Honey Soundsystem’s party with Berlin producer Stefan Goldmann at Club Six this past Friday was a bit disappointing, attendance-wise, for reasons I suspect having to do with it being in competition with Gentleman’s Techno as well as the location of Club Six, but the music was stellar, in a space that was almost perfect for evoking the vibe of a Berlin techno club.
The boyfriend and I arrived around 10, during Ken Vulsion’s set. He laid down some solid four-on-the-floor acid tracks, including some stuff that I suspect was first issued a decade ago, but it still sounded fresh and engaging, and was some of the best techno I’ve heard since his set at FSLD last month. Unfortunately, I don’t think there were more than fifty people in the club at the time to hear it. When Jason Kendig came on around midnight and dug into some deeper, Detroit-style techno, there was a small dancefloor of about twenty or thirty people, but not nearly the kind of crowd I had expected.
Some of the issue may have been with the party taking place at Club 6, which does not have the best reputation in the club world, mainly because it’s on Sixth Street, and is generally unfamiliar territory for many of the gay boys who make up the core of the Honey Soundsystem constituency. I hadn’t been there for several years myself, but the downstairs space was just about perfect, with plenty of lounge areas off the main dancefloor and a really fabulous sound system. There was the matter of the $8 well drinks, but I would be happy to check out more parties there.
The boyfriend and I took off around 12.30 after getting a text from our friend J, who we met up with over at The Stud, so we missed out on Goldmann’s set. I’m hoping that more folks showed up after we left, but when we got over to The Stud, which was hosting Lucky Pierre, we found a small crowd there as well, leading us into endless speculation about the state of the club scene. It does seem that there is a much smaller audience for DJ-oriented nights these days, such that if you have two techno events on the same night, one winds up cannibalizing the audience for the other. But, in general, it also seems that that the comment made by Joshua J in a conversation we had several weeks ago holds true, that people generally go to a party not necessarily because of the music, but because of the kind of scene they expect to find there, and when it comes to gay club nights, where they expect to find the kinds of guys that they are into. Any night that focuses on bringing in specific kinds of guys, whether they’re muscle boys, bears, Asians, or whatever, will always have a higher turnout, regardless of the music, than music-focused nights, because they offer a well-defined product for their consumers. Music-focused nights, on the other hand, are about appealing to a different expectation of experience, one that’s harder to sell to a sex-focused market. If HSS had advertised “hot go-go boys” or "baby oil wrestling" for the Stefan Goldmann party I have no doubt that they would have attracted more of a gay clientele, but that would have also shifted the focus of the event and made the music something that was simply there to support the prospect of sex. If focusing on the music means getting a smaller, but more enthusiastic, crowd, then I think that’s an acceptable trade-off, and I hope that groups like Honey Soundsystem will continue to bring us more music-focused events despite the somewhat discouraging attendance numbers.
Showing posts with label Ken Vulsion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ken Vulsion. Show all posts
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Upcoming Event: Fuck Shit, Let's Dance (FSLD) at Deco Lounge, Friday May 23
It's time for your monthly dose of Faggot Techno, and this time around we've got Ken Vulsion of Honey Sound System, who has promised us a night of four-on-the-floor techno bangers, with the possibility of a special guest tag-team during his set. And if that wasn't enough, we'll also be celebrating my birthday, so I'd be happy to see all your smiling faces there. We're on hiatus from Deco next month because of Mr., the Official Pride Opening Party we're doing at Mighty with Fag Fridays, Beatbox Events, and Big Top, but in July we'll be back again.
Fuck Shit, Let's Dance! (FSLD)
with guests Ken Vulsion (Honey Sound System) and Jovino (Theory Radio)
Resident DJ Lord Kook
9PM - 3AM
$5, FREE before 10
Deco Lounge, Larkin x Turk
Fuck Shit, Let's Dance! (FSLD)
with guests Ken Vulsion (Honey Sound System) and Jovino (Theory Radio)
Resident DJ Lord Kook
9PM - 3AM
$5, FREE before 10
Deco Lounge, Larkin x Turk
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Event Review: Honey Sound System's Mineshaft Disco at 1015 Folsom
OK kids, I gotta be up front here: when an event involves the words "disco," "Sunday night," and "1015," I'll usually take a pass. However, being that those words were also accompanied by "Honey Sound System," I was determined to check out this party. When I walked out the door on Sunday night, unaccompanied by friends or boyfriend, and felt the drizzle on my face, I almost turned back around, and when I arrived at 103 Harriet Street at about 9.15 and was unable to find any sign that a party was going on, I was ready to ditch it once again. But, I had already spent cab fare to get there, so I decided to take a walk around the block in the hope that the doors would be open when I returned. Even though it was 9.40 when I was finally let in, I was ultimately glad that I stuck it out to attend the best event of the weekend.
