitting meth last
year made a huge splash in the music
industry and the Circuit world. You really
went out on a limb. What can you tell
us about the general reaction from fans
and from the public?
Junior: I didn’t know what to expect.
In fact, I expected some backlash for
coming out as a crystal addict. After
all, all these record labels and major
clubs around the world had hired a
“crack head” for the past five years, and
they honestly didn’t get the best out of
me. Thankfully, my fans as well as key
people in the industry recognized what
an epidemic this is becoming, and how
this is killing dance music and especially
gay club culture. Many DJs I meet when
I travel have admitted to me that they’re
struggling with the same problem. A
lot of these DJs are the biggest in their
own towns, actually, and they look to
me for support and show their respect
for having gotten off that crap. Some of
my fans are probably still partying some,
even (shame on them) on my dance floor
at a marathon party, but I know that
32
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making crystal taboo in my club was
a major step forward in getting rid
of that fucked up drug completely.
They’re closing clubs by the minute
in NYC. And frankly, if any club
is enabling people to get crystal
inside their venue, they should be
held accountable.
Kat: Keeping it fresh and interesting
is key for long-term success. Your
latest musical production has taken
us on a new journey. What are the
most recent influences?
Junior: I’ve never been good at
being self-reflective about where I
am musically. I usually wait for the
music journalists to tell me where
I am or where I’ve been after the
fact. I do know that I have tons of
new music right now. There’s lots
of great things on vinyl, mostly from
Europe, which influence the sound
of my production. I would call my
newest sound slightly tribal, but
everyone’s doing that anyway. But
this has interesting keyboards and
new sounding keys that brighten
the horrible monotony of tribal,
tribal, tribal all night long. I mean,
come on, I can deal with one or two
Chus & Ceballos records, but not
a hundred in a row. And if anyone
calls my friend Tom Stephan’s record
by Celeda (“the dance floor is now
open - this kind of groove makes
me want to move”) a vocal, then
I’m on a different page because
that doesn’t cut it as a vocal record
for me. Nor do a bunch of “cha
cha cha’s” for 15 hours straight. Let
me explain, I learned from Shep
Pettibone way back that you have
to structure a night with tracky,
simpler music early on in the night,
and then build! Take the journey,
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and always bring vocal context and
meaning. This usually takes songs with
proper vocal structure, even if they have
a kicking beat by the end. Mixing it
up in the middle works, but my friends
tell me what it’s like to spend a night
with DJs who never learned the lessons
I did about building your night like an
opera. That’s sad, because whether or
not my mixing is on point on a certain
night, I can still take my dance floor on a
journey that I am proud to say they still
call “meaningful”. Get it?
Kat: Got it. I always say that part of
making a party enjoyable is making the
client comfortable. How much influence
do you have with promoters to ensure
quality sound levels and equipment and
client comfort at the event (i.e. crowd
size)? I mean it wasn’t a traditional
“Juniorpalooza” at Hammam during
Black Party weekend. The party finished
at a decent hour, and thankfully it never
got uncomfortably hot.
Junior: My manager and I reassessed
the kinds of parties we wanted to be
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Noize
involved with earlier this year, and
my Hammam event at Pacha was
the first of our new plan to only
produce our own events when we
can do them like that. The crowd
size made it comfortable; the sound
was as good as it ever was at Twilo;
I designed the lights and video
scheme myself; I worked hard to
coordinate production numbers;
and most of all, we did what was
lost - created atmosphere for the
dance floor. It felt like you were
at the tubs without the sex. You
know Frankie used to play at the
Continental Baths, and those were
the days. I can’t wait to do my Pride
event on Monday so I can have the
last word for the weekend.
Kat: Your fans show an extreme
amount of devotion to you. How
does the crowd influence you
during a party? We know you see
us out there!
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Junior: It’s the only reason I keep
going. I look forward at the dance floor
the entire time I’m playing. I don’t want
to talk in the booth. I’m there trying to
create a story and I’m interacting with
so many people one-on-one through
our eyes and gestures, plus with the
crowd as one body. I cannot imagine
playing records and feeling it without
that. The minute I cannot do that any
longer is when I’ll retire.
Kat: It’s the duty of us partygoers who
have been at it for a while to teach the
young about the “Circuit dangers”.
What can you say to the young
generation of fans that will guide them
to a healthier party life?
Junior: Get off that fucked up drug
crystal. Otherwise it will all truly die
because half of you will be dead from
AIDS and the other half will be shriveled
up and soulless. Oh, and buy my new
album.
34
Noize
www.gunoil.com
the slickest
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ride.
Gun Oil® calls this personal lubricant
“The slickest glide for the quickest ride.”
But hey, why hurry? Take as much time as
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Making
Love
(Out of Nothing at All)
by D. Michael Taylor
Nothing gets me in the mood for romance quite like a seminar. I
was invited to attend a weekend workshop recently at the Gay (as
well as L, B, T, and sometimes Q) Center in the West Village called
“Love Strategies”. How could I resist?
It was a chance to spend twelve
hours locked in a room with ten
gay men who were unsuccessful
in love. Nothing I hadn’t done
before, I figured.
I arrived for the first four-hour
evening session not knowing exactly
what to expect. I’d been active in
the Center support group scene for
years exploring various addictions,
STDs, sexual idiosyncrasies, and
so on with a quirky cross-section
of the gay community. You get
a fascinating sample of gay men
each time, and just like snowflakes,
no two groups ever seem fucked
up in quite the same way. Besides,
free therapy, right? In a city where
you can pay up to $500/hour so
that a Jewish intellectual can tell
you that you have issues with your
mother, that’s nothing to sneeze at.
Plus, the group dynamic appeals
to my need for an audience. But I
had never done a workshop of this
nature before, and when I got the
invite by email and saw the picture
of a handsome West Coast-looking
“Love Coach” I was a bit nervous.
Perhaps it was the leather blazer he
was wearing in the picture, but my
defensive walls were set to a threat
level of orange. I was expecting
the worst.
Circuit
At the first session, the Coach and his
partner, a nebbishy Psych major who
would double as our group astrologist,
introduced themselves and explained
what we would be doing for the next
twelve hours. A series of worksheets,
quizzes, and exercises, essentially. The
first worksheet came around, and we
were asked to identify our “automatic
thoughts” about dating, love, and
relationships in general. I wrote some
boilerplate answers, citing loneliness and
fear as two motivating factors behind,
um, pretty much everything I do. But
then a nervous thought struck me,
something that I had been pondering
recently. I snuck a look around to see
if anyone was watching me and wrote,
“Are gay men broken?” Is there
something about us that is inherently
fucked up and unable to sustain longterm relationships? I felt guilty just
thinking this inflammatory thought,
and writing it down made it seem even
worse. Was I one of those self-hating
queens that felt victimized by his own
sexuality, or even worse blamed society
for his shitty love life?
One of the guys in the group was
bold enough to vocalize this fear: “I’m
worried that I might be fucked up
because I need to come to something
like this,” he admitted. The Psych major
challenged him with, “So do you think
everyone in this room is fucked up?” It
38
Noize
got really quiet. “Yeah,” he said
finally, “I think I do.” The room
was tense. We all sat silently and
let it sink in. Were we just a bunch
of gay losers, unlucky in love and
most everything else? The Coach
broke the silence and gave us some
perspective, “Keep in mind that this
type of exploration has relevance
for almost everybody. Even people
already in relationships.” You
could hear the wheels turning in
the room as everyone conjured up
the most dysfunctional couple that
they were friends with. And then
it struck us. Everyone is fucked up
to some degree; we were just bold
enough to address it and try to
learn something from it.
They fired up the projector to show
slides displaying the various traits
of the astrological chart. I was
probably one of the few in the room
anxious for this part of the program.
I’m a bit of a skeptical mystic when
it comes to astrology. Officially,
I think astrology is a load of New
Age horsecrap, but secretly I often
find myself in the quiet back section
of a bookstore, looking nervously
around to make sure no one is
watching me as I pour through the
general descriptions of my sign. It’s
like spiritual porn.
If the road map to my innermost
thoughts and fears is written in the
stars, then I’m definitely the right
sign. Empathic, mutable, lost in
my thoughts, prone to escapism,
insecure but deeply intuitive - I
seem to be the living embodiment
of a Pisces. I even have an absurd
emotional connection to large
bodies of water, making me an
astrological literalist of sorts. I
suppose it’s just my mutable nature
to both believe in something and
not believe in it at the same time.
Or maybe that’s simply a common
quirk of secular modern life.
Circuit
We moved on to The Love Map - a
worksheet with a series of questions
about our ideal mates, with multiple
choice answers such as Tall, Extroverted,
Brunette, Fashionable, Ambitious, etc.
It felt like we were signing up for an
online dating service. Was this really
the way to learn about what we want in
a relationship, I thought? Filling out a
Manhunt profile? I looked at my results,
a road map to what my ideal companion
would be like. Young, gregarious,
driven, humorous, slightly androgynous,
social, intelligent. I had an epiphany as
I realized that these were all qualities
I wanted to see not only in my ideal
partner, but also in myself. I tried to
retain my skeptical scowl but found it
more difficult as the first night came to a
close. Just remember the leather blazer,
I kept reminding myself. No good can
come of something like that, right?
The second session, eight hours in
duration, started at 9am that Saturday.
I showed up promptly at 10. I missed
the morning wake up dance to Donna
Summer, apparently. I’ve never been
more thankful to be a late sleeper.
This session was much more exercisefocused, with fewer forms to fill out.
The friend who had invited me to attend
was my partner for many of the exercises
because we felt comfortable together.
That was the theory when we grabbed
each other, but the Flirting 101 exercise
left me wondering how wise that line of
thinking was. He admitted that he found
my hair strangely attractive, and I gave
him nervous googly eyes when we were
asked to flirt in a non-verbal manner with
one another. The whole exercise made
us both tense and giggly, like ten-year
old girls instead of tough-as-nails urban
gay men in their thirties. I think it would
have been easier in the end to flirt with
one of the guys I didn’t know. I’m sure
there was a lesson about intimacy to be
learned there, but I decided not to dwell
on it.
A type of speed dating exercise
followed, where we had to write down
something we found attractive about
39
Noize
each man in the room as we met
one-on-one with them, and then
make a note as to whether or not
we would go on a date with them.
Easy enough, I thought. But as I
got to the part where I marked,
“No, I would not go on a date with
this person,” I found it very difficult
to think of a reason why, which was
the next question. Each of the guys
I spoke with had something unique
and rather interesting to share, and
I had already spent the time to
come up with something I found
attractive in them. So I couldn’t
just dismiss them with the cold and
calculated logic that I
usually
employed.
I
chalked it up
to the way
the exercise
w
a
s
designed.
We were
obviously
supposed
to feel
guilty about
dismissing
p e o p l e
that didn’t fit
our standard
ideals, and it
worked. Damned
psychologists, they’re
so sneaky like that. When
asked how we felt about
it, I raised my hand and said,
“Honestly, I found the part where I
wrote why I wouldn’t date someone
a bit uncomfortable, like you were
forcing me to be shallow about
something that I had every right
to decide for myself.” They both
nodded and turned to the next
raised hand. Bastards. How dare
they try to sneak some sort of life
lesson through my finely-honed
defense mechanisms? I chalked it
up to them being from L.A.
