Last weekend, after four months of preparations, we finally open the gala party doors to Chicago’s historic Shedd Aquarium’s “Sea Jelly Soiree”. Quite the massive undertaking to cocktail, feed, dance and entertain 850 of Chicago’s social leaders, including Governor Pat Quinn, who signed Illinois Civil Union bill into law last month and hosted a mass civil union ceremony in our Millennium Park on a gorgeous day a few days ago. Our friendly and genuinely conversational governor has to be one of the most approachable politicians I have ever encountered. I was standing in an Argo Tea downtown recently and he walked up, ordered his medium Earl Grey latte and just hung out. I introduced myself and reminded him we had dinner together two months prior at the Equality Illinois gala and he complimented me on what a great night it was for the LGBT community and Illinois. Fast forward 4 months, I’m standing among 800 people at the Shedd gala making sure my actors are, well…acting, and here walks up the governor, completely without fanfare and all but unnoticed by the jam packed crowd. He walks past the other guests and comes over to my production manager Bill Stadt (whom the governor also knows) and me and hangs out with us and we talk about civil unions and how he’s so proud of our community. It was amazing to have his time that night (by his choice) considering that the mostly straight Shedd audience basically runs this city financially and by their influences. My teams first time co-producing this gala was an awesome experience. I think our vision on how to shake things up a bit and turn out a fresh take on your standard black-tie event went over very well. Custom seven-foot tall jelly costumes on the dancers that lifted off during the production number and rising to the ceiling, a custom built LED wall as our stage backdrop, 10-foot sea dragon stilt walkers and sexy go-go boys and girls dancing to some custom mashups we produced made for a wild and colorful eight-hour party. I hope they ask us back next year.
Lather, rinse and get ready for PRIDE…I hope to sleep in July this year. Life is great.
LOOKING FORWARD:
Promote, promote, promote.
Chicago, like most cities that used to have a myriad of events every month, has been very quiet the last few years in terms of the larger gay dance parties and club nights, so I was a little concerned I wouldn’t live up to the hype of the other Nighthawks on OUT.com in terms of hot, sexy club events and massive dance parties. In the last couple of years, I think the majority of promoters have adopted the same downsized mentality for events, whether in their frequency or actual size in venues and budgets shooting for smaller, concentrated crowds. Proud to have been a resident DJ for Out Magazine’s Chicago events the past few years (usually held in super sexy straight clubs), they stoked my desire to revive the large dance party because the OUT parties had so much passion and energy. Couple that with a reoccurring role as opening DJ for a few Live Nation concert acts (Pet Shop Boys, B-52’s plus more coming in 2011) I felt the energy in Chicago was ready to hit the large-scale party again. My promotions and events are far different from the other Nighthawks since I am not specifically in the clubs as much, but that is all going to change this year with pride. Partnering with Chicago’s famed House OF Blues, I am launching a dance party REVOLUTION starting with Gay Pride Friday, June 24, 2011. The REVOLUTION series will see the combined forces of Masterbeat DJ Brett Henrichsen and Circuit MOM for Pride, plus DJ’s Cody Domino, Joe Gauthreaux, Roland Belmares and the Chicago premiere appearance of UK Sensation Lee Daggar of BIMBO JONES in the coming months. We are also working on another massive Chicago debut for the fall. We are offering an amazing space with great talents for affordable prices so everyone can join in the dance floor love. I have an amazing army helping me with all of this and am honored and grateful for the opportunity to showcase some amazing parties this summer in Chicago! Visit www.circuitmom.com for more details and GET ON THE DANCE FLOOR!
