Though it gave its name to the weekend, the Spring Scream arts-music festival is by now almost incidental to the events it has spawned in Kenting, where parties on the beach and other dance-music events draw tens of thousands of young people for three days of fun that scandalize the nation.
The rave parties began four years ago with the first Moonlight party on Dawan beach and grew exponentially in scale the next year, when local and national promoters tried to capitalize on a cash business in a good location. It was perfect weather, there were many good parties, arrests, a drowning and livid coverage in the media.
Last year came the backlash, as police raided five out of seven parties on the Saturday night. There were, in addition, other publicized busts on the town's main drag and beach, even on a hotel room, where a sex and drugs party was allegedly held.
ILLUSTRATION: MOUNTAIN PEOPLE
Breathless reporting about drugs, women in skimpy bathing suits, foreigners, gangsters and raids guaranteed coverage on the news at six, in popular dailies and the weekly Next Magazine. Reporters were informed before the raids took place and TV cameras were ready with their arc lights when they happened.
Also the weather was unseasonably bad, wind tore at the marquees and blew down speaker stacks. Sound systems were flooded and it was cold. It was a financial slap in the face for many of the promoters.
The best party was "Love Mansion," held in a pleasant hotel with gardens. A lot of money had been put into the production and to bring over foreign DJs. But this did not deter the police, who stopped the music briefly, looked on the floors, searched people, but found nothing, said Alan Hsia of Loop production, who organized the event. He confirmed there was one arrest for fighting and an ongoing lawsuit alleging police harassment when a male officer "searched" a woman at the party.
Elsewhere, police reported the arrests of 10 suspected drug users and two suspected dealers. Drugs seized included 10 ecstacy pills and small amounts of cannabis, ketamine and heroin.
"I think this year there will be many free parties and special events on a smaller scale. The promoters are doing this so as to pick it up. Last year we paid out so much, like for the place and the permit and everything [to comply with the law]. And the promotion was fierce. But it was a kind of set up and they [the police] still raided us," Hsia said.
"Maybe there won't be so much going on this year. No one wants to take the financial risk, so there's not so much publicity this time round. I even heard from one of the local guys that police have been getting criticism from local traders about disrupting the event."
Hsia has put together the "The Love Shuttle" road show this year and got sponsorship from blue-chip companies like Sony, Coors and Pioneer to cover the bottom line. Maybe, the reasoning goes, the police will think twice about busting up a large corporation's party.
DJ Victor, one of Taiwan's most respected DJs, said there was a problem with the perception of the Spring Scream weekend's associated events, which he said had become an important festival for young Taiwanese.
"It's culture for Taiwanese youth. Until now, there haven't been any really major festivals, but for youngsters it is a big event. I've gone down to `Spring Scream' and don't really go to the [arts-] music festival, because it's not really my thing. But [Spring Scream] has got to be a good thing. I mean, it is a good thing for Kenting, for the economy, it does no harm," Victor said.
"My opinion is that people [in power] right now don't understand the music system, especially electronic. Actually, not many people listen to it; `normal' people only listen to something soft. When they hear something with so much energy they think,`Oh, this is drug music' and that's it.
"The magazines and news people always pick up on the most controversial thing. There was even a supposed interview last year [at Kenting] with people doing drugs. It was so fake it was absolutely ridiculous."
DJ Em, who is helping put together the fourth Moonlight event said promoters were working together more this year to keep the nation's most popular music festival going.
"I think this is a big thing for Taiwan, I just hope it's not the same as last year, with the winter weather and cops," he said. "Most definitely there will be some trouble, so I think it's best if you approach the weekend like a vacation and just take it easy. The music is always good; you have to go for the music. You've got to see it as more like a festival than just a party. Kenting is just like Bali, there's a lot of Thai and Western food, the beach, and foreigners, it's so exotic, and it's easy to have a good time."
The forecast is that Spring Scream will feature a relatively low-key series of events, many of which will be heavily branded, commercialized and strictly controlled. Permits are required from the promoters who will employ security to "police" their own parties, as happens in most established clubs.
There seems to be no reason for the event to be more trouble than any other festival.
On 92.15FM earlier in the week, the pros and cons of the weekend's events were debated by two hosts on a Chinese-language call-in show. They said it was possible that if there was trouble like last year, the parties might not take place in the future. They discussed the problems of drugs, the media, the police and the gangsters, and concluded that if the authorities shut it down it would be Taiwan's loss. The host finished by saying, "Every other country in the world has festivals like this, even China. Why is this?"
Follow the crowd:
As many promoters got burned at last year's Spring Scream a more subdued electronic music festival is expected this year, with many free events and various parties run by the pubs and restaurants in Kenting.
In a first for the town, there will be a "Kenting Freedom Parade" that intends to"break the wall of people's misunderstanding toward electronic dance music," according to DJ @llen. Chozie, Victor, Dark, Saucey and JJ will perform on a huge truck called the "Lovemobile." It's a free party down Kenting Road on Friday and Saturday afternoons until midnight.
Another good bet will be "Free for Fun," held on Baishan beach, 15 minutes from Kenting, on Friday and Saturday, from 2pm to 10pm, with DJs @llen, Dark, Victor and DJ. The organizer DJ Dark said it would be a free event (with voluntary donation to clean up beach), "because this is a vacation for me, to spend money."
"Love Shuttle" -- which features a converted 18-wheeler truck that unfolds, with the depression of one button, into a full size stage -- has managed to take the prime spot on Dawan beach in Kenting, from 3pm to 12pm. It starts Friday with DJ Noodle and Bigz, plus open mic MC battles, followed by Taipei-based DJs K Fancy, Em and Trouble. Also appearing will be the VoodooTech Crew, Cliff Vermette (the future sound of 2nd Floor), Freak Dudes, Spunite Production Crew, Connect Crew, DJ Reason, DJ Xiao Hei and live vocals from Angie and Marco.
Taichung DJs JJ and Tom, along with A100, Papillon, @llen and Saucey will be at B3, on the main street (#233-1), 10pm to 6am, NT$500 plus drink.
"Moonlight" will be back on the grounds opposite Dawan beach for the late night parties on Friday and Saturday, with most of the 2nd Floor and Luxy DJs, along with a few locals. Starting at 5pm and ending at 5am both nights. Expect to hear DJ Chono, Zero, @kira, @llen, Choyce Kutz & Dr. Who, among others.
There will also be "private parties" that are not going to be advertised, some in clubs, restaurants, bars and hotels, others at local beaches. Keep your eyes and ears open.
The Vinyl Word: Go with the flow.
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