We broke for lunch, and I went with
my friend and a small group of the
guys to a local Village diner. After
Circuit
lunch, we continued to do exercises,
and there was a sense that we had all
connected a bit. Some of us probably
still thought much of what we were
doing was silly, but despite that we
had managed to form some bonds of
trust. These were all interesting men,
capable of analyzing their own lives and
motivations, interested in connecting
with other people and willing to do work
to get there.
As we prepared to wrap everything up
and say our goodbyes, one of the men
blurted out, “I love you guys!” And
he obviously meant it. Stranger still,
y o u
could sense that he
had
tapped
into a group
sentiment.
We
all
looked
at each
other and
realized
t h a t
we had
indeed
found love
in this room
t o g e t h e r.
We had all
been through a
series of ridiculous
exercises that upon
quick inspection
seemed designed for the
sole purpose of humiliating
us, but had survived it together
managing to peek through our
internal walls at each other for brief
moments. If that’s not love, I’m not sure
what is. Did we all find the tools to take
a stab at long-term romance? Probably
not, but I began to suspect that what
we had found instead was the ability
to love other gay men that we didn’t
necessarily want to have sex with. The
best love strategy might be as simple as
giving love out whenever you can, with
no expectations of anything in return.
Like astrology, I don’t need to believe it
to know it’s true.
40
Noize
Imitation Intimacy
by John R. Ballew, M.S., L.P.C.
Some men talk a good game,
but can't deliver the goods.
It started off well. He was so
sincere, open and interested. Or
at least he seemed that way. He
swept you off your feet. He could
be so romantic, and his attention
was always focused on… you.
Maybe you thought, “At last!
Someone who really appreciates
me and isn’t playing games.” You
started to lower your guard and
let yourself feel hopeful. Had you
found Mr. Right?
Predictably, that’s about the time
the game-playing was just starting.
He’d confess his love for you one
weekend, then you wouldn’t hear
from him for two weeks. Or after
what seemed like a great weekend,
you’d find an email in your inbox
on Tuesday, breaking up with you.
What’s up with all that?
Some men have a problem really
getting close to another human
being. That sort of intimate
encounter requires lowering your
guard, and that’s not easy if you’ve
spent your entire life keeping it
up. The best definition of intimacy
I’ve ever encountered is that it is
“an unarmed encounter between
two vulnerable individuals.” That’s
counterintuitive for guys who have
learned that vulnerability is a bad
thing, to be avoided whenever
possible.
Circuit
If genuine intimacy is tough, the
cheap imitation version is much easier
to manage. It keeps people at a safe
distance while providing the illusion of
closeness. Call it “faux intimacy,” like
the faux finishes sometimes applied
to walls or furniture to fool the eye.
There are at least a couple of types
of simulated, not-quite-the-real-thing
intimacy, depending on whose eye it is
that’s being fooled.
Unfortunately, internet dating seems to
promote artificial intimacy. Chat rooms,
email and IM conversations all look like
the real contact. Alas, in cyberspace
it’s all too easy to say things you don’t
mean or can’t actually make yourself
do. Even more unfortunately, almost
everyone who’s looking for a guy to
date is looking for love online. The
result is a lot of disappointment and
heartache.
Guys who need the illusion of a
boyfriend without all that complicating
commitment can be really good at
delivering the trappings of romance,
though their timing may be off a bit.
They seem to see themselves playing
the lead in a romantic movie role. The
words “I love you” can come easily to
their lips, but there isn’t much behind it.
They may even be overly demonstrative
about their love and affection early
in the relationship because they’ve
learned that’s what’s expected of them.
50
Noize
Only over time does it become
clearer that they have no sense that
relationships require commitment
and openness, or they’ve never
learned how to do the work that
intimacy requires of them.
Imitation intimacy often involves
fooling the self even more than
involving others. And for men,
straight or gay, sex is a great way to
engage in self-deception because
they learned early on to think of sex
as a performance, not something
involving their hearts. Gay men
face an additional problem because
they can be secretly sexual and
avoid the anxiety that comes from
openly acknowledging their love for
another man. Sexual contact makes
them feel less isolated, at least for
a time. But they don’t have to deal
Circuit
with their internalized homophobia and
acknowledge the truth that their samesex attraction is more than just sex.
Whether it’s romance or sex, at some
point most men can no longer settle
for less than genuine connection with
another human being. When that
happens they must face the reality of
their loneliness. That’s when the gameplaying ends. Acknowledging loneliness
and anxiety is hard. But doing it means
men can begin making their relationships
more genuine and satisfying – the real
thing.
J o h n R . B a l l e w, M . S . , i s a l i c e n s e d
professional counselor in private practice in
Atlanta. He specializes in issues related to
coming out, sexuality and relationships and
spirituality. He can be reached via the web at
www.bodymindsoul.org or at (404) 874-8536.
51
Noize
Slim Down For
Summer
by Joshua Carter
Ah, the joys of winter - the cool climate, cuddling up by a warm
fire, the snow, the get-togethers, the food, the drink - and let’s not
forget the winter wardrobe! And that leather jacket you have! It
rocks! How often do you get to wear it the rest of the year? Thank
god for those sweaters, too! They are so good at hiding the other
change you’ve made during the cold season – that nice insulating
layer of fat you’ve accumulated! With swimming suit season just
around the corner, there is just enough time left for you to get
back the body you once had in time to strut your stuff on the
beach. A few weeks of diligence can undoubtedly make up for the
last few months of slothfulness. The tips below may not be rocket
science, but if you want quick results then you have to work on all
of these fronts at once.
Cut Carbs
The “low carb diet” may no longer
be in vogue but it does get the
job done like no other. Your body
requires fuel to function. Where
do you want the fuel to come from
– the carbs you just consumed or
your stored body fat? It should go
without saying that you need to
do away with any junk food such
as cookies and candy and chips,
but also ditch the breads, muffins,
bagels, pastas, white rice, and
cereals as well as any high-carb
beverages. This includes sodas (not
diet), most Starbucks offerings, and
sports drinks like Gatorade and Red
Bull.
Increase Protein
You want to burn fat, not muscle.
The more muscle you have, the
Circuit
higher your metabolism and the more
fat you can burn. So how do you keep
the muscle at the expense of the fat?
Eat more protein. It’s that simple. Base
your protein choices around chicken,
turkey, fish, cottage cheese, whey
protein, and extra lean cuts of red meat.
Avoid fatty cuts of anything as well as
the dark meat in turkey and chicken.
Protein also has the added benefit of
blunting appetite.
Eat Fat
Really? Eat fat? Yes, indeed, but not
just any fat. Good fats can increase
testosterone, protect from heart
disease, improve lipid profiles, and even
increase metabolism thus increasing
fat burning. Good fats are generally
naturally occurring; examples are fish
oils, flax seed oil, olive oil, almonds
54
Noize
and avocadoes.
Anything
that says
“omega
3 ”
i s
considered
good. Bad
fats can
have the
e x a c t
opposite
effects as
the good
ones and
should be
avoided at all costs. Bad
fats are generally manmade
- anything that says “partially
hydrogenated,” any saturated or
trans fats, anything deep fried,
margarines, or any fat that is
solid at room temperature
(think lard).
extended periods, your body
will adjust by lowering your
metabolism. When you
cheat, you are letting your
body know that excess
calories are available, and
you are not starving, so it
is okay to give up those
stores of body fat on
the days that you are
sticking to your diet. Of
course, it’s important that
you don’t go too crazy
on your cheat day
or you will end
up looking
like, well,
Mooo.
Cheat Weekly
Cheating is one of the best
things you can do on a
diet, if you do it right. It
not only has physiological
advantages, it has
psychological benefits as
well. If you do nothing
but restrict your diet 24-7,
you will go nuts and end
up locked in your pantry
with 10 lbs. of Double
Stuffed Oreos and a few
gallons of Mountain Dew,
slowly inducing a carb
coma. By purposefully
designing a “cheat
night,” you can avoid that
embarrassment. One
night a week, say Friday
night, allow yourself to
eat the things
you have been
denying yourself.
The next day
it's back to the
plan.
Cheating
can also reset
your metabolism.
When dieting for
Take
Ephedrine
Ye s ,
the
gover nment
has told us that
ephedrine kills. (That one
has to be right up there with
Circuit
55
Noize
“We are winning the war in Iraq.”)
There are literally hundreds of
studies proving ephedrine’s safety
and efficacy. When combined with
caffeine and taken properly and
responsibly, it is the best fat burner
there is, bar none. It is currently
legal when sold in single
doses of 10mg or less
per pill. Make no
mistake, this is no
magic bullet but it
can turn a good
fat-burning diet
i n t o a g re a t
one.
The
ephedrine +
caffeine combo
(EC) is what is
known as a
thermogenic.
It slightly
(unnoticeably)
increases body
temperature and
thus increases the
number of calories
you expend per day.
It also blunts appetite,
diverts calories away
from fat stores and
towards muscle,
and provides
a g re a t b o o s t
of energy. To
b e c l e a r, i t ’s
important to not
overdo this drug.
At high doses, it
can cause health
problems. Start
off with a half dose
(5mg) and assess your
tolerance.
no results and see no change in their
bodies. No cardio class in the world
will create the wide shoulders, barrel
chest, massive guns and rock hard abs
the way a solid weight training routine
will. It does not need to be fancy –
chest, shoulders and triceps on Monday;
back and biceps on Wednesday; and
legs on Friday. Stay in the 8-12 rep
range and concentrate on good
form above all else. Spend no
longer than 45 minutes lifting
after a 5-10 minute warm-up.
Do Cardio
Yeah, most of us hate every
second of doing cardio.
Unfortunately for those of
us trying to get leaner, it
is a necessity. There’s no
real trick to it – get your
heart rate up and keep
it there for 30-45
minutes. There
are many forms
of cardio and
some are in
fact better
t h a n
others.
B u t
t h e
Lift Weights
You knew this one, right?
There is no better metabolic
booster than weight training.
As a trainer and gym owner,
the biggest mistake I see people
make is to come into the gym and
spend all their time on the treadmill.
These people often have absolutely
Circuit
56
Noize
most important thing is to actually
do it, so choose something that
works for you. I hooked up a TiVo
in my garage in front of my treadmill
so I can watch an hour-long show
and zoom through the commercials,
giving me about 40 minutes of solid
cardio time. Do whatever works
for you - hop on a bike at the gym
or get an iPod and listen to your
favorite music while you go for a
fast walk. The most effective time
to do your cardio is either first thing
in the morning before eating (take
your EC beforehand) or immediately
following your weight training.
Crunch Less
Another huge mistake that is very
common is doing abs every single
day for endless reps. While you may
know some guy who has amazing
abs and does 1000 crunches every
day, the reality is that he does not
look good because of how he trains
his abs but in spite of how he trains
them. Abs are just another muscle
group. Would you ever do 100 reps
of bicep curls every day? Of course
not, that would be crazy. Doing
rep after rep will not decrease the
amount of fat in your midsection.
