http://www.noizemag.com/index.php en ronn@spongeworks.com Copyright 2013 2013-05-09T17:55:08+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/hiv_service_organizations_go_clubbing http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/hiv_service_organizations_go_clubbing Testing vans are becoming a part of the gay nightlife scene. It’s becoming more convenient than ever to get an HIV test. OraSure is now offering OraQuick, a home testing kit available in pharmacies. Like a routine flu shot, rapid tests are getting easier to find and are being offered in some unlikely places. Health agencies have taken to thrift stores, hair salons and even local motor vehicle departments to reach people. In the not-unreasonable belief that testing agencies need to go where people who need to be tested congregate, some people can now get tested when they’re out clubbing. They used to say that, when the fox wants eggs, he goes to the henhouse. Similarly, to find sexually active men who haven’t been tested, HIV service organizations are putting themselves front and center in places where such men congregate. From New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, HIV testing vans are now routinely parking outside of gay bars and nightclubs in hopes of reaching the one in five Americans the federal Centers for Disease Control estimates are HIV-positive but unaware of their status. Vans from the AIDS Healthcare Foundation have been regularly setting up shop along West Hollywood’s Santa Monica Boulevard near a number of popular gay clubs. On a typical Saturday night, the organization’s worker bees usually give 30 to 40 tests. Alexander Goncalvez, who runs the mobile testing units in L.A., notes that not everyone is fond of the idea. The thought of having an HIV scare when you’re out partying might seem like the ultimate buzzkill. “Some people might see it as not the best way to let someone know they’re positive,” Goncalvez admits. “But rapid tests aren’t always available to everyone, depending on where they live or what kind of health insurance they have. Sometimes it takes friends to say, ‘Hey, let’s go get tested together.’” Mobile Reminders to Get Tested The mobile units, however, serve as more than just a way to bring tests to the people who need them. They also remind gay men about the availability of HIV tests and encourage routine testing. Most importantly, they are a way of reaching those who might not otherwise have access to testing facilities, are unwilling to visit a testing site or just don’t want to bother taking the time. The on-site test is quick, confidential, free and always paired with counseling and linkage to care should someone test positive. The vans also provide a “safe space” where passersby can drop in with sexual health questions. There are club promoters who have been working closely with organizations doing the testing. Some even donate entrance passes that the testing teams can give out to clubgoers in exchange for getting tested. As Goncalvez notes, “Sometimes people need an incentive to get tested, or they use that free pass or drink ticket as an excuse to go and do it.” Other promoters are so encouraging that they allow the agencies to set up a table inside the club itself, or they make announcements on stage during drag shows to let patrons know free testing is available just outside. Not all club owners, however, are so accommodating. Some, fearing it’ll give their businesses a bad rap, have been known to request that the units park a block away. While some of the vans are discreet, others wear loud and clear lettering, which raises the question: Are men worried about being seen getting into an HIV-testing van? Does this automatically mark them as potentially positive? Or does the regular presence of testing in the club scene make it more normal and less stigmatized? In WeHo, at least, it’s the latter, according to Goncalvez: Clubgoers have become so used to seeing the vans that some have made friends with the staff. London Bar Sets a Testing Record In Washington, D.C., Whitman-Walker Health, the city’s major AIDS service organization, keeps its vans low-key, painted white with only the nonprofit health center’s logo. “We decided not to put any signs advertising free HIV testing,” says Whitman-Walker Community Health Manager Juan Carlos Loubriel. “It’s more discreet. Some people don’t want to be seen doing it. I think it’s not about the amount of tests you give out, but how many positives you can find. When you find a positive person and link them to care immediately, that’s where you can make a difference.” In contrast, San Francisco’s joint operation of the Stop AIDS Project and Alliance Health Project parks an out-and-proud 30-foot purple RV in the Castro between popular clubs Q Bar and 440. Testing times are posted on the groups’ websites. It should be noted that all of the testing organizations take pains not to take advantage of the situation. While Goncalvez points out that “sometimes people need alcohol in their system to work up the courage to get an HIV test,” if anyone appears so intoxicated he doesn’t understand the consent form before signing — or can’t even sign it — the staff will turn him away with information about where to test when sober. For his part, Goncalvez firmly believes that bringing testing to the gay club scene can only be a good thing: “For us, it’s about making it convenient for clients. Not everyone has access to a free rapid HIV test, and if people want to hop on the unit at 2 o’clock in the morning, then great. If anything, they walk out with condoms, knowing their status.” Perhaps bars and clubs in the United States could take a page from one of their counterparts in the United Kingdom. In London, this past World AIDS Day (December 1), a gay bar set a new world record for administering the most HIV tests in an eight-hour period: 745, with six positives. 2013-05-09T17:55:08+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/why_do_some_people_feel_the_need_to_record_intimate_moments http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/why_do_some_people_feel_the_need_to_record_intimate_moments How many times have you been flirting with some hot guy only to find he doesn’t want to have real, hot, sweaty physical contact but only wants to “cam”? And if you do meet up, how many times does he ask you, just as the condom’s slipping on, “Can we film this?” Or, best of all, if you’ve actually managed to get him to do the deed, he suddenly turns around and exclaims, “Wow, this is so hot! Let me take a picture.” It all started with the Internet, which, as the song in the musical Avenue Q tells us, is made for porn. But it was the smartphone that made it possible for every man to bring out his inner Chi Chi LaRue. It used to be that we left porn to the pros. Now everybody can be a star on Xtube. Finally, thanks to Twitter and Facebook, everyone feels the need to share — overshare — every moment of their lives. This is especially true for gay men, who use their cell phones for everything but remotely regulating the home thermostat and broiling the steak in the oven. Now, these film fanatics will always claim that whatever they’ve recorded is only a memento for their own use. And, in many cases, it may be true that, for them, this is just like the photos you took on your last Atlantis Cruise or at a Circuit party. But then again, maybe not. What happens when he sends it to his BFF, who promised he wouldn’t share it with a soul? Except that he did, with two of his friends, and so on, until one of them finally posts it on a website, so now 7 billion people can vicariously enjoy your bedroom romp. Or what happens when you and this trick have a falling out over something? Believe it or not, it has been known to happen. I’ve had messes accuse me of stealing their credit cards. I’ve known guys who suddenly can’t locate their iPad. Bottom-feeding gossip websites like TMZ, Gawker and Perez Hilton wouldn’t survive if it weren’t for the stupidity of some otherwise very talented and smart people. Consider Dustin Lance Black, who had just come off an Oscar win for writing the screenplay