http://www.noizemag.com/index.php en ronn@spongeworks.com Copyright 2010 2010-02-13T07:30:36+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/three_to_watch_out_for/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/three_to_watch_out_for/ Omar Gonzalez: Miami Heat First of all we descend on the home of the Winter Party. At 31, Omar Gonzalez is already a nightlife veteran, having promoted parties for over seven years. He’s best known as the founder and driving force behind OAG Productions and its “Sunday Skool” party at South Beach venue Click. Celebrating its first anniversary this past summer, Sunday Skool has become church for Miami’s fabulous denizens. This is where fashionistas meet muscle, businessman rub shoulders with artists. And then there are the celebrities, like Oscar-nominated actor and notorious partyboy Mickey Rourke. Like the other promoters interviewed for this article, Gonzalez points to a generational difference in musical tastes—and how it’s presented. “We started out spinning a lot of House music,” Gonzalez says. “But we found that the younger crowd was more enthusiastic about the Pop sets.” He never knows what to expect from week to week, but he does know that the party has become more mixed since its beginnings. “Diversity is quickly taking place in South Beach nightlife,” the young promoter says. This year, he would not be at all surprised to see his crowd consisting of “mature, young, gay, straight, men, women, drag queens and a guy in a chicken suit.”  Unfortunately, the legacy of some party drugs had changed the South Beach party scene—and not for the better. With a sense of sadness, he speaks of the disappearance of many familiar faces: “A lot of the crystal and GHB set has gone to staying in at night on the Internet and not socializing in public. A younger group who has marked an increase in alcohol sales has replaced them,” he adds. “Don’t get me wrong, I welcome the new, but miss some of the familiar faces.” Whatever the future, he seems poised to take whatever comes and roll with the punches. http://www.oagproductions.com Chris Ryan: New York City Cool Traveling up the East Coast, we find Chris Ryan, an even younger promoter with a full weekly plate. Only 28, Ryan finds himself a semester away from a master’s degree in clinical psychology while becoming one of the mainstays on New York’s continually challenging and ever-changing nightlife scene. Ryan can already boast the longest-running gay Thursday night event at Splash with “Campus.” “It’s hard to believe it has been so long,” he says, in a tone of slight bewilderment. “Every week feels like the first time. Then I look out and see so many familiar faces and I love that!” When asked about the reason for the longevity of the event, he quickly responds, “Cheap drinks, fun music and hot boys. How can you go wrong?” How, indeed? From Central Chelsea, jump on the C subway train two stops north to the “other” gayborhood, Hell’s Kitchen, where Ryan has established a little slice of booty-shaking heaven two nights a week at the Ritz. Ryan’s ‘80s retro extravaganza “Rewind” on Wednesdays and “Flex” on Fridays has helped make this Restaurant Row boîte a “must” for Generation Y’ers. Initially, he had expected a more mature crowd for the retro tunes that give Rewind its name. So he was hardly prepared for the twentysomethings who turn it out and dance in the backroom space to music that were on the Billboard charts when they were in utero. “I don’t think anyone expected to refer to the ‘80s as a simpler time,” he notes. “But in retrospect …” Two nights later, the Ritz gets a sexier vibe with “Flex Fridays,” which is billed as a “Flirtatious and Fun NO Attitude” party. Ryan posts a hunk de la semaine each week on his website ChrisRyanNYC.com. Any partygoer willing to flex his muscle for the door earns a free drink. The best “flexer” wins tickets, dinners or other prizes. Ryan enjoys hosting at the Ritz because of the mix of people: “You get a nice combination of neighborhood guys who come every week and tourists who are in for one night and one night only. It all makes for a very unpredictable dynamic—never a dull moment.” Ryan has just given birth to New York’s latest party night, “Tight” at Amnesia, a space in far northwest Chelsea. The new night premiered February 7, with DJ Nita Aviance and Shiny Toy Guns. Valentine’s Day features one of the biggest names in nightlife, Junior Vasquez. “This is a long time in the making and I hope will mark an upward swing in NYC nightlife,” Ryan says. “It has a little bit of everything for a lot of everyone.” At Tight, Ryan hopes to mix up music, performance art and socializing in an ultra-hip environment. The preview party proved to be a great success and drew raves from the media as well as from those attending, a veritable Who’s Who of NY gay boys and nightlife. Ryan intends for that mix to hearken back to the city’s glory days as the world’s nightlife capital. “I always look to the legends of NY party promoters like John Blair and Jeffrey Sanker when building an event or making choices that will affect a party night,” he says. Someday, we’ll be including him on such a select list. As someone who seriously studied the human psyche, Ryan tries to keep it real. He has been a strong supporter of the New York Anti-Violence Project, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, and gay marriage. But his pet cause is animal rights. “I will fight for that until my final breath,” he says. Ryan seems to be a well-rounded man beyond his years, a refreshing combination of the serious and playful. http://www.chrisryannyc.com Ray Rhodes: L.A. Warmth On the Left Coast, Ryan’s good buddy Ray Rhodes is a former DJ who has become a player in the white-hot West Hollywood club scene. A former Palm Spring White Party and Gay Disney DJ, his “TigerHeat” has been heating up Avalon for nine years in Hollywood. How does he account for the resilience of this party among fickle Angelinos? “We started at a time when the world as we knew it was about to change, 2001,” he notes. Up to this time, video dance parties were considered taboo—and lyric-driven party music was marked as “not acceptable” by clubbers. Rhodes originally played as a radio DJ on 104.3-FM, so he was comfortable with Pop and Top 40. “So I figured, why can’t we play it and dance to it?” Rhodes explains. The format of TigerHeat has become a brand of sorts, with satellite parties in Long Beach, Las Vegas and even hopes for a future night in the Big Apple. “Chris Ryan always puts me up when I go to New York, and we are trying to work together in the future,” Rhodes says. “We’ll see what happens.” If his past success with TigerHeat is any indication, New York may be seeing a Rhodes/Ryan event in the coming year: “I want to try and expand on the TigerHeat brand, but I can never lose what I truly love. I couldn’t sit behind a desk and make decisions about something for which I am so passionate. I will always have to be spinning; that’s my love.” Aside from his role as impresario and DJ, Rhodes is working on a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at the University of California-Los Angeles. It’s enough to keep most 105-year-old men very busy. At least that is how old he claims to be on his MySpace page. (Judging from his spiky blond hair and very fit, California-buffed physique, mid-twenties seems about right.) As a DJ, Rhodes has learned how to spot up-and-coming talent. Last year, Lady Gaga did a few numbers at the Las Vegas TigerHeat in front of 300 people. A few months later, just after “Just Dance” hit the U.S., almost 2,000 people showed up when she returned. Lady Gaga is typical of Rhodes’ knack for scouting the Next Big Thing from the other side of the pond or the other side of the world. “Since before The Beatles, a large number of the latest big stars have hit first in England,” he notes. Closer to home, he never underestimates what the latest generation of clubgoers want to hear: “This world is changing so fast whether you are a businessman, doctor, politician or entertainer. You cant sit back for a minute and just enjoy what you have. You have to constantly work, and evolve, or you will get left behind in the dust. I never want that to happen to something that I love and have worked so hard to create.” Rhodes hosts some other events in WeHo, such as “Super Cherry Pop” and “Boy’s Room”, check out http://www.rayrhodes.com. The next generation of club promoters mirrors their constituency. Savvy and plugged in, they’re looking for new events, while enjoying older music. If these three are any indication, the future looks bright. 