Love Parade – Year Two

Yesterday here in San Francisco was the second year they held Love Parade. This year seemed much bigger in all respects in comparison to last year, including more floats, bigger name DJ’s from around the world, and larger crowd. The parade route last last year went down the Embarcadero and ended up by SBC Park down by the water, while this year’s parade had a more prime route in my opinion, going down Market and ending up and taking over all of Civic Center.

Last year I only walked along with the parade from the beginning to the end of the parade route, which was a very nice time we had, as the weather then was absolutely gorgeous. This year, the weather was also beautiful, and besides walking and dancing along with the parade route I also went to the Cvic Center where the floats were all stationed along the perimeter. It was a bit more than overwhelming there, I have to say, to be amidst so many different sound sources. We went float to float, and as you got near to one it would be loud enough such that you could dance along and get into it, but when you went away from one you wouldn’t escape any sound really but put yourself amongst a number of different sound fields. Strangely disorienting after a while, not to be able to hear silence, the constant beat of one or another music, all in the context of Civic Center with City Hall right there in the background.

After a few hours of that, trying to dance and still deal with my backpack, hours and hours of sun light, and realizing it’s been a while since I went out dancing, we all called it a day and I walked back home. Amazing how quiet it was just immediately leaving Civic Center and moving onto Van Ness. I found myself walking back home, more than a bit tired, and feeling a distance between myself and the dance music growing, in more ways than one. I never did get to see the DJ’s I had wanted to see, but that’s alright. I still enjoy listening to dance music here and there, and still enjoy dancing, but life a bit quieter seems to suit me just nicely.

(I’m still looking forward to seeing LTJ Bukem on Thursday though, and compared to the information overload of Love Parade, it should be a nice relaxing time to just dance and enjoy the night away.)

^_^

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