The Definition of a Circuit Party
Written by Stephen Ceplenski
04/04/2010
In today’s post-Circuit world, many people think that if a “Circuit DJ” plays at a local club, it is a Circuit Party. That’s like saying any song by Madonna is Disco. There are certain criteria that must be met for an event to be a Circuit Party. The first, is date real-estate. The event must occur on the same day(s) or holiday(s) every year. The event must be established-which loosely means it has occurred for at least 3 years. Lastly, it must be a gay event. That’s it. The DJ doesn’t matter. Whether its commercial or a benefit doesn’t matter. Of course it must be a dance event, and thus have music. But whether it is a big name DJ, straight DJ, or gay DJ is not relevant.
Some have claimed that any male dance event where guys take their shirts off and do drugs is a Circuit Party. Talk about LOL and ROTFLMAO! That would mean that any big club night in a city would be a Circuit Party. Hardly. For more details on Circuit Parties, check out the Wikipedia entry. For a list of Circuit Parties, visit CircuitPartyGuide.com.
Reader Comments
I don’t agree with sections of Mr. Ceplenski’s taut definition of a circuit party. It does indeed matter who’s DJ’ing. It’s not a circuit party if a straight DJ is mixing pop dance tunes or a gay DJ is mixing mostly club tracks. Circuit music (tribal/big diva house/uplifting trance/avant guard house) is a significant component, if not the most salient piece, of the circuit experience. That is why the big name DJ’s like Manny Lehman, Tony Moran, Roland Belmares, Joe Gauthreaux, and Tracy Young get asked to spin over and over again at these events. Also, when I think of a true circuit event, I think of it being held in an arena or large venue. The annual aspect of the event is part of the entire package, but it certainly doesn’t make an event qualified as “circuit.”
By Eric on 04-05-2010
How about DJ Escape, The Freemasons, Mark Anthony - all straight and playing major circuit events! Again, it isn’t the DJ that makes it a circuit event, it is the date real estate. Everything else is just circuit-esque. 
By SJC on 04-06-2010
I have to completely agree with this, and disagree with Eric. Unfortunately being focused on the USA give syou a skewed perspective. If you look at circuit parties in every country, at least half have DJs that are NOT gay. Victor Calderone (one of the biggest and most well known DJs) is NOT gay. Just because the common DJs that are listed play a lot, does not make it a circuit party. if Joe Gauthreaux spins at a club in NYC, is that a circuit party? I think not. That is like telling your friends to meet you out this weekend at the Discoteque!
By Alan Fulter on 04-07-2010
Alan, I, along with many others, respectfully disagree with your assertion that Victor Calderone is one of the “biggest and well known DJs.” Victor peaked in 1998-1999.
And I think my point is being taken out of context, so I apologize if I wasn’t clear the first time.
I do not think a gay DJ makes a circuit party. I do, however, think the type of music being played contributes significantly to the event.
By Eric on 04-08-2010
Also, to answer your question, Alan, no- a circuit DJ spinning at a club does not make an event circuit. It’s a night at the club with a circuit DJ spinning.
By ERic on 04-08-2010
Eric, actually Victor Calderone is still considered one of the biggest DJs in the US. It’s just that he stopped spinning circuit parties years ago, as it stifled his creativity. While the circuit sound of tribal-beats-over-Top-40-hits hasn’t changed one iota over the last decade, dance music HAS evolved and Calderone has moved on to spin a more progressive sound of house and electro, to great acclaim. He was one of the nominees last year for America’s Best DJ (http://www.americasbestdj.net), a list which features ZERO circuit DJs (unless you count Junior Vasquez).
So while Victor is now being paid more to spin innovative house all over the world including top DJ destinations like Winter Music Conference and Ibiza, Manny, Tony, Abel and Co are left spinning the same, dated 4/4 beats to the gays.
By Will on 04-28-2010
Bars with dance floors in South Florida are constantly trying to sell themselves as “Circuit Parties” by hiring or creating “name” DJs. The name “White Party” has become meaningless. One definition of a TRUE CIRCUIT PARTY: Do the people come, shaven, showered, in clean clothes? Think about it? How many times do you go to Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road on Miami Beach, anywhere in Ft. Lauderdale-Wilton Manors, off Biscayne Boulevard in Miami for a “CIRCUIT PARTY” to see tired faces, unshaven, in day old clothes, in a bar with a dance floor, NO CIRCUIT PARTY HERE!
By Luc Dyrkacz on 07-08-2010