2010-02-13T06:30:36+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/tango_blues_puts_a_new_spin_on_club_promotion/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/tango_blues_puts_a_new_spin_on_club_promotion/ “There’s been a major change in nightlife. The reason the Circuit developed was so that there could be places where people could go and dance, where they could have big events and feel safe and not worry about being gay. With the world in general more accepting—especially the younger generation—they don’t need that. They don’t need to go to a gay bar to be gay. Nightclubs aren’t for 21- to 30-year olds going out to meet people. And if they do go out, they don’t care if it’s a gay bar. It’s really changed the industry. It’s changing the way we do business and our business model.” That’s how Andrew Briskin describes the state of gay clublife in 2009. But following the venerable Chinese proverb, out of crisis comes opportunity, that’s exactly what Briskin has done. Using his stable of talent, which includes luminaries like singer Ultra Naté, J.P. Calderon, Candice Cayne, Scotty K and Drew G, he’s been able to persuade marketers that the best way to get consumers to respond positively is where they play. So he’s been assembling packages for corporate clients to go to Clubland, where they sponsor special nights. It’s a win-win: clubs get talent and a night to promote; the client gets his message out; and the rest of us get to dance and be entertained. “We are managers, but what we do mostly is promotions, marketing and branding,” Briskin explains. To cite an example written about in these very pages two issues ago, Briskin was the mastermind behind the well-received Music to Wear 2008 Tour, which paired Andrew Christian’s sexy men’s underwear with Kimberly S.’ driving beats. “We packaged that,” Briskin says. “We put his underwear on every gay boy. Clubs that are lighter venues than Kimberly would normally play could book her.” Similarly, Tango Blues successfully rebranded AtomicMen.com for a rollout as a gay social networking site. In this case, Briskin and his staff worked as a more traditional marketing consultant. They redid the site “to look like Facebook more than Adam4Adam.” Then they began holding Atomic Mixers in bars and clubs around the country to introduce AtomicMen to its target audience—plugged-in gay consumers, the early adaptors who would respond to AtomicMen’s features like a mobile app. Just looking at its roster of talent, it’s easy to see that Tango Blues is focused on the gay market. But not entirely; Briskin has had corporate clients across the board. Tango Blues is poised to work on any product launch, such as a sports-related DVD release in sports bars. Branching out is part of Briskin’s survival strategy—not only with the lousy economy, but also in the new world of gay venues. “We had to branch out,” he explains. “There aren’t as many gar bars anymore.” Briskin maintains an active database of strictly gay clubs in North America that his staff meticulously updates every six months. “As of January, 40 percent went out of business or went straight,” he says. That also means that club owners and promoters can’t afford to bring in the superstar name DJs the way they did only a year ago. So they’re more receptive to corporate-sponsored tours such as the ones Tango Blues assembles. “With the economy, they can’t book the plane and the hotel and the big fees,” Briskin notes. “Local promoters can’t bring in talent anymore. We tie in with a sponsor to reach out to the community. It’s a great way to brand the product; and for the clubs, it’s something special to promote.” Animal Training to People Managing Andrew Briskin came to his field of expertise in a roundabout way. Or maybe not. Although his family was in “the Industry,” (that’s Left Coastese for showbiz) he stayed in Miami after graduating from the University of Miami and took a job as director of exhibits at the Miami Seaquarium. He then moved into animal brokering for zoos. During that time, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective came to town to film, and he did some work with the on-set animal trainers. He found he had a gift for working with four-legged talent, and started working with animals locally. Eventually, he hooked up with Bruce Weber, the legendary fashion photographer and connoisseur of male pulchritude (praise—or blame—him for the hegemony of the A&F boys). He worked for Weber on very fine two-legged specimens for nearly a half-decade as a freelance producer until someone hired him away to work on a Levi’s jeans commercial. Upon moving back to his hometown in 1998, he opened a production studio in Hollywood and went “from there to production to talent management. Tigers,” he sighs, “are a lot easier and less stressful to deal with than people.” This is a sentiment that would be readily seconded by anyone who has balanced the demands of a DJ, dance-song diva, lighting designer and bartenders to produce a night of magic. Don’t get him wrong: Briskin loves his work. Unlike some behind-the-scenes guys, he likes to go out and have fun. “Nightlife may not be what it was ten years ago, but you can still you have a good experience,” he says. For now, Briskin is concentrating on working with the bars, clubs and megaclubs around the country to help them survive these lean years by bringing in acts that will attract crowds but not the repo man. “Our big draw in the past year-and-a-half has been coming up with ways to increase traffic through their doors while promoting what we’re promoting,” he says. “We’re giving the clubs something to promote that won’t cost them anything.” Tango Blues’ Red-Hot Talent Roster This is only a sample of the people handled by Andrew Briskin and his staff: Debby Holiday: She’s been shaking the dance floor since 2004’s “Dive.” Billie Myers: Best known for “Kiss the Rain,” her “Am I Here Yet” became a dance-floor staple through Junior Vasquez’s remix. She’s toured with no less than Savage Garden and Bob Dylan. Ultra Naté: This ultimate House diva needs no introduction to the readers of this magazine. The Baltimore-based singer, songwriter, party promoter, label owner and House DJ is taking it on the road with a 12-city tour and a double album. Scotty K: The headliner for Global Groove’s tour last fall has played major venues from the Pavilion on Fire Island to Fresh in San Francisco. Drew G: Tango Blues doesn’t ignore Gotham, with one of the city’s best-known DJs who’s spun all over town. Marco: He’s done Saint-at-Large parties, the Eagle, Limelight, Crobar and Splash. With his life partner, the actress Candis Cayne (also a Tango Blues artist), he now lives in Hollywood. J.D. Ordonez: Best known for MTV’s The Real World: Brooklyn, he’s actually a dedicated marine mammal trainer. While in New York, he worked at the LGBT Center in the public policy department. J.P. Calderon: Even if you don’t recognize the name, you know the face and bod from the cover of Instinct Magazine. This pro volleyball player was featured on The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency and in a national 2(x)ist campaign. Flava: This noiZe feature subject has been livening up dance floors with his unique performance art for years. 2009-05-01T17:15:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/mark_baker/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/mark_baker/ After literally changing the face of the gay party circuit earlier this decade with his legendary groundbreaking soirees held during Orlando’s Gay Days, prolific party producer Mark Baker took a few years off to rest, reflect, recoup and recharge. Now he’s back with a brand new party concept for Central Florida’s first major dance-music festival held over Memorial Day Weekend: World|Vibe Orlando. Following five years of consistently (and incredibly) topping his own extraordinary creativity with parties that included Colosseum, Magic Journeys, and Stars, the Circuit impresario finally maxed out on ideas. In 2005, he sold his Disney-bejeweled party scepter to Johnny Chisholm and retreated from the spotlight to focus on his other career, directing television commercials. He still produced the occasional corporate event (at least until the economy went south). Now he’s back producing parties, this time inspired by sexually ambiguous (i.e., mixed) mega-events like Miami’s Ultra Music Festival, Los Angeles’ Electric Daisy Carnival and Montreal’s Black & Blue. While Gay Days has always focused on its gay male audience, World|Vibe Orlando is less about lifestyle and more about the music—House music, to be exact—and will cater accordingly to that genre’s diverse legions of devotees. “It’s not a totally different audience,” Baker assures. But a different one nonetheless. Headliners include DJs Boris, Chus & Ceballos, Oscar G, Jonathan Peters, Roger Sanchez and a host of other established and emerging talent. This is a big step for Baker, who made his name taking big chances. Back in 1982 he moved from Toledo, Ohio, to Orlando and began working for Walt Disney World at the Hall of Presidents on the technical side of the animatronic show. After attending his first Circuit party in 1996, he recalls thinking, “I can do that.” After a couple of false starts, he finally hit his stride in 1998 with a late-night affair called Magic Journeys. Originally held at Front Row during Gay Days, the party later moved to Arabian Nights to accommodate thousands more revelers and expanded to several nights throughout the weekend. It was the award-winning Colosseum party he threw at Hard Rock Live with DJ Abel that really put Baker on the international party map. “It was like a hybrid Circuit party,” Baker says. “It’s an entire evening put together with shows that interconnect. With my background in television, I thought of doing it like an entertainment show with a progression, a script for the entire night. It was a more thought-out entertainment experience.” By 2002, the Sunday night crowds had far outgrown Hard Rock’s 3,500 capacity, so Baker moved it to Friday night and replaced it with the Stars Party at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, with the ability to accommodate 6,000 revelers. Along with the daytime Groove parties at Universal Studios, Gay Days became Baker’s baby for several years. He also branched out to the hot (and hotly competitive) Miami scene with White Dreams at the Miami Seaquarium during White Party and a Winter Party event at the Ice Palace. From Gay Days to World|Vibe While at the top of his game, Baker decided to sell his company and the rights to his Gay Days parties four years ago to Johnny Chisholm. Eventually, he says, he realized, “You can’t really top yourself. I had done it for five years, and you kind of run out of new ideas. There were some pretty creative components to what we’d done, but I thought we had taken it as far as we could. I thought it was a good time to step away and go on to do other things.” He takes a grand and all-encompassing approach to producing events in order to live up to his personal motto, “Beyond belief is where this party begins.” “We know Gay Days weekend is a very competitive market,” Baker acknowledged during an interview back in 2002. “If you don’t have the biggest, best thing, probably the next year you won’t be around. So we just make sure that all our parties are the best.” To accomplish this, he would assemble a core team of more than a dozen people to coordinate the weekend. “The people we hire are really great special events people,” he explained. “They’re very technical people who have worked for a lot of theme parks. They take the week off and come work for us. We have an individual project manager for each of the parties, and a dedicated technical person who handles all the technical stuff. They’re not people that do other jobs like Realtors or something else during the week—they do special events all the time, and that’s all they do.” Now operating under the moniker of Mark Baker Creative, Baker has teamed up with Envibe Entertainment, which is run by his good friend and House music aficionado Steve Milo, and Groove Travel for his World|Vibe Orlando venture. Among the many considerations behind the creation of this new party weekend were the weakened economy and what he sees as a shift in the interests and expectations of a key constituency: “What’s interesting about the gay demographic is, the younger you go, the less interested those people are in exclusively gay parties. It’s just not such a big deal to anybody.” Baker also saw World|Vibe as an opportunity to do something new and entirely different. “As a promoter, when you go to Ultra and there’s 30,000 people standing in the middle of a field, you do kind of go, 30,000 times $85 is...” he says as his voice trails off, with the unspoken question: How do the numbers add up? “I love the creative, but you’ve got to make it run as a business. I think that’s why I got sold on this project more so than some of the other ones I’ve been presented with. I thought, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of potential here.’” At the same time, the current economic climate demands competitive pricing and affordable packages. “My gut is, we’re being very realistic,” he says of his low break-even numbers, which are based on average ticket prices of $45 to $55. “Everybody’s trying to find new ways to make money. This weekend attracts a whole different audience that probably wouldn’t come to Disney. So here’s a chance to bring in some new business. We were able to negotiate with the venues and hotels because everybody in the entertainment [and hospitality] business is hurting right now. There are people now giving us deals who two or three years ago would not have given us the time of day.” Baker’s “Be Here” page on his website, WorldVibeOrlando.com, lists one- to three-night travel packages, including hotel and tickets, ranging from $235 to $550. Time and again Mark Baker has proven himself a remarkably creative innovator who has consistently set many of the trends that other event producers and party promoters will eventually follow. With World|Vibe Orlando, he seems destined to continue that magnificent legacy. One can only imagine what he’ll dream up next. 2009-04-30T00:25:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/jeffrey_sanker/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/jeffrey_sanker/ Ask any party boy to name the top promoters on the scene, and the name Jeffrey Sanker will be at the top of the list. His career spans three decades starting with the New York club scene during the halcyon days of Studio 54. His parties happen in the country’s hottest hot spots—Los Angeles, Palm Springs, Miami and Las Vegas. He’s also brought some of the Circuit’s best-known DJs to parties during Gay Days in Orlando. The super-producer known simply as “The Man” has consistently come up with the baddest parties for the fiercest crowd.  How does he do it? According to Sanker, “You have to make everything like a show. That is why I feel I am more of an impresario than a promoter.” It also means keeping up with the changes in nightlife. Sanker is perhaps best known for White Party Palm Springs, which has long held the crown of largest gay dance event west of the Mississippi. More recently, he has been extending his brand into some of the hottest clubs in L.A. Every month a new party seems to crop up with “Jeffrey Sanker presents” emblazoned on top of it. But these are not your uncle’s Circuit-style parties. He might add some décor, and he always has the top DJs at the turntables, but he has realized that the younger party boys are self-lubricating with that old standby, alcohol. The music is hip-hop and pop, the dance floors are smaller, and there are “chill” spaces where the city’s A-list can see and be seen. The focus has shifted from a night of sweaty dancing to an evening being with your friends and making new ones. In fact, at one recent event, the dance floor was filled—but no one was dancing. Instead, the boys were just holding the latest trendy martini and chatting each other up. Shirts firmly remained on torsos. A lot of the Sanker “magic touch” can be attributed to the perception that if his name is on the event, you’re guaranteed a fun, sexy crowd (shirts on or off). One relatively new event, Fresh Fridays at WeHo’s Eleven Lounge, has a line down the block each week. “I