Merry Mis-Adventures: LoveFest 2008 (10/3/08)

The original Love Parade was held in Berlin in 1989 just a few months before the Berlin Wall came down. It started as a political demonstration for peace and international understanding through music and has since evolved into a showcase for electronic music and rave culture (PLUR) in cities throughout the world. This year was the fourth LoveFest, San Francisco's version of Love Parade, which drew over 100,000 people!! Click here for a bird's eye view.) Many of my friends had made the trip the past few years and after having such an amazing time in San Fran last year for Halloween, I was looking for any excuse to head back. LoveFest was absolutely incredible from start to finish.

Betty and I got to town late Thursday night (and were greeted by three of my favorite people ever - Gal, Steve and Casey - aka The Sheep!) and then spent Friday cruising around town shopping, sipping wine and feasting on oysters. Yes, it's a tough life... I know. We spent the evening enjoying a relaxing dinner at home with Angelina Jolie and an old friend, Artemis. Then... the weekend got underway.

We started things off with a pre-game and costume prep session at Casey and Steve's before heading over to Mighty for Lee Burridge's GET WEIRD party. The night couldn't have been better as I was surrounded by tons of friends and lots of weird. Lee absolutely assaulted the club for multiple hours. Lots of love to the Listed Productions crew who threw a great party which included a sidewalk DJ set-up and RV party-mobile that provided a much needed break in the sweat box action inside. The first trip back home to SF for Moon Beam (the gay dog marionette) who was adopted by my baby daddy (John Dill) during a visit earlier this summer was a resounding success. Some called his performance awe inspiring.

No rest for the wicked as we had to be up at 9:30am to get ready for the actual parade. Our crew was lucky enough to secure spots aboard the Listed "Get Spacey" float which had Lee Burridge, Three, Bill Patrick, Jason Emsley, Dory, Hac Le, Naveen G, Mike Khoury, Nikita and Tim McCormack. Everyone got dressed to the nines including Bill wearing a bumble bee matrix spandex suit and Lee in a full space robot costume (to start) and a unidentifiable dress and wig outfit (to finish). The float had a few difficult moments with lost sound and a lost wheel (ha!) but we made the most of it rockin all the way down Market Street. Sometime around 3pm the floats all parked near City Hall and a massive 100,000+ party raged on. Every type of music, vibe and crowd was represented which was extremely refreshing. We had a blast cruising around the perimeter taking it all in before finally landing back at the mothership which was GOING OFF! The six hours that followed are a bit of a blur but the highlights include: skateboard tricks, a dance-off with a homeless dude, a pair of cock-eyed sunglasses, a power drill, a big green frog, astronaut ice cream, space fairy push-ups, the debut of the San Fran Book of Bad Ideas, Hannah's "hole" decals, saving Lee's space slipper from certain death, "fishing" with The BoBI... and so many more! I went home after the parade, most others FORGOT TO GO HOME.

Sunday = Funday. Let's do it again! Betty and Casey started the day with Bloody Mary's while Steve and I polished off a bottle of Champers with breakfast. Then we went to Gal's to meet the rest of the boys for an 11am pre-party before the Castro Street Fair. I made the move from Champers to Cava Guava and was lit up like a Christmas tree by noon. Lovely. The boys moved on to the street fair while Betty and I resumed the party pole position at the infamous club, The End Up, where party goers had been chugging along since the night before. I had always heard great things about this legendary club but I had no idea it had such a massive outdoor space. I think my friends and I like to pretend we love dark and dirty hell holes, but when given the chance to party outdoors during the day, I realize that's all bullsh*t. The End Up DEFINITELY gets my vote for Best U.S. Club.

We arrived just as Billy and Lee were starting their annual 8-hour tag team set which was filled with filthy tunes. Throughout the party I oscillated between busting a move inside and running around causing trouble outside. Some of the more hilarious moments included: a pathetic air horn, the big hands, the coochie duster (of course!), an appearance by the dirty mo*fo rabbit, Nadia Gone Wild, two lost children (last in the care of Dane'lle and Jason Elmsley!), Moon Beam's Bollywood-esque dance under the waterfall, a late evening massage, Nancy's ketadventure, one ridiculously hot girl I never talked to and lots of new friends. I called it quits after The End Up but surprise, surprise many others FORGOT TO GO HOME (again).

Butt Biting In The Parade: