Valentine’s Day flashers wanted

February

Valentine’s Day flashers wanted

Skip the awkward gift-giving and obligatory chocolates this Valentine’s Day and make a plan to hang with your newest best friends at a VD flash mob, conveniently located in downtown SF in the Castro’s pedestrian plaza at 17th and Castro. DJ Luke Fry, spinmeister at the Lookout’s Saturday night special, Social Club, is coordinating this event, with help from legendary drag queen Heklina and singer Josh Klipp. Luke was kind enough to answer our burning questions…

Tell us a little bit about yourself. I am originally from London, having lived in Sydney for a while before moving here 5 years ago to be with my partner. I am primarily a DJ working Saturday nights for Social Club at The Lookout, but I dabble in other arts, such as painting, music production and I have a degree in make-up special effects, which currently has landed me work in the adult entertainment industry for Falcon and Mustang.

You, Heklina and Josh Klipp are coordinating a flash mob for Valentine’s Day – what was your inspiration, and why Valentine’s Day? My initial inspiration for the flash mob came from one of my closest friends and fellow DJ, Dan Murphy. He lives in Sydney and when I was there in November he was already organizing his first flash mob. The actual event took place the week after I had returned home and when I saw the completed video I thought it looked like a lot of fun. Of course I sent the link to all my friends and my partner suggested I organize one here. After some consideration and hearing from Dan how much he and everyone involved enjoyed making it, I decided sure. I knew I needed sometime to prepare and Valentine’s day seemed far enough away and something I could base the event around. After all why not spread love and happiness, as well as smiles and entertainment.

Have you worked with Josh and Heklina before? And if not, how did you get hooked up? I had been introduced to Heklina previously at a couple of her events, and once at my house when she was in a Gloss shoot there with some of the Hot House boys. Janine Shiota, who is one of the organizers of the monthly party Fresh, introduced me to Josh Klipp after I had discussed my idea with her. She also included Heklina in the email she sent, as she thought she would be interested and a great person to have involved. She was right!

The whole concept of taking an ordinary public space and using music and dance to turn it into a spectacle of fabulousness seems inherently queer. Are you doing anything to make this flash mob even more gay? I agree that nothing says gay like some synchronized dancing, but I’m not doing anything extra to make this a queer event, well other than having people wear pink or red I guess, but again that works with love as well. I have to admit a lot of the people I have discussed this with are gay, or at least very comfortable on the gay scene, but anyone is welcome to join in the fun, it wouldn’t be a love fest otherwise.

Are you also a dancer? I am not a trained dancer, but do love to shake my thing when out for the night, or when I am spinning. I wasn’t sure whether I would be involved in the dancing side of the project, or work and camera and the music, but I have to lead the first rehearsal on Feb 6th as Josh will be out of town, so have been practicing the routines Josh posted to Youtube.

Are you still looking for more participants? We would love more participants and not just dancers, we could use another videographer to record the event and some people to help to setup and pack away any equipment and help make room amongst the public and viewers. If you want to get involved you can email me at luke.fry@plus44productions.com and there is also information on out event page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=268553546146&ref=mf where you will also find the links to the practice videos.

If I just wanna watch, where should I go? We were hoping to hold the event at Union Square, but sadly there is another event going on that day and the square will have a tent on it. I am still waiting to hear if we have permission to use Justin Herman plaza, fingers crossed, and if so we will be there and performing at noon on Valentine’s day. Otherwise you can see the end result when it is posted to youtube at http://www.youtube.com/rockyourbox which incidentally also has the Sydney official flash mob video if you would like a taste of what’s to come, since this is our response. Update: the venue has been changed to the pedestrian plaza at the intersection of 17th Stree, Castro and Market.

What’s your favorite flash mob video? I love Dan’s flash mob of course, but I think the first one I ever saw was in Central Station in New York, where the participants froze for 5 minutes and then just continued like nothing had happened. The public response to that it pretty amazing to watch and has always stuck in my mind.

What’s next for Luke Fry? Well I will continue to DJ Saturday nights for as long as they will have me, and if this event goes well I am hoping to do another. It just feels like it is going to be a lot of fun and I hope it makes people smile.

Check out Dan’s Bondi Beach Flash Mob, then join him for rehearsal Saturday Feb 6th – see the Facebook event Big Love Flash Mob for details.

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