"it costs a fortune so it must be real..."
obviously i'm with graver on this one but in reply to gunark -
the one thing I can point out about psy parties in particular is that they are almost always 19+ which means no k-holed kids chewing their faces and whining about not being able to get a wrist band for booze. no need for medics because there are rarely situations where that would be required (i can't think of any at R351570R, blacklightactivists or DeepSeaFish's parties but maybe im not as observant as i think i am). and many more of the annoying things that are associated with large scale "raves" these days. (thug? what's a thug?)
If you don't like the music, and I am aware that not many people on this board enjoy or are familiar with this genre of electronic music, there's not much we can do to change that. obviously that's personal preference.
As much as I can respect mature minors (because i was there once - granted i was full-on goth but what does that matter really) I can sympathize with not wanting to hang out with a bunch of people who are JUST there to get high or cause trouble.
I guess, to an extent, I can see the appeal of some of the larger commercial parties in regards to the mostly 19+ crowd (which ideally is more mature) except you end up in venues where they turn up the heat in summer and turn off the cold water in the bathroom to force you to buy $8 bottles of water or more booze.
It's a pretty sad state of affairs when real promoters do everything in their power (idea wise and financially viable) to make an amazing party (and im not just refering to goa/psy, this comment covers all the genres) and GCS still gets all the "Face time" when it's obvious to ANYONE who's even half awake that it's pretty much their last venue to advertise cigarettes and that's all they really care about. Add that to the huge fees they pay some of their headliners making it next to impossible for smaller parties to book these groups/djs later because suddenly the talent has been made aware that SOME people will give them exorbitant amounts that aren't reasonable in the really real world.
I know some oldschool promoters have scored some pretty good jobs organizing these events and they definitely do a a good job of throwing a HUGE ibiza-wannabe style party but again it comes down to - do you want VIBE and COMMUNITY and "the OLD DAYS" or do you want a meat market, richmond street type atmosphere but with more people?
I see a lot of posts about how the "scene" is dead and no one is throwing "real" parties anymore but it seems like all those people refuse to check out anything new, or different. As kids, many of us went out to raves for an adventure, to meet new people, to get that sense of chosen family and the real meaning of PLUR.
Granted I am definitely a "Dress up" whore. I like to go nuts with my costume-like wardrobe and immerse myself in other realms when i party (and no, i dont do drugs)
Are people getting old? jaded? Do you just not care anymore as long as you can go out and get loaded and maybe laid? I just don't get it. If you want clubs, that's totally cool, I can respect that 100% but a club isn't a party, or even an event. It's a regular night, maybe it rotates a bit, where you're supposed to just go and expect it to ALWAYS be the same. I know from personal experience that after about 2 or 3 months of the exact same thing every weekend it gets pretty dull.
This post is just getting way too long and I'm sure i've stepped on someones toes somewhere even though I'm trying to be as objective and to the point, without insulting anyone, as much as possible, so i'll just wind down here i guess.
In closing - both my post and gravers are not plugs for our parties. If they can be considered plugs at all, they are plugs for every smaller party/promoter who works their ASS off every month/quarter/year/week/whenever to
CREATE something so fantastic, something amazing and memorable with what they have, with the reams of GREAT local talent(and occasionally international) and the help of volunteers, their friends and families and the true communities out there who really appreciate what this city has to offer. It is truly a great time to be in Toronto, there are SO many people making things happen but for some reason no one, except for a dedicated few, seem to care, while everyone else complains that there's nothing good going on.
You'll never find it unless you take a risk once in a while, even if we can't afford both covers and several full page ads in TRIBE, klublife, vice, MAXIM, UMM, EYE, NOW, etc etc etc.
Worst case scenario it's not what you hoped it would be and you're out, what, $10? There's always next weekend...
Love and light!!!
bathory
www.R351570R.com