create Donald Trump-style events,” Sanker said in a recent interview. “I want to give only the best of everything: the best DJs, venues, performers and themes. That is why they keep coming back.” Sanker’s signature event, White Party, is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. Sanker points out that drink sales have gone up 25% in the past few years, but he likes to keep this one Old School. Each event is in a “big room” where the focus is on serious dancing, performances, and connecting with the crowd. For the twentieth anniversary, he is planning an over-the-top event. However, despite having big-name headliners like J-Lo and Tony Braxton in the past, do not expect the usual rumor mill of who might be the special performer this year. He is done with that. “If you want to see Cher, go to Vegas,” Sanker quipped. (He’s been there with a roadshow White Party in the 24-hour town.) This year, he is focusing on bringing big, innovative shows to Palm Springs that will blow the crowd away, without any of the anticipation (or drama) of an unannounced diva showing up—or not. He was the first to add Cirque du Soleil-type performances to dance events. Previous years have included the L.A. Philharmonic backing up Flava; live horses; acrobats; and insane pyrotechnics. No matter what he comes up with, you know it will be exciting—even without one of those big-name (and big-maned) divas. DJ-wise he is also mixing it up. This year, he’s going international by importing Oscar Velasquez from Mexico City for Friday night and Ana Paula from Rio closing the main event. He’s also nurturing the hottest young DJs on the scene such as the Perry Twins, Casey Alva and Morningstar. The theme for this year’s White Party is “Legion of Superheroes.” To keep with that theme, each event is set up “dynamic duo” style.  Every party will have a known DJ along with a fresh face as the sidekick to give the boys a feel for tomorrow’s headliners. Looking Back & Ahead Surprisingly, Sanker got the idea to do a dance event in Palm Springs from the lesbian community. In 1987, he felt the New York club scene was moribund. So he moved to Los Angeles, where he initiated a string of successful parties and clubs. His first event at the Palace (now Avalon) brought in 1,800 guys. Based on that success, he was invited to check out The Dinah Shore Weekend, a party for the gals in the Desert during the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament. When he saw the main event consisted of four speakers and a few balloons, he knew he could do better.  His first event was called Wet and Wild and attracted 500 guys.  One DJ, Manny Lehman, played all the parties. A year later he changed the name to White Party and its popularity exploded. Today, nearly 20,000 people descend on the town during White Party Week. It takes over 300 workers and $1 million to produce this marathon of dance and camaraderie. When asked about the future of the gay dance scene, Sanker would like to remind the new generation that the gay community has always danced. Dance has been an important element of socializing and feeling a sense of community. He hopes that with themes younger boys can relate to and their favorite DJs, he can continue to attract them to a big event like White Party. Once there, he feels they will embrace and understand our communal need to dance and will propel the scene into the future. So what if some of the older Circuit boys are doing cruises rather than parties these days? Or that the younger generation is restlessly looking for something different? Sanker has continued to be successful in creating the best club and party experience possible—and that’s what he intends to do, wherever the prevailing winds blow. By doing so he keeps reminding us of our need to connect in the place that has always been an integral part of the gay experience: the dance floor. 2009-01-31T06:00:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/chris_harris_renews_new_england_nightlife/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/chris_harris_renews_new_england_nightlife/ If you go out to any big clubs in Boston or you’re a regular at the major Circuit events in the U.S. or Canada, chances are you’ve been to one of Chris Harris’ events. Known as New England’s best party promoter—and certainly the region’s most important—Harris is no newbie to the nightlife scene. And he’s not just another pretty-faced party boy. An adept businessman, Chris is credited with single-handedly reviving the once-languishing nightlife scene in Boston; although now, he has extended his reach much farther afield. With hundreds of parties and Pride celebrations under his belt, Chris knows what he’s doing and he does it very, very well. Don’t think, however, that this means that he’s sitting back and sipping mojitos while letting other people do the dirty work for him! He didn’t get to be where he is today on his good looks and charismatic smile alone (although I’m sure they didn’t hurt). Chris has a long history in the industry. He’s worked in club operations at various levels for almost 20 years. But it wasn’t until he moved back to Providence from Miami that he decided to start throwing parties himself. Luckily for him, the administration of the Rhode Island capital was supportive of his efforts. His events were successful for him, the city, and the charities for which his events raised funds. When the owners of the Strand, his mainstay club in Providence, decided to go in a different direction after a five-year run, he decided it was time to move on and up to the region’s biggest city. Knowing about Chris’ successful fundraising and fabulous parties in Providence, Boston Pride asked him to bring his Military Ball to the old Avalon as the main Pride event for 2007. The party ended up doing so well that although the club was scheduled to close in six months, the owners offered him Saturday nights for the remainder of the lease. Chris jumped on the opportunity. Together with the Boston promoter Raffael Sanchez, he began his ascent to the top of Boston’s gay nightlife scene. Just as the six-month run at Avalon was ending, Chris got a call from the owners of the Roxy. It seems they had noticed the 1,200-plus turnout of gay boys at Chris’ parties at the Avalon, and these packed events looked better than the smaller straight crowds they’d been dealing with on Saturday nights. EPIC Saturdays, Glamlife Thursdays, Hot Mess Sundays Chris Harris, along with Gay Mafia, is now running three very different weekly parties in Boston. Each one has a different vibe—literally, in terms of music; and figuratively, as for the crowd: Glamlife Thursdays at The Estate (Top 40 and hip hop); EPIC Saturdays (big room dance party); and Hot Mess Sundays at Underbar, where Chris says “you’ll hear everything and anything… except Boy George.” Boy George and Chris Harris have a somewhat tumultuous history, largely because the made-up DJ (pun intended) still reportedly owes Chris $10,000. Big Boy G was a no-show for a party he was contracted to do last year before he got busted on drug charges. Although Chris has tried to collect from the DJ, his management, and lawyers, and left very clear and detailed contact information (literally) at his house in London, he’s yet to see a penny. He even confronted him with picket signs while the karma chameleon was picking up trash in Manhattan as the community service part of his sentence. No ex-Culture Club member could keep this cultural club phenomenon down, however. Chris has become known in the industry as a global promoter. Unlike some promoters who never hit the dance floor in their off hours, he tries to get to as many other parties around the world as he can, which contributes to his ability to mix it up when it comes to hiring talent. Chris’ events feature a balance of internationally known DJs with local and regional up-and-comers and established scenesters. Aside from the Military Ball, Chris has been responsible for organizing and throwing world-class parties. At one time or another, he has been behind events around a White Party, Black Party, Nation V and Winter Party, as well as Erect, Voyage, Eruption, Volcano, Chinese New Year, Ego,  Northern Decadence and Ego. Although these events have made him well known among the Circuit crowd worldwide, he’s still very much in touch with the cities