for Milk, the landmark film about a gay political icon, when a video surfaced of him apparently barebacking with a much younger guy. Many who had looked up to Black as a role model were instead berating him for misleading gay youth into having unprotected sex. Sexting is fine when you’re a 16-year-old girl, because stupidity and not considering the outcome of your actions is part of the DNA of a teenager. As a lawyer for a college kid who made a very, very stupid video recently put it, “It wasn’t a crime to make that video but it was stupid. It is common for ‘young’ and ‘stupid’ to be used in the same sentence.” Except that, these days, doing something stupid has far-ranging consequences. It used to be bad enough when a girl was marked as a slut in her high school or town. Now, thanks to the Internet, the whole world can call her that. Not surprisingly, there are many instances when this exposure has resulted in tragedy, such as the Rutgers University student who jumped off a bridge after his roommate secretly filmed his encounter with another man. Yes, I know that some people believe that filming it makes it hotter, an attitude embodied by the song “Sex Room” by the aptly named rapper Ludacris: “Welcome to my sex room/Where your body meets my body/It’s our private after party/If you want it, girl, I got it in my sex room/Mirrors in the headboard/Even got a camcord/Baby, won’t you dance in my sex room?” Hey, Lud: If it’s private, why do you have the camcorder out — unless it’s to impress your posse the next day? Someone needs to tell these people that it’s called “private life” for a reason. Certain activities that take place in the bedroom (and the bathroom, for that matter) were never meant for public consumption. That’s why Cattie’s bedroom is the Las Vegas of sex: What goes on Chez Cattie stays there. I won’t even sort my laundry in the Laundromat — my neighbors don’t need to look over my shoulder to inspect my underwear. If someone is going to film me having sex, I’m at least going to get paid for it — and have professionals doing my makeup, lighting and direction. Turn the lights down low; better yet, turn them off and light candles. Burn some incense. Get out a bottle of massage oil. Or maybe some handcuffs, if that’s what you’re into. Don’t just have sex, make love. But keep it to yourselves, OK? Because after that shot is taken or that camcorder is rolling, don’t be surprised if your neighbors, family, co-workers, or fellow parishioners are looking at you as if you were naked. Because that might be what they’ve just seen. 2013-02-15T10:35:59+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/keep_it_clean http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/keep_it_clean It might be a touchy subject, but let’s face it: Nothing is a bigger buzzkill than a top pulling out and scampering to the shower to get off the “souvenir” you left on his condom. Or the sudden sensation that Rover had an “accident” — only he didn’t; you did. Or, worst of all, leaving track marks on the 350-thread-count Porthault bed sheet. Fear not, dear reader! Take these tips for a roll in the hay that won’t send your easy rider fleeing the stable. Eat Your Veggies The long-term solution to a tidy tush begins with a high-fiber diet. Consider a lovely meadow strewn with “cow pies” and contrast it to pooper-scooper duties while walking your dog. Cows eat grass. Dogs eat … everything. Makes sense, right? Even if you’re a surf-and-turf guy, make the centerpiece of your pre-rendezvous dinner a heaping plate of steamed greens or a garden salad. And be sure to skip the rice! Healthier, too. Oh, and avoid suppositories and laxatives: They’re the gift that keeps on giving. Spray N Vac In 1953, C.B. Fleet Company introduced the disposable enema. In 1973, with Summer’s Eve, TV audiences were subjected to perplexing ads full of psychedelic imagery that never actually explained what the product was. For gay men, “the Fleet’s in” has long had a double meaning. Some guys even have a fetish for them (official term: “klismaphilia”; you have been warned). But continued use of douches eventually causes damage ranging from scratchy skin to depletion of natural fluids and worse. Safer — and cheaper: a rubber bulb used for ear wax removal filled with water, preferably filtered. The best method, however, comes to us from — who else? — the French, experts in all matters amour. Home improvement stores sell bidet attachments for toilets that are not only safe for long-term use, they’re a lot more sanitary than toilet paper. Hairy Dilemma Bears beware: Excessive body hair “down there” can inhibit proper cleaning. This doesn’t mean you have to subject yourself to a wax job, which for the hirsute heinie, is akin to an interrogation in Guantanamo Bay. At least consider a little manscaping with a home hair trimmer. Just put the setting at a safe distance. In a Lather In the end (sorry!), Mom was right when she told you to use plenty of soap and water. Was Mom ever wrong? The safest method remains the easiest: Using your hands or a washcloth, spend some extra time in the shower. Dig deep, and let the onrush of water do the rest. Above all, remember: no glove, no love!   2013-02-15T10:24:59+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/from_team_players_to_trinogomy http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/from_team_players_to_trinogomy Seems like couples from coast to coast are switching from two lanes to three. And I don’t mean by having a baby, getting a dog, or letting the mother-in-law move in. I mean a three-way relationship – or at least a ménage à trois. The rewards can be great, the risks even greater. Setting up rules and boundaries helps, but that doesn’t always prevent a nuclear meltdown, so tread lightly. Of course there’s nothing new about seeing six legs in a bed, darling. Your dear old Cattie has fond memories of making the beast with three backs. But the elbows and knees! I’ve had to grit my teeth and muscle my way out of more than one crowded room. More and more, though, it seems that many of us are coming out of the closet once again to proclaim a love that dared not speak its name until recently. Facebook profiles boldly announce that someone’s relationship is “complicated” Show me one that isn’t! Partners of ten years are taking on a third to dig themselves out of a sexual or emotional rut. Picking a side to sleep on just got trickier, not to mention the line at the bathroom sink in the morning. And then there’s trinogomy. Like monogamy, but less boring and infinitely more complex. It’s not like trigonometry, although having a background in geometry helps once in a while. God bless you brave little dears who think that dealing with just one person’s emotional wreckage is too easy and decide to take on one more! More power to you, happy little homemakers!  Of course these triangular relationships bring up all sorts of questions – for those in them and those forced to witness them (what do you get a throuple for their anniversary, anyway?) Also, how do you balance the emotions so no one feels like a third wheel? Is it safe for three people to have sex on a bed with wheels? How invested should the third get when there is an established twosome already? Will it break the original couple up eventually? What if you find yourself more sexually compatible with one of the other two people? Is anyone allowed to be greedy and play around outside the triangle? Can one of the three take a nap while the sex is happening? The answer to all of these questions is who the fuck knows, honey. But just like an election in Russia, it probably won’t surprise you or end very well except for the guy on top. But the first question that pops into my mind is: “Isn’t two enough?” If they love each other and are somewhat satisfied with the sex, why complicate the situation?  