Training your abs intelligently
will yield the best results. Abs
respond best to reps in the 8-12
range so choose movements that
are challenging enough to cause
failure around then. Also, do not be
afraid to add resistance. Two of the
best moves you can do are reverse
crunches on an incline bench and
weighted crunches on a Swiss Ball.
If you make your dietary changes
and add these movements to your
routine, your abs will be popping in
no time.
Be Consistent
The ones that end up with the
best results are the ones that are
consistent. Make a plan and stick
to it. When creating your workout
schedule, understand that it is an
appointment with yourself, and you
do not miss that appointment for
just any reason. Is it really more
Circuit
important to get your hair done, change
the oil in your car, or catch the latest
episode of American Idol? I don’t
accept excuses from my clients and you
should not accept them from yourself.
To miss a workout, you had better be on
fire or incarcerated - and even then, they
have gyms in prison. And, of course,
consistency applies to your diet as well.
You get a cheat day, use it; but beyond
that you need to stick to the plan.
Get Help
When all else fails and you can’t get off
your lazy ass, go seek help. Though
a shrink might be in order, a good
personal trainer is likely to be a lot more
effective. They can help get you on the
right track and keep you motivated and
honest. The trouble is finding a good
one. Certification is one way, but there
are plenty of certified trainers that don’t
know a squat rack from a spice rack.
Choosing your trainer by his good looks
is not a good method either. Many
trainers out there are genetically gifted,
and thus look to be in great shape. But
they may have no clue how to properly
train you. The best way to find a trainer
is through a referral. If you see someone
in your gym that has been working with
a trainer and making consistent progress,
ask them if they would recommend the
trainer to you. Most trainers will give
you a free consultation, giving you the
chance to sample a session. Be honest
and tell them your goals and your time
frame. If they are worth their weight
in dumbbells, they will be honest with
you too and tell you if your goals are
realistic.
Good luck on your journey back to your
svelte self! Changing your body may be
hard, but it’s been done many times, so
it’s far from impossible. The rewards to
your self-esteem and your social life are
well worth the effort.
Joshua Carter is owner and a personal trainer
at North Hollywood Gym, in North Hollywood
California. He may be reached via his website:
http://nh-gym.com.
57
Noize
THE EARS HAVE IT
…you never know who’s listening!
“Where are Robert and John?”
"They're probably having
sex with somebody."
"Or somebodies."
“I knew you’d find the hottest
chocolate in this place.”
“Well, I only do Godiva. I don’t do
that Russell Stover shit.”
"You're a big whore.
That's why I love you.
That's why everybody
else loves you, too!"
“Someone obviously put up
the Big Top here
because this party is
a fucking three-ring circus!”
Circuit
“So how does
my body look?”
“I'd be careful with those
roids. You're two pounds
from puffy.”
58
Noize
“It’s an awesome house,
and I love their pool. It’s
big, shallow and heated.”
“Sounds like most of the
guys I date.”
“I don’t let just anyone touch my
private parts.”
“Private parts? Honey, you’ve been
public land for years!”
“I was following that
train of thought, but
I never got to the
destination.”
“I’m kind of a top…”
“You kind of blew that with
the ‘kind of’ part.”
"lijliadhaikkjnL;V"
"Huh?"
"ajfkahojbaeav"
"Is there anyone in the house that speaks
Tweakenese?"
"She used to be the belle
of the ball."
"Well, honey, the ball has
cracked."
“I don’t feel so good. I
think I have too much
blood in my drugstream.”
“You’re evil.”
“I’m not evil, I’m just
morally challenged.”
Submit your own “Overheards” to us at
editor@circuitnoize.com
Circuit
59
Noize
Spring
Circuit
Photo Album
Find your friends.
View amazing performances and light shows.
Perhaps even see yourself.
For even more photos, visit our renowned
website, www.circuitnoize.com, for the largest
online library and archive of event photos.
Are you a photographer? Do you bring a
camera to events?
Submit your photos to us and we’ll feature
them in upcoming issues.
Contact publisher@circuitnoize.com for
more information.
Event: White Party
Location: Palm Springs, CA
Photographer: Joe Pessa
Circuit
67
Noize
Winter Party
Photos: GreatPartyPics.com
y, Miami, FL
MUSIC REVIEWS
by Jamie Nicholes
WARM UP
Shapeshifters
Sound Advice
EMI
Let’s get back to basics. An
addictive beat. A beautiful voice. A
moving melody. The Shapeshifters
would like to see dance music get
back to those basic elements, and
not since M People have those
basics been assembled with such
soulful simplicity and irresistible
energy. The Shapeshifers exploded
onto the scene in the summer of
2004 with the massive feel-good,
Ibiza-style disco house anthem
“Lola’s Theme” featuring vocals by
Cookie, a member of the London
Community Gospel Choir (and a
former vocal accompanist for Kylie,
Ms Dynamite, and Depeche Mode),
and remixes by Eric Prydz and
Victor Calderone.
The track was instantly compared
to Spiller’s “Groovejet” and M
People’s “Movin’ On Up” for its
glowing positivity and powerful
delivery, and as usual following
any huge hit, we all looked to
see how they would follow it up.
Circuit
Caught up in the moment of their first
success, it would appear Shapeshifters’
members Simon Marlin and Max Reich
had a midsummer’s night romp, for
nine months later, in the spring of 2005,
out popped their sophomore offspring
“Back to Basics” again with vocals by
Cookie and featuring mixes by The
Beginerz, Steve Lawler, and Antoine
Clamaran. A year passed since that
single while we all panted and greedily
whined for more, and then finally came
the third single “Incredible”. Now out
to prove they can deliver more than
just a hit single every now and again,
the Shapeshifters flaunt a true musical
diversity and a surprisingly sharp
songwriting ability on Sound Advice,
their first full-length album, shifting
effortlessly between genres such as
vocal house, disco house, down-tempo,
classic techno, deep house and electro
across the album’s twelve tracks.
Unexpected goodies include the
addition of vocalists Kelly-Marie Smith
(“Incredible”), Jenna G (who also cowrote a majority of the album’s tracks),
Antigone Foster, and a collaboration
with Chic’s Nile Rodgers (“Sensitivity”).
Sound Advice differs from other
producer artist albums in that it isn’t
trying to capitalize on the success of
a single hit and painfully stretch that
same sound over multiple tracks like
a fat chick in a rubber dress. There
is a true intention behind everything
present. Sound Advice sprang from an
artistic vision all its own and a full-length
album is the shape that vision took.
Shapeshifters are the poster child for a
trend in dance music that has been in
progress for a few years now - the desire
to return house to its happier, simpler,
soulfuller origins, and if they are the
Messiah of this movement, their Book
of Revelations is going to be heaven on
earth.
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HANDS UP
Jason Walker
This Is My Life
Junior Vasquez Music
Let’s face it, there aren’t a whole lot
of guys lip-synching in the mirror
to other guys in mainstream music.
We have always had a panoply of
black females to identify with, but
only limited access to the male
perspective.
Until Jason Walker - he is the male
diva. This openly gay vocalist
embodies everything a wailing,
belting, testifying dance diva
should be, but delivers it all in a
clever package – a skinny, white
boy.
Originally viewed as his biggest
flaw (“you don’t look like you
sound”), Jason is now riding this
contradiction to the height of
dance music success. After being
picked up by Junior Vasquez’s JVM
label, Jason released five singles “My Life”, “Foolish Mind Games”,
Circuit
“No More”, “Reaching” and “Set It
Free” - two of which went to number
one on the Billboard Dance Chart.
Walker now releases his first full-length
album titled This Is My Life which
includes these gems and others as well
as bonus remixes by Mike Rizzo, Junior
Vasquez, and Tony Moran. Jason’s
voice soars with gospel overtones that
remain a constant theme across the
disc’s 11 tracks. His lyrics about falling
in and out love, identity, inspiration, and
the trials and triumphs of life are even
more powerful coming from the life
experiences of a gay male.
With a huge variety of producers
involved, no track ever feels stale or like
the derivative of another. Expect more
big things from this one in the future; we
finally have a voice to call our own.
73
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something you’d hear on an old Sasha
& Digweed compilation. Jacqueline
comes next with staccato lyrics over
a Mack Vibe beat declaring that she
“Can’t Let You Go”.
STAY UP
Mike Gow
Residents Vol. 1 – Miso on
Meramec St. Louis
Curvve Recordings
This is how I wish weekend
clubbing still felt - a tasty blend of
house and trance laden with heavy
beats and sparkling highs. LA gay
clubs have been overtaken by Top
40 and hip-hop, but it wasn’t too
long ago that people lined up
around the block for the purpose
of dancing to stuff you didn’t hear
on the radio.
What struck me immediately about
this offering was that Gow doesn’t
rely on current hits to carry the
album. There’s a thoughtful blend
of red hot and seasoned classic
tracks present, which gives the mix
a sense that these selections were
made to suit some specific vision
instead of just checking off how
many of the current Top 10 the
label could license.
The disc begins with “Ghost” by
Deepsky feat. Jes (the vocalist
from Gabriel & Dresden’s “As The
Rush Comes”), one of Jes’s two
highly underplayed follow-ups to
her collaboration with G&D (the
other being “Living the Dream”
with D:Fuse).
F ro m f o r l o r n
vocals to reverberated ambience
comes Luke Chable’s “Traffic Your
Lights”, which sounds exactly like
Circuit
The mix changes directions and
introduces some soulful sax spread
across two tracks, Perfect Sense’s
“Niami” (Sax Mix) and Steve Porter’s
“Carismo” (Agent 001 Remix), giving
the same feeling as the dwindling
orange and pink skyline through the
club’s patio doors that you catch in the
corner of your eye from the dance floor
as you realize the night’s about to get
a lot darker and a lot heavier. N’Dea
Davenport croons “One Day My Love”
above the brass and ushers in “Desire”
by ATFC & Mark Night presenting
Tracer, a gentle jazz guitar set to dark
beats with a dramatic break framing the
hook “I want to touch your fire / Spirit
of desire”.
Following this is the album’s big
surprise, a track called “Always”, which
is essentially just a bootleg remix of
Britney Spears’ “Everytime”. I have no
idea if this track was cleared with Brit’s
people, but the mix is amazing and
would have made a nice addition to the
domestic remix single of “Everytime”
that was never released. Powerful beats
and swirling arpeggios on “Rewind” and
“Deeper Vowels” build a foundation for
my favorite track on the album, “My
Prayer” by Noel Sanger feat. Dauby
- the perfect song for intimate bodies
pressed tightly to each other on a
crowded dance floor.
Chris Micali’s remix of Joi Cardwell’s
classic “Soul To Bare” strikes a deep
chord and the disc completes itself with
the only track on here I’ve seen treated
to a formal CD release, “Flow” by
Vinny Troia pres. Jaidene Veda. After
a night like that, nothing would seem
appropriate but sitting on the hood
of my car parked on Mulholland Drive
(hopefully beside someone) looking out
over the Los Angeles cityscape. Mike
Gow, come to LA, let’s make it happen.
74
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LEGS UP
of sympathetic words with rounded
keyboards and soft percussion.
