noizemagazine - Index

noizemagazine - noiZe Magazine Issue 59 February 2009 - Index

FROM THE PUBLISHER
A New World Vibe – It’s Time for Change
2009 starts with high stakes and a mixed bag of hopes and fears. We are mired
in a global recession that no one can make much sense out of, yet we just inaugurated
an American president who already inspires people all over the world.
Change, while often necessary and optimistic, can have unintended consequences,
and there are never any guarantees. But over the last decade, rapid change
has become a part of our everyday lives, and we seem more ready then ever for
even more. In the past decade we have seen the rise of the iPod, digital music
and movie downloads, hybrid automobiles, wireless Internet access in every coffee
shop, and photo-LCD key chains for $10.99 at the local drug store checkout
line. Our world seems to be more and more connected while we continue to
evolve into a wireless society.
We have also seen many changes in our events, festivals and nightclubs. And
2009 will see even more changes, ready or not. The demographics of our events
influence the feel of a night out as the 18-to-35 set affects the scene with its
unique tastes and needs. Not quite as interested in exclusively gay events, disco
balls or screaming divas, this new wave of gay revelers seeks events that focus
not only on the dance floor but also on musical talent, mixed audiences (so they
can bring their straight male friends, girl friends, and married friends) and more
lounge and chill atmospheres.
Of course, these types of events are nothing new outside of the United States.
Black & Blue in Montreal, Mardi Gras in Sydney, Love Ball and Euro-Pride in the
Europe, and Carnival in Rio de Janiero are standout examples. Versions of these
mixed musical events are finally finding their way to major metropolitan areas of
the USA—in particular New York, Los Angeles and Miami. L.A. alone has three biweekly
or monthly events that rotate through some of the newest and most popular
lounge hotspots. Fort Lauderdale’s Living Room is packed all weekend long,
and New York’s Vlada and G Lounge continue their evolution of nightlife.
A unique and timely phenomenon is also starting to emerge with regard to
club design and focus. Two “green” clubs have opened in Los Angeles and
Rotterdam, and focus not only on this younger/mixed trend, but also capitalize
on the eco-conscious trend in groundbreaking ways. ECCO in Los Angeles (www.
eccohollywood.com) was built to be environmentally friendly—from the building
materials used in its construction to the LED lights on the dance floor. Watt (www.
watt-rotterdam.nl/45-ENG) is an eco-disco: a self-sufficient dance floor powers
the first green nightclub in Rotterdam. Using the vibration of thousands of people
on the dance floor to produce electricity, dance literally powers the club. As
partiers grind and sway, the energy of their weight and motion is captured by the
floating dance floor and converted into electricity. Our noiZe boy on the cover of
this issue helps illustrate that dance can literally help power the planet.
In the spirit of this brave new world of dancing, noiZe and Mark Baker (the
original creator of the Orlando events now known as One Mighty Weekend)
have partnered to bring you something completely different: World|Vibe
(www.worldvibeorlando.com).
8
Happy Am I! Healthy Am I! holy Am I!