The Texas 2-Step: Doing it right in the Lone Star State by Mickey Weems
In the midst of the Great Recession, we are experiencing the Great Texas Circuit Revival.
How do they do it? Well, take a look at two of the biggest dance festivals for Gay men and their allies: Dallas Purple Party and Houston Jungle (followed the next day by Bunnies on the Bayou, a separate and complementary event). Some things Purple and Jungle have in common:
- They are all about raising money for the less fortunate
- There is fierce local support and solidarity
- Strong emphasis on hospitality
- Prices are kept reasonable
- They are really, really proud of their cities
JustCircuit presents two features from Dallas and Houston spokespeople Blake Baker and Bryan Hlavinka, (respectively and alphabetically), with Houston’s final word by Billy Underwood, in which we ask the big question: what makes a Circuit event successful? The frankness of their answers may surprise you!
Dallas With a Big D: Dallas Purple Party’s Blake Baker
JustCircuit spoke with Blake Baker, Chair of the Purple Foundation in Dallas, to talk about the ingredients for a successful Circuit weekend. But prepare yourself: Blake believes in tough love.
Mickey: Describe Dallas to somebody who has never been there.
Blake: Though I am originally from South Louisiana, I have lived here most of my life and I have seen it go through so many changes. While it is still relatively conservative and religious (there is a church on almost every major corner) there is a thriving and growing Gay community here with a centralized pedestrian friendly “gayborhood.”
One of the most common things I hear from people about either Dallas in general or someone that has come to Purple Party from out of town is that everyone was so friendly and hospitable. Dallas used to be most well known for its attitude, or more commonly referred to as “Dallitude.” But that has changed. People are actually... nice!
Mickey: What’s it like, throwing a Circuit party in Dallas with a big D?
Blake: It’s not exactly been the easiest thing to accomplish. We are in a predominantly conservative part of the country, even though we have one of the largest Gay communities in the nation. We have some of the weirdest dance permit laws, not to mention ridiculous and strict liquor laws.
Some of the biggest challenges have been within our community. Circuit parties in general still have a negative connotation in this part of the country and getting people that are unfamiliar with the concept to put away their preconceived ideas and support us is quite a feat. Clubs like Mickey’s, Club One, Purgatory, Lizard Lounge and The Brick have always been really supportive of us, and for that we are thankful.
We have been lucky enough the past few years to have our main event at the beautiful House of Blues. This place is incredible and absolutely perfect for a dance party!
Mickey: Let’s talk Divas at Circuit events.
Blake: When it comes to vocal performers, it can either be the icing on the cake or the nail in the coffin. When you factor in the challenge of booking a performer, then actually having to deal with all the logistics once they get here, it can be a huge source of stress and frustration. At the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves, will this performer actually attract the crowd to cover the cost? Sometimes the answer is yes, but a lot of the times it is no.
We try to book performers when we think they could really enhance the overall experience. But really we are in the business of creating dance parties, not concerts. At Circuit parties, the real stars of the show are the DJs, music and hundreds of hot men and women on the dance floor. Our divas need to remember that the entire event, not just their performance, is important.
There are some big-name performers I would love to book for Purple, so you never know who we will get for a future Purple Party event!
Mickey: Describe the WOW! factor in lights and sound production.
Blake: The lighting and sound quality is such a vital component of a party. If the sound is awful or the lighting is lame, you aren’t going to have a good experience, no matter who is DJ’ing or performing. Circuit parties affect all of your senses, and especially sight and sound. If the party producer goes half-assed on either one, the whole experience suffers. I have been to parties where the music was amazing, but the lighting operator clearly had no concept of the music and so it seemed like it was on autopilot all night, which led to a really boring party. Over the years we have taken cues from other big Circuit events like One Mighty Weekend and Black Party, which both have incredible lighting productions.
Mickey: What do you think of competing events during a Circuit weekend?
Blake: Regardless of personal differences or drama, people need to realize that competing events are meant to do harm, not good. Every dollar spent at a competing party is money that doesn’t go towards the charity. It’s as simple as that. Planning and producing these charity dance events to actually be successful is way harder than most people realize, and it doesn’t make it any easier when someone is working overtime to defeat you. The more people support competing events, the more common they will become and the likelihood the charity event you have loved for years will disappear altogether. Working together is so much easier than working against each other.
Mickey: What motivates you and the Purple people to throw the event?
Blake: I sometimes ask myself: Why do we do this? Why do we put ourselves through all this trouble to create these parties? And I am quickly reminded that we do it because people need us to. The money that is made from Purple Foundation events goes directly to AIDS Services of Dallas (ASD). Every single penny.
ASD is an incredible organization that provides housing, medical care and job assistance for those living with HIV/AIDS. When I first started volunteering for Purple Foundation, I knew that it was a charity and the money went to an AIDS organization, but I really never thought that much more about it until the day came for me to take a tour of the ASD facilities. It all became very real to me how much this disease affected not only the people with the disease, but their families too. ASD provides housing and meals for the entire family and helps them manage the challenges that come with having HIV/AIDS. Each year when we are able to present a check to them, it gives us an overwhelming feeling that truly can’t be equaled.