where he throws parties, and always looks out for the locals. Right now Chris is back to living in Providence, but since he’s in Boston nearly every weekend (the two cities are barely more than an hour apart), he keeps a flat there too. As a promoter at the top of his game, he’s looking to expand into real estate, gay travel, and some more surprises that he’s keeping under wraps. Helping out friends & worthy causes Aside from being a master promoter, Chris is also known for helping out his friends, standing firm behind true talent, and even pushing those in whom he sees great potential to go even further. A perfect example of this is DJ Dena. A novice DJ when they met, Chris encouraged Dena to hone her skills at spinning. He made sure she had the opportunity to play for ever-larger crowds. In just a few years, DJ Dena has come into her own as her reputation continues to rises on the Circuit. When Dena was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, Chris decided to do something about it. Together with others in the industry, he put together “Divas For Dena: The Breast Party Ever!” to benefit the “Save the Ta-Tas Foundation” and raise awareness of breast cancer. Right now, he’s more than busy managing the three weekly events in Boston and traveling the world. He likes to keep up with the industry and explore new concepts to keep his parties fresh. With all of those miles, it’s helpful that his Hawaiian boyfriend of eight years, Dominic, is a flight attendant. In the next few months, he’s really looking forward to “Caligula,” a Roman-themed party he and Raffael Sanchez are throwing for New Year’s, with Manny Lehman at the helm musically. He’s promising “the best party New England has ever seen.” Chris is also eager to turn his attention back to Providence and throw more parties there. Nor is he stopping at the party scene. Providence is already famous as the largest city in the country with an openly gay mayor. If, as expected, he runs for governor, check out http://www.ChrisHarrisForMayor.com to see what this ultimate multitasker has in store for 2010. 2008-10-07T20:52:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/franco_beneduce_san_frans_magnitude_man/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/franco_beneduce_san_frans_magnitude_man/ For anyone who has attended the (in)famous Folsom Street Fair, the Saturday night Magnitude Party stands out as one of the highlights of a crowded party weekend. For Franco Beneduce, the man behind this multifaceted affair, the secret of its success is simple: He gives a party that he would want to attend. It all started with a handshake on the dance floor of Club Universe in San Francisco 13 years ago. Franco Beneduce, an event planner, had recently relocated from New York City when he ran into Jito Garcia, who wanted to start producing large-scale dance events. Jito knew how to get people to the event but lacked the producing experience that Franco brought to the table. Out of that initial collaboration came forth the now infamous AfterShock after-hours parties. After that triumph, they set their sights on a Saturday night party the week of the city’s biggest gayola weekend, Folsom Street Fair. Thus the Magnitude party was hatched. To understand Magnitude and Franco (who runs it without Jito these days), one must understand the Folsom Street Fair, the massive charity event that last year donated over $350,000 to local Bay Area organizations—a figure that rises each year. Magnitude has been one of the major reasons for the steady increase. With 400,000 attendees from around the globe, the fair is the largest leather event in the world and the third-largest exposition in California behind the Rose Bowl Parade and San Francisco Pride. Folsom Street, however, goes way beyond what most people view as a leather event. “Folsom gives people the ultimate freedom of sexual self-expression,” Beneduce explains. “That is why Magnitude could only happen in San Francisco.” Many look at Folsom, celebrating its 25th anniversary at the end of September, as the one day a year they can be themselves—to themselves and to the wider world. A married doctor from Kansas City shows off his exhibitionism by walking the fair clad in nothing but chaps and a raging hard-on. An executive works his submissive side by being led around on a leash. A lesbian shows us that a woman can be butcher than any leather queen could dream of being. Much More Than a Dance Party Franco is obsessed with translating this freedom into a dance party, and the result is one of the world’s truly unique dance events. To begin with, Magnitude is about much more than dancing—although there’s plenty of that—including live demonstrations and an erotic play space. The rooms are decorated with images of some of the hottest men in leather along with other props to create a sexually-charged atmosphere. Franco admits that he prefers to throw a party that gives attendees options. “I try to create an event that I would want to attend,” he states. “Magnitude is the convergence of world-class music, dancing, live erotic demonstrations, and interactive play. And that can only exist in conjunction with the Folsom Street Fair.” The crowd ranges from the 30s to 50s (with representatives from either side of the spectrum, to be sure). These guys may not be going out every weekend anymore, but when they come to Magnitude, they are ready to party. There may be more men with chest hair and harnesses than shirtless twinks with smooth bodies, but muscle abounds … and lots and lots of fun. One might think the music would be a dark after-hours style. It isn’t. Franco works with the DJ to create a journey into sexual bliss. “Since the crowd is a bit older, they may not be up on a lot of new music.” Franco said, “We always throw in a section of classic dance anthems from the past decade to remind folks of the Circuit heyday.” Neil Lewis, who spun for five of the first six years of the event, had a major influence on Magnitude’s sound. “We have had some great DJs like Susan Morabito and Mark Anthony spin for us,” Franco says. “Since Neil’s death, we’ve tried to honor his tradition with exceptional new musical talent like Joe Gauthreaux.” This year’s DJ, Paul Goodyear, is returning for another spin at the wheels of steel. Goodyear was a close friend of Lewis, knew his music well, and has a similar style. Also, since Paul has lived in Sydney, London and Barcelona and has played all over the world, he brings a fresh international vibe to the event that reflects the changing demographics of the international crowd. Changing the Party Vibe International, indeed. Magnitude and Folsom both attract people from all over the world. Many Aussies attend every year, and there’s even a regular group from Iceland. The event was not always focused on creating an erotic and sexualized environment. However, five years ago Franco and Folsom Street Events decided it needed a few changes to make it more reflective of the energy of Folsom Weekend. The changes proved to be especially popular with international patrons, and the event’s popularity grew considerably. The first reworking included the addition of the Dungeon Beds lounge. The L.A. store Mr. S. Leather is sponsoring the dungeon space with support from Titan Studios. It will be in the basement of the venue, with different music and a different vibe from the main floor—darker and sexier. Expect a steamy, safe, playground of pleasure. While many mainstream Circuit parties continue to see a decline, it is a testament to Beneduce’s continuing hands-on involvement that attendance at Magnitude has been steadily going up over the past few years. Franco attributes the continued success to Magnitude and Folsom’s unique place in the gay universe. Some compare Magnitude to New York’s annual Black Party extravaganza. Franco admits to some similarities, but he hastens to point out that Magnitude is part of a much bigger experience, one where attendees come for a week or longer. It is not just about a single—albeit fun, massive and very well-produced—party. With all this erotic self-expression going on, you would think that it would be hard to find a place big enough that would be accepting of an event of this nature. Franco admits it is hard to find an appropriate space in San Francisco on a Saturday night. After producing events for 13 years, however, Franco has managed to build a solid reputation in the city’s larger club community. Landlords know that Magnitude will be a tightly run ship, with attendees on good behavior (but not too good!). This year, the party is moving to the Regency Center, a restored 1909 landmark. The Magnitude production team plans to transform the elegant Beaux Arts interior with the kind of lights, projections, lasers and props that partygoers have come to expect, with some new twists to keep the concept fresh. In addition to Magnitude, Franco also manages Bay of Pigs, the Saturday night party for the Dore Alley Fair. Dore is the smaller cousin to Folsom and attracts less non-leather tourists and more sleaze. When asked if anything shocks him at Folsom or Magnitude anymore, Franco simply replies, ”I’ve seen just about everything you can imagine—and then some. But what really shocks me is that there are still gay people in this day and age with puritanical minds who judge the way that other gay people express themselves sexually.” Perhaps. But maybe, just maybe, with the continued success of Folsom Street Fair and Magnitude, some of those closed minds will be changed. 