There were problems with the doorman (Ken Vulsion let me and a couple other guys in as he was going out to grab a bite to eat since no doorman had showed up) and a mixer transplant had to be performed about a half hour after I arrived, but the HSS team made the basement of 1015 feel like a special warm, cozy space that made enduring these issues worthwhile. After walking into the dark entrance I spotted curtains of red and silver mylar forming a hallway to a flight of stairs leading down, and from below I could hear the music - it was like walking into a small, secret, underground space, even though it was in the basement of the biggest club in SoMa. In the space itself (which has a very cool round dance floor surrounded by booths and pulsating lights in the ceiling) the kids had put up a central display of packing boxes and record sleeves, along with some informational posters about the old Mindshaft club, and 1015's former existence as the infamous Sutro bathhouse. In another corner there was a memorial to Sylvester, whose death date was Monday, and all the table tops were decorated with more record sleeves and big plastic happy face whistles. My god, I thought, these guys have put together an actual theme!
There were only a couple other people in the club for the first half hour I was there, but by 11, which I had originally estimated as my departure time, it had picked up so much that I reconsidered. I saw several people I knew, and the crowd was really quite diverse, friendly, and fun. There were straight kids and gay kids, young guys and older, trannies and maybe even a couple muscle queens (it was certainly warm enough for shirts to come off, but maybe a little early), all getting down and smiling at one another on the dancefloor. More than any other events I've been to lately, HSS events seem to bring together a community of people who are interested in new experiences, new music (even if it is vintage), and meeting new people. It's the kind of vibe that I associate much more with raves than I do clubs, and I think it's a sign that these kids have tapped into a desire that many of us have for a scene that is about something more than body types, designer clothes, and music for the lowest common denominator.
As for the music - I danced to disco. Did you ever think I would write those words? The difference was that, in this case, I wasn't having to deal with the cheezy or the overly-familiar. It was during Jason Kendig's set that I found myself really listening to the music, and in his selections I heard the early days of house and the foundations of electro. I was suprised by some of the synth lines I heard, and how infrequently the tracks relied on overused disco devices like strings, horn sections, and warbling diva vocals. It was a much different tour through disco than what I have heard in the past, and it was enough to make me think that I need to look into this further.
Over the course of the evening I kept texting the boyfriend that he should get off the couch and come down, that the party was shaping up to be quite awesome, but he was firmly rooted in place, and so, by the time midnight rolled around, I knew that I needed to take off. As soon as I got home, though, I sent Pee Play an email saying that I hoped they would consider making this a monthly or semi-regular event. We sure could use use a little happy disco action in the community right now, and next time, I'll be better prepared to stay until the last track plays.
There were problems with the doorman (Ken Vulsion let me and a couple other guys in as he was going out to grab a bite to eat since no doorman had showed up) and a mixer transplant had to be performed about a half hour after I arrived, but the HSS team made the basement of 1015 feel like a special warm, cozy space that made enduring these issues worthwhile. After walking into the dark entrance I spotted curtains of red and silver mylar forming a hallway to a flight of stairs leading down, and from below I could hear the music - it was like walking into a small, secret, underground space, even though it was in the basement of the biggest club in SoMa. In the space itself (which has a very cool round dance floor surrounded by booths and pulsating lights in the ceiling) the kids had put up a central display of packing boxes and record sleeves, along with some informational posters about the old Mindshaft club, and 1015's former existence as the infamous Sutro bathhouse. In another corner there was a memorial to Sylvester, whose death date was Monday, and all the table tops were decorated with more record sleeves and big plastic happy face whistles. My god, I thought, these guys have put together an actual theme!
