Stos here.
With our first few parties announced and our tickets on sale now for the first in a series of parties called "Midnight Transmissions," I have found myself frequently attempting to explain my vision for this event. I thought it might be easier to hash everything out on here for everyone to read rather than constantly try to explain it.
For those of you who do not know, I am an immigrant from the Greek islands. I immigrated with my family to Detroit at an early age and I lived there (except for 4 years in Ann Arbor) until I moved to DC in 2015. If you can't tell...i'm old.
I was very active in the underground scene in Detroit, running a listserv (313kids), then running a DJ crew, (The Struggle). In that time I not only had a lot of fun, but learned a lot about who I was. I was fortunate to have sooo many amazing friends, djs, producers, even promoters dedicate so much time and energy to preserving a culture that was and still is VERY important to us.
Moving to DC and seeing this culture of underground electronic music thrive helped me feel at home and gave me a community that I could automatically plug into. After COVID, the scene changed dramatically. The pre-COVID crowd got older, some got married, had families, etc. causing them to fade away or not come out as much. Taking their place was a younger, new crowd hungry for underground dance music and culture. As an "old head" I loved to see a new generation carrying on this culture that was so important to me.
With such acute changes, I also notice some deficiencies- through NO fault of anyone in it, but through external circumstances and the way we communicate. Gone are the local underground late night radio shows that were available to me. This was important as it exposed me to the dance music I had grown to love from clubbing during in my summers in Greece as a teen but couldn't dance to in the US due to our restrictive and oppressive laws. But because of radio DJs like Liz Copeland and broadcasts from clubs like Motor, I was able to at least listen to the music I had grown to love.
I was reminded of this a few years ago listening to a podcast from 99% Invisible about why Berlin was so drawn to Detroit Techno. Just like how I had to rely on the radio to be exposed to underground dance music, the was true in Berlin decades prior. Those on one side of the wall would hear the "dark but celebratory" sound of Detroit techno being played a few hundred meters away giving them inspiration and hope. Those late night- even midnight- radio transmissions could not be stopped and giving EVERYONE in the city exposure to this underground sound.
I see similar walls up in our scene. Not because of ANYONE of us doing anything malicious, but because of how limiting the tools that we have available to us have become. The internet was once the backbone of the underground movement. It was a way for local scenes to connect, talk about music, talk about safety, arrange rides, and extend the ability of our community to remain connected beyond the weekend. Sure, it wasn't perfect- it had more than its share of drama, trolling, and flaming - but even then it also allowed us to discuss things, even work out problems, transparently and openly.
Today, the internet has become so monetized that even our underground movement has no choice but to feed the divisive anger industrial complex that social media has created. We have been divided into walled off cohorts so the shareholders of media conglomerates who control our communication tools can better package us to advertisers and maximize profits. Even we have to pay for ads to make sure people are aware of our events, which would have never been the case in the past.
I don't know how many times I have heard in parties geared toward younger folks in the scene about how they went to Detroit for Movement, or "No Way Back" or any number of afterparties and fell in love with the city and its music wishing they could experience more of that here. It always confuses me, because those parties DO exist here, but our current landscape makes it difficult to know they are happening and more importantly impossible if they will be welcome and respected there.
But...nothing stops the underground and our music. Just like the "Midnight Transmissions" of Berlin and even here in the US, the goal of this monthly residency is to use the power of techno to break these barriers and bring the experiences so many have had in places like Detroit, here in DC.
This is why this event HAD to be at Transmission. We embrace and celebrate that this is a club owned by, operated by, and for the queer and trans community...And I will not throw a party unless I KNOW that everyone in this community, including many in our crew, are safe, welcomed, and embraced. While I know there are many places like this in DC, there is not safer space than Transmission.
For the old heads who want to hear amazing underground techno and house, we will feature some of those best djs on earth every month. Joining them will be our residents and a mix of new and veteran guest djs. The goal is one room providing the type of dance floor often associated with Detroit style raves and Berlin style clubs. Music and a dark, non-distracting environment to encourage that blissful, meditative state that only dancing for hours can give you. In the other room will be a space for our djs to explore the Midnight FM signature "acid disco" sound - an accessible and unique mix of acid techno, italo disco, french house, and electronic body music.
Our crew features those with physical disabilities (myself included). I want to make sure that we are especially accessible for that community as well. Our event will feature low lighting throughout with no strobe lights, no lasers, and no rapidly flashing lights. Also we ask that no one wear any clothing that lights up, or bring any glow sitcks, lights, etc. It is not only distracting, but can be harmful to those with stimulation issues.
We will also have volunteer "stewards" on sight to ensure everyone is having a good time, that people are respecting each others space and privacy, to promote a culture of consent, and to assist those with physical disabilities. We want to make sure that the disabled have access to the dance floor, available seating when needed, and ease getting around floor to floor.
For those going through financial hardship, we will strive to make these events as cheap as possible. I do not believe in making any profit, and should we somehow make money in any event, it will just be used to make future parties better and more accessible. We also want to make the process of getting a free ticket easier, which is why those who want a free ticket can simply click here to be added to the list as my personal guest.
Finally...dancing is more than just something to do for fun. For me and for so many others, dancing is a meditation. It is a way for me to feel comfortable with my body and comfortable in my mind. Dancing helps reset the body, and even work through trauma. We even learn to dance before we can walk! The most important moments I ever had while dancing came while realizing that what I was not alone in this meditative process...that while in my head, I was sharing this personally intimate experience with others. We were all going inward, becoming more comfortable with ourselves together. To achieve this collective intimacy, we need an environment where we can be safe, free, and respected.
In order to respect the privacy that these experiences require, and make EVERYONE comfortable expressing themselves on the dance floor, we will not allow ANYONE to film or photograph the djs or the people on dance floor.
I know this all might sound a little crazy...but to me our music, our scene is more than about fun. It is an art, it is a movement, and it is a culture. We are part of something bigger than ourselves that was here before us, and we have an opportunity to shape its future. THIS is why at my age I am still around the scene, and this is why I want to do this specific event.
Anyways...thank you for reading all of this. If there is something you think we can do to make our events better and create the environment I have described, I would love feedback and constructive criticism. I can be reached at stos@midnight.fm. Thank you again and see you on the dance floor!
