Issue 43 - noiZe Magazine

FROM THE EDITOR
Music has the ability to affect our mood, our
energy levels, and even our perception of the
world around us. Though we primarily feel
music through our ability to hear sounds, different styles of music can impact the way that
the input from all five senses is filtered. For
example, consider the way that soothing music makes food and
wine taste better.
Our dance floors are where you can really see how music impacts
people. Here, the music being played directly affects the perception of the party. The awesome responsibility of the DJ (essentially,
he gets to play on the emotions of a cast of thousands for a few
hours) is both daunting and exhilarating for the musical masters
that create this most important aspect of our parties.
The art of playing music for a dance party is about something
more than just a performance. And the truly inspirational talents
out there use many different techniques to create an evening.
Some DJs do lots of pre-planning of what they’re going to play –
envisioning the whole evening in advance and then manifesting
that vision. Others simply plan out a few peaks – allowing the rest
of the evening to be filled in at the party, in the moment. For
these DJs, true inspiration only arrives when they are there interacting with the energy of the room.
Cover Photo
by Onno Visser
[email protected]
Music is meant to be enjoyed as a full-body experience. For the
listener, the act of listening becomes less passive when the music
is channeled by moving the body in dance. Dancing allows us to
more fully engage ourselves in the possibility of emotional transformation that good, soulful music can provide. In this way, our
dance parties are shining examples of interactive art. A powerful
dance party is a place where there really is no pure spectator for
the art being created. All are engaged in the creation of the
unique piece of performance art that a special dance party can be.
Of all the elements that go into the creation of a dance party,
music is the most fundamental. Many feel that the music of the
Circuit is becoming stale, that it is time for a change. Indeed, there
are new styles of dance music popping up in Europe, where funky
house is all the rage. In this issue, we interview several of the top
DJs and they clearly see this change coming as well. So keep your
ears on the dance floors, because real change is finally on the way.
--Steve Kammon
Circuit
2
Noize
Winter Circuit
Photo Album
(Page 56)
TM
Editor in Chief
Steve Kammon
[email protected]
Publisher
Stephen Ceplenski
[email protected]
The Premier Guide to Dance Events Worldwide
Advertising Director
Gary Steinberg
818-769-9390
[email protected]
TABLE OF CONTENTS
15
Quotations
18
Peter’s Empire
28
Let the DJ Speak
40
The Ears Have It
42
Junior: The Best or Worst Ever?
46
How to Lie About Your Age
52
Music Reviews
56
Winter Circuit Photo Album
72
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis
76
Simply the Wess
by Rami Ramirez
80
Just a Detail
86
What He Really Means
Senior Editor
Jeffery Taylor
Schedule Editor
Tony Hayden
Art Director
Stephen Ceplenski
Prromotions
Circuit Boyz Productions
Cover Artwork
Onno Visser: [email protected]
Event Accent Photos
Moody Mustafa
Circuit Photos
The Boyz of Circuit Noize
Kika D.
Jeffrey Davids, Rentboy.com
GreatPartyPics.com
Jack Hartsfield
Cory McCutcheon
TBB Productions
Jeff Trentham
Writers and Contributors
Josh Adler
Rolyn Chamber
Bill Elias
Dennis Fleming
B. Honets
Hoi Dinh Le
Jamie Nicholes
Rami Ramirez
Jamie J. Sanchez
David Sexton
Dr. Frank Spinelli, M.D.
Jeffery Taylor
by Josh Adler
by Jamie J Sanchez
by B. Honets
by Rolyn Chamber and Dennis Fleming
by Jamie Nicholes
by Dr. Frank Spinelli, M.D.
East Coastt Office
954-764-8210 (voice)
954-764-6392 (fax)
West Coast Office
11288 Ventura Blvd #700
Studio City, CA 91604
818-769-9390 (voice)
818-769-5482 (fax)
by Jamie Nicholes
by Dennis Fleming
E-mail
Website
88
Fiddler on the Circuit
90
DJ Profile: Alyson Calagna
by Bill Elias
2005
Circuit
Noize
©Copyright
Magazine, LLC. All rights reserved.
Contents may not be reproduced
without permission from the publisher.
Publication of name or photo of any
person or organization in Circuit Noize is
not to be construed as any indication of
the sexual orientation of that person or
organization.
by Jeffery Taylor
98
Spring Circuit Schedule
112
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Published in February, May, August and
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by Hoi Dinh Le
Circuit
3
Noize
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“The power of music is so gr eat
that in legends of all nations,
its invention is ascribed to the gods.”
Karl Marx
German social philosopher
1818-1883
“Music is not an escape fr om r eality;
it is an adventur e into the r eality
of the world of spirit.”
John Blacking
British ethnomusicologist and anthr opologist
1928-1990
“What is wonderful about music is that it helps
man to concentrate or meditate
independently of thought;
and ther efor e music seems to be the bridge over
the gulf between form and the formless.
If ther e is anything intelligent, ef fective and at
the same time formless, it is music.”
Inayat Khan
Indian Sufi master
1882-1927
“Music makes the people come together.”
Madonna
Icon
1958-
davidlewisIMAGES
2005 BCBC BENEFICIARIES
SPONSORS
AIDS Foundation Houston – Stone Soup Program
Bering Omega Community Services
Casa de Esperanza • Houston Buyers Club
Montrose Clinic
Each beneficiary provides direct services to people
affected by HIV/AIDS in the Houston area ranging
from primary medical care to research.
BCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.
KICKOFF Thursday, March 24th at Meteor
AFTER HOURS DJ ALYSON CALAGNA
WELCOME PARTY DJ WARREN GLUCK
“Salvation”, Saturday night, March 26th
(Sunday morning, March 27th) at M Bar
Produced by Beyond Entertainment’s Spoiled Boyz
MAIN EVENT DJ TONY MORAN &
KRISTINE W
CLOSING PARTY DJ MONTY Q “Tribal Lust”
"Gather the Tribe" Friday, March 25th at
Rich's Houston
“Tribal Heat”, Saturday, March 26th at
Verizon Wireless Theater,
Produced by Bayou City Boys Club
Sunday, March 27th at South Beach the Nightclub
Produced by Charles Armstrong Investments
PETER’S EMPIRE
by Josh Adler
Over the past two years, one of the most persistent message board topics
on DJ Peter Rauhofer´s offiicial website has been the enigma of Lula. Who
is Lula, and why does she inspire so many online postiings?
Maybe you have heard her voice
interwoven through the texture of
afterhours haze on dark hits such as
“Men=Drugs” and you might be
able to identify one of the echoing
phrases from the
remixed
single
“My Empire”. But
does anyone know
anything
else
about this mysterious vocalist who
sounds like a cross
between Nico and
Nena and has
absolutely nothing
to do with Lulu?
Lula has been
a c c u r a t e l y
described as “dark
club royalty”, and
her thick Viennese
accent and distinctively luring voice
are the vital organs
of deep house.
She is hard. She is legendary. She is
fierce. Quite simply, Lula is one of
the reigning queens of the underground empire.
Unravelling the enigma of Lula is
crucial to understanding the man
who created her, the wizard who
Circuit
gave her such empirical authority. In
many ways, Peter Rauhofer is no mystery
at all. He is the resident DJ king behind
New York City´s long-lasting, powerhouse Saturday night at the Roxy. He is a
G r a m m y
award-winning producer/remixer responsible
for mastering and remastering artists like
Madonna, Yoko Ono and
Annie Lennox, among
others. He is the
founder of the successful Star 69 label which
has produced anthem
singles, extended mixes,
house compilations, and
a series of live double
discs. Finally, Peter isa
Circuit favorite and
a household name
among
international
partygoers who rock to
his beat from Miami to
Montreal, San Francisco
to New York.
In other ways, however, Rauhofer is a lot
like Lula: enigmatic, elusive, subversive,
and subterranean. He is in the rare position of being both DJ and producer, and
the music that pulsates on his crowded
dance floors is often quite different from
his pop remixes or his produced materi-
18
Noize
al on the Star 69 label. He owns his
contradictions and successfully
straddles the line between mainstream tech-house and gay tribal
fringe.
Like his darling Lula, Peter is from
Vienna where he does most of his
studio production work, but he lives
in New York City where he is able to
experiment with new beats. The
Roxy is his playground, and his cult
followers - although perhaps not as
overtly receptive or enthusiastic as
smaller crowds from other cities are ready and willing to experience
progressive sounds that transcend
traditional beats-per-minute formulas and electronic schemes. His
monthly top ten list, regularly
posted on his website, is ample evidence of his desire to venture into
the unknown.
On a Saturday night in early
December, Rauhofer played a 45minute set, sandwiched between
Danny Tenaglia and Junior Vasquez,
for a Gay Men´s Health Crisis
(GMHC) benefit party at a massive
convention center in midtown
Manhattan. His dance floor demographic was unquestionably mixed
in terms of gender, sexuality, race,
social class, and age - remarkably
different than the homogenous sea
of shirtless Chelsea boys who flock
to the Roxy. Not only was he placed
in the awkward position of battling
two famous DJ peers for a 45minute sprint, but he faced the
challenge of creating a set that
would make the crowd actually
want to dance. Rather than “educating” this diverse group of
mainstream fundraising participants, Rauhofer decided to give
them exactly what they wanted to
hear.
He seamlessly threaded
Circuit
Madonna´s “Into the Groove” into an
upbeat melange that included a tribalinfused mix of the new Destiny´s Child
song and a deep, steady version of
“Milkshake”, 2004´s ubiquitous pop
anthem by Kelis.
Peter is an entertainer, and he knows
how to read his audience and cater to his
crowd without losing his edge or abandoning his progressive roots. It pleased
him to see heterosexual Hispanic
couples from the Bronx bumping and
grinding to his music alongside packs of
Blatino gay guys and their straight girlfriends. One of the things that draws
Peter to New York is its unrivalled diversity and its trend-setting history. Guestspinning at smaller venues, such as Club
Stereo in Montreal, is a refreshing break
from the frenetic urban chaos, but
Manhattan´s brand of intensity and
diversity is what drives Peter´s passion.
After his crowd-pleasing set for the
eclectic GMHC crowd, he raced sixteen
blocks downtown where he greeted his
hard-core aficionados by playing a
marathon of music that included East
Village, post-punk esoterica like Avenue
D´s “Do I Look Like a Slut?” and buzzworthy wonders like Decibel´s “Mighty
Wind”. Again, it was exactly what they
wanted to hear.
Another example of Peter´s mercurial
abilities and unparalleled work ethic is
the accessibility of his produced material. Last year, Armani Exchange
commissioned Rauhofer to create the
third installment of a mixed CD series for
the store, and he responded by producing a compilation called Higher which, in
limited marketing, has been described
as “an uplifting top-down cruise perfect
for a romp at the beach or an outdoor
patio party.” In other words, hardly the
kind of murky dark beats his all-night revellers expect to hear at the Roxy.
Similarly, Peter produced an album
19
Noize
called “Cafeteria/Hear” designed
specifically for the trendy restaurants in New York and Miami. This
is Peter at his most chill, producing
the kind of music you might want to
hear in the lounge, the boutique, or
the car on the way to the club.
Meanwhile, Circuit fans are eagerly
awaiting the February release of
Live @ Roxy
Volume 4 which
might alienate
those shopping
for turtlenecks
at
A/X
or
sipping
a
Cosmopolitan
at Cafeteria.
The Live @ Roxy
series may cater
to a specific
Circuit
niche,
but it is fueled
by the power of
live interaction.
The landscape
of the dance
floor is dominated by unpredictable, organic, and often volatile
forces that work in conjunction with
the music. Peter Rauhofer is in a
rare and powerful position to paint
a portrait of a party while simultaneously minding the multitudinous
colors that bleed and blend on his
canvas. Like any artist, the DJ must
assess his audience, establish a
rapport with his environment,
harness the physical energy of his
materials, and pay close attention
to the ways in which sensory stimuli
weave through the currents of time
and space. This is all an extremely
delicate and largely improvisatory
balancing act, and if the recipe is
not right, the final product can be
flawed.
Circuit
There are several identifiable factors
that make a night at the Roxy far darker,
harder, and more subversive than a
house party or a mainstream discoteque. It is easy to forge a paradigm
that holds drugs entirely responsible for
the music. But Harder Drugs (aka
Crystal) = Harder Music (aka Airmale) is
far too simplistic an equation. True, the
alphabet soup of
E, K, and G certainly affect the
party´s vibe, but
there are other
reasons why Lula´s underground is
darker than the “brighter, breezier”
music on a Rauhofer album like
Higher. These reasons have everything to do with why we go to
parties: to become active participants in
a theatrical and ritualistic event, to
experience a universe with multiple possibilities. We take off our shirts, we
connect with passing strangers, we
search for our core communities and
dance ecstatically, we get lost in the
smoke, the lights, the bass, and the
sweat, we allow our bodies and minds
to connect in moments of bliss, we transcend ourselves.
20
Noize
The DJ manipulates our journey
through the annals of the underground, and the texture of the
music opens the gateways of consciousness. Because of the intense
aura of sex and sexuality that permeates the Circuit environment,
tracks with titles like “Big Dick”,
“Want My Body”, and “Nasty Girl”
(all three are on Peter´s December
top ten list) add heat to the lustdriven dance floor. Peter´s tribal
beats and pounding drumscapes
connect us to something primitive,
animalistic, and feral in our core
beings. Finally, the thick, underground intensity of Peter´s live sets
is far different from the happyhouse Circuit sounds of the past. All
living
creatures
need both lightness and darkness
to
maintain
a
healthy
survival.