There were only a couple other people in the club for the first half hour I was there, but by 11, which I had originally estimated as my departure time, it had picked up so much that I reconsidered. I saw several people I knew, and the crowd was really quite diverse, friendly, and fun. There were straight kids and gay kids, young guys and older, trannies and maybe even a couple muscle queens (it was certainly warm enough for shirts to come off, but maybe a little early), all getting down and smiling at one another on the dancefloor. More than any other events I've been to lately, HSS events seem to bring together a community of people who are interested in new experiences, new music (even if it is vintage), and meeting new people. It's the kind of vibe that I associate much more with raves than I do clubs, and I think it's a sign that these kids have tapped into a desire that many of us have for a scene that is about something more than body types, designer clothes, and music for the lowest common denominator.
As for the music - I danced to disco. Did you ever think I would write those words? The difference was that, in this case, I wasn't having to deal with the cheezy or the overly-familiar. It was during Jason Kendig's set that I found myself really listening to the music, and in his selections I heard the early days of house and the foundations of electro. I was suprised by some of the synth lines I heard, and how infrequently the tracks relied on overused disco devices like strings, horn sections, and warbling diva vocals. It was a much different tour through disco than what I have heard in the past, and it was enough to make me think that I need to look into this further.
Over the course of the evening I kept texting the boyfriend that he should get off the couch and come down, that the party was shaping up to be quite awesome, but he was firmly rooted in place, and so, by the time midnight rolled around, I knew that I needed to take off. As soon as I got home, though, I sent Pee Play an email saying that I hoped they would consider making this a monthly or semi-regular event. We sure could use use a little happy disco action in the community right now, and next time, I'll be better prepared to stay until the last track plays.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Mix Download: Honey Sound System DJs
All the boys in the Honey Sound System - Pee Play, Jason Kendig, Ken Vulsion, Robot Hustle, and Derek B (with one on the way from Safety Scissors) - have put out a new set of mixes for your "Summer of Acid" listening pleasure. Check the Sounds link, and watch the site for news of upcoming HSS events.
PS: You can get copies of the mixes on CD, plus a copy of the new "Honey Porn" zine ($10) at their House of House party at The Transfer this Friday. See the Friday Night Guide for July 27 for more info.
PS: You can get copies of the mixes on CD, plus a copy of the new "Honey Porn" zine ($10) at their House of House party at The Transfer this Friday. See the Friday Night Guide for July 27 for more info.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Event Review: Stiffylube Fundraiser
A sex party is always a tricky proposition, one that can bring up all the anxieties inherent in bar cruising and amplify them by a factor of ten – what if I don’t hook up, what if nobody is into me, what if I’m not into anybody there? Fortunately, Stiffy Lube’s “Bad Men and Dirty Boys” fundraising event on Saturday night was able to walk the line between party and orgy, with considerable support on the party side from the Honey Sound System and the MC talents of Juanita Fajita, so that everyone had the chance for some satisfaction, whether in the arms of passion or just having an opportunity to hang out and enjoy the small crowd of gay Burners and party boys.
The boyfriend and I showed up around 10, and as usual were among the first people there. We left around four, after spending a couple hours on the door shift, and there were no signs that the party was heading for any kind of end. In the back room there was plenty of heavy breathing and other sounds of passion, while up front it was a pretty typical party scene, though with more shirtless guys than I have seen in a while. The crowd was small, some where around a hundred, but there was enough enthusiastic cheering during the deep throat contest, overseen by Juanita Fajita, that the cops showed up and told us to keep it down. Pee Play and Ken Vulsion kept the mood upbeat and festive throughout the night, and as the evening wore on I saw a number of queer luminaries, like John Wood, and Jeff and Gary, in attendance.
In all, it was a fun party in a private space, something you don’t often get to experience these days, and having so many attendees who were connected by the Burning Man experience meant that there was already a kind of built-in intimacy. The fact that it was in a difficult-to-reach location (that the boyfriend and I had to trek down most of upper Market to the Castro before we could get a cab after we left was a big bring-down) kept the attendance lower than it would have been otherwise, and $20 for showing up in street clothes, and then paying $3 a pop for drink tickets, also made it somewhat cost-prohibitive for those showing up after having spent regular bar hours elsewhere, but I think the Stiffylube crew can count themselves as having had a quite successful fundraiser that will only whet the appetite for future events.
