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-- TO Star: "Party Beach" article on Promise @ Cherry Beach
TO Star: "Party Beach" article on Promise @ Cherry Beach
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caption: A DJ helps to gets everyone dancing at the party in a clearing near the east end of Cherry Beach. People gather weekly at the laid-back party site to unwind and let loose. |
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 PARTY BEACH For hundreds seeking beats, Cherry Beach is where to chill in summertime. Sunday daylight jams put on by Promise lend a laid-back hippie feel. Will this word-of-mouth party zone get caught in problems of the nearby Docks? A personal perspective, by Raju Mudhar Aug. 20, 2006. 01:00 AM RAJU MUDHAR For all the talk about waterfront revitalization, there is already a place by the lake that the citizens have taken over and created into something quite special. Down in the port lands, Cherry Beach in summer has long been a party spot of choice for DJs, promoters and scene-seekers looking for some serendipity in Toronto's nightlife. During the summer, almost every Friday or Saturday night sees various organizers lug in generators, sound systems and lights to hold beach parties that harken back to the early days of the '90s rave scene. Drawn by word-of-mouth and web message boards, hundreds of people have begun to show up, struggling in the darkness to find the beats by the beach. It's not really a secret, it's been happening for years � but most people still don't like to talk about the Cherry Beach scene for fear of jeopardizing future events. For the most part, police at the 51 Division station that sits on Cherry St. just up from the beach let the events happen undisturbed, provided things don't get too out of hand. "Don't wreck the parties," is the common sentiment of those who have been enjoying the free outdoor fun, when asked pesky questions. While the nights are active, the flagship event actually happens during the day. Cherry Beach Sundays are the labour of love of David Macleod and Irving Shaw. As the braintrust for the Promise events, the two have been throwing successful parties around town for years, but their decision to stage Cherry Beach parties (first held as a one-off in 2002) in the light of day has shown they are a breed apart. "We love it," says Macleod. "You don't know how many people we've met through it, how many people email us to make sure it's still going." "How we've always positioned it is that Cherry Beach is a gift and we've been lucky enough to be allowed to continue to use it for such an extended period of time," says Shaw. "Also we've really pushed over the years to create it � not as something to continue your weekend in terms of a clubbing experience, per se � but more to unwind, to hang out with your friends. You know, bring your kids and your dogs, Frisbee, hammocks, have a picnic and just relax." This is the fifth year for the pair's Sunday jams. Starting at around 3 p.m. from May until Sept. 1, the guys' eclectic programming brings in DJs and performers of all stripes to jam in the sun. Usually a few hundred people come out; on long weekends, the event is moved to Monday and the turnout can double. Shaw and Macleod talk about the events as a way of giving back to the community, but it's also obvious that hosting brings them a lot of joy. "We go through about 70 performers, DJs, musicians and bands through the summer, so the ability it gives us to explore different kinds of music is unbelievable," says Shaw. "It's to the point that we can call just about anyone in the city and they'll happily do it." Completely free, the events have a definite hippie vibe, which comes straight from the top guys imposing very few rules other than a "leave no trace" policy � that is, clean up your mess and don't damage anything. It is a place where you'll see young club kids and older partygoers mingle. There are families there who have stumbled onto the event, and older ravers who bring their kids. The tone is laidback and mellow, with most people laying on blankets and others dancing. It's one of the closest things this city has to Montreal's Tam Tams � summer Sunday events in which vast numbers of people spontaneously cluster to play hand drums on the eastern slope of Mount Royal. "We're inspired by those events in Montreal, like Tam Tam and Picnic Electronique, that are ad hoc community events, loosely organized and mainly based on the participation and goodwill of the people that attend," says Shaw. "Really that's what shapes Cherry Beach � the people who come." The two organizers accept donations to pay for the generator and sound system, but the rest comes out of their pockets. While the guys are a bit reticent to talk about the events, this season there are three more weekends left. Close by Cherry Beach is The Docks nightclub complex, long the focal point for noise complaints. Last month, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission capped a 10-year legal battle by ruling in favour of Toronto Island residents and revoking The Docks' liquor licence. After The Docks appealed the ruling, its licence was restored, temporarily at least, under certain conditions. While a truce currently seems in place, Shaw and Macleod were asked by Jerry Sprackman, owner of The Docks, to discuss the situation. According to the Promise duo, he told them that he respected how they are responsibly handling their Cherry Beach events, but if his liquor licence is jeopardized, he may have to cite them as another source of the noise along the waterfront. "He basically said that he had to protect his investment," says Shaw. "Which we understand." After the meeting, the Promise duo detailed Sprackman's position in a message to their huge mailing list, and offered pointers for other promoters using Cherry Beach. Their note, written in an even-handed way and expressing sympathy for both the Islanders and The Docks predicament, suggested sound systems should be pointed away from the island, and people should avoid getting lippy with police officers if they show up. "The response has been overwhelming, although a lot of people are surprised by how articulate we sound," says Macleod with a laugh. It's a respect-thy-neighbour approach that many others in the city could learn from. "The fact is, it doesn't have to be loud to be fun," Macleod says. He and Shaw are pledging to hold Promise events on a spot inland from the beach, and to make routine checks to make sure the sound isn't travelling across the water. As well, they say they'll check with friends living on the islands to make sure they aren't being disturbed. For those looking with a critical eye at Cherry Beach, there may be violations here and there, particularly at night. Sure, there are people being freely recreational in what they smoke or pour into their plastic cups. Just as people are doing, less publicly perhaps, in every other corner of the city. That said, if you want an exhibit for the city's T.O. Live with Culture campaign, here it is at Cherry Beach � living and breathing in a part of city that most people couldn't care less about. For those who do care, it's one of this city's best summer traditions. |
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| For those who do care, it's one of this city's best summer traditions. |
I care
I'm taking my little brother today. 