We need the beautiful lightness in
tracks like “Unspeakable Joy” and
“Higher Things”, but we also need
Peter´s dark edge in tracks like
“Appreciate Me” and Sheila
Brody´s soon-to-be classic “U Ain´t
Circuit
That
Good”.
For
every
Kim
English/White Party, we crave a
Lula/Black and Blue. Peter somehow
manages to give us both.
Lula got the ingredients right on her
infamous dance anthem ¨The DJ, the
Music and Me” which was released in
2000 by Star 69. “This triangle is Life,”
she reminds us with her über-human
purr. “Find yourself in the triangle...
Move in the triangle... I celebrate Life... I
celebrate the DJ, the music... I feed my
love to the DJ.” Following Lula into her
dark empire demands a cogent understanding of the relationship between
the DJ, the music, and the human
beings who experience the ritual of
dance.
Peter
Rauhofer
continues
to
initiate
cultures
and
subcultures
of partygoers with his provocative, progressive, and transformational sounds.
His
musical
integrity
and
his
protean
ability
to
shapeshift from
u n d e rg ro u n d
DJ to popular
remixer
to
coveted producer
to
award-winning
artist
makes
him one of the
most innovative and hardworking Circuit
masters in the
scene. A recent
message board
topic sincerely titled ¨Top 5 Reasons I
Love Peter Rauhofer” puts it quite
simply: “I´ll take Peter anyday… He´s all
about the MUSIC. Remember that?”
21
Noize
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LET THE DJ SPEAK
by Jamie J Sanchez
We sat down with Circuit superstar Manny Lehman, New York’s longtime
DJ Billy Carroll, DJ Abel, starr of New York’s Alegria and one of the busiest
DJs on the Circuit, his production partner and legendary DJ, Ralphi
Rosario, and LA’s famed DJ Paulo to find out their views on the state of the
scene and the future of the Circuit.
Here’s what they had to say…
People are starting to feel safe traveling
again. There’s a turnover happening with
those that attend.
JJS: What do you mean by a turnover in
attendance?
ML: I see a new breed of kids coming
into the Circuit. I see guys that are in
their early twenties now going to their
first Circuit party. The older generation
isn’t going out as much and the scene
isn’t so much about muscles. It’s not as
physical as it once was.
MANNY LEHMAN
JJS: Do you think the Circuit is
dying?
JJS: What has caused the older generation to stop going to Circuit events?
ML: The scene has changed a lot.
It’s more regionalized now and you
don’t have people attending from
far away. There’s still a handful of
mammoth parties - Winter Party,
The White Party - but most Circuit
events have become a lot smaller.
JJS: But is the scene dying?
ML: The swell in tina use became too
much. The scene lost that emotional
connection that it once had because all
anyone cared about was getting their fix.
It affected the gay community and the
Circuit scene. Today, people are more
conscious about their drug use. I think
they are more judgmental about drug
use and they see it as detrimental to
their personal lives, their careers.
ML: I don’t think so. I see an
upswing in attendance since 9/11.
JJS: What advice would you give to
event producers?
Circuit
28
Noize
ML: They need to focus on making
their event unique. They can’t all
just be bigger versions of the same
thing. It has to be unique. And they
need to start giving back to the
community. We’re all spoiled, too.
We want nice things. We want consistency and to just have a good
time.
JJS: What trends do you see
coming to the gay party scene?
ML: It’s the return of the diva! We
need more divas, more songs, more
emotion in the music we play. I
think the crowds want songs they
can sing along to, more lyrical
content.
produced to death and you’d be in awe.
Now, there are pre-parties, after-parties,
after-after-parties. That just leads to
everyone getting really cracked out.
JJS: Do you think Circuit parties will die?
BC: It’s going to die on its own. It’s
already started to. I don’t want them to
go away completely, but many have disappeared. As a DJ, I almost prefer to
play clubs over Circuit parties. I get to
connect with faces and play for people
who like my music. The entire experience is more rewarding. Plus, people
just don’t have the money to spend on
Circuit parties anymore.
JJS: Money has definitely played a role
in the decline in Circuit parties. What
other factors are in play?
BC: The internet has played a huge role.
There’s cruising online now and people
don’t have to pay a cover, pay for drinks,
or pay for a taxi to go cruising. It’s all
right at their fingertips now. Also, if
people want to hear dance music, they
can just download it. You don’t have to
go out to hear the music anymore like
you once did.
JJS: What new trends do you see in the
gay dance scene?
BILLY CARROLL
JJS: I’ve been talking to all the big
DJs about what’s going on in the
gay party scene right now. What’s
your take on the state of things?
BC: Too much of a good thing can
turn bad. There are too many
events nowadays. It used to be you
went to a Circuit party and there
was just one main event that everyone went to. That event would be
Circuit
BC: I think the music is becoming groovier. I’m triballed out. It still works great on
the dance floors, but we want more
songs.
JJS: That’s what Manny Lehman told me.
What advice would you give to promoters?
BC: The scene is just like the stock
market. It will eventually correct itself.
29
Noize
The drugs are getting more under
control. But I would tell them to
stop the marathon weekends. It
breeds bad behavior. We need to
make things smaller. Rise in Boston
and Pure in Philly are good examples of where things are heading.
than it once was. Vocalists aren’t
working as much. There’s not as much
sales in dance music anymore. Very few
dance artists get to go on the road
anymore. We’re going through a downturn right now.
JJS: Many of the DJs I’ve spoken to say
that we need more vocal-based songs.
ABEL: I agree. We need more songs,
more lyrics, and melodies. I need more
vocals!!!
JJS: Are you getting bored with the
tribal sound?
ABEL: We’re all getting bored with beat
after beat. It needs to be more spiritual,
more people feeling the music and
getting into it. I saw it recently in
London. And it’s beginning to cross
over.
DJ ABEL
JJS: What advice would you give to promoters?
JJS: Is the Circuit dying?
ABEL: Definitely. It’s starting to
fizzle out.
JJS: What’s causing this?
ABEL: They need to get back to doing
clubs and not such huge events. It
needs to be more intimate and more
spiritual.
ABEL: The economy is the number
one factor. Not as many people can
afford to go to them anymore. In
turn, promoters have no choice but
to raise prices to cover costs.
Venues are more expensive, sound
systems are more expensive, DJs
are more expensive.
JJS: What about the music itself?
Are people not into dance music as
they once were?
ABEL: The music has a lot to do
with it. The music is much darker
Circuit
RALPHII ROSARIO
30
Noize
JJS: I’ve been asking DJs if they
think the Circuit is dying. What do
you think?
RR: The Circuit has to evolve or it
will fizzle out.
JJS: Is the club scene as a whole in
a slump?
RR: No, I don’t think so. But, honestly, clubs aren’t giving people a
reason to come out anymore. They
think all they have to do is open the
doors and book a big DJ to draw
people and it’s not working.
JJS: What advice would you give
promoters?
RR: They need to offer something
else, something special. They need
to focus more on building a positive
community vibe.
DJ PAULO
JJS: A lot of DJs think the Circuit is
dying. What do you think is causing this?
PAULO: There are a lot of factors. There
are too many Circuit parties, they’re too
expensive, and people aren’t willing to
spend money to hear a DJ that they can
hear at a club anytime. There’s no originality in these big parties. They’re all the
same.
JJS: But not all Circuit parties are dying.
JJS: What’s getting your crowds
excited right now?
PAUL
LO: No, but promoters want to play
it safe all the time, so they hire the same
DJs.
RR: Songs that are more on a
festive tip, songs that are fun all the
way around. DJs can’t just be stuck
on one sound. It’s not interesting
enough. People get bored.
JJS: What advice would you give to
promoters?
JJS: What new trends do you see
coming?
RR: More lyrics and more vocals
are the trend. I’m working with a
new artist called Angel and another
called Damien. All songs with
vocals.
Circuit
PAULO: Mix the old talent with the new
talent. There’s so much new talent that
hasn’t been tapped. DJs like Alyson
Calagna, Angelo Kortez, and you. Also,
don’t charge so much. Produce smaller
parties and don’t charge so much.
31
Noize
JJS: What trends do you see in the
club scene?
PAULO: I see the emergence of
producer/DJs who produce all their
own music as opposed to just DJs
who play the same stuff. I see the
DJ as more of an artist and not just
a shadow in the corner. People will
start to go to clubs like they go to
concerts. That’s what I’m seeing in
the straight scene.
JJS: What trends do you see in the
music that is played at Circuit
parties?
PAULO: People like music that
feels good, music that is rich and
melodic, but not necessarily all
vocally. DJs like Chus and Ceballos
were all the buzz this year. They
aren’t necessarily vocally, just
melodic. The problem is that
people used to go out to hear new
music. Now, all you have to do is go
online and download it. That’s part
of the reason people aren’t going
to clubs anymore. They want to stay
home and listen.
JJS: What are some examples of
parties that are doing it right?
PAULO: Fireball in Chicago, Blue
Ball in Philly, and events like Folsom
Street Fair and the Castro Street
Fair in San Francisco - the events
that are more intimate. Their
numbers are up, but the bigger
parties are down. Also, the gay
cruises are selling out all the time.
They are smaller and more intimate
and you can have a positive gathering of friends.
Circuit
As DJs, we are at the forefront of the
club and Circuit party scene. We see
what works, what doesn’t, what the
trends are, where we’re heading, and
where we’ll end up. As a DJ who has
also worked behind the scenes at clubs
like Universe and Mezzanine, I see firsthand the problems that clubs face every
day. From rising costs of sound and
lights to liquor and talent – not to
mention insurance, security, marketing,
staff costs, travel expenses, and everything else that goes into throwing a
successful event.
However, the gay dance scene is as relevant as ever. I hear stories all the time
of new friendships and new relationships that started at a favorite dance
event. Clubs and Circuit parties are still
where we go to be together, to experience fun in this difficult world, and to
forget all our problems for a few hours.
From the dawn of the disco era, through
the 80s decadence, the coming of
house and rave, the Circuit and beyond,
the scene is always evolving. The dance
scene is a never-ending cycle. And part
of the fun is watching how it all evolves.
Jamie J Sanchez is a San Francisco based DJ
and producer who has worked as music director for both Universe and Mezzanine. You
can hear Jamie J play at Circuit parties as well
as many clubs including Mezzanine, Rise, and
Pure. He travels the scene playing around the
US and Europe and continues to produce
dance music in his studio.
www.jamiejsanchez.com
You may add your own comments regarding
music on the Circuit to our online FORUMS at
www.circuitnoiize.com.
32
Noize
Summer in Saugatuck
Why party anywhere else?
269.857.1401
SAUGATUCK, MI
www.dunesresort
www.dunes
resort.com
.com
MIDWEST’S LARGEST GAY & LESBIAN RESORT COMPLEX
THE EARS HAVE IT
…you never know who’s listening!
"So what is your favorite position?"
"Well, that all depends on the size of
your dick. If it's small then my
favorite
position is with another
"There was a time when I would let
man."
anybody fuck me."
"Yeah, I know. That's when we were
dating.”
"Oh, stop it, you're
Prozac'd out and you
need some dick."
"Is there gonna be food
at the party?"
"Well, it's a pre-party for the
Black and Blue so I thought
I'd just serve tic-tacs on the
half shell."
Circuit
"South Beach used to have
this cute Euproean air about it.
Now it's just Disney World on
crack."
40
Noize
"If I put this flower behind my
left ear, does that make me a
top or a bottom?"
"Honey, if you've got a flower
behind your ear, you're not a
top."
"Are you purposely standing
there with that go-go boy's butt
shakin' right in your face?"
"Someone's gotta do it."
"You don't have to yell.
I'm right here."
"What do want from me?
I'm Cuban and I'm on G."
"I knew that relationship
was doomed from the
start. The only thing you
two had in common was
his dick and your ass."
"You and that drinking! No wonder
you're putting on weight. Don't you
know how many calories and carbs are
in alcohol?"
"I'm just fat, not stupid."
"Do you like to serve or
receive serve?"
"That all depends on the
quality of the serve"
"I'm not evil. I'm just
sketched that way."
"Ration out your
sanity - don't use it
all at once."
Submit your own “Overheards” to us at
[email protected]
Circuit
41
Noize
JUNIOR:
THE BEST OR WORST EVER?
by B. Honets
I went to New York for Pride last year, and there is no doubt in my mind
that the best party of the weekend was at a tiny little club on 19th Street,
right across from the 19th Street Gym, called Disccothèque. At this party
Sunday evening after Pride, Junior was playing his heart out and reaching
dee
ep into our souls. The place was packed and sweating, the vibe was
electric, people were dancing hard
d.
The music would periodically
“drop-out” – this is the part of a
dance track where a number of
parts drop out or become more
sparsely programmed; when the
full arrangement returns, it seems
much louder by comparison. But
rather than the drop-outs dampening the energy of the crowd, the
crowd used the drop-outs to catch
their breath and to express their joy
at getting to experience this diva at
his finest – whistling, howling, and
chanting “Juuuunnnniorrrrr!”
And he fed on it. Giving them what
they wanted - classic tracks that
had been twisted with new sounds
and the funky house that is the hallmark of the maestro when he’s at
the top of his game.
Fast forward five months to Miami
and the White Party. It was after
Vizcaya, at the Coconut Grove
Expo Center. Tony Moran was the
opening DJ and he had the crowd
in a lather. While the place was not
packed, it was a good-sized crowd
Circuit
that filled the space but left you room to
dance without having to pay too much
attention to bopping your neighbor.
