Black & Blue Recovery Party @ Stereo - Oct 9, 2006

Disclaimer: This is how I spent my Monday/Tuesday, and I'm pretty sure your experience was different to mine, and this is why you should write your review as well.

11:00pm and there I was, panicking because I couldn't find my ATM card. I remember I had used it on Sunday night, and didn't noticed I didn't have it until it was time to go to Stereo on Monday night. "What am I going to do?" My friends are still sleeping because they had gone to the big party the night before, and I had nothing on me, just my ticket to get in. Thanks to the not so integrated system of my bank, I still had my second bank card issued by a Winnipeg branch. "Do I have money in this other account?" Checked the internet, and yes, there I was on my way to the temple.

Not that many people at the door, went in very fast, and quickly I met up with some people I knew. "No, I didn't go to the Black & Blue" "what?" "yeah, I had to work on Monday - but now I'm ready to dance like I have never danced before in my life" I told them.

It was funny to see very well rested people, and some that looked like they had just landed at the airport in Baghdad. Music was already pumping, and people were taking their places around the dance floor. Checked the decor of the place, but at this point who cares, this is the Recovery party, and people will come with only one thing in their minds. Nevertheless, the shower curtains were out again, in addition to the black and blue balloons that kept popping during the whole evening, scaring some of our Americans tourists - specially because every time after a bum was heard, someone would say "terrorist".

I couldn't leave the dance floor empty, specially with such a delicious intro given by Eddy. Got in the dance floor, and it didn't take longer for other to start dancing as well. Eddy came come down to check out the sound coming out of those fantastic speaker, and to socialize a little bit as well.

Midnight and the place was still empty, I have to say I was getting a little bit concerned "what if everyone is super tired from last night?" "nuh, Stereo wouldn't be given out small plastic bags to put your coat ticket in if they didn't expect the place to get sweaty during the evening". Next thing you know and the whole place was jam packed with men, and 20 women, including this fantastic and fabulous lesbian couple from Miami - girls, you rocked, and let me tell you, the straight boys would kill to have you both at their side.

Eddy went from super happy tunes, to the electro industrial sound that most of the DJs are adapting to their sets now - I have noticed that even my way of dancing has changed because of those metallic industrial sounds. He dropped housy vocals, flirted with the proggy sounds, then started playing more sexy dark tunes more towards to what Calderone was expected to deliver during the evening. I have heard Eddy spin before, and this was a different set compared to what I've heard from him in previous events. Enjoyed his short set, and it did get me pumped for the headliner of the evening.

I don't think it was even 1:30am when Victor Calderone had taken over the control of the party already. Looked around, and the place was full of sexy T-shirtless sweaty men, dancing with each other or by themselves. The energy was just contagiously incredible sensual with beautiful and hot men everywhere.

You had two types of people at this party, the ones that had gone to the Black & Blue, and where already in their second length of their flight, and people like me, that had missed the main event, but in no way were going to miss the now infamous Calderone's Recovery Parties, specially the Black & Blue one - this was our non stop flight to Paradise.

Calderone was on fire, from the beginning his tunes were just out of control, and it was just amazing to see the reaction of all the out-of-town people. The vibe, and energy, the emotions from the crowd for sure helped to create the magic that Calderone used to take everyone in an incredible journey during the whole evening.

Music was not good, it was just unreal - different to what I experienced during the Twist Encore set back in August, I'm guessing it has to do with the fact was also different. I would say it was 85% men at Stereo on Monday night, and the girls dancing around where having the time of their lives - what a party, what a voiceless tribal party it was.

The magic of Stereo surrounded almost everyone, specially the first timers to this place. There was a whole group of people from Los Angeles, some came along because friends had told them if they were coming to the Black & Blue, they had to stay until the Recovery Party, otherwise it would be considered P.P.P. (Pour Party Planning). Some of them were people that I know, and every time I would find them in the dance floor, they would look at me, as if they were kids in Disneyland, and say "... what an incredible party..."

Met people from Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Miami, Atlanta, Sydney, Paris, London, Madrid - you name it, and of course, some familiar faces from Montreal. The comments I also kept hearing was that some of them had the chance to see Calderone in other venues, but they had never seen him like this before, it was special, it was like he was super Calderone.

The synchronization of the lights with the music was almost perfect, not too much, not too little, just right to each moment. Job well done to whoever was taking care of the lights for this evening.

House music, sexy house music, deep sensual dark tunes, with splash of tribal attached everywhere. Not that many voices, the ones that I enjoy very much, but this DJ is always able to forget that I need to hear that many voices during my evening of dancing. One turn to the right and I'm hugging this guy that I always wanted to hug, one turn to the left and there was my special couple with whom I have had great time together. One step forward and there I was sharing a special time with my best friend, and one move backwards and I was received with a soft touch of a hand in my back, which is followed with a big smile and a great hello. Each of those moves was made special, because the music I was hearing was special, the moments I shared with everyone were superb and unique because the magic cannot be recreated, only enjoyed at that specific moment, and it always will be with me because of "that" music.

Move forward and it was already 8:00am on Tuesday, some people had already left, but they were replaced by a new batch of dancers. Incredible dancers during the whole evening, there are always people with great moves at Stereo, but I had never seen so many great dancers coming together in the same evening. It was not a competition to see who danced better, but an integration of moves, like as if everyone was learning something new from everybody else. I also just kept looking at those giant speakers with this pure sound coming out of them, and also thinking that those boys shouldn't be dancing up there, it can't be good for their hears, but hey, they are adults and they know what they are doing.

I can't get over with the high ratio of good looking men during this party. Everywhere you looked there was one man more gorgeous than the other. Now add the fantastic music to the moves of those amazing bodies in the dance floor, and there you have, amazing sensual and sexual vibe right underneath the disco ball, and beside the speakers, and in front of the podium, and ... loved it.

If you were compared the Recovery Party of 2005 and 2006, you would find people claiming that both were better than the other. I don't believe in looking at the past, but instead I like to enjoy my time now, and look forward to what is to come. If you didn't come to this amazing party, don't regret it, because there are many others to come - and when you do, enjoy your party until the moment you decide is time to go home.

It was already 11:00am when I decided my body had danced enough for the evening - I had to think twice before leaving, because those tribal tunes kept calling me back to the dance floor - Calderone once again did his fantastic job in the booth. Thank you Calderone for such an amazing party.