Hey everyone, hot off the presses, we have this weekends edition of Club FG Internation w/ DJ Peter Rauhofer posted on the home page (almost as quick as it was aired!), as well as Part B to the multi-part MOIST entitled "Take Back The Circuit!"
MOIST.V.Apr.10.Pt.3
1. Erika Jayne - Pretty Mess (Tracy Young Club)
2. Soul Project Feat Lisa Hunt - Music Makes Me Free (Morris Corti Remix)
3. Robyn - Dancing On My Own (Chew Fu Extended Mix)
4. Christina Aguilera - Not Myself Tonight (toMOOSE Dirty Club Remix)
5. Rihanna - Rude Boy (Ranny and Bryan Reyes Club Mix)
6. Tocadisco & Nadia Ali - Better Run (Club Mix)
7. Sylvia Indeep vs. Gloria Estefan - Kiss My Salsa (DJ Seth Cooper's Private Mix)
8. Ralphi Rosario Feat. Abel - La Pachanga (Native Drums Mix)
9. Steve Aries Feat Lavoie - Dressed In White (Ana Paula Mix)
10. La Miss - Something I Should Know (Da Brozz Rmx)
11. Macy Gray - Beauty In The World (Ruff Loaderz Club Mix)
12. Longo & Wainwright - One Life Stand (Ian Carey Mix)*
An overdue edition of "The Verge" | Crossing Over is on deck, the playlist is already put together for the most part, and its going to be a HOT one! Those that prefer the deeeper and more tribal side of things have received the separate set devoted to that style, very well.
A follow up to my "take back the circuit" commentary from White Party week, for those who care to follow along is below. For those that don't, here's the TiVo button to go directly to the site.
http://circuitcadence.com
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To the point of that re-empowerment push, take a moment to reflect back on the roots of the circuit, as it relates to YOUR life. Gradual changes over time can blur the importance of things going on around us. Or exaggerate them. When I compare things, I actually don't see a dramatic shift. By in large I think the majority of the things I love about the circuit endure unscathed - music, friends, fun, leisure, community, travel, etc.
In fact, I actually came to the realization that a lot of the things I viewed as current "atrocities" taking place around the circuit, are really nothing more than meaningless and petty misunderstandings, gossip and/or ego/greed/insecurity issues. The sad part really becomes then, that just because its petty shit, it doesn't mean its impact is petty or insignificant. It sucks even more to think about events such as the Reunion Pool Parties not taking place, when it was that very event at the old Hilton way back when, that is a gay days institution. And for what?
***(rhetorical question, btw - a lot of people probably think they have an answer or a part of it, but far too much of it is probably circumstantial or incomplete, or otherwise overcomplicated to an irreconcilable extent, to ever hope to make sense of. this is one of those rare questions on the S.A.T. where the correct answer is "not enough information exists to determine the correct answer." far too many answers would lie in the honesty of people who, good or bad, probably haven't earned the benefit of the doubt to "take their word for it.")
Disney was doomed from the day of the "no compete" concept being entertained, but one would have hoped that at least someone who entered into the agreement could have had enough foresight to say: "Hmm. I wonder if monopolies and cartels are illegal in this country, and regulated heavily by powerful branches of federal government, because they might not always be good, or fair, or benevolent?" (which by the way they never are, but if you paint a small enough picture with enough short sightedness, it might be tempting).
Isn't a huge part of the genius in a capitalist economy, that the innovation and motivation inherent in a system where there are infinite potential rewards for working hard, and that he who is willing to work the hardest and the smartest and the longest, is deserving of said rewards? We all know someone who became something out of nothing and were able to do it because they were willing to bust their ass and work really hard to get it. We probably all know someone who sits on the couch everyday and complains about never winning the lottery, too. It doesn't even occur to them that a good start might be to buy a lottery ticket and to watch the results, it should just happen, and happen for them.