The energy was peaking, middle of the
night.
Junior was not about to jump into the
peaking energy that Tony had built and
use it as his own. That energy must have
felt like a bastard child he’d been left to
raise, so Junior crashed the energy of
the dance floor, sending the volume
straight to zero, and started his first track
with a very slow buildup of sound. The
already apprehensive crowd gave each
other knowing glances. You see, Junior
and Miami (and in particular the White
Party) have some history.
Junior hadn’t played a major event in
Miami for many years. The last time had
been as the headline DJ at Jeffrey
Sanker’s Snow Ball during the peak years
of South Beach. That night, after the
sound system went from bad to worse,
Junior had gone into a rage – perhaps
because of the sound (perhaps because
of his disdain for a dance floor full of
pumped-up white boys when he’d rather
42
Noize
be playing for urban Latino boys),
but he not only played badly, he tortured the dance floor with grinding
beats that could only be described
as noise.
So the crowd was apprehensive.
Which Junior were we going to see
tonight – the brilliant dance floor
master or the petulant boy that
refused to share his favorite tunes?
Well, it turned out to be a mixed
bag. It was a bad idea to play Tony
and Junior together at a party that
was essentially only five hours long.
After Junior crashed the energy, he
seemed surprised that he had to
really work to build it back up. He
did build it up a bit, but as soon as
he went into his first drop-out, the
time when he wanted his fans to
give him some feedback, there
were only a few isolated calls of
“Juuniooor…” and they seemed
lost in the vast space of this largescale party.
I was near the DJ booth and I
watched as Junior scowled out at
the crowd’s lack of appreciation. It
went downhill from there. Junior
seemed to stalk back and forth
between his records and the turntables. Rather than spending his time
in the booth working the board, he
spent a lot of time talking to
someone at the back of the booth.
He waved his arms distractedly and
gestured angrily out towards the
crowd. Rather than spiraling up, the
energy was spiraling down. It’s hard
to say which came first – Junior
getting upset at the crowd’s lack of
enthusiasm or the crowd upset that
the music was only mediocre –
definitely a chicken-and-egg phenomenon.
Circuit
Then I watched as some big guy with a
shaved head walked up to the booth
and gestured to Junior to come over.
And he did.
“I came all the way from London to hear
you play! So how about showing me
your stuff?” the guy challenged Junior.
“Uh, oh,” I thought. Now we’re really
doomed. But it seemed to work.
Suddenly, Junior was energized. He was
working the board, layering tracks on
top of one another. Though it seemed
like some people had already left, the
energy in the room started rising. For a
half an hour it seemed we were going to
get a fun dance party after all. Then the
worst thing imaginable happened.
There was a sound snafu. The evening
never recovered, with Junior turning in a
set that was mediocre at best. At least it
wasn’t a torture chamber.
So what is it – is he the best or the worst?
The answer can be nothing but “Yes.”
Like any great artist, Junior is a paradox.
He is both the best and the worst at
exactly the same time. He has created
dance floor moments that stand as works
of art – much of the best of it being true
performance art. It was never captured
for posterity - you had to be there to
experience it. At his peak, he was known
for torturing a dance floor to get rid of
the amateurs and the bridge-and-tunnel
trash before serenading the dance floor
with unparalleled beauty and creativity.
He’s a legend. He is Junior.
43
Noize
HOW TO LIE ABOUT
YOUR AGE
by Rolyn Chamber
and Dennis Fleming
In our youth-obsessed culture, many gay men feel forced into lying about
their age to get the guys they want. We are often afraid that once our
true age is revealed, we will be judged by that number and not what
comes with it.
But be warned. There are only so
many years one can shave off a
birth date before some sharptongued queen screams, “Girrlllllll,
if you really are thirty-three, you
need to stay out of the sun and
stick to environments with more
suitable backlighting!”
Review the following factors that may or
may not affect your physical
appearance. Circle only those factors
that pertain to you and your situation.
Then add up the corresponding
numbers for each factor you circled.
The instructions at the end will tell you
how to interpret your score.
So many factors come into play
when deciding just how many years
you can successfully subtract from
your true date of birth: how well
you take care of yourself, your
genetic makeup, how many days
you have been partying, the mental
state of the person you are lying to,
etc. In order to assist readers with
how to effectively lie about their
age, a simple formulary has been
developed to help guide the agechallenged liar in their quest to fool
the public.
SKIN - This category is perhaps the
most important, because skin is an
immediate clue to a person’s age. Here
we determine how well you have taken
care of not only the skin on your face,
but other areas of your body. Your trick
is going to have to see your skin
eventually, and Botox on the face will
conceal only so much. (If your interlude
is only a quick fuck in a dark alley at
4am, your age is unlikely to be a topic
of discussion.)
Follow the instructions below to
determine if you can afford to fib or
just need to face reality and take
what you can get.
Circuit
-3
You only use high-quality, alcohol free
cleansers on your face.
-2
You shave with only downward strokes
and use a non-soap shave gel.
-1
You have dry skin but moisturize your
skin regularly.
46
Noize
0 You sometimes pay attention to
your skin, but not religiously.
+1 Your grooming products amount
to whatever is on sale at the
supermarket.
+2 You have been a sun worshiper,
but always use SPF 15.
HAIR – Luckily for the follicallychallenged, a shaved head is still in
vogue. However, a full head of hair
always helps a youthful appearance, but
attempts at hair restoration usually do
not. Also, greying hair typically denotes
aging, although Anderson Cooper from
CNN is the decided exception. Ruff!
+3 You have had sunburn resulting
in skin peeling at least three
times.
Circuit
47
Noize
-3
You are still in possession of all
your own hair follicles.
+1 You usually only workout two weeks
before a Circuit party.
-2
Your hair is styled in the latest
über-style with little blowdrying.
+2 Your only exercise is during sex –
getting off your back to take it on
all fours.
-1
You shave your head.
+1
You have some greying around
the temples.
+2
You’ve got hair plugs.
+3 You receive a call from your gym
suggesting they freeze your
membership because you haven’t
been there in eight months.
+3
You have at least 50% greying
throughout your head.
+4
You’ve got a comb-over or use
spray-on hair.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY - We all know
that exercise makes us look
attractive and younger. Weightlifting, yoga, bike riding and
dancing all burn calories. But don’t
discount other activities such as
sex or shopping. Finding that one
pair of Gucci pants that make
things stick out in all the right
places is sometimes a whole day
affair.
-3
-2
You take yoga, Pilates, or some
type of dance class for not only
the physical benefits, but the
mental and spiritual as well.
You have been physically active
for the last ten years including a
diverse exercise routine
including weight training and
cardiovascular workouts.
-1
Your sexual encounters and/or
shopping excursions at Barney’s
are frequent, vigorous, and always
leave you gasping for oxygen.
0
Your motivation for exercise is
basically social (to see and
been seen).
Circuit
NUTRITION - You are what you eat.
But dick and ass are not two of the
food groups. They are good to eat (in
most cases), but your body gets no
nutritional value from them. A diet rich
in all the right foods, however, helps
your muscles grow and your skin glow.
-3 Your diet consists of a balance of
carbohydrates and protein and
includes fresh vegetables.
-2 You eat a lot of lot of raw or
minimally-cooked vegetables and
fruits and try to stay away from
things in a box or can.
-1 You force yourself to eat at least
one meal a day while at a Circuit
weekend and always drink lots of
water.
0
Your fast food choices are limited to
Boston Market or Wendy’s value
menu.
+1 You use fresh vegetables and fruits
more as surrogate sex toys than
sources of nutrition.
+2 Your only water consumption is
concealed in corn syrup and artificial
fruit flavorings.
+3 Your only protein consumption
amounts to what slips down your
throat when you get up off your knees.
48
Noize
PAST DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE
While anything in moderation is
typically OK, most things in excess
are not. And, while getting off
drugs or alcohol is always a good
idea, side effects from past abuse
may be permanent. Not everyone
has the financial resources of
Robert Downey, Jr. to correct years
of bumping.
-4 You have never drank alcohol or
used any recreational drugs.
-2
-1
Your alcohol and/or drug use has
consisted of weekend social use
less than once a month.
You have experienced an
occasional weekend bender.
+1 You go out almost every
weekend, and never without at
least a few bumps for
reassurance.
+2 Karen Walker is your role model.
+4 People get high just licking your
sweat.
TIME AND SITUATION OF THE LIE
Time of day, indoors or outdoors, and
what you have been doing the night
before each play a major role in
whether lying would be fruitful or not.
Face it, telling a potential trick you are
five years younger than you really are
after being up for three days is only
going to work if that guy has also been
up for three days and is as desperate as
you.
-3
You are blindfolded and strapped in a
harness at a dark leather bar.
-2
You are at an afternoon pool party
and have slept the night before.
-1
Someone is sitting on your face at a
sex party.
0
You are dancing at an early evening
tea dance in a moderately lit room.
+2
You are coming out of an after-afterhours party at 3:00 in the afternoon.
+4
You are checking out of your hotel on
Tuesday after a Circuit weekend.
If your total score is a negative number,
you should be able to safely subtract
that many years from your REAL age
without drawing any suspicions.
If your sccore is 0 or very close to it, then
lying about your age is probably not
prudent.
If your score is a positive number over
2, lying about your age (even to Stevie
Wonder) is not going to work. Accept
th
h e fact you look older than you are
and be gracious you still have the
mental capacity to take this t est.
(However, you may want to start
looking at condos in Boca Raton.)
Circuit
49
Noize
TORONTO PRIDE WEEK 2005
JUNE 20TH - 26TH, 2005
FOLSOM FAIR NORTH WEEKEND
FRIDAY JULY 15THSUNDAY JULY 17TH, 2005
Woody’s is proud to host the official
warm-up bash for Folsom Fair North
“Agitator” Saturday July 16th, 2005
CHURCH STREET FETISH FAIR
SUNDAY AUGUST 14TH, 2005
MR LEATHERMAN TORONTO 2006
COMPETITION WEEKEND
NOVEMBER 24TH - 27TH, 2005
465-467 Church Street Toronto
416-972-0887 woodystoronto.com
MUSIC REVIEWS
by Jamie Nicholes
Tour De Beats
Mixed by Tony Moran
Tommy Boy
Finally, a remix of Deborah Cox’s
“Easy As Life” on CD! I apologize
for my obsession - “Easy As Life” is
just one of those songs whose
hand fits perfectly in mine. I’ll be
sixty years old, married with four
adopted children, and still playing
it in my SUV on the way to soccer
games and piano lessons. The Tony
Moran
&
Warren
Rigg
Brazilian/Babylon Mix isn’t terribly
different from the original, but what
it does is give it that extra
something to take it from “catchy”
Circuit
to “irresistible”. Then there’s the rest of
this 2-disc tribal “greet ‘n’ grope”. This
album is Tony Moran’s resumé from the
last several years, half of which is
comprised of mixes he has done with
Rigg, and the other half are his own
hand-picked entourage of floor-fillers.
You will find several previously
unreleased mixes including the Late
Night Rework of Moran & Rigg’s original
Club Anthem Mix of Reina’s “If I Close
My Eyes”, Tony’s Tribal Rework of the
Holly James cover of Monifah’s “Touch
It”, the exclusive Deep Influence Mix of
Ron Perkov’s “Dance With Me”. But the
shining star of the album, in my opinion,
is the Anthem mix of Kristine W’s yet-tobe-released “I’ll Be Your Light”. The set
concludes itself with Vernessa Mitchell’s
gospel classic-to-be “Took My Life”
which, while I’d heard a bunch of times
before, finally registered as the nearbreathless testimonial of divine
salvation that it is. This is the best
constructed tribal compilation since
Abel’s Alegria, so get it while it’s hot,
y’all! You don’t want to be the last one
on the block without this one rattling
the change in your car’s cup holders.
52
Noize
Anjunabeats Volume Two
Mixed by Above & Beyond
Anjuna Beats
You might know the Above &
Beyond remix team as the geniuses
that took Madonna’s tepid, adultcontemporary-billboard chartdestined “What It Feels Like For A
Girl” and turned it into an instant
contender for Remix of the Year as
a vocally-minimal, yet sharply
poignant, sweeping trance anthem.
You may also know them as the trio
that flipped Vivian Green’s brutally
honest “Emotional Rollercoaster”
from meandering R&B to a peakhour, everybody-on-stage-withhands-in-the-air heart stopper. Or,
as the brains that transformed
Britney’s first power ballad
“Everytime” into the one remix
that every man, woman, child, and
goat was scouring the globe for
until its Japanese-only release
months after the promos hit the
clubs. If you’re an internet radio
fan, you know them as the men
who bring you “Trance Around the
Circuit
World” on Ministry of Sound Radio.
With the release of Anjunabeats Volume
Two, you’ll never forget them. Simply
put, this is the kind of trance that makes
you cry. It pushes you deep inside your
head and carries you through foggy
emotional planes as bright bits of reality
pierce the haze and come gently toward
you. Mostly without vocals, this single
disc mixed set coasts through aural
peaks and valleys constructing a trip
that, when experienced through
suspended speakers the size of
refrigerators, rivals any trip created by a
substance. Some of the amazing names
contained within are Smith & Pledger
(Deepest Blue’s “Shooting Star”), Aalto
(Kyau vs. Albert’s “Velvet Morning”),
Zoe Johnston (featured vocals on
several Delirium tracks), Mike Koglin
(Lustral’s “Everytime”) and Tranquility
Base (“Razorfish”). If you’re feeling a
little less amp’ed and a little more
ambient, look no further.