Can three people really fall in love? When a playmate turns into a housemate, starting from the need to add some spice to the relationship, does it ever end well? And if it does, then what? Add a fourth? A fifth? Isn’t this how harems got started? After that it’s off to the brothel, and then Mormonism isn’t far behind! Isn’t this what the Bible-beaters warned us about? Breathe, Cattie! Oh my word, sorry about that. I seem to have developed a case of the slippery slopes there. Poppycock to all of that! I say do what makes you happy, obviously. If there’s room in your heart for more than one person at a time, the more the merrier. Relationships are hard no matter how many people are playing, trust me. And sex can be boring with ten people in the room, so have fun however you can, poodles. All silliness aside, the three-headed relationships that I know of seem to strike an interesting balance where the third equalizes the other two. What may have started out as spice ends up being glue after all. So keep your preconceived notions on the shelf where they belong, dears. What works for you might not work the same way for everyone. You know what they say: Three’s a crowd. And who loves crowds more than we do, right? Play safe and love each other with all your hearts, my little chickadees. You all deserve it. Well, except for you, Tony. Bitch. 2012-11-02T20:25:09+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/size_matters http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/size_matters It’s more than bragging rights on Manhunt. Size matters to nightlife producers, too. Bars and mid-sized lounges are fine for regular parties. But for large-scale events that draw into the four figures, a party producer has to look for a truly big room in a city big enough to fill it. The problem: The big ones are increasingly hard to come by. America’s major cities are starved for spaces that can hold Circuit-style events, leaving producers with an increasingly lean menu of options. Why the square-footage famine? The reasons are easy to find: real estate pressures, money and waning support. The solutions are much harder. Nightlife has become a tough business. Take the revenue from ticket prices and maybe (not usually) the bar tab. Now, subtract the one-night rental fee; insurance; payroll; marketing; a “name” DJ and performers; décor; and, if the space is not a dedicated nightclub, ad hoc light and sound systems. And don’t forget the medical personnel and standing ambulance now necessary for any late-night affair. Not to mention potential liabilities, ranging from police or fire department harassment to an “act of God” (anything from a tornado to a terror alert) that can decimate attendance. Add another few dozen variables and it’s a miracle that anyone is producing large parties at all. For their part, the nightclub owners are facing pressures from all sides. Neighbors who flocked to “edgy” neighborhoods discover that the clubs that gave their neighborhood its hip cachet in the first place means living with noisy crowds, police patrols, drunken patrons and trucks loading and unloading. In space-starved areas like Miami’s South Beach and pretty much the entire island of Manhattan, big clubs take up space that would bring in more income as restaurants, art galleries, luxury housing or office buildings — with a lot less hassles. “People need to invest big money in nightclubs, and many don’t want to anymore,” complains Alegria promoter and producer Ric Sena. Can you blame them? If things go belly up, investors risk losing more than pride. For several years, Sena held his fabled Alegria events at New York City’s Crobar, which Joey Morrisey invested $6 million to turn into M2. But M2 became a casualty of community groups and aggressive policing. The city eventually shut down M2 — for smoking violations! — about two years ago, and the space has remained dark ever since. This summer, Morrisey’s company filed for bankruptcy. “I don’t think he’ll ever want to invest that kind of money again,” says Sena, who hosted a 2010 Alegria event at M2. “That was money put into one of the best venues in New York City. It makes people rethink investing in nightlife. Or they decide to invest in small clubs that aren’t as risky.” Before M2 fell, there was Twilo and the Roxy. Peter Gatien, who at one time ran four enormous dance spaces in New York — Limelight, Palladium, USA and Tunnel — became the victim of a relentless campaign by police and a crusading federal prosecutor named Rudy Giuliani. Today, the City That Never Sleeps has only a handful of dedicated big-room clubs: Best Buy Theater, Pacha and Webster Hall. How Public Officials Are Killing Nightlife Don’t look for Nation in Washington, D.C.; it’s now an office building. Los Angeles’ Probe is now a massive furniture studio and showroom. Miami’s Salvation? An Office Depot. Club Universe in San Francisco? Gone. Even the Boom Boom Room, the venerable Laguna Beach, Calif., big room, is facing the wrecker’s ball. Real estate pressures have turned once-marginal neighborhoods like San Francisco’s South of Market and New York’s West Chelsea into upscale neighborhoods. “All of a sudden, multimillion dollar condos are being built,” notes New York promoter Mark Nelson. “And these people do not want nightclubs in their neighborhood.” For their part, elected leaders find it expedient to side with vocal community groups against an industry stigmatized for its less savory elements. At one time, it took only six weeks for Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager to convert an old CBS studio into the most famous nightclub in the world, Studio 54. Anyone trying to open a club today faces a thicket of bureaucracy, hostile civic groups and public hearings — let alone one whose signature logo was a giant coke spoon descending into a smiling quarter-moon. If somehow they beat the odds, they can face relentless scrutiny from undercover investigators and journalists. “A few years ago, NYC claimed to be the ‘nightlife capital of the world,’” says Nelson. “Now, the police and various boards — health, fire, etc. — hunt down nightclub owners to make their quotas.” Our cherished gayborhoods are hardly immune. Only a few years ago, the precinct captain in New York’s Chelsea was bragging that the police would bring down Splash, a large dance bar, which was hounded for “violations” like shirtless bartenders. Gay Clubgoers: Harassed & Harassing Pity the poor gay clubgoer who only wants a night of dancing. At the door, he faces the humiliation of a patdown more suitable to a night in the slammer. Once inside, he is confronted by tittering staff and scowling security guards. “Straight clubs can have a different mentality and might work with staff and security that isn’t exposed to the gay crowd,” Sena says. “They’ve never seen a bunch of shirtless guys dancing and kissing each other. I try to educate them. I say, ‘Look, you only need ten on security for a gay night, because there are no fights.’ But if you show up and see 20 extra guys with arms crossed, staring at a scene they don’t like with nothing to do for hours, they’ll wait for a customer to do anything that’s an excuse to jump on his neck, because really, they’re disgusted by what they’re seeing.” Sena continues to seek out gay-friendly large spaces. To bring his Alegria series to Chicago this summer, he had to settle on a smaller space, Nikki, which holds barely 1,000. Gay promoters also have to fight the perception that their attendees are less likely to contribute to the all-important bar revenue. “Straight patrons spend ridiculous amounts of money on bottle service,” says L.A.’s Tom Whitman. For many gay men, the only bottle they purchase is water, which they refill at the bathroom sinks. “The true dance clubs that are big enough to hold a Circuit event always have a regular Saturday night, which realistically is the only night a big event can work, except for on holiday weekends,” Whitman notes. It’s no surprise, then, that when Club Montage in San Diego rebranded, it became Spin, marketed to a decidedly more mixed crowd. Still, gay party producers soldier on. They work with the few venues that are still available and get creative when they can’t. Whitman uses Universal Studios for Wonderland and movie studio backlots for smaller (but still plenty big) events. Non-traditional spaces are expensive, though, and producers who want to use