Gay Days exploded into the mega-circuit event that it did, because it was a heavily competitive climate, in a robust economic period for the world, and it was taking place in a town that is fueled by the tendency for people to over-indulge in leisure and luxury, and is essentially just an ongoing "who can build the best playground" contest. Fantastic events were taking place because they HAD to take place. Each promoter knew they needed to do everything possible, and everything had to go right, or they'd fail to survive. Each year had to build on the now newly set, higher expectation of the prior year, and the venues had to be better, shows more spectacular, music more groundbreaking.
The agreement obviously cost enough money to make it worth multiple promoters time to walk away for a couple of years, so are we shocked that then there wasn't really the investment in the end product that people had come to expect? Not only does a monopoly eliminate any incentive to "try" or improve anything, because why does it have to impress if you're already marketing something to people who have no alternative? But, even if a desire to impress exists, the money to execute it disappeared with the payoff.
Of course all of this took place publicly, but the party-goers who didn't like an event in a hotel ballroom didn't have anything to say about what led to that, until they were physically in the ballroom. As long as there was something that seemed remotely plausible, being offered as a rationale, the rationale need not even be listened to. I mean, who's really buying the whole split crowd dilemma, anyway? Many of the events were so over sold that they could no longer hope to resemble somewhere you could expect to be safe or comfortable. There was room for more than one event at a time, and the fact that there were options, was precisely why the weekend was so widely appealing. If someone was obsessed with Victor Calderone and their best friend was obsessed with Peter Rauhofer, they could actually enjoy a weekend where both of their desires are being catered to. I'm all for an event away from my hotel-mates by the time Sunday usually comes around, anyway.
The logistics and complication of tickets and coordinating with friends was more troublesome than dancing in a ballroom? In actuality, yet another strength of the weekend, is those very complications. Perhaps if god forbid the fab 5 be separated for an event, they might meet more new friends and have more new and fun experiences, than would have happened with all 5 standing hip to hip in a tight circle in the same spot of the dance floor, otherwise.
My point is twofold:
1
I've decided to postpone indefinitely the planned launch of circuitscandal.com, because I don't want to spend time or energy on negativity. I've learned some OUTRAGEOUS things about people many out there look up to, unknowingly, but unless me sharing it has a direct positive impact or prevents an imminent threat, its a distraction from more constructive tasks.
2
I picked up a pen and in less than five minutes came up with the following list of personally important people, musicians, establishments, organizations or otherwise significant influences in my circuit life, each of which had then hundreds of instant memories tied to them, that came flooding back to me. For over 10 years and my entire adult life circuit events have been a substantial source of my happiness and are simply vital to my personal identity (inward and outward). Not everyone is quite the fanatic I am, so its obviously going to have varying levels of importance. But, I was walking blind and uninvolved up until now, so hopefully more and more of us wake up to things and start taking things back.
*** The results of a brief and spontaneous brainstorm re: my circuit roots, and the key influences leading to my eventual passion/obsession with circuit music.
DJ Jason Lanoux
"Velvet" @ NATION - D.C.
Fireball - Chicago
DJ Tony Moran
DJ Peter Rauhofer
DJ Victor Calderone
DJs RosAbel
DJ Steve Lawler
DJ Alexander
Winter Party
The Mayan - L.A.
Crobar - Chi & Miami
Mansion - Miami
The Saloon - Minneapolis
Profile Music - Minneapolis
Kazaa/Napster/Limwire
Live365/CircuitMix/DMA/GIRL/PNN/DI.FM/Energy94.7
iPod & .mp3 technology
Pensacola Memorial Day
San Diego Pride
Palm Springs White Party Week
New Orleans Halloween
Oz
Paramount Backlot
NYE in LA
Scandal
Circuit Noize
JustCircuit
Partylist
Erowid.com
"When Boys Fly"
Friendster
Connexion
Niko-Brian-Adam
Troy & Ryan a.k.a. Circuit Moms
Hank
Wes
Sid (a.k.a. crackhippobitch, lil' pink circuit ho)
The travelling after-hours posse
I stopped when they stopped just popping into my head rapid-fire, so its not complete, but I was taken off guard by how complex it is, and how many tangents and connections exist within the web. Its an indication of just how very unique each person's must lay out too. Thanks for caring enough about what I had to say to make it this far!