53
Noize
Buy these releases and all your other
dance music favorites at
Perfectbeat.com.
Ministry of Sound:
The Annual 2005 (UK)
Ministry of Sound
Ultra Records
Europe seems to be musically in a
place similar to the US in the early
80s - music should be fun and
everybody just wants to dance.
There’s an overwhelming barrage
of bouncy, funky, poppy house
that’s gushing forth from that
continent. And it is a huge contrast
to the more severe trance sound
that was so trademark a few years
back. It’s like everyone was taking
themselves and the music so
seriously that the only thing left to
do was hit the floor and fall about
laughing. It’s not that there isn’t
darker stuff that’s earned popularity
as well, but there seems to be a
big pink cloud of funness floating
across the Atlantic, smelling of
strawberries, shaped like a heart,
outfitted with innocent sexuality
and delivered via import singles
and albums. Ministry of Sound has
sat huddled closely, like a bunch of
Circuit
bitchy sorority girls, choosing only the
most popular to be included in this
yearbook-style 2-disc set of the past
year’s shining stars of the Euro clubs.
Perfect examples of the lighter, funner
sound are Eric Prydz’s “Call On Me”, a
minimal cover of Steve Winwood’s 80s
hit “Valerie”, Intenso Project’s funky
“Get It On” featuring Lisa Scott-Lee,
and the disco-flavored Shapeshifters
Club Mix of Danny Howells and Dick
Trevor’s “Dusk Till Dawn”. This sound
really gets back to the Circuit’s old-skool
origins, when the goal was escape and
freedom and unity, before greater social
acceptance gave a little breathing room
and made possible the darker, grinding
sexuality of today. What’s gonna take
you from liking to loving this
compilation is the bonus DVD that is
included with 20 music videos of all
your favorite Euro hits. These are
videos that you’d otherwise never have
the opportunity to see, unless you’re
having some super long-distance affair
with a Euro Circuit boy who’s rich
enough to fly you over frequently and
who lets you sit around watching MTV
Europe instead of screwing him out of
gratitude for the plane ticket. We
should all be so lucky.
54
Noize
Masterbeat:
The Club Volume 3
Mixed by Brett Henrichsen
Master Entertainment
I really didn’t want to like this one.
I grew up doing figure drawing
and, without even looking at the
track listing, I just wanted to slide
this one under a rug and forget
about it for disgust of the
unfinished quality of the cover
artwork. I understand minimal, but
the lines aren’t even clean!
Besides, Joe Phillips had been
doing such successful cover art,
why on earth would Masterbeat
stoop to a cheap-looking imitation?
I firmly held this bias (like the last
piece of cold pizza when you know
your roommate is home and
hungry) until I actually took a
moment to read the track listing.
The Club compilations only come
out every so often, so when they
do, Brett’s gotta take only the
cream-top tracks, and damn if he
didn’t do himself proud with this
one. First, let’s give him a “whoop
Circuit
whoop” for choosing the original Kurtis
Mantronix version of “How Did You
Know?” over the newer, crappier
version by Mynt and Kym Sozzi. Then
let’s add another “whoop” for using the
Chris Cox Anthem mix of Debby
Holiday’s “Dive”. (Scotty K is a talented
producer, but his mix just doesn’t even
compare to Chris’s.) Brett has included
all the hits from the past year that
rushed the frat and got hazed into the
Circuit scene such as Offer Nissim’s
“Searching” featuring Maya, Jade
Sterling’s “Safe Keeping” (lest you
forgot, Jade is the vocalist from the 80s
group Pretty Poison of “Catch Me [I’m
Falling] fame”) and the That Kid Chris
mix of Monica’s naughty “Get It Off”
featuring Missy Elliot. He also gets high
marks for being one of the only DJs to
select Armin Van Buuren’s Universal
Religion Mix of Motorcycle’s “As The
Rush Comes” over the original Gabriel
& Dresden Mix. G&D’s mix is perfection,
but Armin’s treatment of the bridge and
“no instrumentation” usage of Jes
Brieden’s whispered vocals are reason
enough to collapse into sobs of joy. If
you’ve been to any parties this year,
you’ll recognize most of the tracks –
Brett has pretty much put together
“The Greatest Circuit Hits of 2004”.
55
Noize
Winter
Circuit
Photo Album
Photographer: Kika D
Location: The Brewery
Brewery,, Brussels, Belgium
Event: RAPIDO
Circuit
56
Noize
V isit the all New, FREE, and Interactive
BOY PIX
at www.cir cuitnoize.com
for the LARGEST online ar chive
of event photos.
Are
Are you a photographer? Do you
bring a camera to events?
Submit your photos to us and perhaps
we’ll feature
feature them in upcoming issues.
Contact [email protected]
[email protected] for
more
more information.
Circuit
57
Noize
POST-EXPOSURE
PROPHYLAXIS
by Dr. Frank Spinelli, M.D.
Coaxed into doing E for the first time in months, Eric was having the time of
his life. Eric, a hotttie, and his troupe of hot friends were getting lots of
attention – all the more so because they were
e having such a good time.
When you’re in that kind of headspace, it is always easiest to meet someon
ne.
After all, boys are most attracted to people that are having fun, so it was no
surprise when Ericc noticed Scott watching him from across the dance floor.
Suddenly, it was as if time had
stopped. The sea of men between
them seemed to part, and they
floated towards one another. Their
bodies joined without a word,
pelvis to pelvis, and they started
dancing together. The gentle,
shared sway intensified to an
energetic, grinding romp and they
ended up dancing together all
night. When Scott offered Eric
some G, he gladly accepted and,
sure enough, they soon moved
into a state of ecstatic bliss that
was even deeper than they’d
experienced so far.
Eric fantasized that Scott was
indeed the person he had been
waiting for. There was no question
that they’d be going home
together that night. And with the
help of a little more G back at
Scott’s place, the night was a wildly
passionate encounter – beyond
any sex that Eric had ever
experienced.
The next morning, as he stared at
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the still-dozing Scott, Eric’s mind began
to replay the night’s lovemaking in his
head. Though he was still feeling pretty
blissful, a cold knife of fear was
pressing into him. He was pretty sure
that Scott hadn’t used a condom. He’d
wanted to check, but it simply had felt
too good to go there. The leftover
glow extinguished completely when
Scott confirmed his worst fears - they
had had unprotected anal sex and
Scott was HIV-positive. The sunlight,
which had been a warm glow in the
little blonde hairs on Scott’s chest, was
now the cruel bright light of morning.
He was furious, but what could he do?
He left Scott’s place in a panic and
immediately called his best friend Rose
Marie on his cell. Rose Marie, a nurse,
told him to calm down and meet her at
the emergency room at their local
hospital.
The good people at the hospital
examined Eric and told him about PostExposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Eric, like
many people, was unaware of such a
thing but was eager to learn. The
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Center for Disease Control (CDC)
established this protocol back in
1997 for patients who had been
exposed to HIV after unprotected
sexual encounters.
The theory behind Post-Exposure
Prophylaxis is that the natural
progression of HIV does not occur
immediately. Once someone is
infected with the HIV virus it takes
at least 24- 48 hours before it
reaches the lymph nodes, and then
sometimes days before it is active
in the bloodstream. If the exposed
individual
is
started
on
antiretroviral medication (the same
medication used to treat HIV+
patients), it may prevent the
proliferation of the virus.
There are several factors that
determine whether PEP should be
used. The Center for Disease
Control recommends that PEP be
instituted as soon as possible after
exposure. Candidates that receive
PEP within the first 36 hours after
exposure are the most likely to be
successful. If your primary care
physician or ER doctor is unfamiliar
with PEP, ask them to refer you to
an HIV specialist.
The second factor to consider
before initiating PEP is to decide
whether the circumstance is a
reasonable exposure to HIV. This
brings up the question as to which
sexual practices are considered
risky. High-risk sexual practices
include unprotected anal sex (as
either the top or bottom,
regardless of whether the person
ejaculated inside you) and, to a
lesser degree, receptive oral sex
with ejaculation. Sexual practices
that do not warrant PEP include
kissing, mutual masturbation, oral-
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anal contact without exposure to blood
or other bodily fluids, and receiving
oral sex.
Individuals who feel that they may have
been exposed to HIV should report to
their private medical doctor or ER
immediately. Those who are deemed
candidates for PEP should be started
on a regimen defined by the CDC,
which may involve 2-3 individual drugs
for a period of 28 days. Baseline HIV
testing should be done at that time.
After much discussion, Eric had his
blood drawn for an HIV test. His doctor
then discussed the drug regimen that
he would take for 28 days. The doctor
reviewed with Eric how the medication
must be taken, the dosing schedule,
and any possible side effects. Eric was
given an appointment to be reevaluated within 72 hours to assess
how he was doing on the medications.
The doctor then made Eric aware of
signs and symptoms that can be
suggestive of an acute HIV
seroconversion.
For example, most patients who
seroconvert experience a flu-like
syndrome in which they may develop
fever, malaise, body aches, cough,
runny nose, headache, and congestion.
Eric told the doctor that he had a
history of seasonal allergies and
experiences all those symptoms from
time to time. How is he supposed to
tell the difference? The doctor
informed Eric that, from this moment
on, any new symptoms must be
reported to his primary care physician
at once. The doctor also instructed Eric
to have HIV testing performed at six
weeks, twelve weeks, and then again at
six months. With so much to think
about, Eric collected his prescriptions
and thanked his doctor for all his help.
Rose Marie took Eric to a nearby café
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Noize
so that they could relax and have
some coffee. There, they met Eric’s
former roommate George. They
told George of the events that had
transpired. George seemed
unnerved for his friend, but shared
with them an interesting story.
it ever happened to them, they would
know that there was an option.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
If you ever find yourself in a
situation where you think you
might have been exposed to HIV,
contact your doctor or go to the
emergency room immediately.
One year earlier, George had a
similar experience, entangled in a
tumultuous affair with a married
couple. This couple took him in as
their love slave and brought him to
flights of fancy he had never
known. Unbeknownst to George,
one of the two was HIV+. In a
scenario that involved a sling and
much too much amyl nitrite, these
three partook in an orgy of epic
proportions. In the after math,
George had been penetrated by
both, anally and orally, without a
condom.
Remember, PEP should be started
ASAP.
PEP is a 2-3 drug regimen that is
given for 28 days.
You should be counseled on the
possible side effects of all the
medications.
You should be made aware of signs
and symptoms of acute HIV
seroconversion.
Luckily, George went to his private
medical doctor immediately. He
was seen and examined by his
doctor and was prescribed three
different antiretroviral medications
that he took for 28 days. The
regimen was similar to the one that
had been prescribed for Eric.
George said that it was one of the
scariest times of his life. That entire
month he had to battle diarrhea
and nausea, but he said that he
would do it all over again in a
minute to avoid contracting the
HIV virus. Luckily, all three of
George’s follow-up HIV tests were
negative.
After lunch, Eric felt much better
than he had earlier. He was more
informed about PEP and knowing a
friend had gone through the same
situation really eased his mind.
Eric was going to share his story
with all his friends so that at least if
Circuit
Once you begin PEP, you should
maintain regular follow-up
appointments with your health care
provider.
PEP is the use of antiretroviral
medication and should never
replace the use of a condom.
National Clinicians’ Post-Exposure
Prophylaxis Hotline (PEPline)
(888) HIV-4911
This material is meant for informational
purposes only. Nothing contained
herein should be regarded in any way
as a substitute for advice from a health
care professional who is familiar with all
the details of your situation.
74
Noize
SIMPLY THE WESS
by Rami Ramirez
Young and ambitious stars-to-be seem a dime a dozen these days. All you
have to do is turn on the latest reality show for examples. The cutthroat
business of DJing is no exception. Young and ambitiou
us DJs-to-be seem
to think that two turntables, some practice, and a love of beats are the
main ingre
edients for success.
Enter Wess. Born in Tennessee
and raised in North Carolina, this
Souther n char mer has started
making a name for himself in clubs
and on the Circuit, but he is in no
hurry to rush his inevitable success.
Actually, he is just fine, thank you,
enjoying his two-year-old and
highly successful gig at Nation, the
site of DC’s biggest weekly gay
party, Velvet. He is the club’s only
weekly resident DJ. This spot has
earned him The Blade’s honor of
DC’s “Best DJ” two years in a row.
On any given Saturday night, you
can catch a loyal crowd completely
letting go to his music in Nation’s
Blue Room.
Wess was eliciting a more spirited
response from his crowd than the bigname DJ was doing in the main room!
The last time I entered the Blue
Room I witnessed two queens
spontaneously
walking
an
imaginary runway, another on the
ground holding her shoe in her
hand and smacking it on the floor,
and someone doing back flips on
the periphery of the dance floor.
And this was all in response to the
music! I was taken aback. Surely I
had made my way to the main floor
of the club where the actual bigname headliner was spinning. But
no, I was still in the Blue Room.