parks, warehouses, and other raw spaces need to pay through the nose to trick them out with all the necessities (lights, sounds, décor, bars, permits …) that a club immediately provides. All that overhead is reflected in ticket prices. “You better know you’re going to have a few thousand guys who want to spend a decent ticket price,” warns Whitman. In a tough economic climate, that’s an uphill battle. Add to that: cultural assimilation, hookup technologies and a move away from the all-night musical “journey.” “The economic climate has made rentals out of this world, and for the spaces that are left the risk is entirely on the producer,” says Nelson. “With the gay crowd being somewhat fickle, it’s very high risk to rent a space, do a bar guarantee and spend money on ‘name’ entertainment.” Even when a promoter does jump in, he faces opposition from gay men who might find the venue not chic enough or “geographically undesirable.” Last year, Sena brought Alegria to Los Angeles’ Club Nokia. “Even though it was sold out, people didn’t like the venue,” he notes. “It was the only option for a Saturday night.” This year, he wasn’t able to find any suitable spaces in L.A. “People need to support the venues that are left,” Sena adds. The next time you’re complaining about a ticket price above the regular Saturday night dance bar, or about having to drive and find parking in an “iffy” part of town, or about going out on a “school night,” consider the alternative. So stop complaining, buy a ticket and join the party. 2012-11-02T20:21:22+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/happy_new_year http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/happy_new_year In Mexico, everyone eats one grape and makes a wish 12 times as the clock chimes in the new year. They also make a list of all the bad things that happened in the past year, then burn it to get rid of negative energy. In Germany and Finland, people interpret the shapes made by hot metal thrown into cold water. In Ecuador, men dress as a woman, the “widow” of the old year. Life-sized dummies representing misfortunes are burned in the streets. Mexicans decorate their homes according to color symbols (red for love, green for money, etc.) — pretty tame compared to the tradition in sexy Brazil, where underwear is chosen for its symbolic color. Over that, everyone wears all white. In Rio de Janeiro, it’s Carnival in December, the streets thronged with samba dancers in their most colorful clothes. On Copacabana Beach, people throw white lilies, candles and trinkets into the ocean to celebrate Yemaja, the African sea goddess. Here in America, we party in the streets, too. And we dance. New Year’s Eve is the one night when everyone goes wild. If there was ever a night that seemed to be invented for gay men, it’s December 31. While party poopers dismiss it as “amateur night,” the rest of us want to be in a big room with a few thousand of our nearest and dearest to usher out the old year and welcome the new one. Looking Back, Looking Forward New Year’s has its roots in ancient Rome, where the day was dedicated to Janus, a god always shown with two heads representing endings and beginnings. Ever since, it’s been the one day that we wax nostalgic while looking forward to what the future brings. If you’re one of those people who make New Year’s resolutions, that probably means disappointment. A 2009 study found that over two-thirds of people don’t make good on their vows. If you work out, you’ve probably noticed how crowded the gym floor and exercise classes get in January. By February … not so much. And by March, it’s back to the regular members. In fact, gym owners expect most people not to keep one of the most commonly made New Year’s resolutions: to work out. As for that other common resolution, Mark Twain said it best (as usual): “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.” Aside from those pesky New Year’s resolutions, the other traditions associated with the holiday are a lot more festive. “Auld Lang Syne,” which everyone sings at the stroke of midnight, was written by the national poet of Scotland, Robert Burns, back in 1788. Our lyrics are a loose translation of the Scots dialect. It was big band leader Guy Lombardo who popularized it for New Year’s celebrations when he played it on his annual radio (and later TV) live broadcasts from the Waldorf-Astoria Ballroom. In fact New York City is probably the city most closely associated with the holiday, thanks to the annual ball drop in Times Square. What began in 1904 to celebrate the opening of the headquarters of the New York Times, the paper that gave its name to the world-famous intersection, attracts a million people willing to stand for hours, some of them several blocks from the actual ball drop, with millions more watching on TV. The Parties Just as ways to celebrate vary by country, so, too, gay men have their own traditions. In most cities, partygoers are on the dance floor for hours before the ball drops. Oddly enough, in New York, no one would be caught dead arriving at a club before 1:30 a.m., 1 at the earliest. Why? Maybe it’s to avoid the hordes of revelers cramming Midtown. Or maybe it’s just “cooler than thou” Gotham attitude. Whatever the reason, people tend to congregate at small house parties or are disco napping while the ball drops. The great gay poet W.H. Auden advised us that “the only way to spend New Year’s Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears.” Poor W.H. He never considered the third — and best — alternative: spending it in a huge club full of hot men, dancing. While every bar and club from Boston to San Diego has its own celebration, the three biggest parties are held on the two coasts. “Alegria” means “happiness” in Spanish and Portuguese, and, by extension, “festivity,” and New Year’s is no exception. Did you think the best-known gay party franchise in North America would miss the biggest party night of the year? No way. Producer Ric Sena always pulls out the stops to ensure a night to remember. This year, Alegria New Year’s will happen on Sunday night, Dec. 30, which means you will have two days to recover from a night (and day!) of dancing. On the left coast, the hottest men flock to Brett Henrichsen’s Masterbeat parties. Yes, parties: the fun takes place at four events over three days at Los Angeles’ biggest and best rooms, including the first gay event at LA’s hottest new club The Belasco, directly next to the Mayan (home of New Year’s Eve and especially appropriate to see in 2013, since the Mayan calendar predicted the world would be over by then). Among the DJ’s booked are Henrichsen himself and Rosabel (half of the duo, Ralphi Rosario, is interviewed in this issue.) If you’re lucky enough to be in Miami’s South Beach, you’ll also be within walking distance of Mansion, the Washington Avenue club that once again will host Tracy Young’s New Year’s Day 12-hour dance extravaganza. Of course, you would expect a town that has become known as Party Central for the number and size of its nightclubs (not to mention the number and size of the bodies beautiful that populate them) to boast a giant-sized club celebration. On New Year’s Day, Tracy will once again spin at the party she has masterminded for ten years, Genesis. Whether you go to a party alone, in a posse or with a significant other, remember to expect the unexpected. New Year’s is a time full of possibilities, a time to look forward. The future is stretching before you, it’s infinite, so make the most of it! The Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions Drink less booze Eat better Take classes and learn Find a better job Get fit Lose weight Manage debt Manage stress Quit smoking Don’t make any resolutions Best New Year’s Dance Songs New Year’s Day, U2   (François Kevorkian remix) Auld Lang Syne, Mariah Carey   (Ralphi Rosario remix) Happy New Year, Abba   (DJ Alex B remix) 1999, Prince   (Scott Wozniak remix) End of Time, Beyoncé Party All Around the World Sydney Sydney’s beautiful harbor lights up with one of the world’s largest fireworks displays over the Opera House and other landmarks. Rio de Janiero