Bliss
I immediately check the site for the
artist and title - “Don’t Look Back” by
Bliss. I immediately rush out after work
to get the album, and upon getting to
the disc’s second track, I hear “Kissing”
and remember why the artist’s name
sounded so familiar. I drove around LA
listening to the remainder of the album
and was completely stunned by the level
to which the music and words sank into
me.
Quiet Letters
Quango
Bliss and I first became acquainted
late one night in a college dorm
room in the summer of 2003. I was
sitting alone in the dark except
for the soft light of my computer
display and, despite working a
17-hour-a-day job at the time,
was experiencing the immense
comedown from graduation and
the academic high I’d been on for
the last five years.
I was playing Later, a chill
compilation I had bought earlier
that day, and got through most of
it without being particularly wowed
by anything when, toward the end
of the second disc, “Kissing” began
to play, and I sat up and fumbled
for the case. Flash-forward three
years… I’m sitting in my office
listening to KCRW, LA’s independent
music radio station, and hear a song
that instantly catches my attention
– a breathy, murmured collection
Circuit
A blend of delicate vocals, organic
electronic production, and dreamy
interpretations of multiple musical
influences, Quiet Letters has been
described by Buddha Bar’s DJ Ravin
as “The Album of the Year” - one of
those albums that you have always
been looking for without ever finding.
Alexandra Hamnede’s ethereal voice
mingles seamlessly with guest Sophie
Barker (brought to fame by her
collaborations with Zero 7) and has
earned comparisons to Sade and Norah
Jones.
Bliss is the perfect companion to early
morning hours spent either hosting
fellow party-goers after a night out, or in
the bedroom with the beautiful boy you
just couldn’t let walk away.
Buy these releases and all your other
dance music favorites at
Perfectbeat.com
75
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DJ
SPOTLIGHT
e
i
d
Ed
s
a
i
l
E
Eddie credits Victor Calderone for
blazing the trail for a straight Latino
boy to become popular in New
York’s hottest gay club scene. Eddie
met Victor through his girlfriend
Lisa. They ended up becoming
good friends with Victor and his wife
Athena. Eddie remembers going
to hear Victor back when he was
spinning Boy’s Life and how he and
Lisa would go listen to Victor at the
Roxy after they were married.
Eddie first played for Ric Sena at a
special morning party at the Sound
Factory. It immediately was apparent
that Eddie had the power to carry a
big room. Ric remarks, “I believe
Eddie is one of the most talented
DJs I've ever met and also a great
guy who I'm honored to have as a
close friend.”
Circuit
Eddie got his first break playing
exclusive house parties out on Fire
Island for the same guys that had
given Victor his first opportunity to
spin for New York’s elite. At these
house parties, Eddie met important
promoters such as John White
(Pavillion), Ric Sena (Alegria), and
Tony Jackowitch (Salvation-Miami).
He would eventually spin all of these
parties, with residencies at both
Salvation and Splash.
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Eddie loves being a part of
Alegria, because all of the DJs that
spin this party know each other
well and get along with virtually no
competitive energy among them.
He especially enjoys spinning with
Tony Moran and feels that they
really complement one another.
E d d i e re c e n t l y p l a y e d h i s f i r s t
international gig in Rio for promoter
Rosane Amaral who hosts a popular
monthly party at various locales around
the city. This particular party was held at
the Museu de Arte Moderna, a modern
museum with lofty ceilings that was
transformed into a special one-nightonly club space. Eddie has also been
crossing over into the straight scene
playing for Rob Fernandez in New York.
Circuit
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Eddie loves spinning in essentially
any time slot – he feels it’s more
about the energy of the crowd that
makes an ideal party for him. He
loves spinning mixed parties and he
loves spinning in his hometown of
New York. Like any DJ, he doesn’t
really like to label his style because
he feels that every good DJ is a
little unique. But when pressed he
says that he predominately plays
“progressive tribal house with highenergy vocals.”
Eddie is starting a new residency one
Friday a month at Standard in Tribeca.
This party is being promoted by Cristina
Visca, formerly one of the partners in
Sound Factory. In addition, Eddie is
looking forward to his next big gig
Memorial Day weekend at Alegria with
Tony Moran.
Circuit
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SUMMER
CI R C U IT
2006
Circuit
80
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
CITY OF
BABYLON TOUR
Night:
April 29
April 30
May 4
May 6
May 7
May 13
May 20
May 26
May 27
May 28
June 3
June 9
June 10
June 17
June 24
July 1
July 2
July 8
July 22
Atlanta
Chicago
Orlando
Montréal
Boston
New York
Washington
Las Vegas
Denver
Miami
San Diego
Dallas
Indianapolis
Houston
Toronto
Ft. Lauderdale
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Philadelphia
April 29 - August 1, 2006
NORTH AMERICA
DJs:
Venue:
Jungle
Crobar
Firestone
Parking
Avalon
Roxy
Nation
Krave
Tracks
TBA
Rich's J
S4
Talbott St
South Beach
Gay Pride Kool Haus
Coliseum
Avalon
Mezzanine
Pure
featuring:
Manny Lehman
Tony Moran
Roland Belmares
The City of Babylon is a 20-city, North American tour that reaches the hottest
nightclubs across the US and Canada each summer. Originally conceived as
a way to bring to life the Babylon nightclub from the hit series Queer as Folk,
this tour has blossomed into one of the most successful gay community events
in the country. At each venue, they reinterpret what the real underground city
would be like as an exciting decadent downtown urban metropolis with elaborate
visuals and décor. (I wonder if they also recreate that infamous backroom?) We
can think of worse things than spending the summer criss-crossing the US and
Canada, visiting the biggest and most popular cities to attend parties featuring
the continent’s most talented and well-known DJs. First class, anyone?
Info: www.enterbabylon.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
81
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
May 5 - 7, 2006
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
BLUE BALL
Night:
Friday Shamblue
DJs:
Gomi, DJ Guido Osorio
Venue:
Shampoo Nightclub, on
Willow between 7th & 8th
Emerge
DJ Melissa
TPDS Club, 114 S. 12th St.
Saturday Blueball: Fusion
Tracy Young, DJ Carl
Michaels
Electric Factory
N. 7th & Willow Sts.
Cobalt
Billy Carroll
Pure Nightclub, 1221 St.
James St. (near Woody's)
Sunday Metallic Blue
Roland Belmares,
Jason Granato
Palmer Social Club, 6th &
Spring Garden Sts.
Blue Ball is one of the Circuit’s most successful philanthropic dance events.
The entire weekend is produced completely by volunteers with every penny of
profit donated to improving, encouraging, and enlivening Philadelphia's gay,
lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered community. With a combined draw of
50,000–75,000 people, Philadelphia’s two largest gay events, Equality Forum and
Blue Ball, join forces to create a weeklong human rights forum featuring panel
discussions, symposia, films, special events, concerts and a weekend of dance
events that will position the City of Brotherly Love as the “must do” American
city for GLBT travelers. Formerly held in January, Blue Ball is now presented in
spring and promises to bring this northeastern city in from the cold. Whilst in the
birthplace of our country (and in-between events), be sure to visit the Liberty Bell,
the Betsy Ross House, Independence Hall, and you just gotta’ try the cheesesteak
(yeah, a few calories, but you’ll sweat it out in no time).
Info: www.blueballphilly.com | www.sapphirefund.org
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
CLUB ATLANTIS
RIVIERA MAYA
Night:
May 6 - 13, 2006
CANCUN, MEXICO
DJs:
Joe Gauthreaux,
Darryl Strickland
Venue:
Collapsed civilization notwithstanding, the Mayans knew a thing or two about
prime beachfront property. Pristine white sand beaches meet azure Caribbean
seas at the Club Atlantis all-inclusive resort. Discover a shimmering, secluded
paradise on the heart of the Mayan Riviera Coast in Cancun. This playground
of natural beauty is perfect for sports, sunshine, and exploring, plus some of the
best diving in the Caribbean, all on one of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
As night falls, Club Atlantis presents top talent in the outdoor theater including
comedians, singers, and occasionally a surprise guest. The party continues in the
nightclub with theme parties and outstanding DJs. This is a vacation that leaves
you wanting for absolutely nothing. The Yucatan Peninsula offers the usual
tropical paradise activities, but don’t miss an opportunity to glimpse first-hand
the mysteries of the ancient past by leaving without visiting some Mayan ruins.
Just a short ride from your hotel you will find the remains of a civilization that was
ahead of its time, lost in its prime, leaving behind only a handful of clues to tell
us what happened.
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
May 18 - 22, 2006
MONTRÉAL, CANADA
HOT & DRY
Night:
Saturday
Sunday
DJs:
Neill Macleod, Andy
Morris, Mark Anthony
Pete Heller, XL
Venue:
Metropolis
Stereo
This weekend is the second biggest event and one of the best organized by
the Bad Boy Club Montréal. The two big events remain the Hot & Dry Party
on Saturday and the Fresh Recovery on Sunday. Heralding springtime after
long months of cold weather, the Hot & Dry Weekend always makes the sexy
Montréalers more than happy to show some flesh! One of the party spaces that
made Montréal famous is the magnificent Metropolis, an old theater converted
into a giant club. On the following night, the Fresh event will keep you warm
until sunrise. The biggest difference between this event and Black & Blue is that
there are many more locals. Since English ain’t their first language, be sure to
brush up on your “just enough French to get me in trouble” phrases. Mon dieu!
Info: www.bbcm.org
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
May 20 - 21, 2006
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
TRIBE
Night:
Saturday
Sunday
DJs:
Phil B., Dawna Montel
Tony Moran
Venue:
The Rhythm Lounge
The Queen Mary
Pride season kicks off early with the always-festive Long Beach Pride. Will
Gorges and Michael Evenstar are ready with fun parties and events to help you
avoid overindulging in too much beer-swilling and sunburning. Tribe takes
place at the Long Beach waterways and one of the most unique venues on the
map, the Queen Mary. Coinciding with the mammoth Long Beach Lesbian &
Gay Pride Festival, Tribe has become a West Coast favorite with plenty to do
by day as well. Aqua-taxi over to the Pride Festival by the beautiful canals and
waterways of Long Beach Harbor. Be sure to engage in some serious shopping
and entertainment at the nearby Pike Shopping Center and beautiful Belmont
Shore. A room aboard the Queen Mary would make it extra special (mention
Tribe for the best rates). Whether or not you stay overnight, take the Ghosts and
Legends Tour of the historic ship reported to be one of the most haunted places
in the world.
Info: www.michael-evenstar.com | www.willgorges.com
www. longbeachpride.com
May 25 - 28, 2006
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA
MEMORIAL WEEKEND
Night:
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
DJs:
Foreplay, Jay R
Tracy Young
Roland Belmares
Michael Tank
David Knapp
Alyson Calagna
Manny Lehman
Kimberly S
Venue:
Emerald City
Hampton Inn
On the beach
Hampton Inn
Emerald City
The Annex
Pensacola Civic Center
The Annex
Hot guys from all over the south (read: lots of Atlanta boyz) converge on the
Florida Panhandle for a weekend of easy-going, low-maintenance, high-octane
fun in the proverbial sun. Things kick-off Friday afternoon with beach parties, boy
parties, and girl parties that just don’t stop. The annual big one, Abracadabra,
Sunday night is always a huge crowd pleaser. The parties benefit several charities
including Art Against Aids, Appetite for Life, Ease, and Gulf Coast Tide. These
worthwhile charity events and parties last all weekend and are sure to keep you
busy. And if you’d rather just kick back, there are fifty-two miles of beaches that
have remained untouched through the centuries, so you can’t help but get a little
sand in your suit.