The atmosphere of the Blue Room calls
for a more pop/hip-hop-oriented
approach to spinning. In an effort to
make sure that Wess’ DJ career was not
pigeonholed into this style of playing,
Bailey has scheduled Wess in the main
room at Nation at least one Saturday a
month for the past two years. Wess’
ability to easily convert from one
musical format to the other has been
invaluable to Bailey, allowing him to
place Wess wherever he is needed,
without missing a beat. Wess has
headlined several of Nation’s high-
Circuit
“Wess certainly has a flair that many
Circuit DJs don’t seem to have,” says
Velvet Nation’s owner/DC house DJ
legend Ed Bailey. He goes on, “While
most DJs play a predictable set, so
much so that most listeners would be
hard-pressed to even tell you who the
DJ was, Wess has a house DJ vibe that
clearly emanates in a room that he is
playing. He may play all the big room
songs that one might expect to hear, he
just has a way of mixing them together
that is uniquely his own and he adds
style where others may just be bland.”
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Noize
Photo by Ross Berger
profile events, including Red Party
2003, two highly successful
Halloween parties and Chinese
New Year 2004 and 2005.
Wess started DJing as well as
organizing and promoting parties
over ten years ago in Raleigh,
North Carolina.
He was
responsible for bringing DJ names
like Larry T and Circuit legend Buc
to Legends, the local gay club
there. The success of these parties
convinced Wess he had a knack for
club life and, in 1997, he moved to
South Beach to pursue more
opportunities along those lines.
He ended up at the legendary
Salvation during its heyday,
handling marketing responsibilities
as well as helping out with
managerial-type duties. While
there, he worked closely with the
likes of Power Infinity, Kitty Meow,
DJ Abel, and Mike Mazer to come
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up with weekly Saturday themes for the
club. Wess has adapted this thematic
style, weaving sonic themes into his sets
that make each night on his dance floor
a unique experience that is far beyond
the DJs who are simply playing the top
songs of the moment.
After leaving Salvation, Wess went on to
co-found the now-defunct miamigo
magazine.
As his networking
opportunities grew, Wess landed DJ
gigs at several South Beach prime hot
spots, including Liquid, Pump, Score,
Salvation, and several Circuit party
events, including the VIP lounge at
Jeffrey Sanker’s Millennium event at
Level. His big break, however, came in
January of 2001, when Wess was called
last minute to open for Victor
Calderone at Crobar Miami because
Victor had missed his plane. He ended
up playing most of the evening to a
packed house who left wondering just
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Noize
who the amazing opening DJ was.
Since then, Wess has played in
many clubs all up and down the
East Coast, including additional
headline gigs at Crobar Miami as
well as gigs in New Orleans,
Atlanta, and New York. He has
also played opening sets for many
of the Circuit DJ big-wigs on
several occasions, including Abel,
Peter Rauhofer, Victor Calderone,
Junior Vasquez, and Manny
Lehman.
W ith an Associate of Science
degree in recording, engineering,
and music production from Full Sail
in Orlando, Wess is looking
forward to producing his own
music and remixes in the near
future. Well-aware that success
and exposure for a DJ come
mainly from the production work
and remixes, he looks forward to
enhancing his sets with his own
creations, as well as having his
work played by other DJs.
However, being a DJ is his primary
love.
In an era where there are less and
less actual club people and more
and more tourists and kids who
have grown up with less
accomplished DJs and club
scenes, Wess, while young, has an
old school mentality. His tireless
devotion to being a DJ along with
his enormous talent and creativity
should bring him much success in
the years to come as he gains
more and more exposure on the
Circuit. Wess is one up-andcoming DJ you’ll simply want to
experience for yourself.
Circuit
You can hear Wess every Saturday night
at Nation in Washington, DC. He can be
reached at:
[email protected].
78
Noize
JUST A DETAIL
by Jamie Nicholes
When I first started going out in West Hollywood, it was all about Thursday
nights and Varsity @ Axis, later Rage. The line was around the block with all
of SoCal’s 18+ baby fags in attendance. I had just started at UCLA.
The evening was charged with the
energy of having waited for this
since the moment we got home
from it the week before. The entire
with a handful of new anthems they’d
never heard before. I’d sit awake at my
computer until early the next morning
trying to figure out the song titles of
night could only be described as
magical. And, for me, it was all
about the music.
the mystical new songs I’d heard. I
scoured Napster, AudioGalaxy,
Amazon, and PerfectBeat.com,
listening to sound clips and doing
Yahoo! searches on the fragmented bits
of lyric I could remember.
It took me a long time to realize
that not everyone was as
enthusiastic about the music as I
was. I just assumed that there were
others who came home infatuated
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I assumed that the dance floor was
peopled with those who also listened
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to this music from the moment
they woke ‘til the wee hours of the
morning. That everyone drank in
the empowering vocal anthems
and mournful instrumental trance
in the aftermath of a breakup and
leaned on the music like a crutch
through those first devastating
weeks. I thought I was surrounded
by people who felt so moved by
this music when listening to it on
their headphones that they
couldn’t wait to play the song
again, even before it ended.
Yeah, I was used to the fact that my
roommates treated me like a freak.
Over and over, I would perk up at
the sound of one of my favorite
remixes and try to move the group
to the dance floor. They’d respond
by staring blankly at me, then at
each other, then down at their
drinks, before saying, “Yeah, but
it’s the techno remix… I just like
the version they play on the radio.”
Sometimes they’d give in and
humor me. They’d sing along and
Circuit
inevitably get tripped up on the
looped samples and stutters. When
we would go to a record store
together, they’d walk out with a
couple of albums, while I had a
handful of maxi-singles. They’d mutter
amongst themselves about how silly I
was to be spending money on a CD
with “just one song.”
Then, all in one night, I realized that
almost everyone around me on the
dance floor was just like my
roommates. To them, the music was
just a detail - a prop used to set the
stage for getting laid, like the carefully
chosen pair of underwear selected
specifically for the alluring waistband
that would peek above their Diesels
and be the one unique accessory
worn to distinguish the wearer from
the masses of other shirtless men with
perfect tans and carved bodies.
My realization happened when I was
out at a club called Faith in San
Francisco. The DJ played the Tiga
remix of Telepopmusik’s “Breathe”. It
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Noize
was the end of the night, the
crowd was thinning as guys paired
up and left, and a guy named
Jesus was trying to back me
against a wall and kiss me. I had
never heard the Tiga remix before
and really just wanted to be left
alone to love it. Jesus was drunk
and not giving up, so in a
desperate attempt to get rid of
him, I hurriedly explained to him
how much this song meant to me,
how it had been a sympathetic life
preserver I had tur ned to
repeatedly a few months back
following my diagnosis with clinical
depression and how prior to this
moment I had no idea that a
progressive house mix of it existed
and that I really wanted to just be
allowed to listen to it undistracted.
“That’s so cute,” he said, staring at
my lips.
“Why’s that cute?” I quipped,
completely caught off guard.
“That you know so much about this
music,” he said into my ear and
then traced the side of my neck
with his tongue.
I was so stunned by his response I
didn’t even try to stop him as he
kissed my collarbone and pushed
his hands from the small of my
back down into my jeans. Seeing
his disdain for “this music” I had
the sudden insight that most
everyone in the club was of the
same mind set as Jesus. I was the
only one who had a playlist on his
computer’s MP3 player full of track
times that were all at least eight
minutes long. I was the only one
that listened to every full-length
CD predicting what the future
singles would be and imagining
how amazing those vocals would
sound with the original production
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dropped out, then filtered and layered
over a heavy beat. At that moment, I
was slapped with the stinging
realization that in all those past years in
the clubs, I had been no more
surrounded by like-minded people than
a Buddhist in Utah.
So, I retreated to a world that only
existed in two places: in my car and in
my headphones. I made the music an
intensely private pleasure. Slowly, with
therapy, I was able to return to the
dance floor. I couldn’t resist the pull of
the full-body sound that was possible
when in front of the enor mous
speakers.
To many, what’s played at clubs and
parties is just “dance music”, a genre
that is meant only to get your body
moving when you’re out, drunk or high
and unwinding from the week. When
heard out of that context, it reminds
you of wild weekends. To me, this
music is like a recording of my
emotions. The music is repetitive and
intense, just like what’s going on inside
my head. “I love you, I need you, I
love you, I need you,” is all that I hear
when I feel for someone, and the
pounding beat is a perfect sonic
representation of how intense and
blinding those feelings are.
When I’m dancing on a box to my song
of the moment, shirt off, colored lights
and strobes caressing me and I’m
commanding the attention of a crowd, I
am expressing an intimacy and a
vulnerability that I can’t express any
other way. It feels like “home”.
My love of music will persist. I will
continue to spend money on CDs with
“just one song.” I will pull my friends
out on the floor to dance to “the
techno remix” and I will always feel
deeply attached to what is to many, just
a detail.
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Noize
WHAT HE REALLY MEANS
by Dennis Fleming
Over the years, I’ve learned that people don’t always say exactly what they
mean. Below are some exa
amples of phrases that need a little translation if
you want to communicate clearly with your fellow Circuit boys…
What He Said
What He Meant
I have never done this before.
Î
I’ve lost track of how many times I
have done this.
I’m versatile.
Î
I’m a bottom who will tell you
anything to get you home.
I don’t date very much.
Î
I get all the sex I want from cruising
the park.
I’ve been to a few Circuit
parties this year, but I’m not
really a Circuit boy.
Î
I went to every major Circuit party
this year but missed the first two
events at Black and Blue because
my flight was delayed.
I did a little bump just to
keep me up.
Î
I’ve been tweaking since 1991.
I just want to be alone tonight.
Î
I met someone on the internet and
we’re getting together tonight.
I just want to be friends.
Î
Sex with you is not very good.
I don’t really care about the
size of your dick.
Î
The size of your dick means nothing
when you’re bent over my living
room sofa getting your kitchen
cleaned.
We should go out again sometime.
Î
I’ll call you again if I ever get horny
and desperate.
I just need some space.
Î
Please move to another state.
I’m suffocating in this
relationship.
Î
You’re suffocating me in this
relationship.
Looks aren’t important.
It’s what’s on the inside that
makes a person happy.
Î
I’d look really happy if you were
inside me right now.
Would you like to go out with me
sometime? Maybe see a movie?
Î
Would you like to watch some porn
and fuck?
You’ve got to be the hottest
guy in the club.
Î
I’m horny, and you’re standing
next to me.
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Noize
Circuit
FIDDLER ON
THE CIRCUIT
by Bill Elias
Beethoven with beats? Not quite. But a new kind of musical fusion is
emerging on the Circuit. Dr.. Draw, an electric violinist, has created a
unique form of musical expression by marrying the soundss of the Circuit
with the sounds of his strings.
This Russian-born Canadian
immigrant got his start performing at a young age on the
streets of the gay village in
Toronto. Immediately, he made
a connection with the gay audience. He began
experimenting
with
fusing
various genres of
music together
and also comb i n e d
breakdancing
with his unique
musical style. He
has scored a
movie and has
played all kinds
of events, from fundraisers to
corporate events.
Dr. Draw debuted on the Circuit
at Whistler Gay Ski Week in
2001. He has played the last
four gay pride Divers/Cite celebrations in Montreal and has
Circuit
also performed at the Black and
Blue. He has played in the states at
such Circuit events as Circuit Mom’s
Market Days, Mark Baker’s Stars at
Gay Disney, and Steven Gomez’s
Scandal in Miami this past New
Year’s Eve.
Dr. Draw sometimes
uses dance music
that he’s already
rehearsed, but when
his personal musical
selections
don’t
mesh with the style
of the DJ, he has
worked with them to
come up with something new. He has
also done purely improvisational
work on top of dance music, some
of which has been the most powerful work of all.
His new CD, The City, combines his
classical training with Russian folk
music, electronic dance, and softer
88
Noize
contemporary electronica elements. If you can’t find a copy of
“The City” in your local music
store, you may order it online
from www.101distribution.com.
This innovative young man is
undoubtedly
someone
to
watch. He is winning lots of fans
on the Circuit because he adds a
new dimension to the music and
Circuit
his enthusiasm on stage is absolutely infectious. So, if you suddenly
hear a violin soaring through the
tribal beat at some dance party,
know that you’re not hallucinating,
but you are in for a treat!
For booking information contact
[email protected]
89
Noize
DJ PROFILE
ALYSON CALAGNA
by
Jeffery Taylor
When Alyson Calagna was a little girl, she told her mother that she wanted
to take drum lessons insttead of dance lessons. Her mother told her lovingly, “Little girls don’t play drums,” and promptly enrolled Alyson in tap
class.
Today, Alyson Calagna is widely
known across the Circuit for her signature tribal rhythms and global
grooves. This is one little girl that
most certainly can play drums.
Ironically enough, it was her dance
training that brought Alyson
Calagna to the DJ
world. At age sixteen,
Alyson was hired as a
resident dancer at a teen
club in her hometown of
Lafayette, Louisiana. She
became
good
friends with
the DJs who
worked at the
club. One day,
she asked one
of the resident
DJs if he would
teach her how to
spin. He loved
the idea of having
a girl DJ and
began to show
Alyson the ropes. Alyson immersed
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herself completely, practicing every day.
About a year later, Alyson landed her
first gig at Images, a local gay club.
“They didn’t have house music in
Lafayette,” Alyson
remarks, so she
slowly introduced
the locals to the
t h u m p i n g
basslines
and
layered sounds of
house. At first,
she
recalls,
many
would
leave
the
dance floor on
the
breakd o w n ,
thinking the
song
was
over. But by
the end of her second year
as resident DJ, Alyson had completely
transformed the dance club, playing
tribal beats and house music all night
long to packed dance floors.