After putting on white — or stripping down to appropriately color-coded underwear — everyone sambas down to the beach to give homage to Yemaja, the sea goddess. The sight of thousands of white lilies lilting gently along the South Atlantic breeze while the beach is covered in soft candles is one of the most magical images on our planet. Barcelona Matinee has made a huge impact on these shores. With its Iberian emphasis on sexy men, sexy women, sexy costumes, sexy music, sexy … well, sexy everything, it’s conquered New York and is reaching into other cities. But if you want to experience Matinee on its home ground, you have to return to Catalonia and its magnificent capital city, where the women are all beautiful, and the men are even more beautiful, and where no party begins before 3 a.m. Amsterdam A huge crowd gathers in front of the national museum, with street parties jutting out in all directions and across canals. The museum has a sound system and a rotating roster of DJs, which turns this into a mammoth winter outdoor all-night dance party. Montreal Baby, it’s cold outside, but in the clubs, the temperature is hot, hot hot! As befits the club capital of North America, there’s plenty to do all night, the next morning, the next day, the next night … and on. Bal des Boys once again will offer a mammoth party with a star DJ lineup, this year at Sky Pub. Club Stereo will be packed. But if you want le tout expérience Montréal, Resolution takes over the Montreal Bell Centre on New Year’s Day for a rave-type Euro trance party. Berlin Not surprisingly, the place to go for New Year’s is Berghain, the world’s most famous techno palace. . The world’s most famous House of Techno. This is more than a Circuit party or a rave. People actually set up makeshift campsites in the cavernous former factory complex as they settle into a very long weekend of partying. Bet Ya Didn’t Know … Births spike in late September and October — always around nine months after New Year’s Eve Most popular time for marriage proposals: not spring or summer, but December Worst night of the year for domestic violence: New Year’s Eve, alas — one-third increase over other such weekends Largest post-World War II crowd in Times Square: 2 million on Dec. 31, 1999 Best hangover cure: Before you go to bed, take two aspirin. In the morning, take two more aspirin, then drink a Bloody Mary. “While your blood is dealing with the new alcohol, it is ignoring the old and in the meantime tomato juice and celery are full of vitamins,” according to mixologist Colleen Graham. And force yourself to eat. It may be torture, but you’ll feel better. Match Foods Served TO the TV Show   a) Rockin’ New Year’s Eve with Ryan Seacrest   b) New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin   c) 106 & Party on BET   d) American Country New Year’s Eve Live   e) NBC’s New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly   f) MTV New Year’s Eve   1) Oxtail & black-eyed peas   2) Lots & lots of black coffee   3) Toasted white bread, crusts removed; ginger ale   4) Caviar & hot dogs   5) Pizza & Pepsi   6) Possum fritters & moonshine whiskey Laws that take effect January 1, 2013   Californians under 18 cannot undergo so-called “reparative” therapy, whose aim is to “cure” homosexuals.   States receive expanded Medicaid coverage.   Floridians will be severely limited in accessing insurance money to pay for medical and legal bills.   Taxmageddon — substantial increases in individual income tax rates are set to occur.   Bush tax cuts scheduled to expire.   Employers in California cannot ask applicants or workers for passwords to social media sites so they can access those sites.   If passed by voters, same-sex marriage becomes legal in the state of Maryland.   Connecticut significantly expands the circumstances under which someone may be granted the legal use of medical marijuana.   Iowans looking for a lawyer will have to be notified if a lawyer advertising his services has an office and practices in that state.   2012-10-31T17:27:02+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/plug_in_log_on_drop_out http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/plug_in_log_on_drop_out Gay men have long been the proverbial canary in the digital coalmine. Research has repeatedly shown that we embrace every bright, shiny new digital gadget that comes on the market early and enthusiastically. “Gays and lesbians have a long history of being early adapters of new technologies,” according to Out Now Consulting, an Australian company. Not long ago, Logo put out some statistics that bore this out. Whereas only slightly more than a third of heterosexuals paid bills online, for example, nearly two-thirds of gay men and lesbians did so. Twice as many of us have personal blogs (24 percent vs. 12 percent). And twice as many of us read blogs daily. That term “adapters” takes on new meaning when one considers the history of social media, the Internet and mobile devices. Back in the pre-historic days of the early 1990s, the only way to “chat” other than phone lines was to log onto AOL. AOL’s chat rooms originally were intended as a way for family and friends to keep in touch - a proto-Facebook. Ha! Very quickly, hook-up chat rooms known as “M4M,” which had sprung up in every city and catering to every fetish, took over. Despite the painfully slow dial-up modems via telephone wires, as early as 1989, cities like New York had dozens of M4M chat rooms. This happened over and over again. I remember talking to a man who had started an early Texas-based Internet site that allowed for photo sharing. He expected it would be used by businesspeople showing charts or new products; or a way for Grandma to view Baby’s first steps. He soon found his site had been taken over by - you guessed it - gay men exchanging photos that would have bugged out Granny’s eyeballs. Cue to the rise of broadband, and with it, hook-up sites like Manhunt, which has over four million paying users. Consider that that’s only one of a slew of such sites catering to every taste, from daddy hunters to bears to barebackers to uses of the human body no surgeon could envision. With the rise of mobile devices, the hook-up scene has accordingly switched, with granddaddy Grindr being joined by a host of competing apps. The many apps available on so-called smartphones have long since surpassed actually speaking to someone else, which is beginning to seem as fusty as Alexander Graham Bell paging Mr. Watson. By far the commonest usage of smartphones is browsing the Internet, followed by social networking (including cruising), music and games. Making phone calls is in there somewhere, as is texting, of course, and taking photos.Walking, Dancing ... Texting Living in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen, New York’s main gayborhood, and walking two large dogs who can easily get tangled in an inattentive ongoing pedestrian’s legs, I can testify that most - not many, most - gay men pay more attention to their smartphones than to what’s going on around them, up to and including pit bulls. This phenomenon is hardly limited to walking. Go into any gay-centric restaurant, gay bar or club, and you’ll see more men intent on their cell phones than on the people around them. Singer-songwriter Jonny McGovern, who has made something of a cottage industry out of celebrating and satirizing gay culture, even has a song out called “Texting on the Dance Floor.” “It’s certainly changed nightlife,” McGovern says. “I remember when people who had cell phones on the dance floor looked ridiculous. But now, you’re constantly connected 24/7.” McGovern was inspired to write his song when he was in a Los Angeles club and “everyone was on cell phones. There’s no way to fight it. The crazy thing was, I was then texting someone to tell him everyone was texting!” Why Go Out When You Can Order In? The effect of the digital revolution on gay nightlife hasn’t completely sorted itself out yet, but the effect appears to be profound. Hard as it is to believe, not all that long ago, you had to get dressed and go out to a bar - or at least cruise the streets - to