Info: www.memorialweekendpensacola.com | www.ozneworleans.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
MEMORIAL
WEEKEND
Night:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
May 26 - 28, 2006
FIRE ISLAND PINES, NEW YORK
DJs:
Brenda Black
Seth Gold
Max Rodriguez
Escape
Super Dave
Randy Bettis
Venue:
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Info: www.thepinesfireisland.com
WHITE PARTY
WEEKEND
Night:
Friday
Saturday
May 26 - 28, 2006
LONDON, ENGLAND
DJs:
Wayne G | UK
Paul Heron | UK
Steve Pitron | UK
Brent Nichols | UK
Mickey D | UK
Ben Jamin | UK
Jamie Head | UK
Max Morel | NL
Glaucio Duarte | BR
Benjamin | FR
Venue:
Pump
White Party @ Renaissance
You know how when you meet someone and he has a British accent and your
knees get weak and everything he says sounds sooo intelligent? Well you’re in
London now, so snap out of it! They all sound like that, and this weekend the
boys you meet are more likely to be… let’s just say, intellectually challenged. As
we all know, in London it’s possible to dance around the clock from Thursday
night ‘til Monday morning on any given weekend, so this being the White Party
Weekend, it’s business-as-usual times ten! When in London, be sure to take in
the sites - Big Ben, Parliament, the Royal Guard, Westminster Abbey, the Tower
of London, Piccadilly, the British Museum, the West End, a play or two, and an
overnight in Shakespeare’s Stratford.
Info: www.gayevents.nl | www.whiteparty.nl
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
May 28, 2006
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
LATTITUDE
Night:
Sunday
DJs:
D-Formation
Eddie X
De Leon
David Tort
Ruff
Finbarr Massi
Venue:
The Factory
Yes, we love L.A.! We love it for lots of reasons, including all those hot Latin
boys everywhere (it’s the same reason we love Miami). In L.A. for Memorial
Day weekend? Watch out for tour buses careening out of control down Sunset
Boulevard! And that isn’t really Darth Vader in front of Grauman’s Chinese
Theatre (but Gloria Swanson really does have tiny, tiny feet!). Take a hike in
the hills above Griffith Park (no, you can’t drive to the Hollywood sign); catch a
concert in the warm night air at the Hollywood Bowl; check out the Santa Monica
Pier, the Getty Museum (at sunset preferably), Olivera Street (for real Latin lads),
and Rodeo Drive; buy a star map; and, of course, cruise Santa Monica Boulevard
all night long.
Info: www.lattitudevents.com
ALEGRIA MEMORIAL
DAY WEEKEND
Night:
Sunday
May 28, 2006
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
DJs:
Tony Moran
Eddie Elias
Venue:
Crobar
The city has shed the last of its winter blues, and the boys in the city are ready to
party. The unofficial opening ceremonies of summer include the following mustdo’s: Stop into g lounge to pick up one of those famous Frozen Cosmos (and
possibly a Chelsea hunk or two); head over to Splash Bar for Full Frontal Fridays
and Men’s Night on Saturday; and, of course, wind up your weekend at Alegria
to see what all the well (un)-dressed muscleboys will (or will not) be wearing this
summer. In between clubs, take a peek under Lady Liberty’s gown, stroll through
Central Park, visit the Museum of Modern Art (and see what all the fuss is about),
take in a Broadway show, buy the Brooklyn Bridge, sashay down Christopher
Street, and plan to stay up all night ‘cause, like the Chairman of the Board sez,
this is the “city that never sleeps.”
Info: www.glounge.com | www.splashbar.com | www.alegriaevents.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
ONE MIGHTY
WEEKEND / GAY DAYS
Night:
Friday Reunion Pool Party
Beachball
Afterhours Magic Journeys
Saturday Reunion Pool Party
One Mighty Party
Afterhours Magic Journeys
Sunday Reunion Pool Party
Colosseum
Afterhours Magic Journeys
May 30 - June 4, 2006
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
DJs:
Venue:
Alyson Calagna
Kimberly S
Buena Vista Palace
Typhoon Lagoon
Roland Belmares
Arabian Nights
Don Bishop
Tony Moran
Brett Henrichsen
Buena Vista Palace
Disney MGM Studios
Abel
Arabian Nights
David Knapp
Tracy Young
Buena Vista Palace
Hard Rock Live
Manny Lehman
Arabian Nights
Mighty gay, indeed. On this weekend, the most family-friendly place on earth
becomes the gayest place on the planet! One Mighty Weekend features some
of the best that the North American Circuit boasts. The magic of Orlando seems
to bring out the kid even more than usual in the boys, frolicking in the pools as
much as they are cavorting on the dance floor. The world-famous theme parks
provide a backdrop for the parties and offer a chance to ride the rides in a
dizzying state as well as experience one of the largest fireworks displays at any
Circuit event.
The after-hours starts early because of the early closing times of the theme parks
and is always done correctly. Landing a gig at one of the Magic Journeys afterhours is a validation that a DJ has reached the pinnacle of the Circuit scene.
There are 135,000+ gays and lesbians in the city and all are looking to fill their
itineraries with fun, fun, fun! It’s no wonder this weekend has become the
biggest, brightest, loudest, most action-packed weekend on the Circuit.
Info: www.onemightyweekend.com | www.gaydays.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
SUMMER AT THE
DUNES RESORT
Night:
May 27
May 28 & July 1
July 2
July 3
July 22
July 29
August 19
September 2
September 3
May - September, 2006
SAUGATUCK, MICHIGAN
DJs:
Brett Henrichsen
Lydia Prim
Tony Moran
Tracy Young
Wendy Hunt
Pride
Manny Lehman
David Knapp
Kimberly S
Venue:
All events held at
The Dunes Resort
They don't call it "Fire Island West" for nothing, you know! For over 25 years,
The Dunes Resort has provided a simple, comfortable place for gays and lesbians
to escape the doldrums of Middle America. Now crowned the largest gay resort
and entertainment complex in the Midwest, The Dunes is heralded as western
Michigan’s premier gay and lesbian vacation destination and a pinnacle of the
gay Saugatuck-Douglas community, which flourishes here during the summer
months.
Info: www.dunesresort.com
SUMMER IN ALASKA
CRUISE
Night:
June 4 - 11, 2006
VANCOUVER, CANADA
DJs:
Susan Morabito,
Wayne G, Warren Gluck
Venue:
Everyone pictures these cruises the same way — an acre of deck chairs full of
oiled-up studs parked off some Caribbean or Mediterranean city, getting a tan.
Well, for something completely different, sail with Atlantis from Vancouver into
the glacial heart of the majestic 49th state. One thing can be said of all cruises
— being aboard a ship provides a spectacular ever-changing vista of the part of
the world you’re visiting, and it’s no different here. Alaska is best experienced
from the sea, and there’s no better way to sail than onboard Celebrity’s luxurious
Infinity, which was voted the world’s best cruise ship among all large ships in
Condé Nast Traveler’s 2005 Readers’ Poll. Who says you can’t have a tea dance
at the foot of a glacier? At night, Atlantis turns the Infinity’s nightclub into
Alaska’s biggest dance club with state-of-the-art lighting, lasers, and sound. And
when you’re not partying, take advantage of some of the breathtakingly different
adventures available here — watch whales from a water jet-powered catamaran;
race on a dogsled across a glacier; or visit the town of Sitka with its onion-domed
church and realize you’re in what used to be part of Czarist Russia.
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
PRIDE
LOS ANGELES
June 9 - 11, 2006
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Night:
Saturday Wonderland
DJs:
Manny Lehman, Tony
Moran
Venue:
Paramount Studios
Sunday
Phil B., Brett Henrichsen,
Scotty K
Avalon
Every year, West Hollywood’s Boys Town rolls out the welcome mat for half a
million visitors to pack the roped-off streets. After watching the annual Pride
parade and entering drawings to win free porn or a new car, you can dance
the days and nights away with the disco boys, cowboys, and Latin boys. The
Christopher Street West festival has a little something for everyone. You might
find yourself at a party in the middle of one of L.A.’s most abundant natural
resources — a movie studio. Hollywood is at its best when the sets are dressed
and the cameras are rolling. Party on a backlot where it’s hard to figure out what’s
real and what’s staged. Why do I recognize that building? Was it in a movie?
That guy — did I do him or was that George Clooney? Gay Pride will keep you
busy in West Hollywood, but if you’re looking for the men you may want to take
a little side trip east to Silverlake, where pride also flourishes and gay men who
don’t own boys’ white tank tops or undersized blue jeans sit at funky café’s, sip
espresso and talk about art…. and George Clooney.
Info: www.tomwhitmanpresents.com
www.johnbradypresents.com | www.lapride.org
PRISM TORONTO
PRIDE
June 22 - 25, 2006
TORONTO, CANADA
Night:
Thursday
Friday
DJs:
Venue:
Fly
Kool Haus
Saturday Afternoon
The Docks
Saturday Night City of Babylon
Cesar Murillo, Stefane
Lippe, Gilles Jr.
Tony Moran, Manny
Lehman
Sunday Revival
Peter Rauhofer, Shawn
Riker, Sydney Blu
The Guvernment
Rosabel
Kool Haus
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
Prism Weekend returns to Toronto as the city celebrates one of the largest
Pride Weeks in the world. Toronto has the largest gay population in Canada
(according to Toronto, but try telling that to Montréal and she’ll bitch-slap you
hard enough to knock your Mystic Tan right off). Canadian queer politics aside,
Toronto is the perfect place to celebrate Pride – the boys are hot and friendly,
their beer is better than ours, and their money has a beaver on it (uh, yeah, the
kind that builds dams). With Toronto’s bounty of theatre, attractions, museums,
art galleries, theme parks, markets, and even their very own islands, there’s
plenty of inspiration for your personal Toronto itinerary apart from expressin’ your
Pride. After the famous million-person-plus parade on Sunday, you can end your
weekend perfectly with The Guvernment’s world-famous sound system at Revival.
And be sure to stop by and visit our buddies at Woody's where you’ll find the
city’s hottest and friendliest bartenders and dancers.