After four years at Images, Alyson was
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Noize
ready to move onto something
bigger. Drawn to the Latin-influenced, percussive sound of Miami,
she moved to Florida in 1999
hoping to break into the club scene
there. In April of that year, she
entered a female DJ competition
and won a weekly spot as a Hot Mix
DJ on Power 96.5, South Florida’s
dance music station.
Alyson also began working at “The
DJ Store” in Miami hoping to
network with various people in the
industry. One day, she met a guy
who was putting together a sound
system for a new club opening in
New Orleans. Alyson remarked that
she was from Louisiana and had just
recently moved to Florida. She gave
him one of her mix tapes and told
him to contact her if they ever
needed a DJ.
Although she was getting some
exposure on the radio, the Power
96 gig offered little room for per-
Circuit
sonal creativity since the song selection
was determined by the station with little
input from the DJ. Alyson wasn’t making
any progress booking DJ gigs in the
Miami clubs, which is where she really
wanted to be. Furthermore,. Feeling
stifled, Alyson decided to move back to
Louisiana and returned to Images.
When it was announced that Images was
closing a few months later, Alyson was in
a quandary. “I was chasing the dream,
but I didn’t know where to go,” she
recalls. One of her friends who was also
a DJ was moving to Minneapolis and
invited Alyson to go with him. With no
opportunities left in Lafayette, she
accepted the invite.
The night before Alyson was to leave for
Minneapolis, she got a phone call from
Mike Mazer, the owner of Salvation in
Miami. She had sent a demo CD to the
club a few months before she moved to
Miami hoping someone would listen to it
but never heard anything. Now, almost a
year later, Mike Mazer was calling,
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looking to book her for a lesbian gig
at Salvation. Unfortunately, she told
Mazer, she had moved back to
Louisiana.
Mazer told Alyson that he had just
opened a bar in New Orleans called
735 Nightclub and that they were
looking for DJs. He asked her if she
could go there and audition the following day. Although Alyson had
been planning on leaving for
Minneapolis, she knew she couldn’t
turn down this fortuitous opportunity.
weekend. She finally had the freedom to
do what she wanted and to take her
artistry to a whole new level. Mazer was
so impressed with Alyson that he
decided to book her in the main room of
Salvation in Miami. She remembers how
excited and nervous she was to play in
the legendary club. The night was a
huge success and she was invited back,
returning every five or six weeks.
Mazer called the manager of his
new club to let him know that he
had a DJ coming in to audition. The
manager told him that he had
already found a DJ from a mix tape
that his sound guy had gotten from
a girl he met at a DJ store in Miami!
That girl was Alyson.
Her first Circuit appearance was at
Change of Seasons in Atlanta, opening
for Abel. In 2002, she played Southern
Decadence in New Orleans as well as
events at both Gay Disney and White
Party. Her popularity began to grow.
Circuit Party Insanity named Alyson “Up
and Coming DJ for 2002”. Since then,
she has added Blue Ball, A Weekend in
Oz, Chrome, Cherry 9, Motorball, and
Winter Party to her quickly growing
Circuit resumé.
Alyson was hired as the resident DJ
of 735, playing 9–10-hour sets every
In 2003, Alyson released her first
continuous mix CD, Party Groove: Blue
10
ALYSON CALAGNA
TOP
01. Kissing A Fool - George Michael
02. Love You More - Sunscreen
03. Dreamer - Living Joy
04. Chameleon - Herbie Hancock
05. Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield
06. Music & Wine - Blue Six
eaven - M People
07. One Night In He
08. Rebirth Of Slick ( cool like dat ) - Digable Planets
09. From Madrid With Love - Penn & Chus
10. Set Adrift On Memory Bliss - PM Dawn
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Ball Volume 2 (Centaur).
LesbianAlliance.com reviewed the
CD saying, “From global sensual
grooves to tribal rhythms, Alyson
Calagna brings a new energy and
enthusiasm to the realm of DJ
compilations.” Her sophomore
release followed later that year with
A Weekend In Oz (Centaur) which
Circuit Noize reviewed in its Winter
2003 issue remarking, “When it
comes to finding a collection that
actually sounds like a night out at a
special event, it really doesn’t get
any more authentic than this.” This
past year, Alyson released her third
compilation CD with Centaur
Records, Party Groove: Motorball
Volume 3, which, she admits, is her
personal favorite.
Alyson is currently working on a
deep-house CD with Barry Huffine,
her partner on the music-writing
team
known
as
“The
Housekeeperz”.
They have
enjoyed the success of such tracks
as Ceevox’s “Wurkin” and most
recently “Bodies Movin” featuring
Angel Infiniti. She describes the
new CD as an expression of her
“alter ego” and describes the feel
as “groovy, jazzy, soulful.” They
plan to release the CD in the next
few months on Huffine’s label,
Purchase Records.
Alyson just recently returned from
her first international appearance,
spinning an after-hours party on
New Year’s Day in Brazil. Alyson
admits that she loves playing afterhours parties most of all. “You can
be so much more experimental
Circuit
93
with the music – you can play darker, a
little sexier, with a little more of a
groove.” She also enjoyed the energy
of the mixed crowd and confided that it
was especially nice looking out and
seeing girls. “Especially being a girl, I
like to look at girls,” she giggled.
In January, Alyson was at the helm of
the turntables at ShamBlue, the Friday
night event at Shampoo nightclub for
the 15th Annual Blue Ball. In February,
she heads to New Orleans for Mardi
Gras before jetting off to Brazil to spin
during Carnivale. In May, Alyson will
headline the Cherry main event in
Washington, D.C.
Alyson is very grateful for the breaks
she’s been given. There are so many
talented DJs out there who never get
the chance to shine.
It was a
serendipitous connection that started
her career, but Alyson has worked hard
and made the most out of every
opportunity she’s been given. Because
of that, Alyson Calagna is known the
Circuit over for her signature sound progressive house, deep trance… and
drums.
Her father is very proud.
For more information on Alyson, including her schedule of upcoming
appearances, visit:
www.alysoncalagna.com
Noize
Pickup a FREECopy of
at these Preferred Locations:
Atlanta, GA
Outwrite Books
The Poster Hut
Boy Next Door
Dallas, TX
Cross Roads Market
Detroit, MI
Austin, TX
Menjo's Detroit
BodyZone Club
Boston, MA
Hunter's DanceClub
Splash
We Think the World of You
Metropolitan Gym
MAP
Fritz
Francesca's
Vinyl Connection
Machine
Fenway Health
Calgary, Canada
Priape
Chicago, IL
Sidetracks
Borderline Music
Universal Gear
LA Tan in Century Mall
Circuit Nightclub
Beatnix
Unabridged Bookstore
Columbia, SC
Club Metropolis
Columbus, OH
Torso
An Open Book
Elk Grove, IL
East St. Louis, IL
Faces on Fourth St.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Better Bodies Gym
Georgies Alibi
Colliseum
Catalogue X
Gay Mart
Boom
Cathode Ray
Honolulu, HI
Cabana Waikiki
Tryst
Angles
Hulas Bar & Lei Stand
Houston, TX
JR's Bar and Grill
M2M Fashions
South Beach Nightclub
Meteor
Montrose Mining Co.
O
Laguna Beach, CA
Boom Boom Room
Woody’s
Mainstreet
Las Vegas, NV
Blue Moon Resort
Krave
Los Angeles
West Hollywood, CA
Perfect Beat
The Factory
PowerZone
Pleasure Chest
Jocko
Global 61
L.A. Sporting Club
Rage Nightclub
Hollywood Spa
A Different Light
In 101
Video West
VideoActive
Virgin Records
Miami, FL
Crobar Miami
Score
Iron Works
Twist
Space
Ulloa Sport
11th St Diner
BodyBodyWear
New Concept Video
Minneapolis, MN
Rainbow Road
Montreal, Canada
Presse Cafe
BodyBodyWear
Priape
New Orleans, LA
Bourbon Pub / Parade
Oz Nightclub
New York, NY
Splash SBNY
Energy Kitchen
XL Lounge
Roxy
Revision
Universal Gear
19th St Gym
G Lounge
Wear Me Out
Eagle NYC
Rainbows and Triangles
Orlando, FL
Urban Body Men's Clothing
Pulse
Gay Days
Palm Springs, CA
Philadelphia, PA
Millenium Coffee
12th St Gym
Shampoo
Phoenix, AZ
Crobar
Unique on Central
La Roca
Provincetown, MA
Mussel Beach
Crown & Anchor
Ptown Gym
Provincetown Deli
Saugatuk, MI
The Dunes Resort
Tampa, FL
Urban Body Men's
Clothping
Club Underground
Chambers
Chrome
City Side
Tomes & Treasures
What2Wear
Toronto, Canada
San Diego, CA
Club Montage
Obelisk Bookstore
5ive Lifelounge
BodyBodyWear
Priape
Woody's
San Francisco, CA
Vancouver, Canada
Mezzanine
Powerhouse
Citizen / Body Clothing
Books Inc
MASS
Metropolis
Sanctuary
Always Tan
GayMart
Washington, DC
Nations Night Club
ATLAS
Universal Gear
Lamda Rising
Capital City Health Café
AEU Studios
Heaven
To Become a Distribution Point for Circuit Noize Magazine
Send an Email to:
[email protected]
for all info : www.bbcm.org
[email protected]
[514] 875.7026 ext. 201
annual events
HOT & DRY WEEKEND
Celebrate the Victoria Holiday!
May 19-23, 2005
TWIST WEEKEND
Celebrate your Pride!
July 28 - August 1st, 2005
BLACK & BLUE FESTIVAL
The world’s largest non-stop gay benefit Festival
Main Event, Jock Ball, Leather Ball,
Military Ball, Recovery Party
A week long festival with several activities
Proud partner of the 13th
Gay & Lesbian World Travel Expo
Oct. 5-7, Montreal.
Info : www.gaytravelexpo.com
BAL DES BOYS WEEKEND
Celebrate the New Year!
December 29, 2005 - January 2, 2006
RED WEEKEND
Celebrate Valentine’s Day!
Feburay 9-13, 2006
SPRING
CI RCU IT
2005
In some cities the winter never arrived at all while in other cities it arrived
with such fury that the residents thought they had moved to Antarctica.
For most of the Northeast and Mid-West, spring may not be sprung until
summer. In the meantime, there are plenty of warmer destinations to head
to in the South and West.
While January through May is a time for getting a jump on the year by
keeping your head in your work, there are a few prime events that allow for
weekend getaways, or an all out blowout. While you finish up your spring
skiing, consider Miami Beach, Palm Springs, Rio in Brazil and even
Washington DC.
Springtime and Cherry Blossoms will coincide for Cherry in DC. If you want
a beach city, consider Miami for Winter Party and enjoy one of the best
beach events there is. Head to Palm Springs if you’re in the mood for
sunning by the pool and dancing all night long. If you fancy something
more exotic head to Rio in Brazil for Carnival for the largest parade event
in the world.
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SPRING CIRCUIT 2005
February 18 - 20, 2005
FIREBALL WEEKEND - Chicago, Illinois
The Great Chicago Fireball returns to the Windy City. The weekend promises
world-class talent and takes advantage of some of Chicago’s amazing venues. The
Hearts Foundation, an all-volunteer organization, continues its fundraising tradition
for Chicago’s GLBT and HIV/AIDS beneficiaries. Fireball Friday starts with Ignition
at House of Blues featuring DJ Manny Lehman. Saturday is The Great Chicago
Fireball at Union Station’s Great Hall with Rosabel. Internationally acclaimed
recording artist Kristine W will perform. Sunday, DJ Warren Gluck, Brett Henrichsen
and the DJ Showcase close out the weekend. Wait! The sexy sounds of DJ Paulo
fan the Flame one more time. Check the website for ticketing and further weekend
details including the listing of other exciting venues and additional DJs.
Info: www.thefireball.com / www.heartsfoundation.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 19, 2005
PRESIDENTS’ DAY - Las Vegas, Nevada
Krave, the new hotspot and the only gay dance club on the Las Vegas strip, is
hosting a special party. Jeffrey Sanker is hosting this event, which features the first
desert appearance of Junior Vasquez.
Info: www.kravelasvegas.com / www.jeffreysanker.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 19, 2005
PRESIDENTS’ WEEKEND - San Francisco, California
Industry brings back the beat with special guest DJ/producer Victor Calderone.
Presidents’ Weekend has proved to be one of the busiest times in the “City by the
Bay” and Mezzanine, the Saturday night hot spot, promises a massive all-night
dance event. Opening the night will be Industry’s head resident DJ Jamie J
Sanchez.
Info: www.industrysf.com / www.mezzaninesf.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 25 - 27, 2005
VOLCANO PARTY FESTIVAL - Honolulu, Hawaii
Where will you winter? Get hot in Hawaii’s never-ending summer. Come and join
the hip-shakin’ fun at Volcano Party IV for yet another explosive dance party. The
event includes state-of-the-art laser shows by Laseronics, local entertainment, and
the hottest men and women from around the world. DJs for this party include Hex
Hector, Brett Henrichsen, Barry Harris, Tracy Young, Julian Marsh, Paulo, and Phil B.
What a perfect time to vacation in Hawaii! Your participation in the festival will help
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
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SPRING CIRCUIT 2005
Maui AIDS Foundation to continue providing the services for individuals and families affected by HIV and AIDS as well as prevention services and advocacy.