get laid. Younger gay men are growing into adulthood in a world in which it’s much easier, more efficient and quicker to go online to find fun. Add to that the XXX photos that allow you to inspect the plumbing without the bother of undressing him; and the availability of hundreds of men. “When you order in, you can be very specific,” points out John Blair, veteran club promoter who now owns XL bar in New York’s Out Hotel. How can a street scene or a bar compete with that? Older observers bemoan the end of what they see as an essential part of the gay experience - the interested head turn, the slow backtrack, the small talk … all the little niceties that used to make hooking up a mating ritual instead of a buffet table. Philip Brian Harper, a professor at New York University, calls it the “serendipity of male sexual encounters. There was a publicness of gay male sexual culture missing now,” Harper has told me. “When there was no Manhunt, the manhunt had to take place in public contexts rather than in private spaces in front of a computer screen.” Another professor, Ken Race of the University of Sydney (Australia), sees cruising moving from bath, bar and boulevard online as “an increasingly privatized sexual culture.” It’s gotten to the point where meeting someone at a club isn’t even socially acceptable. The parting tag line used to be “Your place or mine?”; now it’s “I’ll see you later on Manhunt.” No one wants to seal the deal without checking out his profile and photos - and making sure that there’s no one out there hotter who’s cruising you before sealing the deal. The Changing Scene If everyone’s online, who’s in the clubs? Plenty of people, although the model has changed. Rather than going out with the purpose of hooking up, people are meeting in bars or dancing in the clubs for the sheer fun of it. This helps explain why there are so many more women (and straight men, for that matter) in “our” venues: When you’re not trying to score, you can let your hair down and be silly. I’ve heard many older gay men bemoan how much less younger gay guys affect a macho posture. Instead of sneering in a corner holding a beer, they’re laughing, throwing their hands in the air at the first bars of a Katy Perry song. Oh yes, and texting. They’re also drinking cocktails - great for the bars but not so great for the old-fashioned all-night dancing “journey.” Part of the reason is that they don’t have to work as hard to establish a gay identity. Coming out earlier and acceptance from straight friends mean that they don’t have to be more macho than a straight man to find acceptance. Nor do they feel they have to be in a big room with 1,500 people who look like them every weekend to assert their sexual identity. “They’re out by age 13,” notes Stephen Pevner, whose Saint-at-Large produces the Black Party. “The young guys know who they are and don’t need affirmation.” But also, life is just plain harder these days. “Twentysomethings are struggling,” Pevner says. “They’re working harder. They have to be at their jobs on Monday morning. And they don’t have the time to put into the amount of work it takes to have a gym body.” So what will pry gay men away from their electronic gadgets and back into bars? Maybe smaller, more intimate, more underground-feeling events, where socializing still feels edgy. At least that’s the theory according to New Yorker Daniel Nardicio, whose in-your-face, down-and-dirty parties in some very out-of-the-way makeshift spaces attract flocks of twentysomethings. “There has to be an element of danger, of sleaze,” he says. “The mainstream bars can’t do that because they’re so patrolled by the police. So I look at more lenient private spaces.” Also, Nardicio adds, the possibility of getting it on on site. To compete with online sex, he offers … sex. “Sex still sells,” Nardicio says. “But it has to be more than throwing mattresses on the floor for a sex party. It has to be out of the box, but promote bonding.” Bonding. It’s a concept.   2012-07-31T23:37:56+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/house_artist_peyton http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/house_artist_peyton I’m about to meet one of my House music idols. Following five years of messaging back and forth on MySpace and Facebook, demanding lyrics for his songs and discussing obsessive details of his vocals, I’m walking into the London West Hollywood, a posh hotel just below West Hollywood’s famed Sunset Strip. I am about to meet Peyton in the flesh. After wandering through the lobby, I hear a raspy voice yell my name and turn to see a pair of blue eyes over a Cheshire Cat grin coming at me. Standing before me is the vessel for one of those voices in music that you hear once and never, ever forget.  It was a sweltering night in June of 2006 when I was up late designing a website and listening to the first Fierce Angel compilation when I happened upon Peyton’s track “Falling,” and spent the remainder of the night becoming more and more drunk off his voice with each play. Since then, every subsequent release has gone straight to the top of my “Most Played” iTunes. At Last: a Gay Male House Music Vocalist! After a short walk through West Hollywood and a quick browsing of Andrew Christian (somehow undies came up in conversation, and I figured he’d appreciate a gander at our local undergarment royalty), we’re sitting at Bossa Nova about to have lunch on an oddly cold day in April before he leaves for Palm Springs to perform at the 2011 White Party. Our server comes to get our drink orders, and, noticing Peyton’s European accent, asks where he’s from. He explains that he’s a singer, lives in Britain and has flown in for a weekend gig. Our server says she’s also a singer and asks him what his genre is: “House music,” Peyton replies. Blank stare. Clearly more comfortable with the term “House” describing a salad than a musical genre, our server smiles politely, explains to Peyton what an Arnold Palmer is (“You Americans have a name for ice tea and lemonade?”) and heads back to the kitchen. Had we been lunching somewhere in Europe or Australia, the server probably would have recognized him. Maybe she would have commented on the time she saw him perform in a club or how crazy she gets on the dance floor when one of his hits is played. But this is America, where House music is a niche genre. Furthermore, because of the genre’s minority status in America and mainstream comprehension limited due to its departure from the usual pop fare, the DJ ends up as the “superstar” — not the artist actually creating the music. Hence our server’s ignorance of Peyton’s musical accomplishments. Peyton’s inclusion in the three days of pure party bliss known as the White Party last year was long overdue. He had already performed at such enormous international events as Belgium’s Sensation White (30,000 people), and Sydney Mardi Gras’ Harbour Party. Every year, thousands of gay men (and a handful of awesome ladies) storm Palm Springs to create one of the biggest celebrations in the country. And while classically we’ve always relied on women to vocalize the powerful sentiments of House music, it’s about time we put center stage a voice that we can directly identify with, that of an out-gay man with a voice that can rival any of our divas. So while his name may not be as instantly recognizable as Gaga or Madonna amongst the crowd, make no mistake: Peyton is a musical tour de force with a global following who’s on the cusp of one-name recognition on these shores as well. Don’t forget, even Kylie Minogue was invisible to American audiences until “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” 14 years into her musical career. From the Carolinas to Leeds Born the proverbial “son of a preacher man” in North Carolina, Peyton grew up in the background of the Christian fundamentalist Pentecostal movement with a father who became one of the original TV evangelists. His upbringing included working initially as the director of the children’s church and singing regularly during Sunday services, eventually rising to music director. One listen to anything Peyton’s done musically and his gospel roots are immediately evidenced by your hands steadily rising toward the ceiling like a crazy church lady and the sudden impulse to don an oversized floppy hat. Peyton’s discovery of House music happened while attending Leeds College of Music in Britain, an event that coincided with his own rising self-awareness and subsequent coming out.  