2008-08-04T00:10:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/sandy_sachs_robin_gans/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/sandy_sachs_robin_gans/ In the fast-paced world of gay nightlife, lesbians typically get a raw deal. In the prevailing stereotype, gay men play the role of freewheeling party monsters, while the girls are relegated to a small cabin in the woods of Oregon tending to their golden retrievers. Venture outside our male-dominated spaces, however, and you'll discover a world of lesbian revelers paryting as hard as the circuit boyz. Hip-hop dykes or disco divas, gay nightlife has a healthy dose of girl power. Just ask Sandy Sachs and Dr. Robin Gans, the impresarios of the scene.The power couple fell in love in the '80s, at popular lesbian event SheScape in New York. After moving to L.A., they opened Girl Bar in 1990, which remains the largest lesbian dance club in the U.S. The long-running Girl Bar parties, now in four cities across the country (with more on the way), set a new standard for lesbian nightlife. They also produce Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs, the largest lesbian event in the world. They managed the White Party Palm Springs for ten years; kept the Factory Event Space in L.A. fresh for the past nine years; opened the elegant and popular West Hollywood restaurant Murano; created The Fitness Factory, one of L.A.'s top-rated gyms; and run GirlBarMatch, an online lesbian dating service. On top of that, Robin is a successful Beverly Hills psychologist, and Sandy will sometimes man the turntables at Girl Bar. Somehow they still find time to give back to the community, working with notable organizations such as The Trevor Project, Gay & Lesbian Elder Housing, Human Rights Campaign, L.A.'s Gay & Lesbian Center, AIDS Project Los Angeles and PAWS. It's no wonder they were named "2005 Women of the Year" by Christopher Street West. They started by managing Revolver, a popular WeHo bar now East/West. At the time, only The Palms was catering to L.A.'s lesbian population. Word got out that these two women were managing this fun video bar, and the gals started showing up. Seeing an opportunity, they created a weekly event that took over the back bar. They turned an exit into the entrance so patrons could enter without having to walk through the main bar. The comfortable and elegant environment became an instant hit and eventually packed the whole bar. Scott Forbes, owner of Studio One, the über-exclusive WeHo dance club, saw their success and offered to host Girl Bar in a room at his club. Things took off from there. Eighteen years later the event is still going strong in the same space, now called Ultra Suede, part of the Factory Event Space owned by Sandy. It's interesting to note that in those days gay male dance clubs were famously selective at the door-but Robin and Sandy knew that would never fly in the women's community and made sure that everyone was welcome. In 2004, the duo took the show on the road and opened up Girl Bar events in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Chicago. They are opening in Long Beach, and plan on San Francisco and Seattle as well. Chicago in particular has been very successful. Opening night was 20 degrees below zero, and the girls were still lined up down the block. The Big One: Dinah Shore In terms of attendees alone, Dinah Shore Weekend is their crown jewel. Originally, the weekend was a loose series of events surrounding the Dinah Shore LPGA Golf Tournament that attracted a Southern California crowd. The gals started by improving sound, lights and décor, bringing to the table ten years working with Jeffrey Sanker on the White Party. The result was a high-quality weekend with a wide range of activities that now attracts over 10,000 women to Palm Springs each year. And the girls don't just want to dance. They can choose from concerts, comedy shows, VIP brunches and pool parties. There are some differences between the girls and the boys with this event. Dance parties end at 3 a.m., with most attendees leaving by 2. The intoxicant of choice is alcohol. By far the most popular events are the pool parties, which start at 8 a.m.! The girls just don't do after-hours. "They literally line up the hallway with pillows and blankets," Sandy says. "It is all about getting a coveted pool chair." The music differs as well. Pool parties start with Ibiza-style chill music, and as the day moves on the pace of the music picks up. But the volume never reaches the level of an average Circuit party. At evening events, the space is brightly lit with tables and chairs everywhere. The tempo of the music varies, and is sexy without being hard and driving. It is less fist-in-the-air, and more high-energy groove. The mood sets the stage for conversation. It's true: Lesbians actually like to talk before they hook up. The probably even know each other's last names. From Promoters to Becoming a Brand Sandy and Robin know how to take care of the boys as well. A few years ago, they noticed a drop in attendance at Circuit-themed dance events at the Factory and at other clubs. One night Sandy overheard two guys lamenting that they didn't know any of the songs the DJ was spinning. She realized there needed to be a change, so she created POPStarZ, a weekly event playing all the Top-40 hits the boys love. "It's the antithesis of the Circuit," Sandy says. "Everybody has to keep their shirts on. The DJs know that if you can't hum to the music, you can't play it. The young boys love it!" The event has now become one of the most popular weekly gay male dance events in all of Los Angeles. What's next for this power couple? A lot. They are working on taking their Murano concept to other locations, and will release a CD of the music Sandy programs for the restaurant called Murano Morsels. Major brands are approaching them to be a part of their events as a way to improve their gay image. The president of Ketel One vodka just met with them in person to sign a six-figure, three-year deal. They're not afraid to venture into uncharted territory, either. "There are major hospitality groups that run hotels, restaurants and clubs that are always owned by men," Robin said. "Sandy and I have this vision that there ought to be a group like that owned by women." For now, they will continue to grow Girl Bar and expand their lesbian empire. They are bringing in younger promoters and mentoring them so the pair can comfortably move into other areas. It would be nice to, Robin sighs, "not have to work until 2 a.m. every weekend." No matter how they continue to grow, it is clear that whatever business this power couple focuses on will be fresh, fun and successful- no boys required. 