Info: www.prismtoronto.com | www.pridetoronto.com
June 23 - 25, 2006
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
GAY PRIDE NYC
Night:
Friday ICON
DJs:
Alyson Calagna
Venue:
Octagon
NRG
Roland Belmares,
Tony Moran
Pacha
Sunday Dance on the Pier
DeMarko,
Susan Morabito
Pier 54 Westside Hwy
Hudson River Park
Sunday Alegria Pride
Rosabel (Ralphi Rosario
& Abel)
Crobar
It’s the mother of all Pride festivals — and not just because you can cover yourself
head to toe in rainbow-themed baubles, grab your lover’s hand, and raise a
toast right there on the steps of where it all happened. Pride usually falls right
into that gap in the weather where it’s warm, but not so hot that to deal with the
Gallery of Foul Smells you have to pretend it’s Christo’s latest life-size interactive
art installation. It’s always a good idea to start your New York weekend fishing
the teeming waters at g lounge and Splash (if you can’t get laid in New York,
you’re obviously dead from the ankles up). Friday night brings two new events
to NYC Pride, ICON’s “Bring Back the Joy” at Octagon, and Ric Sena’s NRG
at Pacha. Then there is, of course, the venerable Pier Dance out on the water
with the New York skyline as the backdrop. This event provides the backbone
of the funds that produce the rest of Pride Week events. This party also has the
reputation for being the place where the Whitney Houston’s of the world just
show up and perform a few numbers. Finally, it wouldn’t be a holiday weekend
in New York (yeah, Pride is indeed a holiday) without an Alegria. So if you’re in
town for the parties, be sure to save some energy for the biggest, sexiest party of
the weekend.
Info:
www.nycpride.org | www.splashbar.com | www.glounge.com
www.alegriaevents.com | www.iconparties.com | www.hopinc.org
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
June 23 - 25, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
PRIDE SAN FRANCISCO
Every year at the beginning of June, 500 rainbow flags are hoisted the length
of Market Street as San Francisco explodes with queerness. For a city known
as "Gay Mecca" the other eleven months of the year, June is Queer Heaven.
Frameline (the International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival), the National Queer
Arts Festival, the Transgender March, the Dyke March, and Pink Saturday are just
a few of the major events that take place in San Francisco during the month of
June. The energy reaches a crescendo the last weekend in June with the official
SF Pride Celebration. On Saturday afternoon, the crowds begin to revel among
the vendors, artists, performers, and musicians. The next morning, the roar
of 500 motorcycles heralds the start of the Pride Parade, a dazzling cavalcade
of diversity. The streets are lined 12 deep and 3 high as the crowds cheer the
contingents on. There are always special events at Mezzanine and large-scale
events produced by San Francisco’s most famous party promoter, Gus. And, for
a really special treat, don’t miss the Sunday afternoon tea dance, Fresh, at Ruby
Skye.
Info: www.guspresents.com | www.mezzaninesf.com | www.sfpride.org
June 30 - July 2, 2006
LONDON, ENGLAND
EUROPRIDE
Each year the European Pride Organizers Association grants the EuroPride license
to a different Pride event. Since 1992, EuroPride has been the premier gay event
in Europe attracting millions of visitors from all over the world. Not only is the
title economically valuable, but it also gives the winning city an opportunity to
promote itself as a gay-friendly destination. The Festival runs for two weeks with
the aim of showcasing LGBT artists and sports groups, while also fundraising for
charity. And, of course, a party always follows in the wake of any gay event this
large.
Info: www.pridelondon.org
4TH OF JULY WEEK
Night:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
June 30 - July 4, 2006
FIRE ISLAND PINES, NEW YORK
DJs:
Brenda Black
Billy Steele
Super Dave
Brett Henrichsen
Randy Bettis
Eddie Elias
Venue:
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Info: www.thepinesfireisland.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
July 1 - 7, 2006
PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS
FOURTH OF JULY
Night:
Saturday Summer Camp "Take
Flight"
DJs:
Venue:
Tony Moran
Cape Air Hangar @ Ptown
Municipal Airport
Liberty Pier Dance
Richie Ladue
MacMillan Pier
Independence
Susan Morabito
Paramount
Sunday - Summer Camp
5th Annual Pier Dance
Brett Henrichsen
MacMillan Pier
Independence
Chus & Ceballos
Paramount
Monday - Summer Camp Manny Lehman
Late Night Boat Party
Provincetown II Ferry
Independence Sunset
Boat Cruise
Warren Gluck
Frederick Nolan
Tuesday Summer Camp 6th
Annual Sunset Boat
Cruise
Chris Racine
Wave Bar
David Knapp
Provincetown II Ferry
Independence
Joe Gauthreaux
Paramount
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Tracy Young
Adien
Luke Johnstone,
Wayne G.
Paramount
Paramount
Paramount
While this quaint village at the tip of Cape Cod has long been known for its
seasonal queer tenants, for a long time it wasn’t really known as a party town
because of its early closing hours and strictly enforced noise ordinances that
effectively prevent anything but early partying. So it’s quite shocking for P-town
to now be hosting seven days of full-on dance parties, making it one of the
longest continual party events on the Circuit. To thwart the draconian party laws,
several parties take place on boat cruises out on the bay. Surrounded by water,
with the stars overhead, these events are quite magical. On July 4th, you can
even enjoy the fireworks while never missing a beat on the on-deck dance floor.
Two different promoter groups are presenting this year’s events. David Flower
Productions is the original producer that created the original Summer Camp
series of parties that defined this weekend as a Circuit destination. Another
group of parties, known as Independence, is centered around the Crown &
Anchor Entertainment complex, which is the space where it all began. Both
groups are offering boat cruises, pier dances, and the more traditional danceparty-in-a-room, with most all of the Circuit’s top DJ talent present and accounted
for. The hardest part is going to be figuring out where to go.
Info: www.davidflower.com | www.onlyatthecrown.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
July 14 - 16, 2006
TORONTO, CANADA
FOLSOM FAIR NORTH
Night:
Saturday Agitator
Sunday Agitator Main Event
DJs:
Venue:
Woody's
Chester Wong
The Opera House
The world’s sexiest and hottest leather and fetish lovers gather in Toronto for
Folsom Fair North. The weekend features some great venues like the famous
leather party at the Opera House. No doubt, it’s a tradition that has the San
Francisco leather-Opera set just green with envy. Allan Gardens, a beautiful
historic park in downtown Toronto only one block away from the Gay Village,
is another great party site. The afternoon event here features booths with
non-profits, artists, exhibitors, and vendors in the Folsom Marketplace. The
entertainment stage and the beer garden let you experience unique bands,
musical acts, kinky performances, and lots more. The event raises funds for The
AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT).
Info: www.folsomfairnorth.com
July 15 - 22, 2006
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
GAY GAMES
Night:
Friday - Opening
Saturday - Closing
DJs:
Brett Henrichsen
Manny Lehman
Venue:
Aragon Ballroom
Aragon Ballroom
The Gay Games Sports and Cultural Festival returns to the US this year – with
the Midwest playing host for the first time in the long history of the Games. You
want gay sports? They've got badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling,
cycling, dance sport, darts, diving, figure skating, football, golf, ice hockey,
martial arts, swimming, physique (see you at that one, uh-huh), pool/billiards, and
on and on and on (seriously, name any sport that doesn’t involve snow-covered
mountains and the Gay Games is doing it ). The Gay Games expo promises an
arts festival, benefits, and music events. Brett Henrichsen and Atlantis join forces
to bring you the open and closing dance parties, which are sure to be over-thetop. Undoubtedly, the gay clubs and the infamous sauna of Boys Town will be
ready to entertain athletes and spectators alike every night of the Gay Games.
Info: www.chicago2006.org | www.openingclosing.com
July 24 - 30, 2006
SHANNON, IRELAND
RSVP IRELAND TOUR
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
There is no better way to experience the beauty of Ireland than with RSVP’s allgay tour. Enchanting Ireland resonates with a rich history, proud people, and
breathtaking landscapes. Magical settings unfold that will never be forgotten
- Medieval castles, small villages, and lush green forests. The tour begins in
Shannon and then on to Bunratty, Adare, Killarney, Blarney, Cashel, Kilkenny and
Dublin - all experienced with the convenience of a cruise.
Info: www.rsvpvacations.com
July 28 - 30, 2006
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
SAN DIEGO PRIDE
Night:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday Afterhours
DJs:
Joe Gauthreaux
Brett Henrichsen
Manny Lehman
Phil B & Tony Moran
Rosabel (Abel & Ralphi
Rosario)
Venue:
California Spirit Boat
4th & B
San Diego Sports Arena
San Diego Zoo
4th & B
This weekend is on the Circuit map because of the unique and very festive event
that takes place at the San Diego Zoo as part of the Pride celebration. This outdoor
event, at a time of year that almost always provides a picture postcard sunny day,
is well worth exploring. It's always a cute, fun crowd with some dressing in zooanimal-themed costumes. A host of other dance parties has grown up around this
signature event to makie it into a full weekend calendar.
Info: www.sdpride.org | www.powerhouse-productions.com
July 29, 2006
FIRE ISLAND PINES, NEW YORK
PINES PARTY
Night:
Friday - Tea Dance
Pavilion
Saturday Tea
Saturday
Sunday
DJs:
Brenda Black
Eddie Baez
Super Dave
David Knapp & Roland
Belmares
Brenda Black
Venue:
Blue Whale
Pavilion
Blue Whale
On the beach
Blue Whale
In the old days, Fire Island was considered the home of pirates and smugglers.
That is until Oscar Wilde stayed there in 1882 and declared it to be one of
the most beautiful places he’d ever visited. It could be said that the fabulous
19th Century author really started something. On this weekend, this tranquil
beach resort starts sparking as the Fire Island Pines Property Owners and The
Impression Group South create the wonder and marvel of Pines Party. This
annual themed fundraiser gives everyone the chance to sparkle and shine. Set
on the spectacular beach of Fire Island Pines, this all-night party is an extraamazing night of dancing, entertainment, celebrity appearances, gambling, and
libations, with endless surprises and visual displays till daybreak.
Info: www.thepinesfireisland.com | www.pinesparty.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
July 28 - August 7, 2006
MONTREAL, CANADA
WORLD OUTGAMES
The BBCM is organizing the official parties for the 1st World Outgames taking
place in Montreal this summer. Make sure you log on the BBCM web site to find
out about the latest info concerning these very special events. The three events
are: the VIP Welcome Gala MIND, Friday July 28 at Metropolis; the Opening
Party BODY, Saturday, July 29 at Metropolis, and the Closing Party SOUL, Friday,
August 4 at Palais des congrès de Montréal (Montreal’s Convention Centre).
These events will be followed by the TWIST Weekend, from August 3 to 7.
Info: www.bbcm.org
August 2 - 6, 2006
BARCELONA, SPAIN
LOVE BALL
This new Euro-event is taking the continent by storm. The first one occurred last
November in Brussels and it reportedly drew 15,000 gay clubbers for a weekend
of six parties. The party moves to Barcelona, the capital of the Mediterranean
basin, for its next instalation. Bacelona has become one of Europe’s party hot
spots, so it is no accident that this is the second stop for this event. Produced
in a collabortive effort between Mundofuturo and Helice Management, you can
expect top-notch production values and plenty of hunky guys from every major
city in Europe.