So when he became part of the soulful soundtrack of the 24-hour party people, it must have seemed like God’s will — a natural marriage of his idiosyncratic musical background with his burgeoning adult identity. Along the way to his rise to acclaim in the world of British House, Peyton ran a catering business (2SH; i.e., 2 Skinny Homos), waited tables, taught salsa and was even cast as the food and drink expert in the British spin-off of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. From those unusual beginnings, his musical career began ascending, and the rest can be heard in speakers and iPods across the globe. To date, Peyton has worked with headliners like Wayne G, Eric Kupper, the Freemasons, Chris Cox, ATFC, Moto Blanco, DJ Meme, Soul Avengerz and Bassmonkeys. As the artist behind such clubbers’ favorites like “A Higher Place,” “Love Is the Answer,” and a cover of “Ride Like the Wind,” Peyton has a musical resumé of gems that reads like a “Best Of” tracklisting. The only thing missing (in this country anyway) is the listeners’ familiarity with the artist credit that accompanies those hits. Look for a forthcoming retrospective release from Peyton compiling in one place all his myriad tracks and collaborations. Just be ready for me to be the first in line for it. You can find out more about Peyton at the following links: http://www.peytonmusic.com http://www.youtube.com/peytonlive http://www.facebook.com/PeytonMusic http://www.myspace.com/theofficialpeytonmusic http://www.twitter.com/peytonsmusic   2012-07-31T23:06:56+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/noize_at_18_barely_legal http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/noize_at_18_barely_legal Remember 1994? The Internet was still for nerds — before nerds became billionaires and cool. We had to learn more than we ever wanted to know about the president’s penchant for cigar-inspired blow jobs. Ads for porn had mailing addresses. The only place to cruise for sex online were the AOL chat rooms. Lady Gaga was still Stefani Joanne Angelina and had yet to become a student at a convent school. And September 11 was only another day on the calendar. That year also saw the birth of the first national magazine dedicated to chronicling the burgeoning gay scene that was becoming collectively known as the Circuit. Before his untimely passing, Steve Kammon, the founder of noiZe (then called Circuit NoiZe) led us through the expansion of dance parties from regional AIDS benefits to huge weekend-long affairs that would attract people from around the world. The magazine that became known as “the bible of Circuit culture” brought readers information about how to have lots and lots of sex without fear in a column entitled “Safe Slut,” while “The Ears Have It” repeated catty remarks picked up off the dance floor. But Kammon had a larger purpose in mind. Spread throughout the magazine was his personal fervently held belief that Circuit parties also brought out the best in us. At the time, Kammon’s emphasis on the spiritual aspect of communal dancing was a flashpoint of controversy. That worldview ran counter to then-major voices in our community, such as Michaelangelo Signorile (in his book Life Outside) and Gabriel Rotello (in Sexual Ecology) dismissed as a shirtless, shallow, hedonistic “Circuit queens.” After a long night of partying, it was easy to forget the point of it all, but Circuit Noize was always there as you exited the club to remind you. In 2006, after absorbing the painful loss of a dear friend, the remaining editorial staff met — including New York-based editors Jefferey and D. Michael Taylor (no relation!) — in Los Angeles to update Kammon’s vision for a rising generation of Circuit boyz, and noiZe was born. Trying to distill the larger purpose of our continuing adventure together, they came up with the tagline “Celebrate, Explore, Live” to encapsulate the larger purpose of partying. A more inclusive attitude allowed us to cover the emerging festivals, cruises, and globetrotting lifestyle of the men we grew up with and the boyz who were just learning to love the Circuit lifestyle. Then came what many believed was a death blow: a much remarked-upon 2007 in Out magazine about the purported “death of the Circuit.” We knew rumors of our death were greatly exaggerated, so we asked the author of the piece, Steve Weinstein, a grizzled veteran of the New York editorial scene, to recommend someone to help us resurrect the negative image of the Circuit. The modest freelance writer and editor recommended … himself. After writing what was supposed to have been our obituary, he has been instrumental in broadening the magazine’s content. His deep ties to the gay party community and his undying love for this magazine have been crucial to the rebirth of noiZe and the Circuit itself as a continued force in gay culture, as have the efforts of our publishing partners in life and work, Stephen Ceplenski and Gary Steinberg. Whether it’s White, Black, or Purple, we still love covering the mammoth parties, the outsized personalities, the talented DJs, the inventive promoters, and the friendly host cities that help make it all happen — not to mention you, the readers. Now that we’re finally 18, we can do it all legally! Remember the time? 1994 — Circuit Noize launches, providing the first reliable calendar of Circuit events for the community; NYC celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots 1995 — The AIDS “cocktail” changes the course of the disease from a death sentence to a managed illness 1996 — Atlantis Events cruises to Sydney Mardi Gras; Madonna cuts ties with Junior Vasquez after he releases “If Madonna Calls”; a Roxy residency & gigs on Fire Island establish Victor Calderone as the first non-gay Circuit DJ star; Gay Days explodes from a red-shirted tourists to 10,000 1997 — Well-known voguer Kevin Aviance graces the Fall cover as NYC’s infamous Arena comes to an end 1998 — Fire Island’s Morning Party ends in a blizzard of bad publicity; Pines Party emerges from the ashes; Madonna’s Ray of Light, inspired by her study of mystic Judaism, revolutionizes dance music; Cher’s “Believe” dominates the dance floor & music charts; DanceSafe brings common sense to drug use in raves 1999 — New Year’s Eve takes on added significance as people anticipate the Y2K bug 2000 — Ric Sena produces the Millennium March’s giant afterparty at the Post Office Pavilion in Washington and the first Alegria in New York at Sound Factory; RKM, Miami’s “Future Boys” grace the cover of Circuit Noize for the first time; 18,000 attend Black & Blue at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium; Vermont becomes the first state to recognize gay unions 2001 — When Boys Fly the first documentary film about the Circuit, chronicles young guys attending the Miami White Party; Circuit, the first dramatic film that takes a look at the Circuit, includes footage of the Palm Springs White Party; the Purple Foundation brings the Circuit to Dallas; the Netherlands becomes the first nation to legalize same-sex marriage; Manhunt launches in Boston 2002 — Apple introduces the iMac G4, beginning the company’s emergence to become the world’s biggest company 2003 — War begins in Iraq; the U.S. Supreme Court, in Lawrence v. Texas, finally strikes down “sodomy” laws, making homosex legal; Massachusetts becomes the first state to legalize same-sex marriage 2004 — The New York Times Style section headlines with an article on the Miami White Party; New Jersey’s Jim McGreevey comes out and (briefly) the first openly gay governor; a New York Times article describes the effects of crystal meth on gay life & nightlife 2005 — Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans, but spares gayborhoods the French Quarter and