In my previous posts, I've talked about the BELT Party ("Smells Like Folsom") that happened last night on December 8th at Eden. It was everything that I was hoping for. The pictures from the event may be viewed here.
AMIABLE. The single word that I would use for the overall vibe was "amiable". Yes, it was kinky, exotic, jammed, passionate, lusty, hardcore and exciting, but the main thing that really stood out for me was how good-natured everybody was. JUST LIKE THE FOLSOM STREET FAIR. If you've never been there, it's a completely comfortable day for the cops who are on duty that day - Nobody harshes on anybody else, everybody is accepting of the most outrageous behavior (or garments), and the tone for the day is "I'm flying my freak flag way up high, just like everybody else - ain't it grand?"
So, there was a lot of hugging, kissing, dancing and overall celebrating going on last night. Big grins all around, lots of teeth showing. The nicest, most open-minded folks were the people having the most fun. The BELT party was probably a bit of a mind-blower for a good number of the attendees, because it was their first experience of how sweet and affectionate our local kinky community has become. Men were practically throwing themselves at me to get on the FMSD mailing-list, because this event gave them a juicy, flavorful taste of Real Tribe, and they definitely wanted more.
Many thanks to the men on this list who showed up to be supportive - you made a big difference, you showed the new guys what brotherhood looks like, and it speaks well for your good natures!
DIVERSE. I can't remember the last time I've attended a social dance event in San Diego that was so balls-out celebratory of human variety. Everybody there was doing their damnedest to be gorgeous and fully self-expressed. I didn't see any factions hissing and spitting at each other; no clumps of any particular "type" - Just really happy people roaring and hugging with good will, slowly being joined by shy newbies who eventually figured out how to get closer to that same mood. I loved watching the newcomers getting more and more involved in the fun around them.
CONCISE. No amount of money can buy credibility, and no dance-hall (no matter how opulent) is enough to keep people there until 2AM - It was hard to get people to LEAVE. No breakthrough event like this ever succeeds randomly - The organizers of this event worked like beavers every single day for weeks, to create the perfect environment for magic to occur on the night of the event. It was very difficult for me to nail them down individually last night, long enough to get a word in, because they were focused like lasers on making the space as welcoming, safe and available for fun as possible. They earned every bit of their success, the hard way.
I've hosted a LOT of dance-parties, and it usually takes several months (and multiple discouraging attempts) to build up this much momentum and good-will. Clearly, these are seriously well-loved people who have gained a lot of gravitas by keeping their word all along. Their credibility is what allows them to gather a constituency that believes in them,
I will be interviewing the team soon, and taking pictures, so that everybody clearly knows who the newest movers-and-shakers are.
TRIBAL. The DJ was magnificent. I didn't have to wait, and wait, and wait for the music to finally get good enough to dance to - It was ALL superb, and exactly what I needed to work my kilt on the dance-floor. All around, there was kinky behavior - Flogging, caning, bondage, electrical-play and paddling. Go-go boys (the kind that love and own the fetish-gear they were wearing) worked the platforms, while the lusty crowd kept swirling around, through and along with the performers. Everybody was high as hell on the endorphins of Communal Joy.
CROWDED. I'm pretty confident that the owners of the venue are taking us all VERY seriously now, after such a large turnout. Frankly, there were at least four times more people there than I expected for a first event, and on a Thursday night. I was so pleased to be wrong. So, I predict that people are going to start demanding more: more events like this one, more often, and on primo Saturday nights. I don't think that the folks at Eden would have any objection to any of it, given how the first one went.
I can't wait for the next party from this crew - They have been majestic, powerful champions for what the next phase looks like in our community. Speaking as somebody who vividly remembers the 1970's, I say screw the old days - Bring on the future. It looks GREAT!!!
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