The Juice Box

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 bottles of water.

by Joanna Parks

First a couple disclaimers on this review: Disclaimer 1 – I am friends w DJ Craig Gaibler. Disclaimer 2 – This trip was sponsored by one of my best friends, Rick. Without him I would not have gone.

Next, an apology – this review is late – Llfe, IML, LA Pride, all got in the way. But I wanted to write this review because this party has made subsequent parties seem not quite as fun, a little stand-offish & over-produced. And kids, there is nothing I like more than a well-produced circuit party that has it all. Not to mention, I feel San Francisco has a local DJ scene that is fantastic and under-utilized and could somebody, anybody, remedy that please?

Rick and I met up with friends before going to Vanity at Nuemos in Seattle. At this little cocktail party we established that we were here to support the dj who was a friend of ours. We also established that I’d know more people at Vanity than I originally thought. Yes. I have been to a few circuit parties. While on our way to Nuemos via a bar to pick up the rest of our group someone mentioned that Seattle isn’t San Francisco. The place will probably be empty, start to get crowded around 12:00AM and then clear out at 2:00AM, when the party was over – Good to know.

Tickets were no problem and inexpensive. Security carded but didn’t frisk and seemed friendly. Good start.

We walk into a big square bare bones box painted black, obviously not a dance club but a music/band venue. The place was wall-to-wall men with their shirts off, dancing, singing, smiling and waving their hands in the air and it was only 11PM. I raced to the coat check, a dollar per item, and took note that even the coat check lady was dancing in the closet. A quick stop proved the bathrooms to be clean and no line and then Rick and I made it to the dance floor and I don’t remember leaving it. Though Rick had to finally tie my shirt to my belt buckle because I kept dancing off with different boys.

Craig was killing it. He had exactly the right music for the crowd, the space, the party. Vocally, driving, full of meaning, music that wanted to make everyone shake their ass. Ultra Nate came on to perform 3 songs and Craig seamlessly transitioned her in and out without a break in the music, singing or dancing. How is it that a diva that sings one of the best gay anthems out there “Free” doesn’t need the music to stop to be introduced but every other singer I’ve seen at a circuit party lately does? (we all know what I’m talking about – right?)

The decor and lighting wasn’t much but enough to turn the black box into a dance space for the evening. The sound was fantastic, there wasn’t anything missing, with the exception of my San Francisco family, but there has to be balance. And then it was 2:00am, the lights came up, and it was over. The place was packed, Rick and I were incredulous that it was over and I whined that it was over because it was so good and so much fun. Was this party so good just because we knew the DJ? Nope, everyone in our little group raved about Craig and days later they were still talking about the party and all have subscribed to his podcast.

Yes, Craig and I share the same music taste, but he did his homework for this party and it paid off. Proving that with the right combination of DJ, good space (not necessarily fancy), great sound, and the attitude of everyone at a party takes a party a long way. So why I am dinging it a 1/2 bottle on the rating you might ask? Simply for the 2:00AM close time and because Rick and I couldn’t find the after party at the Eagle to save our lives.

So, if you can make it up to Seattle for any of the remaining 4 Sins party I’d highly recommend it, and someone please start paying attention to our hometown DJs – there some gold in these hills!

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Tags: Craig Gaibler, Seven Deadly Sins, Vanity