Faubourg Marigny; Abba members reunite for the premier of musical Mamma Mia in Stockholm; “Drug Meal” cover makes some Circuit Noize advertisers nervous 2006 — Buck Angel (“the man with a pussy”) performs at the Black Party; Pussycat Dolls, En Vogue and Joan Jett headline Palm Spring’s Dinah Shore Weekend, the major lesbian Circuit party; amFar partners Vienna’s Life Ball, Europe’s largest AIDS fund-raiser 2007 — Out Magazine publishes “Save The Last Dance”; noiZe relaunches with a bold new look; Stephen Pougnet becomes the out-gay mayor of Palm Springs; San Francisco’s Folsom Street’s “Last Supper” poster is criticized as “anti-religious” 2008 — Barack Obama becomes president; California’s Proposition 8, retracting same-sex marriage, shocks gay activists; disco queen meets reigning queen when Elizabeth II makes Kylie Minogue an Officer of the British Empire; Donna Summer releases critically acclaimed album Crayons; Chris DeCarlo begins his long-running cartoon series “Party Chasers,” in noiZe 2009 — Michael Jackson’s death shocks the world; Lady Gaga performs at the White Party Palm Springs; Iceland’s Johanna Sigurdardottir becomes the first out-gay head of a nation’s government; Matthew Mitcham, the first out-gay Olympian gold medalist & all-around dreamboat is grand marshal of the revitalized Sydney Mardi Gras 2010 — The Miami White Party celebrates its last party at sprawling Renaissance-inspired Vizcaya; AOL (finally) shuts down its chat rooms; Houston Mayor Annise Parker becomes first out-gay mayor of a major U.S. city; women tear while gay men cheer when Ricky Martin comes out 2011 — Fire Island Pines harbor burns down, including the Pavilion, recent owners vow to rebuild 2012 — noiZe turns 18, starts looking for a fake ID People We’ve Profiled Dave Aude Mark Baker Alyson Calagna Jeffrey Sanker Francesco Pagano Randy Bettis Chris Harris The Perry Twins Tom Whitman Moto Blanco Alexander Catala Twisted Dee and Phil B DJ Chus Brett Henrichsen Freemasons Hilton Wolman Ana Paula Mark Anthony Rich Campbell Quentin Harris Boris Patrick Guay Micky Friedmann Joe Gauthreaux Cary Stringfellow Hector Fonseca Dan De Leon Tracy Young Paul Goodyear Cities We’ve Spotlighted/h2> Tel Aviv Salt Lake City Utah Austin Toronto Fire Island Las Vegas Minneapolis Brighton Madrid Sao Paulo Miami Barcelona San Francisco Palm Springs Boston New Orleans Los Angeles New York 2012-05-01T19:10:21+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/dancing_on_a_budget http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/dancing_on_a_budget Plan Ahead - Stop playing games with yourself. The most important thing to keep in mind is to plan well in advance. The definition of insanity (or just garden-variety neurosis) is doing something over and over again until you get it right. The people who end up spending the most money are the ones who keep saying to themselves (and anyone else who will listen), “Oh, I can’t afford it. I’m not going to do it this year. I’m cutting back.” Yeah, yeah. Your friends have all heard it before. Then, at the last minute, you have a sudden flash of everyone on the dance floor and you at home, with the cats and the computer to keep you company. Big mistake. If there’s a party you want to go in August, the time to start thinking about it is in May, especially for the more out-of-the-way destinations like Pensacola, Palm Springs, Saugatuck, Fire Island or Provincetown. - Buy tickets as soon as they go on sale. Nearly all parties offer an “early bird special.” Often, tickets purchased months in advance are priced at a deep discount. With each passing month — or, closer to the event, week, even day — the ticket prices go up. The worst possible time to buy a ticket is at the door. Promoters do this for several reasons. They go on the adage that “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”; early ticket sales help to reassure them that the party will be a success. Also, many of them run tight operations, and having money ahead of time for down payments on the space, light and sound, and other expenses is worth the discounted ticket prices. - Don’t worry about the “what ifs.” The main reason why people wait until the last minute to buy tickets is because they’re worried that something might happen — an accident, death in the family, illness, job layoff, sudden workload, work deadlines — that will prevent them from attending. Keep in mind that if you bought your ticket at a deep discount, there’s always going to be someone who has made the mistake that you used to make of waiting until the last minute. You’ll find a buyer through word of mouth. If not, put it out there on Facebook or Craigslist, or notes at the local gym or coffee shop. Trust me: If you’re offering a substantial amount off the price, someone will find you. If the price differential is great enough, chances are you’ll even make a little money: If you paid, say, $150 for a “gold” weekend pass, and the same pass is selling for $250 closer to the date (not unusual), you can sell it for $175 or even $200. You’ll still be saving that person money. - Make your own outfit. If it’s a theme party, make an outfit instead of going to a costume store or website. And that way, you’re sure of wearing something totally original! - Check out hidden airline fees. Several airlines are now charging for checked bags, or, in some few cases, even for carry-ons that won’t fit under your seat. Check out the fine print and how much it would cost to ship ahead via a freight service like UPS. It may be cheaper in the long run, and most hotels will accept a package from a guest with a reservation; always notify the desk that a package is arriving and send so it is scheduled to arrive a day or two before you do. Save at the Party - Get the VIP ticket. Check out the advantages of a VIP ticket. Often, the extra cost is less than the cost of individual parties or buying each drink separately, as opposed to an open bar — in which case, be sure to bring plenty of dollar bills to tip the bartender. - Team up with others. Find others from your city through Facebook or word of mouth who are traveling to the same party so that you can share a rental car, parking, taxicabs and perhaps a hotel room. In an ideal situation, see if you can crash at a friend’s place in the host city. - Drink water. Should you have a drink or two? Of course — you’re here to have fun. But over the long term, drink plenty of water to replenish fluids lost while sweating on the dance floor. Find out if the local tap water is potable; you might be surprised. New York City, for example, gets its tap water directly from reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains and can boast some of the cleanest tap water of any major city. - Don’t check a coat. If you can drive near the venue, or if it’s merely cool, as opposed to freezing, come as you are. This also saves time when leaving. - Plan your meals. One of the biggest expenses incurred at an out-of-town party is meals. If you’re on a budget, try to plan nutritious meals out of your hotel room. Buy a loaf of bread and buy the fillings at a nearby grocery store or deli. Check out the deli’s salad bar. If you do eat out, seek the less expensive mom-and-pop restaurants or trek to a less expensive part of town — you’ll have more fun than at a crummy chain restaurant, and the food will be better. - Buy what you need before you arrive. Another big out-of-pocket expense: having to buy sundries or other supplies once you’re in the host city. Bring what you’re going to use with you. If you’re only bringing a carry-on bag, bring just enough toothpaste or other limited items as you’re going to need. If you’ll need a lot of, say, sunscreen, team up with others and find a local dollar store. The ‘Grateful Dead’ Weekend On Fire Island, there’s a tradition of what has become known as the “Grateful Dead” weekend, after the hippie followers of that seminal jam band. This means a backpack and crashing where you can. While this is certainly not recommended for a big city, if you’re the type who doesn’t mind roughing it, this is the cheapest way to travel. 2012-05-01T19:06:39+00:00