The boyfriend and I showed up around 10, and as usual were among the first people there. We left around four, after spending a couple hours on the door shift, and there were no signs that the party was heading for any kind of end. In the back room there was plenty of heavy breathing and other sounds of passion, while up front it was a pretty typical party scene, though with more shirtless guys than I have seen in a while. The crowd was small, some where around a hundred, but there was enough enthusiastic cheering during the deep throat contest, overseen by Juanita Fajita, that the cops showed up and told us to keep it down. Pee Play and Ken Vulsion kept the mood upbeat and festive throughout the night, and as the evening wore on I saw a number of queer luminaries, like John Wood, and Jeff and Gary, in attendance.
In all, it was a fun party in a private space, something you don’t often get to experience these days, and having so many attendees who were connected by the Burning Man experience meant that there was already a kind of built-in intimacy. The fact that it was in a difficult-to-reach location (that the boyfriend and I had to trek down most of upper Market to the Castro before we could get a cab after we left was a big bring-down) kept the attendance lower than it would have been otherwise, and $20 for showing up in street clothes, and then paying $3 a pop for drink tickets, also made it somewhat cost-prohibitive for those showing up after having spent regular bar hours elsewhere, but I think the Stiffylube crew can count themselves as having had a quite successful fundraiser that will only whet the appetite for future events.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Event Review: Tea with Honey at The Transfer
Sometimes it takes a whole weekend to get it right, to catch the right vibe, to find yourself in a state where you're not thinking, or analyzing, or planning, but are finally caught up in the energy of the moment, lost in dancing, staying much later than you had planned on because it's all come together in such a way that you don't want to leave. Tea with Honey at The Transfer, the first attempt at a t-dance by the Honey Sound System crew of Pee Play, Ken Vulsion, and Robot Hustle, with special guest appearances by Safety Scissors and Gavin Hardkiss, was the perfect capper to a long weekend and probably the very best expression of the Sunday evening party that I have experienced in a long time.
I love the concept of the Sunday t-dance, something that starts late in the afternoon and ends around midnight. It's one last chance to go out, be social, dance, and drink before the work week begins, and since it's Sunday chances are there's not much that requires your attention beyond what you'll slot up in the DVD player. It starts early enough that you can go and leave and still get a good night's sleep, or if you're lucky to have Monday off, you can stay out a little late and feel naughty. And then there's the special element of Sunday evening music; chances are everybody has had enough of the high-energy approach by that point, what you want is something fun and easy-going, something that will move you onto the dancefloor but recognizes that, after a hard weekend of partying, you're probably not going to be looking for a serious aerobic workout. I think that Sunday evenings are when deep house truly reigns supreme, because it lets you groove and be mellow at the same time.
The boyfriend and I showed up at The Transfer a little after six, when the crowd was mainly barflies and a few folks who had come along to support the Honey Sound System. We got to chat a bit with Pee Play and got a copy of the Honey Sound System 'zine; if their musical talent wasn't enough reason to hate them, now they've got the visual thing going as well. Robot Hustle was playing ItaloDisco, a genre I generally don't care for but, here on this Sunday afternoon, seemed especially fitting for the mood. A few folks straggled in, but it wasn't until around 7, when Ken Vulsion took to the decks, that the energy really began to build - I guess everyone got home from the Eagle, powdered their noses, and made their way to the party.
Then, at 8, Gavin Hardkiss took to the decks and things really took off. Up until this point I've not really understood The Transfer as a dance space, but there I was, getting down and loving it. For the first time all weekend I was actually having fun, and Gavin did a bangin' job of keeping the mood upbeat and energetic with just a dash of the techy thrown in to keep it all interesting. The boyfriend got drunk and behaved in the most light-hearted way I've seen in weeks (and took some ah, revealing, photos in the photobooth ), one of our friends came to join us and danced like a madman, there were faerie boys and Burners and even a pirate in attendance. I spotted a few young starlets like Leo Herrera in the crowd, and the word "fabulous" tripped easily from the lips. The only downer was when someone stole a CD I had left up on one of the drink shelves, but I already had it burned to iTunes, so who cares?