Info: www.loveball.info/2006.html
August 4 - 7, 2006
VANCOUVER, CANADA
RAPTURE PRIDE
Night:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday Morning
DJs:
Brian Gorr
Stephan Grondin
Kio Kio
Eddie X
Venue:
Scotia Bank Dance Center
Commodore Ballroom
Commodore Ballroom
Gorg-o-mish
The largest gay population in Western Canada lives in this ocean-wrapped and
snow-capped city. Vancouver’s gay community is centered around two distinctly
different neighborhoods - the West End/Davie Village and Commercial Drive,
both of which enjoy a wide variety of restaurants, coffee shops, nightclubs and
boutiques catering to gays and lesbians. The big late-night dance parties of this
weekend are thrown by a group known as the ToyBoxBoys Team. They bring in
top name DJs, create stunning visuals, and showcase great performances. This
Vancouver weekend is known for hosting a big influx of the kind of sexy men that
are drawn to one of the gay capitals of the Pacific Northwest.
Info: www.rapturevancouver.com
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
August 5 - 6, 2006
AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS
GAY PRIDE
Night:
Saturday
DJs:
Glaucio Duarte & Paul
Heron
Venue:
Powerzone
This festival has become known for its unique Pride parade on the Amsterdam
canals, featuring more than one hundred of the most outrageous floats and over
a half million spectators. For this Amsterdam holiday, parts of the city turn into
one big open-air club where you can drink your beer or smoke your joint on every
corner! There are lots of great events, including a Sunday tea dance cruise, a
white party and after-hours events all weekend long. Special mention should be
made of Friday night’s post Salvation party – an after-party at the Thermos Day
Sauna with the only dance floor where you’ll find hundreds of horny guys dancing
in towels. How convenient! Robert Riedijk and Joystick produce the best largescale dance events over the weekend.
Info: w w w . w h i t e p a r t y. n l
| w w w. j o y s t i c k - a m s t e r d a m . c o m
www.clubrapido.com | www.salvation-amsterdam.nl
August 19 - 20, 2006
FIRE ISLAND PINES, NEW YORK
ASCENSION
Night:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
DJs:
Wendy Hunt
Phil B.
Brett Henrichsen
Tony Moran
Venue:
Pavilion
Pavilion
On the beach
Pavilion
Ascension, a daytime beach party, is the newest happening on Fire Island. Sundrenched sand, a cool ocean breeze, and scintillating music will lift your spirits.
Other events include a VIP Cocktail Party, the Aqua pool party and a Saturday
night reception celebration, all featuring world-renowned DJs and entertainers.
The main event is held on Sunday against the stunning backdrop of one of the
most beautiful residential beach properties in the world. A large dance floor,
complete with luxury cabanas, is created on the sands of this world-famous
destination. Proceeds from Ascension benefit the National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, and The Fund in the Sun Foundation.
Info: www.ascensionparty.com
THE MORNING
PARTY
Night:
Sunday
August 20, 2006
LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA
DJs:
Kimberly S.
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Venue:
West Street Beach
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
It's one of the most stunning locales for a party - right there next to the crashing
surf on West Street Beach in Laguna. It's always a perfect Sunday afternoon with
top DJs skilled at delivering their beats against the roar of the magnificent Pacific
Ocean. The ocean in Laguna is warm enough to jump in, take a swim, cool-off,
and return to the celebration. No one is ever in any mood to run right home,
so all the boys from the party (the entire, sand-coated lot of them) adjourn to
the Boom Boom Room for margaritas and more dancing to the sounds of more
A-list DJs. Host hotel is the Coast Inn, the West Coast's only oceanfront gay
resort which is located right upstairs from the Boom Boom Room. How very
convenient!
Info: www.willgorges.com
SOUTHERN
DECADENCE
August 30 - September 4, 2006
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
When you think you're an experienced, well-traveled partier, with all your hardearned, world-weary ways, and think you've seen it all, along comes Southern
Decadence to show you that you haven't even been looking at the right map.
Southern Decadence started thirty-five years ago as a simple going-away party.
As is so often the case with these things, the actual facts surrounding the party's
inception seem dubious. One can be reasonably certain of at least one thing
- one lovely autumn morning, in or around 1972, something happened, and
mayhem ensued. This occasion is now observed annually with more mayhem, a
parade, costumes, noisemakers, drinking, dancing, and decadence in abundance
everywhere (and right out in broad daylight!) The highlight of this gay Mardi Gras
is the decadent costumes that throng the gay French Quarter on Decadence
Sunday. And as always you can view the street level mayhem best from the
balconies of Oz and The Bourbon Pub and Parade. These establishments also
host the best dance parties and DJ talent.
Info: www.southerndecadence.net | www.ozneworleans.com
September 3, 2006
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
ALEGRIA
All those hot summer months of sun and faithfully going to the gym have paid
off. Everybody's sporting that golden glow, and the amount of rippling muscles
at an Alegria event is enough to constitute a bodybuilding convention. Anyone
who's not on Fire Island this weekend will be at Crobar, sweating and sparkling
with New York's finest partiers at New York's sexiest party. Be sure to include in
your weekend a visit to our friends at g lounge and Splash.
Info: www.alegriaevents.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
September 24, 2006
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
FOLSOM STREET FAIR
Night:
Saturday
Sunday Morning
DJs:
Joe Gauthreaux
Abel
Venue:
Gift Center Loading Docks
715 Harrison @ 3rd
This is a weekend where "formal dress" on an invitation usually means "Don't
chicken out and wear Levi's underneath. Buttless chaps are that way for a
reason!" No surprise, then, that San Francisco pulls together the hottest leather
festival anywhere, as nearly half a million woofy leathermen and their fans
descend on this city, all looking to scratch that one particular itch. The Folsom
Street Fair takes place during San Francisco's Leather Pride Week - eight days
of leather at the end of September. This is a week’s worth of intense activity,
with the Folsom Street Fair being the crowning finale to a festive time! The
fairgrounds of this outrageous street festival are filled with people in their
most outrageous leather/rubber/fetish attire, with full frontal perfectly passé.
Donations at the gates and proceeds from beverage purchases benefit local
charities. And, of course, a weekend like this attracts some hot and heavy dance
parties as well – the classic benefits of this weekend being Magnitude and Real
Bad.
Info: www.folsomstreetevents.org/magnitude | www.jito.com
October, 2006
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
SLEAZE PARTY
Just when summer is officially over for us, it’s already spring in Sydney. So if
you’re just not ready for summer to end right when your abs number six and
you’ve got the whole Mystic Tan schedule thing nailed, it doesn’t have to.
Summer Down Under! Everybody knows about Sydney Mardi Gras, but the truly
discriminating party boy ready to play with his kinky side heads to Sleaze every
year. Since first appearing in 1982, it's one of the longest-running events in the
world. Today it serves as the major fundraiser for the Mardi Gras season. A hot
new sleazy theme each year inspires costumes while the shows and lighting will
take your breath away.
Info: www.mardigras.org.au
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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SUMMER CIRCUIT 2006
BLACK & BLUE
FESTIVAL
October 4 - 10, 2006
MONTRÉAL, CANADA
The Black & Blue Festival is one of the best and biggest events of its type on the
planet, and has gained a solid reputation worldwide. It features a whole week
of activities ranging from art exhibits, movie screenings, and athletic events, to
the famous dance parties. It is all crowned by the magnificent Black & Blue main
event on Sunday night. The crowd at the main event is mixed, as thousands of
our straight brethren join us in celebration, fostering a kind of cultural interchange
that is unique to the Circuit. This party has earned a reputation for breaking new
ground in the gay party world by hiring DJs and drawing a crowd to which we're
not ordinarily exposed. The parties the rest of the weekend are, of course, good
old back-to-basics Circuit parties. Montréal has some world-class clubs, and this
week they're packed full of hot guys from all over North America and Europe.
World-class events include the Leather Ball, Military Ball, and the ever-popular
Recovery Party on Monday night.
Info: www.bbcm.org
October 20, 2006
BERLIN, GERMANY
HUSTLABALL
The HustlaBall is a world of hustlers, hookers, pimps, streetwalkers, fleshpeddlers, porn stars and other scandalous sorts. The HustlaBall has changed the
playing field for event parties by using this kind of a theme and, by all reports,
the formula is attracting hot crowds. The parties feature a cast of characters and
performers in unbelievable fetish acts. There are club-transforming installations,
and cutting edge lighting and atmosphere. Some of the world’s best DJs will
be gracing the steel wheels at the HustlaBall events. Watch for this event to go
nationwide.
Info: www.hustlaball.com | www.lapaloma-bcn.com
October 30, 2006
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
ALEGRIA HALLOWEEN
Most of the buff boys of Alegria won't be dressed up for this gay holiday, they'll
be sporting those fabulous physiques that they work so hard on. But you won't
care - there are tricks and treats aplenty at Ric Sena's wildly popular Crobar event.
Don’t forget to visit Splash Bar and g lounge to get your weekend started.
Info: www.alegriaevents.com
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The best time to visit Montréal is during the summer. The months of July
and August are very festive because the warm weather that they bring
floods the streets of this city with people on bicycles and blades and
others just out exploring this city’s unique architectural style. Montréalers
appreciate this weather more than most since they spend so much of
their year in the cold.
There is a gigantic summer music celebration every year that draws
visitors of all types. There are ten outdoor stages that feature more than
350 free concerts. Known primarily as a jazz festival, there are many
other musical styles featured as well, such as Latin jazz, Brazilian, Cuban,
African, reggae, blues, contemporary, and electronic music.
See www.montrealjazzfest.com for more information.
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Making a trek to Montréal for Black
& Blue is almost like the Circuit boy
equivalent of a pilgrimage to Mecca,
so many of us have experienced
this city on a party weekend. Even
on non-party weekends, Montréal
boasts a vibrant nightlife and charms
that extend well beyond the club
scene.
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During the winter, you can avoid
much of the cold outdoor weather by
exploring the famous underground
city. This vast network of pedestrian
walkways extends for 20 miles
beneath the city and connects the
métro (subway) commuter trains
with theatres, cinemas, restaurants,
attractions and museums. The High
Lights Festival in February features
flavors, colors, artistic creations and
luminous experiences, offered up
by the city's best chefs, artists, and
lighting specialists, who create a
winter wonderland space in the very
heart of Montréal. Most importantly,
Montréal proves the adage of a
cold city being full of boys seeking
warmth.
5
Two of the more interesting of the
many museums are The Montréal
Museum of Fine Arts with its
collection of Renaissance through
contemporary decorative art and
the Musée d'art Contemporain
de Montréal, which is devoted
exclusively to contemporary art.
The Notre-Dame Basilica is a church
come cathedral, a masterpiece of
Gothic Revival architecture with a
magnificent interior sculpted in
wood, paint and gold leaf. The
Old Port of Montréal is worth a
visit on a warm afternoon, with a
large recreation park where you can
rent blades or bikes to use on the
extensive trails that run along the
Saint Lawrence River and its canals.
Mount Royal Park, on the hill at the
center of the city, was planned by
Frederick Law Olmsted, the highly
skilled designer behind New York's
Central Park, and features hiking and
biking trails.
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The Montréal club scene remains
one of the most vibrant in North
America with big name DJs
appearing almost weekly. Clubs
that serve alcohol close at three,
but the after-hours clubs on the
weekends are most interesting to a
Circuit clientele. The most popular
after-hours is Stereo Nightclub
which features one of the best
sound systems in the world. Here
you will find a mix of gay boys with
beautiful, gay-friendly, straight boys.