Do any of you know if there is something going on today?
in other news, reports from the UKTA ..
quote: Originally posted by Grrrrr
Police are desperately trying to find out details of a "mega" illegal rave expected to take place in the coming weeks, as forces across the country begin to report a significant resurgence in the free party movement.
First signs of the rebirth of the outdoor rave came last year, but partygoers now appear to be more emboldened to challenge laws brought in 12 years ago by the Conservative government to crush a scene that epitomised the dance and drug culture of the early 90s.
Forces admit there has been a surge in activity, including one party in north Cornwall that was attended by more than 5,000 revellers. Officers are warning landowners and the public to be on their guard after receiving intelligence that large raves may be being planned for weekends in August, particularly over the bank holiday.
The Devon and Cornwall police force is particularly concerned that partygoers will attempt to gather for a large rave in the West Country after the success of the event earlier this summer when revellers were able to sneak on to a disused airfield using a car rally as cover.
On a national level forces are working hard to make sure they share information about raves in the pipeline.
Thames Valley police is using Asbo legislation to try to take out prolific rave organisers, while police in Norfolk, another rave hotspot, this week urged landowners to make sure ravers cannot get access to prime party sites.
The so-called "rebirth of rave" is being put down by enthusiasts as a rebellion against the "chav culture" blighting many clubs and against the sort of music created by the likes of Coldplay.
Dave Jenkins, clubs editor for International DJ magazine and himself a fan of the free party scene, said: "Rave has been bubbling under since its heyday - every so often there's a new influx of young people who get into it. This year there has been a huge rebirth."
Derek Williams, a veteran raver and chronicler of the scene, added: "The drugs clampdown has resulted in fewer underground clubs and more alcohol, chav-orientated legal venues.
"This has driven alternative-minded people away from legal venues to the underground raves."
The ravers seem to be staying a step ahead of the police, using ever more sophisticated means and complicated networks to advertise parties.
Another aspect of the movement is the number of much smaller raves, involving just a few score or few hundred people and taking place in a remote spot like a moor or wood, which the police only rarely get to hear about.
The rave movement reached its zenith in the late 80s and early 90s. The movement declined after new laws gave the police stronger powers to tackle them but, as events have shown this summer, did not disappear.
Over May bank holiday this year hundreds of VW and custom car fans headed to Newquay in north Cornwall for an annual Run for the Sun rally. The police did not notice that among them were many hundreds much more interested in sounds systems than air-cooled engines.
Officers watched helpless while as many as 5,000 people partied at a well-organised but illegal rave on a disused airfield at Davidstow, near Camelford. Once thousands of people are on site the police tend to monitor and contain the event rather than try to break it up.
In other parts of the country police have managed to stop big raves. One which had attracted as many as 2,000 people in Northamptonshire was halted; a week later Avon and Somerset police got wind of a planned rave at an old firing range and managed to blockade it. Chief Inspector Richard Baker of Devon and Cornwall's contingency planning unit accepted the Davidstow rave had not been on the police's radar but said the force was now better prepared.
Intelligence specialists were monitoring websites and party phonelines to try to pick up word of further free parties and festivals. The bank holiday on the last weekend of August has been pinpointed as a possible date for a large rave.
While police express confidence about picking up word of large raves, privately they admit they have little chance of preventing smaller ones.
Dan, a moderator on a website which is a favourite with free party enthusiasts and a regular on the south-west rave scene, said there were such gatherings almost every weekend. "There are lots of parties which 50, 100 or 250 people attend. They are local affairs which people get to know about by word of mouth. People tend to be responsible - they dig latrines, they find remote spots so residents are not disturbed, and they tidy up after themselves."
Another south-west raver, who calls himself CrazyMC69, said the scene was a peaceful one. "If you go into Exeter on a Saturday night you'll see fights. I've never seen any trouble at a free party."
Danya, 18, said: "For me it's all about the music - it's fresh and vibrant, so different to what you get in clubs. I think it's cool that the children of the original ravers are now getting into it."
Naturally, the scene has developed since the 80s and 90s. The DJs use MP3 players as well as record decks and partygoers are equipped with global positioning systems to find remote raves rather than Ordnance Survey maps. Text messaging and websites make it easy to get the word out about an event.
But it's not all peace and love. Website moderator Dan said some of the larger crews - the operators of the sound systems - are being forced out of urban areas by tougher policing and have moved into rural areas like the south-west. "It can be an ego thing - wanting to put on the biggest party, wanting to put two fingers up to authority. Bigger isn't always best."
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/festivals...828591,00.html
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I would love to attend one of these, unfortunately i was born a good 15years to late to experience the real thing. All i have to do now is find someone 'in the know'
source:
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...threadid=360383
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| Originally posted by The Highroller Do any of you know if there is something going on today? |
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