Does n e body know any thing about Majik 2 or Sensation (defstar)?

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-- Does n e body know any thing about Majik 2 or Sensation (defstar)?

Posted by ethopian99 on Jun-23-2002 06:57:

Does n e body know any thing about Majik 2 or Sensation (defstar)?

Hey I was wondering if anybody knew anything about these two raves that are supposedly going to be better then Canada day 2002 and Majik ??

Posted by j_spot on Jun-23-2002 09:10:

so what do you want to know?

Canada Day 2002 is Scot Project and Cosmic Gate

Magik 2 is probably tiesto, maybe PvD

Posted by Lars Northrop on Jun-23-2002 10:33:

If it was the second coming of Christ, I wouldn't go just because of the fact it is a def-star party.

Seriously, defstar has dealt such major blows to the scene in Alberta (Edmonton in particular) and I don't see why anybody would support them. If you are wondering why I'm so against them, PM me and I'll send you a short overview of how defstar likes to screw people.

Posted by Tony Morello on Jun-23-2002 18:49:

well, we haven't had a problem with defstar yet in calgary
anything major that would make me want to stop going anyway...

Posted by chig on Jun-23-2002 19:27:

Theres to much time from now till magik 2 and with tiesto coming on stampede week do you really think they will bring him back again in december? who knows. As for sensation its a lil closer and its something to look more forward to. Ive heard to much about this one, but i really want to see PVD here and soon, hes just to good!!!!

Posted by j_spot on Jun-23-2002 21:12:

Lars, lets not keep it in PM, I mod this section, so we can keep in in check..
HOW can one promoter sink an entire scene UNLESS that scene is solely based on them?

Ill admit, if Defstar were to leave calgary, there would be a BIG void to fill for the club scene, but I think that it would leave a door open for Imperial Brothers (who never got crowd support for good DJs) and as for the rave scene...Defstar never does big raves by themselves..they always have Appolo or Boodang along w/ em. These 2 prod companies know how to throw good raves, and do so every few months. It would probably pick up.

Really, I think that if you want to believe that a production company can kill a scene, it must be dead to begin with. United has brought talent, and only 200 ppl show up? thats weak...

Tell me HOW a PRODUCTION company can kill a scene..they had a bad event, insane lineups @ Ascencion..but because of that one event, nobody goes out anymore? That just doesnt make sense

tell me why/how, maybe ill buy it

Posted by Lars Northrop on Jun-23-2002 23:08:

Well, let's go through this step by step and go back in time two years.

Ascension 2000. The "biggest rave event the city has aver seen" (according to Keith). Sportex, over 5000 tickets have been sold. Paul Oakenfold is headlining, alongside with Max Graham and some other people. Good lineup.

Well, Mr. Rebuliak seems to be so confident in his skill as a promoter (this is his first major party, his second "rave" event in Edmonton). In his infinite wisdom he decides to invite the local TV stations, newspapers, and city officials to come check out the party because he's such an honest promoter and party people should trust his judgement. May I stress again that this is his second event in Edmonton.

Night of the party. People arrive to find a lineup stretching around half the venue. Also, people arrive to find Ephedrine tablets being given away at the door. Attendees who have arrived at the published door-opening times are waiting for 4-5 hours outside. Many ticketholders don't even make it in, while door ticket sales are still going (for a rather substantial amount of money).

At this point, the police is all over the place, city mayor is making an appearence as well. The entrance is blocked, they're letting in only one person at a time and checking them for several minutes. It is obvious that the whole event is horribly understaffed and an organisational nightmare.

To add to the catastrophe, early in the morning six people collapse of strobe light triggered epilepsy attacks. Media is of course all over this one, labeling them as (alledged) ecstasy overdoses. While this isn't directly Def-Star's fault, they should have known the effects of strobe lights and should have set them up according to the space available (I believe those were 4x1500w strobe lights in a room that is barely 10m wide). Again, an official press release is promised but it was never published. Media takes this as an admission of guilt.

Fallout. Media is all over the scene, while Keith decides again, in his infinite wisdom to take the place of spokesperson for all the promoters and partygoers in Edmonton. This wouldn't be bad if he wasn't spewing absolute crap comments, which ended up doing MUCH more harm than good. In retrospect, Ascension was the event that turned the media and city officials against raves. Many people argue that this would have happened sooner or later, but I'm certain it wouldn't have had such a major impact if it happened at a properly organised event. Also it wouldn't bring the parties in such an extremely negative light - if you see the way Calgary bylaw developed you can definitely see a much lesser degree of animosity of city officials towards parties because Calgary never had such a fiasco in their history. Keith's efforts basically ruined months of preparations and work of other promoters who triet to lay a frams for a future "rave bylaw", not to mention pull the scrutiny of the general public upon the scene.

Aftermath. A free event is promised for all the wristband holders, alongside with refunds for all the people who didn't get in despite having a ticket. Neither happened. I know people who still have their tickets as a reminder not to attend Def-Star parties. Def-Star is proverbialyy tarred and feathered, they move their base of operations to Calgary, leaving Edmonton promoters to deal with the mess that he created.

A few months down the road, Def-Star attempts to throw another event in Edmonton (a club night this time). Zero turnout. Keith Rebuliak proceeds to post a long rand on the official Def-Star website about how the Edmonton party scene is dead because of decreasing quality of drugs and because of people being drug burn-outs. Public outrage, people who were ready to forgive and forget again have vendettas against Def Star. After a failed collaboration with United Productions, Def Star pretty much gave up on ever re-establishing a good reputation in Edmonton.

Sporadic incidents still occured involving Edmonton DJs getting screwed over and not getting paid for their services, dishonoring of contracts as well as flame wars and name calling through various means.

Well, now that you know most of the facts, you might be able to understand why Edmonton hates Defstar and their head clown Keith Rebuliak.

btw. J-spot, the reason Def-Star throws joint ventures with other production companies is mostly to be able to shift blame away from themselves in case things go wrong. This happened with their collaboration with United here in Edmonton; United was nothing more than a scapegoat and a facade behind which DefStar could still try and operate in Edmonton. Why do you think United broke off collaboration with such a "major promoter"?

Posted by Thierry on Jun-24-2002 00:37:

In adding to it, the strobes were not Defstar's fault, but having media, extra police and our city council witness it was. And I agree with you 100% Lars. Media attention, police attention, bylaws have destroyed all remaining venues, thereby eliminating most party possibilities. Downright awful... but hopefully Nexus 8 will still be happening.

Posted by j_spot on Jun-24-2002 06:33:

you do know that United and Defstar still do events in calgary right?