Thursday, August 02, 2012

Folsom Fetish Fair ED
Addresses Loud Music Concerns


I skip going to the Blow Buddies sex club as much as I'd like, to sexualize and socialize with old and new friends because the style and volume of music played sucks.

At the clothes check counter, a sign is posted saying "It's your club" and suggestions are welcome. Well, it's not the club for a sizable segment of sexually active queers who aren't into high-volume electronic music that districts from cruising and communicating with other patrons. For a while, I used the suggestion box requesting lower music, maybe even an occasional change in style, and had no impact on the management.

When did the queer community in San Francisco vote for only ear-splitting techno beats at our street fairs and SF Pride Celebration in Civic Center, and at our most popular oral sex club? Not every queer is grooving on Ecstasy seeking to zone out at our public gatherings and sex spaces.

In my report on Sunday's fantastic Dore Alley Fair, I referenced the moderate level of the music in the dance area and how it contributed to the finest such fair ever. Several friends agreed with me that the music wasn't as loud as in the past and they were able to chat with fair-goers without shouting.

I asked Demetri Moshoyannis, the executive director of Folsom Street Events, the group that organizes the Dore and Folsom fairs, for his take on the music on Sunday and what to expect at the Folsom event on September 23:

The music at Dore wasn't as loud this time. Sometimes, frankly, that has to do with which DJs we pick and what our sound engineer does on that particular day (assigned to us by JK Sound). Nevertheless, I agree with you [that a lower volume helped make for a great fair]. 

And, we're changing up on our Entertainment at Folsom this year. So, we have only ONE "main" stage (where the single dance areas used to ) on 10th between Howard and Folsom. And there will be two dance areas where the live stages used to be - Folsom at 12th and Folsom at 7th. We'll see how it works out.

As I said, the volume WAS lower indeed. Also, it's likely that people were feeling a bit more outgoing and friendly since the weather was so nice. Frankly, a bit of sunshine makes people a little happier.

What a wonderful combination of factors - reduced music volume, warm rays of sun, thousands of folks getting their kink on - sending more of us on our happy way after the Dore Alley Fair!

I recognize that Blow Buddies and the kink street fair DJs are not about to once in a while give us a break from the relentless electronic sounds, much as I would welcome a Bowie or Springsteen tune or a bit of jazz, and I'm happy to salute a lowering of the music that is played.

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