2008-04-28T16:45:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/tom_whitman/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/tom_whitman/ In LA, is there any night of the week when Tom Whitman’s name doesn’t figure somewhere into the schedule? His events run the entire spectrum of gay–fabulous, but they all have one thing in common: "I try to produce events that I want to go to,” he says. “I want to hang out with fun, flirty, unpretentious people. I want to go to an upscale event and dress up one night, and get sloppy in a pitcher of margaritas in the afternoon on another day.” Tom says his events are geared to conversation, not attitude. Take aptly named “Drunk and Horny,” Tom’s Friday nights at FUBAR. "Wear something tight," says the ad. "If you go home alone, you aren’t really trying." Or just turn on your mojo at "Smack," Thursdays at O–Bar, the home of the self–proclaimed "world’s fastest open bar." Three times during the night, drinks are free for a few minutes–and after some lubrication, the hottie you’ve been eyeing across the room becomes soooo much easier to talk to. In addition to “Saturday On Sunday” nights, the line snakes around the block in front of “here” Lounge for the jock–themed night “Player,” and in winter months for “Size,” a surfboards–and–margaritas celebration of Southern California’s famed beach culture. "Before I produced events in the gay world," says Tom, "I produced concerts and television, so I love the production aspects of events." Yes, Tom has worked in what we here on the Left Coast call “The Industry”: He wrote and directed two animated shorts that have toured the international film festival circuit. Before moving to LA, he worked in NYC for five years as a producer at MTV Networks, and even now, he frequently returns to Gotham. So he knows the scene on both coasts. But Tom says that LA no longer plays Second City to NYC, although he acknowledges that LA nightlife is changing. “It’s transitioned from being centered on big, Circuit–type events to more spread–out, smaller events in bars and nightclubs,” he says. “The younger crowd likes to do different things. It’s not just about staying out until 7 a.m.” A Hollywood Wonderland Nowhere is his producing experience more evident than at Wonderland, a big Circuit dance event held on the backlot of Paramount Studios the weekend of West Hollywood’s Gay Pride. Wandering around a movie studio is a cheap thrill for anyone who doesn’t work on one, and Wonderland has quickly become one of the most anticipated events on the LA. boys’ party schedule each year. Ferris wheels, fireworks, racks of speakers with go–go boys on top, outside dancing…yes, it’s all been done before. But what’s fun and so special about Wonderland is the fact that it could only happen here in LA. Sure, we have some great party spaces here, and world–class clubs. Leave it to a movie guy, though, to bring the Circuit to Hollywood. There’s a "road" version of Wonderland, too, a New Year’s Eve event held on the roof of the Ipanema Plaza Hotel in Rio de Janeiro. Not quite as "Hollywood," but you do get to party in Rio with all of those drop–dead gorgeous Brazilian men. One LA nightlife regular calls Wonderland “without question, the best event in LA in years.” This jaded partygoer, who has earned his Circuit gold star many times over, says Wonderland “ranks with the best events in the world. What made this particular party memorable, was not only the way it flowed seamlessly, or the music, or the lighting, which were all stellar, but the way he became the heart of the event, bringing to mind Studio 54 in its heyday, or promoters such as Suzanne Bartsch, who becomes the star of her parties.” Tom appeared at the last Wonderland in a "Mad Hatter" costume, was hoisted above the dance floor and welcomed the crowd with a message about having fun safely. It was a magical moment, and the already happening event took off. It’s another sign that Tom lives out his claim that he produces events that he would enjoy himself. Unlike some promoters, he can often be seen out on the dance floor. One regular LA partygoer describes him as a “surprisingly great dancer. He’s surrounded by boys at the clubs, and acts as though he’s one of them,” he adds. “He’s truly one of the most popular guys in town–who just happens to be a professional event planner. No wonder one of his lounge nights is called ‘Popular.’” A Wanderer at Home Recently, Tom made a splash with the “Lucky Devil” burlesque show at hot Melrose Avenue club Forty Deuce, billed as the first such all–male burlesque in the country. Each winter, Tom lures the crowd outside the city and into the great outdoors. Attendance at Elevation Ski Weekend in Mammoth has been nearly doubling in size each year, with 2,000 or so party–hardy skiers and snowboarders expected this year, making it the third–largest gay ski event in the world. This is high–altitude, no–attitude fun; why is it that everyone is so much friendlier when you get them out of the city? On top of all the fun, Tom also gives back to the community. He is on the Board of Directors of AIDS Project Los Angeles and has produced events for it along with many other local charities, including the local HRC chapter, The Trevor Project, The LA Gay & Lesbian Center, among others. Tom probably gets his out–of–the–box attitude from his wandering childhood. An Air Force brat, he was born in Hawaii but spent most of his childhood in Europe. He first came to California to attend UCLA, then shuttled between the two coasts. Wherever he is, the one thing you can expect is to see Tom in the middle of the party, having as great a time as any of his guests.   Visit http://www.myspace.com/tomwhitman or http://www.tomwhitmanpresents.com for dates, times and locales of Tom Whitman’s parties.   2008-04-14T17:11:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/alexander_catala/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/alexander_catala/ Enter Alexander Catala. Originally from Puerto Rico, he is a traveling professional and a self-described “Circuit pro.” When he went to that final Ice party in the spring of 2004, he was at the end of his Circuit rope. “I was towards the end of my experience. I asked myself, ‘What exactly am I getting from this?’ Traveling and spending all this money - something had to change. The prices were getting astronomical. At that point I had already started contemplating promoting and producing my own parties, but I never understood how I could really fit into that puzzle.” All of that changed when he met Dan De Leon. Dan remarks, “We complimented each other well. Alex is the quintessential Circuit boy on the dance floor and perfectly understands the Circuit experience from that perspective. I have this sort of worldly musical view from my rave background. The pieces of the puzzle that I didn’t get about the Circuit, what appealed to the gay community, and the part of the puzzle that he was looking for: that’s what I had to offer to him.” They came together not only as a couple, but as partners with a vision that they could both finally realize with each other. Lattitude Events was born. It was a product of what they each had to offer in a party all their own. They came together not only as a couple, but as partners with a vision that they could both finally realize with each other. Lattitude Events was born. It was a product of what they each had to offer in a party all their own. The first two Lattitude events were Circuit-style parties completely geared towards the gay community, but with their unique production aspects and impressive roster of guest DJs, they soon became huge successes with both gay and straight LA club-goers. Internationally renowned DJs like Chus & Ceballos, Murk’s Oscar G, and Saeed Younan caught on to Lattitude’s fresh approach to parties and De Leon’s musical vision. The last few events at Avalon Hollywood, one of LA’s leading nightclubs, were so successful that management there has moved it from Friday night to the more lucrative Saturday night slot. Dan orchestrates the musical aspects of each event, and Alex masterminds all the production aspects and promotional duties that fuel any successful party. “You’re really getting more than just a DJ setting up behind turntables and playing some records. You’re really getting a vision.” There is no set timetable for Lattitude events because Catala insists that it’s more important to get all the details exactly right for every event than trying to throw as many parties as possible in one year. “It’s a lot of work to do it right. It doesn’t just happen magically: trust me.” Lattitude has begun to move beyond the shores of California to the high seas. In February, RSVP Cruises brought them onboard to bring new life to the club events on their gay cruise in