Info: www.volcanoparty.com
________________________________________________________________________
February 27 - March 6, 2005
ASCENT - Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Ascent, the winter party at Lake Tahoe, will be a premier winter sports and entertainment extravaganza designed specifically for gays and lesbians. Whether you
love the outdoors or prefer to cuddle up next to a warm fire and play indoors, this
week is for you. Each day brings an array of winter sporting activities such as boarding and skiing, ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Music venues
will be echoing with the sounds of internationally known acts, while nearby uncontrollable laugher will permeate the walls as comedians bring down the house. A full
range of Circuit party options will complement the headline acts featuring four Gus
Presents parties.
Info: www.guspresents.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 2 - 7, 2005
WINTER PARTY - Miami Beach, Florida
The Winter Party Festival heats up Miami Beach now and into the future. 2005
marks a new beginning for this spectacular event. The one-of-a-kind, worldrenowned dance on the beach is Sunday with DJ Roland Belmares. Dancing under
a warm sun while a cool breeze caresses your skin – this is how every winter should
be! DJ Abel, Phil B., Joe Gauthreax, Rob Harris, Manny Lehman, Tony Moran,
Lydia Prim, Peter Rauhofer and more are set to spin you into the sunset on the
world’s most famous beach. This Festival Week is a celebration of social and cultural events (including art, dance, music, food and wine) and benefits the lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Boyz from all over the United
States, Canada, Europe, South America, and Australia attend this five-day celebration. PM Productions again presents their Saturday morning after-hours party at
Crobar, featuring the ever popular morning music diva – Susan Morabito.
Info: www.winterparty.com www.pmparties.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 4 - 7, 2005
MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL - Sydney, Australia
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is an iconic event of international renown
and is Australia’s largest annual outdoor event, enjoyed by over one million
national and international visitors. This month-long arts and cultural festival culmi-
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
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SPRING CIRCUIT 2005
nates with the over-the-top parade down Oxford Street and one of the biggest
parties on the planet on Saturday. Televised nationally, with tens of thousands of
spectators lining the parade route, this parade has grown into an Aussie national
spectacle that is loved by gays and straights alike. The main party is housed in multiple venues that feature different sounds and different styles of crowds. With some
of the most spectacular lighting and performances anywhere, this event has got to
be seen to be believed.
Info: www.mardigras.org.au
________________________________________________________________________
March 6, 2005
TOYBOX - Sydney, Australia
Girls and boys, choose your toys! The party continues as Sydney’s favorite GLBTQ
day party takes you to an exciting new venue at the iconic fun park on the harbor
foreshore. You and your friends can start the day with a big dose of silly on the infamous Luna Park rides (free until noon). Then the Big Top fires up with a dance party
you’ll never forget in the perfect finish to this Mardi Gras Festival season. Expect
Toybox’s signature production values and special touches of the ridiculous in a safe,
fun, and friendly environment where everyone can play. Please bring a toy to be
donated to the HIV unit at the Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Info: www.toyboxparty.com.au
________________________________________________________________________
March 6 - 13, 2005
LAKE TAHOE WINTERFEST - Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Join the fun for Lake Tahoe’s tenth-annual high-energy Gay and Lesbian Ski Week.
Lake Tahoe WinterFest is a seven day celebration that includes world class skiing,
boarding, nightly receptions, dance parties and the very popular WinterFest
Comedy Night, plus a private dance party on the MS Dixie as you cruise Lake
Tahoe! DJ Boy George is one of the special treats of this weekend. Lake Tahoe
WinterFest always attracts the friendliest boyz from around the globe. This 10-year
milestone marks WinterFest as Lake Tahoe’s premier gay winter party. You’ll find an
atmosphere of camaraderie among skiers and non-skiers alike. With so many
winter activities to choose from and daily receptions, everyone experiences a true
winter vacation.
Info: www.laketahoewinterfest.com.
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make fast
travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
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March 9 - 13, 2005
ELEVATION 2005 - Mammoth Lakes, California
With seven parties and zero attitude, this is a great party week. More than 1000
boys (and girls) will make the trek up to Mammoth for the 3rd year of the fastestgrowing gay ski event in North America. Mammoth Mountain is ranked the #1
snowboarding mountain in the U.S. and has the best spring skiing and snowboarding anywhere with a season lasting well into May. Headlining DJs include
superstar DJ Manny Lehman, Masterbeat DJ Brett Henrichsen, and LA’s DJ Scotty
K. Expect world-class parties and hunky boarder boys from all over the country.
Info: www.mammothgayski.com / www.tomwhitmanpresents.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 12 - 19, 2005
EXOTIC CARIBBEAN CRUISE - Caribbean Islands
Atlantis, the leading provider of gay cruises for the party boy set, sails from San
Juan on Celebrity’s stellar Constellation. With stops at some of the southern
Caribbean’s most exotic islands, top DJ talent and several theme parties, this is a
cruise you don’t want to miss. There’s also special on-board entertainment that is
targeted specifically to gay men, with the magic of Cirque du Soleil starring in the
all-new lineup
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 12-19, 2005
RSVP CARIBBEAN SAILING - Bridgetown, Barbados
If you want an intimate cruise away from the crowds, then this cruise is for you.
With its white sails gleaming in the sun, the Royal Clipper will show us a very
unique view of the Caribbean, winding between lush volcanic islands and stopping
in private, protected anchorages in the Windward Islands. These are ports where
the big ships can't go. This cruise combines the comfort of being with friends, the
luxury and style of being on an elegant ship with the kind of personal care that
RSVP provides.
Info: www.rsvp.net
________________________________________________________________________
March 19, 2005
THE SAINT AT LARGE BLACK PARTY - New York City, New York
7:34 AM, March 20th, the time of transition as the sun crosses the celestial equator
and six months of lunar supremacy ends its reign of darkness. The vernal equinox
is recognized as a sacred pagan holy day when suppressed urges are ritualized and
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
Circuit
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SPRING CIRCUIT 2005
released. As torchbearer for the Northern Hemisphere’s several thousand-year tradition of celebrating the Rites of Spring, the one and only Black Party™ brings a
tribal gathering of gay men to the world’s capital. This year a tribute to Lucha Libre,
the renowned Latin sport of wrestling, in which masked athletes compete as anonymous S&M warriors. The historic Roseland Ballroom will be transformed into a
steamy, hardcore Mexican wrestling pit with XXX Masked Luchadores. Be prepared
for 12+ hours of heavy-duty pleasure-seeking sin. Headlining will be the brooding
Black Party prince Victor Calderone. Making their U.S. Circuit debut after their triumphant set at the 2004 Black & Blue Festival will be Chus & Ceballos, the
white-hot Iberian DJ team capturing the soul of a new generation. Together they
will provide a penetrating musical odyssey, enhanced by an incomparable lightshow, on a mission to exorcise the deepest, darkest and most prurient desires.
2005 marks The Saint At Large’s 25th season of legendary underground dance
parties whose roots go back to the fabled East Village nightclub, The Saint. Don’t
forget to stop by New York’s favorite watering hole – Splash. The hottest bartenders in the city, the most strapping of go-go boys and top Circuit DJ talent can
all be found at Splash. On Sunday night Crobar again hosts Alegria, still one of the
favorite parties of the muscle boy set. While in Chelsea, drop in for a cocktail at
New York’s trendiest lounge – g lounge. Fierce DJs spin House music, R&B, pop,
and disco nightly.
Info: www.saintatlarge.com \ www.splashbar.com \ www.alegriaevents.com \
www.glounge.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 19, 2005
SENSATIONS - Amsterdam, Netherlands
London DJ Paul Heron rocks the Powerzone in Amsterdam. Robert Riedijk brings
you a new party energy with CO2 Cannons, special videos produced all night long
by onsite VJs, walking party creatures and more. Part of ticket sales benefit Orange
Babies, an organization for children living with AIDS.
Info: www.gayevents.nl
________________________________________________________________________
March 24 - 27, 2005
JUNGLE 13 - Houston, Texas
If you like warm springtime weather and hot Texas men, join the tribe in Houston
over Easter Weekend for what promises to be the best Jungle yet. Jungle 13 will
feature the very best music and production values while retaining the intimate feel
and sense of joyous celebration that have been the hallmarks of every Jungle party.
As always, the men of Bayou City Boys Club are working hard to add fresh twists to
a party that is now receiving critical acclaim from guys who come from all over the
country. Best of all, all proceeds from the main event and a portion of the proceeds
from the other weekend events are donated to designated Houston-area HIV/AIDS
service and education providers. Join DJs Tony Moran, Warren Gluck, Alyson
Calagna, and Monty Q and go deep into the Jungle all weekend long.
Info: www.junglehouston.com
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March 25 - 28, 2005
WHITE PARTY - Palm Springs, California
Remember the past…now experience the evolution. This year Jeffrey Sanker looks
ahead to the future and embarks on a new journey of music, dance, and celebration. The weekend blasts off on Friday. On Saturday, Kimberly S. and Manny
Lehman are in charge of the white night. Junior Vasquez continues with his Earth
celebration keeping you dancing into the morning hours. Sunday’s Mad Hatter’s TDance features music by Brett Henrichsen. Sunday’s Encore welcomes DJ/Producer
Tony Moran at Heaven Palm Springs for after-hours.
Info: www.jeffreysanker.com
________________________________________________________________________
March 27, 2005
BUNNIES ON THE BAYOU - Houston, Texas
Bunnies on the Bayou proudly presents their 26th year of great Easter parties.
Bunnies was voted 2005’s “Favorite Benefit of the Year” and voted one of gay
Houston’s top philanthropic organizations. Help Bunnies help Houston by joining
in on what has been described as a “large outdoor cocktail party” with great music
and great Texas men!
Info: www.bunnies.org
________________________________________________________________________
March 27, 2005
LA DEMENCE - Brussels, Belgium
This is the party that started the new wave that is sweeping Europe. It happens
once a month on the night before a holiday or on a Friday night. They have now
become a party institution, and with their central location in Europe they are
attracting boys from all over the continent. The boys from France, Germany,
Amsterdam and London are arriving by bus and by train to support this party phenomenon. With three levels that feature different musical sounds, the hottest
go-go boy and drag shows, and a range of clubber types from Circuit boyz to
leather daddies, this is definitely an event worth experiencing.
Info: www.lademence.com
________________________________________________________________________
April 15 - 17, 2005
RITES OF SPRING - Birmingham, Alabama
From the moment you enter Birmingham’s premier Circuit weekend on Friday, you
are greeted with one down-home smile after another. Rites of Spring is three flowering fun days of prime parties and sexy southern gentlemen. One of the most
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make fast
travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
Circuit
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SPRING CIRCUIT 2005
amazing venues on the Circuit calendar can be experienced Saturday night at the
historic Sloss Furnace. Rights of Spring is a non-profit organization benefiting
Birmingham AIDS Outreach and The University of Alabama Clinic.
Info: www.ritesofspring.org
________________________________________________________________________
April 23, 2005
RAPIDO - Brussels, Belgium
I want Brussels! Music, entertainment and visuals mark an infamous night on the
dance floor at Rapido. Feel the spirit and enjoy the vibe with your favorite DJs performing on a big dance-floor with superb acoustics and featuring shows both on
stage and amongst the crowd. This is a party with something for everyone from a
luxurious champagne bar to a darkroom! Rapido delivers what you want - good
music, a nice atmosphere, and excellent shows. Expect the unexpected at Rapido!
Info: www.clubrapido.com
________________________________________________________________________
April 28 - May 1, 2005
PURPLE PARTY - Dallas, Texas
Purple is an extravaganza of six events over a four day weekend that celebrates the
beginning of spring in Dallas. Attended by fabulous men and women, the whole
weekend experience is designed to stimulate the imagination and entertain the
soul. Proceeds benefit various HIV and Breast Cancer charities in the Dallas area.
Top drawer Circuit talent includes DJs Chris Wren, Angelo Cortez, James
Anderson, Kio Kio, Eddy X and Escape.
Info: www.dallaspurpleparty.com
________________________________________________________________________
April 28 - May 2, 2005
CIRCUITASIA - Manila, Philippines
Head to the Far East for a new and exotic Circuit party wonder. For the first time,
Manila will host an international Circuit party gathering with 4 nights of testosterone-packed high-energy action. Demi-gods of the Circuit party scene such as
DJ/Producer Kimberly S., DJ/Producer Brett Henrichsen and DJ Gomi will fly to
Manila to electrify Manila’s cryptic vibe with their distinctive beats. Party packages
inclusive of airfare, accommodation, and passes are available.
Info: www.Circuitasia.com
________________________________________________________________________
April 29 - May 3, 2005
QUEENS DAY AMSTERDAM - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Are you ready for six days of partying in Amsterdam? The best time to experience
the lifeblood of a city is when it stops for a national celebration - in this case, for the
birthday of Queen Beatrix of Orange. The streets come alive with parades, live
music, and a party to suit every taste. We begin our visit to Amsterdam with a
private walking tour of the various gay districts of the city. Party in the streets with
thousands of sweaty smiling guys from all over the world. Amsterdam transforms
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itself into a fairground as the streets become one huge market. There are parades
and orange pendants flying from every conceivable position. Cruise the canals on
a boat with a live DJ. Don’t miss Riedijk Productions of the Orange Ball, at the
Powerzone. Robert will be hosting The Matinee Group, a production company that
is famous in Ibiza and Barcelona for their stable of DJs and dancers. After party is
at the Cockring. Take to the streets for Europe’s largest Mardi Gras-style celebration because this is the perfect time to visit this vivacious city.
