Spare the rod and spoil the child… No doubt how this well known proverb has been for much on the launch of this now regular column named Politics Of Dancing. A column where we think like doin’ nothing but our reputed job as a said observer with the aim to contribute to a brighter future as far as the vibes that unite us here - are concerned...
Each year at the same period, the Miami festivities are the opportunity to have both an instant cliché and a wider view as far as the house scene is concerned and this year happens to be once again significant in learnings for those of us customised to look much further than the extremity of their noses…
On a strictly consumer’s perspective, no doubt how this year has reached another peak with more and more people added to the Springtime travellers and more and more events to happen on a daily basis for the greatest satisfaction of the people used to take money out of it. In other words, the organisers of the event, but first and foremost the hotels, the restaurants, the cab drivers… and, on a more specific view, the club owners and the promoters who, like in Ibiza nowadays, use to charge the clubbers from 2 to 4 times the price of usual admissions ! As a matter of fact and as pointed out by spiritofhouse.com head Michael Fossati on his Miami daily reports, a lot of events whose real goal is to promote new productions and talents have had to suffer of the progressive arrival of already installed parties considered as institutions in the cities they’re takin’ place, and one has to wonder the reason of their presence if not to make extra money on those sunny shores. On top of it then, we may also wonder the interest of going to a weekly party almost all year long then make such an investment to attend the same thing while in Miami??? And I’m not even talking about the insane amount increase of those parties with, as a direct consequence, the litteral dilution of the whole into a never ending magma whereas it becomes more and more difficult for the fans, if not the rare observers, to make an objective choice. This, in addiction to the fact that there’s not anymore a central place where people could meet each other and proceed to the exchange of material and ideas like back in the daze during the afternoons at the Fontainebleau by the pool…
Mind you, one might always say that the proper of the times is to change, but also wonder in the mean time if it’s really for the better… Then now that the extravaganza is definitely over, what again is to happen in the remaining 51 other weeks of the year?
Years are going on and on but the learnings out of this remain sadly the same. House music is progressively eating itself with an increasing amount of people centered to their sole selves as opposed to support each other inside the reputed community and, as if it wasn’t enough, less and less looks like being done for the very rare observers entirely devoted to the said cause in regards to their yearly efforts to bring the world the latest developments as far as the music they champion and their actors are concerned. As a matter of fact, the response given by Franke Estevez of Fuzion Records to what needs to evolve is quite significant of the current situation. What needs to evolve is the recognition of Dance Music, he said as a part to our Miami 06 daily features. And what I mean by that is the right source of media, exposing this market. I would like to see us on big magazines, TV, video syndication and live radio broadcast. I just feel without those essentials, it makes the market harder for us to get there. And I guess this man is totally right as I don’t see how it’s possible for any scene to survive when neglecting those resources the way house music mainly does while running like a DJ to DJ thang.
You receive what you give, says another good ol’ proverb of the likes and no wonder why, while having many of its actors neglecting the way they do the rare devoted people givin’ em support all year long, house music gets so little support as opposed to other genres such as rock, hip hop and R&B.
On a more positive side of things though, let’s point out the works of people worth the listen (and the attention) such as Steal Vybe, Wil Milton, Franke Estevez & George Mena, Jihad Muhammad Herb Martin, PirahnaHead and his Detroit collegues. They are amongst those who, while keepin’ the (good) vibe alive, enlight our hearts and souls and contribute to maintain our hope in brighter days to come. MFSB
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