the Caribbean. The collaboration was successful, and they continued with RSVP on their Mediterranean and Alaskan cruises as well this year. They are slated for this coming February’s Caribbean cruise. Lattitude Events is a brand and a party tied intrinsically to both Dan and Alex as a couple and as individuals. As Alex explains it, “There is an emotion to every event that comes from between us as a couple.” “Together: that’s the way the formula works,” says Dan. “I don’t think I could have done it without him, or vice versa. It’s definitely a product of the two of us.” 2007-12-14T18:26:00+00:00 http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/hilton_wolman/ http://www.noizemag.com/index.php/articles/hilton_wolman/ How did you get your start promoting? As Advertising and Promotions Manager for a major European car manufacturer, I had been responsible for new model launches to dealers, the press, and the public. We would constantly try to come up with spectacular ideas that would blow the attendees away, be it by taking over a conference center, hotel or resort, or even chartering an entire ship. That experience served me well when I moved to South Florida and got involved in producing and promoting parties. What are some of the highlights of your career? Working with Abel every Saturday night at Salvation and watching him become one of the most beloved Circuit DJs; witnessing the meteoric rise to fame of other wonderful DJs that I worked with like Manny Lehman and Tony Moran; producing over a dozen parties for White Party and Winter Party; and accidentally pioneering the daytime Sunday party when the laws in South Beach forced the after-hours clubs to close at 9 a.m. Church (at Salvation) on Sunday morning became incredibly successful, as did the Monday morning parties we added to the major party weekends. After Salvation I produced Orbit at Space and was also involved with events at Crobar and Coliseum; and while Twilo Miami has come and gone, we certainly had some amazing nights there. Salvation in Miami was one of the most legendary clubs in history and you were intimately involved during its heyday. What are some of your favorite memories? Can you tell us a little about your annual “Salvation Reunion Party”? Saturday nights at Salvation ran so smoothly that I was able to spend most of the night on the dance floor, meeting people and having a great time. I think that part of my success as a promoter stems from the fact that I was out there in the middle of it all, and I could see what worked and what didn’t. I remember when we were the first club in Miami to do liquid nitrogen blasts, hand out ice- lollies, or have Power lowered from the ceiling to perform a show. People would come back each and every week to see what we did at midnight to open the main room. It wasn’t easy coming up with something different fifty-two weeks a year! I made so many lasting friendships at Salvation. It was on the dance floor there that I met my good friends and the promoters I most admire, Ric Sena and Mark Baker. I also got to work with so many talents - performers like Power, Kitty Meow, Circuit Mom, and RKM as well as numerous DJs who have gone on to become good friends rather than just business associates. The Salvation Reunion Party began at one of my birthday parties and it has become an annual event. Abel always spins and Power always performs. It’s a great mix of the old and the new, where Abel hauls out the classic hits from the Salvation days, but mixes them in with current favorites so that it doesn’t feel like a night stuck in the past. But it is a party that usually brings out many people who don’t go to parties any more. Next year we are also hoping to take it to a few cities outside the South Florida area. I think that people will really enjoy the experience, especially those who actually attended a Salvation event. In addition to Salvation, Miami has been home to such mega clubs as 1235, Liquid, Crobar, and the list goes on. However, the landscape of South Florida nightlife has changed as all of these clubs, as well as the newly- incarnated Twilo in Miami, have closed. What insight can you give us as to the changes happening in South Florida? A few years ago Miami could support three megaclubs being open on three consecutive nights - Level on Friday, Salvation on Saturday, and Crobar on Sunday. But the trend has been to the smaller venues, with lounge type atmospheres. Score on Lincoln Road is always busy and the newly opened Halo is another example of the more intimate venues that have become popular. For a while, many of us blamed the internet and the hookup sites for the decline in attendance at the large clubs. You no longer needed to go out to a club to meet someone - you could go online and “order in”. Miami Beach also saw a decline in the gay population as people moved away because the nightlife was no longer the draw it once was. And the gay tourist doesn’t travel down as often because these days many of the DJs that once only spun in Miami, New York, or LA can be found at the local bar or club. But the pendulum seems to be swinging back. People seem to miss the social aspects of a night out dancing, and most of the local clubs are reporting an increase in attendance. I also think that with the closure of Twilo many people in South Florida realized that if they didn’t support their local venues on a regular basis, they stood a chance of losing their “playground”. Tell us about your monthly parties you’re throwing at Coliseum in Fort Lauderdale with Gary Santis. The scene in South Florida has definitely moved from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. Gary already had a successful Saturday night party, but he invited me to collaborate with him on a new monthly event that would hopefully add something exciting to the formula. By combining forces we’ve managed to boost attendance figures - and production values - to levels that hadn’t been achieved locally in several years. But we are not giving up on Miami. I’m still working on several exciting projects in the Miami area, just not on a weekly basis. Last January, you presented “Freedom - The Official Sail-Away Party for the Largest Gay Cruise in History” before the Atlantis cruise. Can you tell us about that as well as what you have planned for the upcoming Atlantis cruise next January? Actually we began doing the Atlantis Sail-Away party back at Salvation, but as the ships have grown bigger and bigger each year, so has the size of the party. Two years ago for the Navigator cruise we had Manny, Tony, and Abel all spinning on one night, and for Freedom, Warren Gluck teamed up with Abel. In 2008 and the Liberty cruise, I am hoping to expand the concept from simply a dance party to a night that offers all sorts of possibilities because of the spectacular new $25 million venue that we will be using. Not only is there an amazing indoor and outdoor space for the dance party, but we also have adjoining restaurants and bars that will allow those patrons who are not interested in the dancing to still participate in the night. Kind of like what happens onboard the ship, where you can choose from a piano bar, restaurant, or the main dance event - something for all tastes. What do you think the future holds for gay nightlife in general? People are not traveling to as many parties as they once did. But they are still traveling - doing the cruises and picking one or twomajor events each year. The successful promoters are the ones who don’t cut back on their production values because there might be a decline in attendance. They just adapt accordingly. Gay nightlife will continue. I remember being warned that, with greater mainstream acceptance, the younger generation would be more inclined to party with their straight friends at straight(er) venues. My son, who is also gay and in his early twenties, did that for a while, but these days he and his friends are supporting the local gay bars and clubs on a regular basis. Promoters are reaching out to the younger crowd by incorporating different styles of music, different entertainment, and different pricing strategies. I think it is working and I’m thrilled to see that with each party I do, there are more and more people I don’t recognize! Or is that just a sign that at my age the memory begins to fade? 2007-11-14T18:29:00+00:00