Info: www.gayeventseurope.com / www.gayevents.nl
________________________________________________________________________
April 29 - July 19, 2005
QUEER AS FOLK: ANCIENT BABYLON TOUR - North America
Showtime returns for a 3rd and final Babylon Tour, titled Queer As Folk - Ancient
Babylon Tour. This 20-date North American trek takes fans back to the birthplace
of sin – the ancient city of Babylon in the year 200 AD. Each tour date will feature
elaborate ancient decorations and performances by RKM with Queer As Folk
actors appearing at most dates. Headlining DJs for the tour are: Abel, Manny
Lehman and Roland Belmares.
Info: www.ancientbabylontour.com
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April 30 - May 7, 2005
CLUB ATLANTIS RIVIERA MAYA - Mexico’s Caribbean Coast
Pristine white sand beaches meet azure Caribbean seas at Club Atlantis’ all-inclusive resort. Discover a shimmering new secluded paradise on the heart of the
Mayan Riviera Coast – a playground of natural beauty perfect for sports, sunshine,
and exploring ancient ruins. This hot spot features a wide range of activities and
some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean, all on one of the most beautiful
beaches in Mexico.
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
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May 6 - 8, 2005
CHERRY - Washington, DC
The season is ripe for the sweet taste of Cherry this year. Now in its 10th year, the
Washington, DC event continues its focus on the charity. The nation’s capital once
again welcomes the ultimate spring festival. From the historic streets of DC to the
magnificently grand venues, Cherry is prepared to celebrate the extraordinary.
This party features hot boys, hot DJs, and plenty of Cherry-pickin’ fun. Experience
the power, feel the music, and be part of the transformation that Washington, DC
and the boys and girls of the Cherry Fund have planned for you. It’s easy to see why
so many Circuit boys from all over congregate at this event. DJs this year include
Joe Gauthreaux, Alex Cohen, Alyson Calagna, DeLeón and Abel. Produced entirely by volunteers, this year’s proceeds benefit Whitman-Walker Clinic, Sexual
Minority Youth Assistance League, Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry;,Mautner
Project, the National Lesbian Health Organization and The Center-Home for GLBT
in Metro DC.
Info: www.cherryfund.org
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May 19 - 23, 2005
HOT & DRY WEEKEND - Montreal, Canada
Spirited partiers embark on a weekend that only the creative team of BBCM can
create. Wildly avant-garde, Hot & Dry sparks unconventional productions and brilliant performances by international DJs. The Main Event party of the weekend
sizzles at Metropolis on Saturday night. Sunday’s Fresh Party pulsates with excitement at Club Stereo.
Info: www.bbcm.org
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May 20 - 22, 2005
TRIBE - Long Beach, California
Evenstar Presents and Will Gorges return to Long Beach, CA and the historic Hotel
Queen Mary for the 4th edition of Tribe. Coinciding with the enormous Long Beach
Lesbian and Gay Pride festival, Tribe boasts six parties with a main event Sunday
evening within the Queen Mary’s enormous Exhibit Hall & Engine Room. DJs Mike
Oldenkamp, Phil B., Alexander, Roland Belmares and Paulo join Long Beach native
DJ Dawna Montel for events Friday through Sunday night. By day, “aqua-taxi” over
to the Pride Festival set aside the beautiful canals and waterways of Long Beach
Harbor. After-hours in the Naga Ballroom is a particularly fun event. Stay aboard
the Hotel Queen Mary in a luxurious stateroom and take the “Ghosts and
Legends” tour of the ship that is not only 35 feet longer than the Titanic, but is
reported to be one of the most haunted places in the country. Rooms are reasonably priced and make for a weekend unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Call
562-435-3511 and mention Tribe for the best rates.
Info: www.michael-evenstar.com / www.willgorges.com
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May 26 - 30, 2005
MEMORIAL DAY PENSACOLA - Pensacola, Florida
The beaches are open and the beat is back! Memorial Day is scorching hot this year
with thousands and thousands of hot bodies enjoying the organic beauty that only
this Panhandle party weekend can create! Memorial Day Weekend in Pensacola
brings out the pretty boys and the party boys every year. And each year, the crowds
get bigger and bigger. All of your favorite parties return again this year including
the ever-growing and jaw-dropping beach party Wave which hits the beach Friday
night. There are plenty of beach events, dance parties, and after-hour grooves
throughout the weekend. Sunday is the day for the granddaddy of all Circuit
parties, Abracadabra. This year‘s eleventh edition is in the Pensacola Civic Center
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make fast
travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
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and it will once again pack that building to the rafters with dancing all night long.
Top-name DJs will be spinning at all the parties this year including Roland
Belmares, Tracy Young, Alyson Calagna, Tony Moran, Kimberly S., Manny Lehman,
Barry Harris and more. Early hotel booking is recommended.
Info: www.memorialweekendpensacola.com
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May 26 - 30, 2005
MELTDOWN 2005 - Austin, Texas
Hot guys come from all over the world to play in Austin over this holiday weekend.
Kick off your summer as Ben Parsley and Splash Productions remind you what
friends and fun are all about. This may just be the only exclusive party weekend
with a floating dance floor. Soak up the sun, the men, and all of the surprises that
the friendliest city on the planet is known for.
Info: www.partyaustin.com
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May 26 - 30, 2005
INTERNATIONAL MR. LEATHERMAN - Chicago, Illinois
The world’s hottest leathermen will come together to compete for the title of
“International Mr. Leather 2005” as IML celebrates its 27th anniversary. Expect
loads of muscled, meaty men, an incredible leather market, and some good ol’ noholds-barred nasty fun.
Info: www.imrl.com
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May 28 - 29, 2005
WHITE PARTY - London, England
In its second year, this is already one of the biggest weekend events in Europe.
With fashion shows, art exhibits and cooperation between several of the city’s
hottest clubs (Fridge, Crash and Beyond just to mention a few) to produce a host
of parties and after parties. The party animals of Europe live in the UK, so buy your
party tickets in advance because last year these events sold out.
Info: www.whiteparty.nl
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May 29, 2005
MEMORIAL WEEKEND L.A. - Los Angeles, California
Sometimes sensual and sometimes steamy, a party night at the historic Mayan
Theatre is always memorable and fun. LA’s finest party people are in town for the
kick-off of summer 2005 with DJ Abel at Resolution on Sunday night. John Brady
presents Pandora “A New Vision” at Avalon, the hottest party in town.
Info: www.resolutionevents.com / www.JohnBradyPresents.com
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June 1 - 5, 2005
GAY DAYS DISNEY - Orlando, Florida
Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime as Gay Days Orlando gets ready to take
you on a fantasy vacation filled with amazement and wonder. Whether this is your
first visit or your fifth, this year’s celebration has something new and exciting for
you! When the sun goes down, Gay Days Orlando rolls out world-class special
events produced by Mark Baker Productions that are unequaled anywhere. All
night, every night, there is something hot and happening to keep the party going.
DJs include Brett Henrichsen, David Knapp, Roland Belmares, and DJ Abel. Each
party is a unique experience that you won’t want to miss!
Info: www.markbakerpresents.com / www.gaydayevents.com
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June 11 - 12, 2005
GAY PRIDE LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles, California
This is one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country with the parade, as
always, on Sunday. John Brady and Trojan Networks bring you Pandora – a new
vision, with DJ Peter Rauhofer manning the turn tables at Avalon. Get your tickets
early as this popular event will sell out.
Info: www.lapride.org / www.johnbradypresents.com
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June 12 - 21, 2005
ATLANTIS SAFARI - Kenya, Africa
For a sixth year, Atlantis brings back an adventure vacation to one of the most
exotic destinations in the world – Kenya. Home to the vast open savannahs of the
Serengeti and the world’s best large game viewing. Atlantis’ luxury tour is produced by leading safari professionals and customized exclusively for Atlantis.
Info: www.atlantisevents.com
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June 24 - 26, 2005
GAY PRIDE NYC - New York City, New York
The queer New York City tradition returns again. Heritage of Pride, organizers of
the New York City Pride events, presents the annual Dance on the Pier 19. A sizzling afternoon awaits you Sunday after the parade. Dance the day away against
the backdrop of the New York City skyline as the sun sets and prepare to be
dazzled by a flurry of fireworks set to music. Close out your weekend with this original, long time staple of NYC Pride. Sunday night, Ric Sena presents Alegria Pride
2005. This extremely popular party pledges to be a legendary night. Keep the
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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gaiety coming all weekend long at the spectacular Splash Bar. SBNY features the
city’s hunkiest bartenders and NYC’s most hospitable crowd. While in Chelsea,
drop in for a cocktail at New York’s trendiest lounge – g lounge. Fierce DJs spin
House music, R&B, pop, and disco nightly.
Info: www.nycpride.org / www.splashbar.com / www.glounge.com /
www.alegriaevents.com
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June 25 - 26, 2005
SAN FRANCISCO PRIDE - San Francisco, California
“Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Proud” is the theme for this year’s 35th anniversary
San Francisco Pride Parade and celebration. Many of the parties for this weekend
have not yet been announced. Gus is throwing a Sanctuary party on Sunday at the
Factory with David Knapp at the turn tables. You can be sure that Mezzanine will
also be featuring some top DJ talent all weekend as well.
Info: www.guspresents.com / www.mezzaninesf.com
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June 23 - 26, 2005
PRISM TORONTO - Toronto, Canada
Toronto’s annual Pride Week is the largest gay and lesbian event in Canada and
one of the biggest Pride events in the world, attracting close to a million people.
This year’s pristine Prism sheds new light on five individual parties. Ready, set,
Ignition on Thursday night with DJ James Anderson. Friday night brings out DJ
Abel for Boot Camp. Saturday afternoon the Aqua party will get you wet with DJ
David Knapp at the outdoor docks overlooking the Toronto waterfront and later
that night DJs Boy George and Tony Moran headline the main event. Sunday night
brings DJ Peter Rauhofer to The Guvernment for Revival the post Pride parade
party. While in Toronto don’t forget to check out the fun atmosphere at Woody’s –
where Canada’s hottest stud boys strip down for your approval.
Info: www.prismtoronto.com / www.woodystoronto.com
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July 1 - 4, 2005
INDEPENDANCE 10 - Laguna Beach, California
Hot Daze on West Beach, where you can dance under the stars, will take place this
summer in Laguna Beach. Book your rooms at either host hotel - The Coast Inn
(949-494-7588) or Doubletree Irvine (949-471-8888).
Info: www.willgorges.com
Look for the Circuit Noize QuickTrip Logo to make fast
travel and ticket reservations for selected events.
Enter to Win FREE Airline and Party Tickets online at:
travel.circuitnoize.com
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July 2 - July 8, 2005
SUMMER CAMP P-TOWN - Provincetown, Massachusetts
Imagine yourself on picturesque beaches and quaint New England streets spending your days taking in the local flavor and nights partying with friends from all over
the world. David Flower Productions Summer Camp July Fourth Week is located in
Provincetown, MA defining the east coast’s most popular July Fourth destination.
Unique venue’s and top notch DJ talent are the foundation of what makes this week
of events stand out. Where else might you find some of the best produced events
and all the excitement and fervor of a place that both gay, straight or otherwise feel
they can really let their hair down? The line-up of DJ talent is once again stellar featuring Manny Lehman, Susan Morabito, Tony Moran, Roland Belmares, Scotty K,
Adien, Patrick Guay and Rob Harris. Sailing out over the high seas and under the
stars you can find DJ Brett Henrichsen on the world famous Sunset Boat Party and
DJ Abel spinning the infamous After Hours Boat Cruise.
Info: www.davidflower.com
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July 15 - July 17, 2005
FOLSOM FAIR NORTH - Toronto, Canada
The world’s sexiest leather and fetish lovers will again converge on Toronto this
July. Saturday night kicks off the nasty fun and kink with Agitator. This is a steamy
leather and fetish dance party featuring DJ Chester Wong, Toronto’s own notorious
Master R and a mob of muscle studs from Colt Studios. On Sunday the main event,
Folsom Fair North 3, kicks off at 12 Noon on Sunday at the Steam Whistle Beer
Garden. An expanded entertainment stage, dance area and a large vendor market
create a kinky carnival atmosphere.
Info: www.folsomfairnorth.com
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July 29 - August 1, 2005
RAPTURE PRIDE - Vancouver, Canada
ToyBoxBoys Productions bring you the sixth edition of this widely anticipated event
in the heart of British Columbia. This prideful weekend features top DJ talent from
the national and international dance scene, spectacular sound and light systems,
and live-entertainment performances. Expect your Circuit sounds and global flavored party wrapped up in a way that only the boys from Vancouver can deliver.
Info: www.RaptureVancouver.com
For recent changes or updates to this schedule, please visit us online at:
www.circuitnoize.com and www.partyfinder.com
Search 100’s of events by city, state, date or DJ.
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the night passed by
by Hoi Dinh Le
the night passed by with blissful lust
and i am flying so so high.
it makes me think that this all must
be just a dr eam. i feel the heat
and let contr ol rip at the seams
as all my body strives to meet
each tender touch, each soft car ess
and yearns for pleasur es so so much
to r each an ecstasy suppr essed.
the glowing lights, the rhythmic sound
has never ever felt so right.
and as i dance this night in bound,
my mind is fr ee, my heart’s in love
and i am happy just to be
in joyful, sweet seduction of
a willing soul, a kindr ed gr oove,
when inhibition lost contr ol
and nothing’s left for me to pr ove.
now in this state of fantasy,
when happiness is simply fate
and ther e is no r eality,
i’ll let my mind show me the way
to leave my worries far behind
until that distant br eak of day.
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