I think it would be quite presumptuous of me to state that what the Purple Foundation does is like solving world hunger or finding a cure for cancer. But to the few dozen people that are able to get the medical care that they need to survive or a roof over their heads, it is probably almost as important.
Mickey: Tell us about the Purple people and supporters. Who loves you, baby?
Blake: Purple Foundation includes Rich Hill, Peter Brown, Aaron Carrasco, Kris Hobson, a few dedicated volunteers and myself. We all have careers and the work we do for Purple Party is done in our spare time. I bet my boyfriend had no idea what he was getting himself into when we started dating, but he has been very supportive and helps more than I can ever thank him for. Purple Party could also not happen without people like Dr. Chris Mann, Paul Kraft, Dave Reedy, Creighton Curley and Jim Jenkins. Also, Victor and Shane from JustCircuit have helped us tremendously throughout the years. They have always been there for great advice and support.
We have been very fortunate to work with some very nice and easy going DJs. DJ Bryan Konrad from Austin saved our butt a few times, most notably for filling in for Tony Moran last year when his flight was delayed. He will be headlining our after hours party for Purple 10. DJs like Joe Gauthreaux, Roland Belmares, Jamie J. Sanchez, Alyson Calagna, Phil B. and David Knapp are some of the most enjoyable people you could ever ask to work with. They more than just work with us, they are part of our Purple family and we owe a lot of the success of Purple to them.
And I can’t leave out my amazing mother. She works the door at most of our events and now has quite a fan club.
Last Word: Purple 2010
Blake: We have some really exciting things planned for our 10th anniversary. We are definitely going all out! Our 10th anniversary weekend kicks off on Friday night with DJ/Producer Chris Cox at the legendary Lizard Lounge. This event last year was such a huge success; we are so excited to make it even bigger and better for Purple 10. Saturday night’s double-header starts off with DJ Joe Gauthreaux at the incredible House of Blues. We have lots of surprises in store for this event! The evening leads into the early morning hours with DJ Bryan Konrad and DJ Power Infiniti working fierce afterhours beats till the sun comes up. The Sunday closing party featuring circuit darling DJ Alyson Calagna and DJ Michael Tank will top off an exciting anniversary weekend. There will be other exciting news coming in the few weeks, including some new venues, entertainment announcements and other fun events going on Purple Party weekend. It will definitely be a weekend to remember!
Houston, We Have a Party: Jungle Party Houston’s Bryan Hlavinka
The Great Texas Circuit Revival does a definite two-step in Houston, with two concurring parties over Easter weekend: Jungle Party and Bunnies of the Bayou. How do they do it? Bryan Hlavinka (pronounced “Lavinka”) gives you the inside scoop.
Mickey: Tell us about yourself, Jungle’s charity and your radio show.
Bryan: I am Texan, born and raised, and I love my hometown Houston. It is in the last few years that I have found my passion and life’s purpose, to give back to the community in which I live. My passion with helping the community and fundraising began with Jungle 11 (we are now on Jungle 18). I was blown away by the spectacle of it all. From that moment, I wanted to be a part of Jungle. I joined Bayou City Boys Club (BCBC), the nonprofit organization that produces Jungle. After the event was over, we prepared to give away the proceeds to local charities. This is the moment that changed my life. To see that the money was going to several very deserving community organizations sparked a fire in me that still burns brightly even today. I could see the gratitude in the eyes of those receiving checks that day.
It was working with BCBC that I came across a local organization called the Center for AIDS (CFA). Like many HIV organizations, it was born out of necessity in a time when people where dying and there was very little hope or information. I was astonished by how unique the organization was and how much they did with very little resources. Since joining their board, I am very proud to say that I was elected the chairman of the board for 2010. I am even more excited to say that the Center for AIDS was selected as a beneficiary for this year’s Jungle.
I can also thank BCBC and Jungle for introducing me to my other passion, which is the radio show I co-host. While I was promoting Jungle on the air, I discovered my inner radio personality. That was over two years ago. I now look forward to the show each week, where we cover topics related to the diverse GLBT community here in Houston.
The show has been around for almost twenty years and is called “Queer Voices”. The show is broadcasted from the heart of Montrose every Monday night from 9-11pm on 90.1FM KPFT. It is streamed live at www.kpft.org or available on iTunes by podcast.
Mickey: Tell us about Houston, the Mayor and the New Texas.
Bryan: In my opinion, Houston has always had a liberal, bohemian feel inside the Loop. “The Loop” is the great divide between the inner collections of eclectic neighborhoods and the vast expanse of suburbs surrounding the inner city. “The Loop” is more than a circular freeway around central Houston. It is also a mindset to the creative class within its confines. The best of Houston culture (restaurants, museums, theaters and homes) can be found here.