We left around 10.30, before I had a chance to hear Safety Scisssors and Pee Play, but with the way these kids are taking off I'm sure I'll have multiple more opportunities. I know that they're planning a "House of House" party at The Transfer on the 27th, which I will be sure to attend, and you should mark your calendar as well. As our friend, Jimmy, said, these are certain to be the "It boys" of the gay party scene for a while, so come out and hear them now so you can say "I remember when they used to have those crazy parties at The Transfer."
Gavin Hardkiss demonstrates his fretting technique.
Ken Vulsion, Pee Play, and Leo Herrera get the boogie fever.
Ken Vulsion practices warding off the paparazzi.
Did I mention that there were pirates?
I love the concept of the Sunday t-dance, something that starts late in the afternoon and ends around midnight. It's one last chance to go out, be social, dance, and drink before the work week begins, and since it's Sunday chances are there's not much that requires your attention beyond what you'll slot up in the DVD player. It starts early enough that you can go and leave and still get a good night's sleep, or if you're lucky to have Monday off, you can stay out a little late and feel naughty. And then there's the special element of Sunday evening music; chances are everybody has had enough of the high-energy approach by that point, what you want is something fun and easy-going, something that will move you onto the dancefloor but recognizes that, after a hard weekend of partying, you're probably not going to be looking for a serious aerobic workout. I think that Sunday evenings are when deep house truly reigns supreme, because it lets you groove and be mellow at the same time.
The boyfriend and I showed up at The Transfer a little after six, when the crowd was mainly barflies and a few folks who had come along to support the Honey Sound System. We got to chat a bit with Pee Play and got a copy of the Honey Sound System 'zine; if their musical talent wasn't enough reason to hate them, now they've got the visual thing going as well. Robot Hustle was playing ItaloDisco, a genre I generally don't care for but, here on this Sunday afternoon, seemed especially fitting for the mood. A few folks straggled in, but it wasn't until around 7, when Ken Vulsion took to the decks, that the energy really began to build - I guess everyone got home from the Eagle, powdered their noses, and made their way to the party.
Then, at 8, Gavin Hardkiss took to the decks and things really took off. Up until this point I've not really understood The Transfer as a dance space, but there I was, getting down and loving it. For the first time all weekend I was actually having fun, and Gavin did a bangin' job of keeping the mood upbeat and energetic with just a dash of the techy thrown in to keep it all interesting. The boyfriend got drunk and behaved in the most light-hearted way I've seen in weeks (and took some ah, revealing, photos in the photobooth ), one of our friends came to join us and danced like a madman, there were faerie boys and Burners and even a pirate in attendance. I spotted a few young starlets like Leo Herrera in the crowd, and the word "fabulous" tripped easily from the lips. The only downer was when someone stole a CD I had left up on one of the drink shelves, but I already had it burned to iTunes, so who cares?
We left around 10.30, before I had a chance to hear Safety Scisssors and Pee Play, but with the way these kids are taking off I'm sure I'll have multiple more opportunities. I know that they're planning a "House of House" party at The Transfer on the 27th, which I will be sure to attend, and you should mark your calendar as well. As our friend, Jimmy, said, these are certain to be the "It boys" of the gay party scene for a while, so come out and hear them now so you can say "I remember when they used to have those crazy parties at The Transfer."
Gavin Hardkiss demonstrates his fretting technique.
Ken Vulsion, Pee Play, and Leo Herrera get the boogie fever.
Ken Vulsion practices warding off the paparazzi.
Did I mention that there were pirates?
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Upcoming Event: Tea with Honey T-Dance, Sunday July 15
Honey with Tea: A Tea Dance with Honey Sound System and Special Guest Gavin Hardkiss!
Fresh off his appearance at Supperclub on Saturday night, Gavin Hardkiss will join Honey Sound System DJs Ken Vulsion and Pee Play, as well as Robot Hustle and Safety Scissors, for a tea dance at The Transfer.
6PM - 12AM
No Cover Listed
The Transfer, Church and Market Streets
Fresh off his appearance at Supperclub on Saturday night, Gavin Hardkiss will join Honey Sound System DJs Ken Vulsion and Pee Play, as well as Robot Hustle and Safety Scissors, for a tea dance at The Transfer.
6PM - 12AM
No Cover Listed
The Transfer, Church and Market Streets
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