Circus is another after-hours in the
village that is starting to get more
of a gay following, especially when
they book DJs that are known in the
community. Popular clubs earlier
in the evening include Parking and
Club Unity II. The younger crowd is
more into intimate settings, fueling
a new trend of small clubs that feel
almost like you’re in an apartment
with your friends. The most popular
of these chic new hangouts often
come with a line at the door.
The gay village is primarily on
Sainte-Catherine between Berri and
de Lorimier. There are numerous
bars, restaurants, strip clubs,
clothing shops, bathhouses and
dance establishments. Just walking
through the village is entertainment
in its own right. The strip clubs are
especially fun for many Americans
as the boys strip all the way to nude.
The Oasis sauna is as festive and
infamous as the baths in any Frenchspeaking city.
7
Every weekend, starting in mid-June
through the end of August, Montréal
features one of the world’s most aweinspiring fireworks displays. Teams of
pyrotechnicians from nine different
countries compete each consecutive
week as part of the International
Fireworks Competition. With each
performance synchronized to music,
these fireworks displays are really a
special treat.
See www.internationaldesfeuxlotoquebec.com for more information.
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8
Several other events take place in
Montréal throughout the year.
Besides the Black & Blue Festival,
the BBCM Foundation produces four
other very popular annual weekends
of events: Bal des Boys to celebrate
New Year’s, the Red Party Weekend
to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the Hot
& Dry Weekend in May (Canadian
Victoria Day, one weekend before
Memorial Day), and the Twist
weekend in August during the Gay
Pride festivities. In the summer
of 2006, Montréal will be busier
than ever hosting the first World
Outgames (July 29 to August 6). For
this huge sports and cultural event,
the BBCM will produce Mind, Body
& Soul, which includes the Official
Opening Dance Party on Saturday,
July 29, at Club Metropolis as well
as the mega all-night closing party at
the Montréal Convention Centre on
Friday, August 4.
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The Black & Blue Festival is the
largest party weekend in Montréal.
Presented by the BBCM (Bad Boy
Club Montréal) Foundation every
October over Canadian Thanksgiving
and American Columbus Day
weekend, the proceeds are donated
t o d i re c t A I D S c a re a n d g a y
community support. The BBCM
produces this major 7-day festival
held in various locations throughout
Montréal, attracting over 85,000
participants. In addition to the
parties, the week includes a variety
of events such as an art exhibition,
sports activities, live performances,
cultural events, brunches, and a VIP
dinner. The crowning event is the
incredible all-night Black & Blue
party. The title of this year’s event
is the “Supersonic Ball” with the
center field of the Montréal Olympic
Stadium being converted into a retrofuturistic skyport for the occasion.
This event is the largest all-night
multimedia show and dance party in
the world in one single indoor venue.
The production values of this event
are second to none, and often break
new ground in the field.
n
Montréal skyline from the Old Port
o
Black & Blue, Main Event
p
Montréal skyline from the Old Port
q
McGill University, Royal Victoria Hospital
and Mount Royal
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
© Circuit Noize Magazine, LLC
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
r
Christ Church Cathedral and Place de la
Cathédrale building
© Canadian Tourism Commission,
Pierre St-Jacques
s
Terrace on Place Jacques-Cartier
Old Montréal
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
t
Montréal architectural style
u
Outdoor staircases
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
© Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin
Noize
the world’s largest gay benefit party week!
"BBCM AIRLINES"
PRESENTS
Supersonic
MAIN EVENT @ BLACK & BLUE INTERNATIONAL SKYPORT*
SUNDAY OCT. 8TH 2006 Artistic Direction : Jean-Pierre Pérusse
* Montreal Olympic Stadium - Spectacular centre field
BLACK & BLUE 2006 FESTIVAL,
50 EVENTS INCLUDING:
JOCK BALL, LEATHER BALL,
MILITARY BALL,
RECOVERY PARTY
PASSES ON SALE: www.ticketpro.ca INFO: www.bbcm.org
REDUCED PRICES FOR A LIMITED TIME
GOVERNMENT PARTNERS
GRAND
ALL
PROCEEDS
TO:
GRAND
WWW.AIRCANADA.COM
MAJOR
ASSOCIATE
FOR THE FIGHT
AGAINST HIV/AIDS
AND FOR GAY
COMMUNITY
GROUPS
Photo: Hrant Boghossian - b514.com
UPCOMING EVENTS
HOT&DRY WEEKEND : MAY 18-22
HOT&DRY PARTY MAY 20
METROPOLIS 10PM-10AM
FRESH RECOVERY MAY 21
STEREO 11PM-OPEN END
NEILL
MACLEOD
TORONTO / MONTREAL
XL
STEREO RESIDENT/ MONTREAL
ANDY MORRIS
PETE
HELLER
PHELA RECORDS / JBO / UK
www.neillmacleod.com
www.xlmtl.com
NARCOTIC THRUST / MINISTRY OF SOUND RADIO
www.elitemm.co.uk
MARK ANTHONY
www.peteheller.com
AND MANY MORE ACTIVITIES!
MARK ANTHONY MUSIC / RED LITE
www.montreal2006.org - www.bbcm.org
1st World Outgames
Official Parties
«MIND» Welcome VIP Gala - July 28 Club Metropolis
«BODY» Opening Dance Party - July 29 Club Metropolis
«SOUL» Mega Closing Party - August 4 Palais des congrès
DJs : Abel - Mark Anthony - Michael Kaiser - Paulette
(as of April 6)
JULY 30 - AUGUST 7
CELEBRATE!
TWIST PARTY
SATURDAY AUG. 5
CLUB METROPOLIS
GUEST DJs
TWIST ENCORE
SUNDAY AUG. 6
CLUB STEREO
GUEST DJs
GAY DAY
AT THE BEACH
SATURDAY AUG. 5
PARC
JEAN-DRAPEAU
AND MANY MORE ACTIVITIES!
PASSES FOR ALL OF THESE EVENTS
NOW ON SALE:
www.bbcm.org & www.ticketpro.ca
Bad Boy Club, Hot & Dry and Black & BLue are registered trademarks of the BBCM Foundation, Montreal, Canada. Photo: Hrant Boghossian - b514.com
Promoter Spotlight:
Robert Vezina
newspaper’s Christmas Fund raising
funds for underprivileged families. Then
I got a special events consulting job
at a leading PR firm in the city, where I
organized many large-scale corporate
and government VIP launches and
inaugurations for a variety of projects.
The Black & Blue is obviously your
crowning achievement. Its production
values are second to none. Tell us
about the first Black & Blue. How
did it evolve into such a powerhouse
production?
The first Black & Blue in 1991 was a
private invitation-only affair for some 600
of our ‘friends’ from Montréal, Toronto,
Boston and New York. It was started
by me and Christian Beaudry, the CoChair of the event who also became
my best friend. We decided from the
start that any proceeds from the event
would be given to fight against HIV/
AIDS in terms of direct care for people
living with the disease. We organized
a committee of key gay people in the
city and we decided to call it Black &
Blue as an event dress code (blue being
the typical color of the French). The
next year, in 1992, we decided to make
it a public event by selling tickets and
by associating the party with The Saint
at Large of New York, and by getting
our first US media partners like Genre
and HX. That’s when it really started
to get big, with 3500 people packed
in Club Metropolis for one single all-
Tell us about the beginning of
your career as a promoter. When,
how, and why did you start
producing parties?
I guess as far back as primary
school, I have always thrown
parties, and they were always seen
as not-to-be-missed events! As
class president in high school, my
nickname was ‘Mr. Party’. When
I reached university, I became a
well-known social event planner,
for example as President of the
Junior Associates of the Montréal
Museum of Fine Arts, or as CoChair of the Christmas Extravaganza
for elite Montréal young adults
in support of The Gazette
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night event. Christian died in July
1994 but I decided to continue the
event and expand it to make it a
weeklong festival with a variety of
events, sponsors, media partners,
and government subsidies. Our
committee expanded at that point
and we decided to make sure the
events would be more than just
most effective of gay volunteer
organizations. In fact, many of those
organizations that were closest to
you in terms of history and size have
imploded in the last few years. You
have a huge number of volunteers
that you use to produce your events.
What is your secret for holding
together such an extensive, unpaid
work force?
The key point here in Montréal is that
we have been able to attract hundreds
of volunteers not only from the gay
community but also from the gayfriendly community who are also big
fans of our events. I would say that our
key committee composed of 50 team
‘dance parties’, major interactive
and artistic events that would
attempt to dazzle our clientele
from Montréal as well as from all
over the world. I think it is the
union of all these elements that
have contributed to making the
Black & Blue such a powerhouse
production.
The Bad Boy Club Montréal
(BBCM) is the largest and
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leaders is mostly gay, but that many
regular volunteers are straight. For
example, the numerous volunteers
helping out in the set-up at the
Olympic Stadium are mostly young
gay-friendly ‘ravers’ who want a
free ticket to the event in exchange
for their time.
One of the things that you've
really achieved well beyond any
other promoter is your connection
to the local gover nment in
Montréal. The city is really a big
sponsor for some of your events,
right? Tell us the story of how
this was made possible.
certain government officials, but when
they saw our smooth organization, our
prevention campaign, as well as the
size of the events bringing in millions of
dollars to the city, it became easier to
deal with them.
Actually, the first organization that
really helped us with a subsidy
was Tourism Québec, a Québec
government Ministry. Tourism
Montréal then became our major
government subsidy. Tourism
Montréal is a para-municipal
body (funded by all three levels
of government), and they decided
to market heavily the gay identity
of Montréal abroad. Black & Blue
fit perfectly with this strategy.
Afterwards, in the late 90s, we were
able to secure a bigger grant from
the Ministry of Municipal Affairs of
Québec with their festival support
program. Black & Blue became
one of the top festivals in the city
in terms of tourism spin-offs. It
was difficult at first to establish
the Black & Blue as a real festival
because of the perception of our
events as ‘all night gay parties with
recreational drug consumption’ by
Is there anything we should know
about new developments or plans in
your future?
Well, 2006 will by a big year for us at
the BBCM Foundation because we have
to organize not only the Black & Blue
but also the official major parties of
the World Outgames this summer. In
2007 and beyond, we want to continue
presenting the BBCM official annual
events with innovative ideas, new
venues if possible, and great themes
(Bal des Boys for New Year’s, Red for
Valentine’s, Hot & Dry for Victoria
Holiday Weekend, Twist for Pride, and
of course Black & Blue). I have also
rejoined my PR firm and we have key
projects on the way where BBCM could
have a cool strategic role.
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"...allegedly there to look for
violations of the alcohol control
laws, they made the usual
homophobic comments and then,
after checking identification,
threw the patrons out of the bar,
one by one. Instead of quietly
slipping away into the night, as
we had done for years, hustlers,
drag queens, students and other
patrons held their ground and
fought back. Someone uprooted
a parking meter and used it to
barricade the door. The agents
and police were trapped inside.
They wrecked the place and
called in reinforcements. Their
vehicles raced to the scene with
lights glaring and sirens blaring.
The crowd grew. Someone set
a fire. More people came. For
three days, people protested.
And for the first time, after
innumerable years of oppression,
the chant, Gay Power, rang out."
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