Houston has been getting both national and international press lately from its historic election of mayor Annise Parker. You see, Annise is the first openly GLBT mayor elected to a city of more than a million people. Yes, this just happened in Houston! I believe that this press will shine a limelight on the city I know and love. More people will know the splendor of Houston.
Texas has become a magnet for people around the country according to the latest census estimates. Texas, you will find, is mostly urban. Three of the top ten largest cities in the country are in Texas including Texas’ largest, Houston.
Hoping to capitalize on the press Houston has received, the Convention/Tourism group has begun to market Houston to GLBTs around the country. Check out the website www.mygayhouston.com.
Mickey: What would you consider the secret of success for Jungle?
Bryan: Jungle is one of the original remaining Circuit events that have stayed true to the original mission of fighting a disease that has taken so much from us. I believe the continued success of Jungle comes from the local community. Each year, the community steps up to completely underwrite the party. This is usually several weeks before the party. This allows all tickets sales and silent auction proceeds to directly go into the community to fight HIV/AIDS. I also believe that the success of Jungle comes from the tireless work of the members of BCBC. Work on Jungle begins many months before Easter and is carried in almost military-like fashion.
Finally, I think Circuit goers are discovering the exceptional value that Jungle weekend provides. Jungle has featured most of the top name DJs and this year will be no different.
Mickey: How is it that Texas is becoming a major player in the world of the Circuit?
Bryan: I think Texas is becoming a player because of the rise of Texas as a destination locale. Each large city in Texas is completely unique and varied from the others. The bigger cities, including Houston and Dallas, have all the amenities Circuiteers prefer. Also, Texas, with its location in the center of the country, is very cheap in which to travel. Many airlines are based in Texas, including American, Continental and Southwest.
Mickey: Tell us about Jungle and Bunnies on the Bayou.
Bryan: Jungle Party and Bunnies on the Bayou are two very different events produced by two different organizations. There are often confused by Houstonians. Jungle Party takes places the Saturday before Easter, and Bunnies on the Bayou takes place on Easter Sunday in beautiful downtown Houston next to Buffalo Bayou. Bunnies on the Bayou is quite the party. It brings the hot men of Houston out to party, while Jungle tends to pull in men from all around the country.
Mickey: Describe this year's events.
Bryan: I have two names: Tony and Roland.
The two major events are Friday and Saturday night. DJ/Producer Tony Moran will be spinning Friday night at Houston’s legendary nightclub Rich’s. The Friday night party returns to Rich’s after several years of being held elsewhere. DJ/Producer Roland Belmares headlines the main event at Warehouse Live, located in Houston’s warehouse district, east of downtown. The energy continues at an after hours event with DJ Lydia Prim spinning. People will want to get to town early as the fun begins Thursday night with a kickoff party at Meteor.
Mickey: Is what you do spiritual?
Bryan: I think the Circuit began as a very spiritual, almost tribal, gathering in a time when our friends were dying all around us. It was healing and provided a place to escape. Over the years, the Circuit has morphed, but some of the original parties maintain their original purpose of giving back. I believe Jungle is one such party.
Last Word: Jungle 18 (Billy Underwood, BCBC President)
Billy: Houston is, in a word, dynamic. I like to think of "H-town" as a Cowboy sipping Chardonnay, or Banker by day, Biker by night. The downtown lifestyle, club and entertainment scene is incredible in this town.
Bunnies on the Bayou and Jungle Party are separate organizations and events with non-profit foundations that raise money for AIDS and HIV related charities. The great thing about Bunnies and Jungle is that we complement each other. This combination will draw the guest from the Circuit Party to the Garden Party to make for a full action packed party weekend in Houston. You cannot beat that for a party on the 3rd Coast!
Our theme for Jungle 18 is “The Lion King” and we hope this brings all kinds of ideas for our attendees. Costumes make for a fun event and add to the magical fantasy that the dance floor can bring. The weekend starts on Thursday at Meteor, a local club with a great up-and-coming DJ Joe Ross. Friday Jungle returns to Rich’s, a wonderful friend of Jungle and BCBC for many years, with Ron Duffee, Michael Tank and Tony Moran. This should be a great warm up for Saturday night. Saturday’s main event at Warehouse Live is a great venue with Roland Belmares. The venue will be made into a real jungle with lions, tigers and probably some bears as well, oh my!! Different this year, we will have VIP areas available for Friday and Saturday night. You will be able to upgrade your tickets (and who doesn't like an upgrade?) at the door of both events. After hours will be with Lydia Prim, and she will beat you down with some fierce music to see the sunrise. All in all, Jungle Party Weekend will be a great time for a wonderful cause.
JustCircuit is a proud partner to and sponsor of Dallas Purple Party Weekend and Jungle Party Weekend in Houston. Check back often for updates on both of these 2010 events.
