The Death of Dance?
Click on Love Parade to read about the event's triumphant return, or read on for a full history...
The biggest dance event in the world peaked in 1999, when an estimated one and a half million ravers flocked onto the streets of
Berlin for one almighty celebration of love and hedonism. It was a fitting end to a decade which saw dance music explode from the underground and dominate airwaves and dancefloors alike for ten heady years. As the millenium ushered in a new era however the Love Parade, and dance music itself, began to decline in popularity. In 2002 and 2003 a mere 750,000 turned up for the
event and sponsors began to get cold feet. When two major backers pulled out, organisers were forced to cancel the 2004 and 2005 Parades. Only time would tell whether the Berlin Love Parade was a spent force - a dinosaur of a past age; or a sleeping knight, ready to awake when the world needs him most!
The Love Parade began life as something of a political movement way back in the summer of '89, and four months before the fall of the Berlin Wall. It was organised on the initiative of Matthias Roeingh, aka "Dr. Motte", a DJ of the Berlin underground scene who wanted to use the international language of music as a medium for spreading peace and love, and promoting world unity. In his words: "Music knows no boundaries or nationalities." Some have argued that that these philanthropic sentiments were always secondary to the primary purpose of throwing a massive drug-fuelled, techno orgy.
Whatever the original motives, the Love Parade grew exponentially from its humble beginnings in 1989 - with one truck and 150 people - into the world's biggest dance festival. It became an event that completely took over Berlin for one day of every summer, right up until 2003. In fact by 1996 the event had already grown so big that organisers moved it from the Ku'damm (Kurfürstendamm) shopping avenue in Charlottenburg to the Tiegarten Park, where the expansive Strasse Des 17. Juni could better accommodate the masses.
The Love Parade usually started about 2pm, going on to the evening and then splitting into innumerable afterparties at night as the whole city was transformed into a vast club. At its peak the Parade featured fifty gigantic trucks where up to 250 DJs would blast out house and techno to the expectant revellers. Two common tactics for enjoying the day were to either walk beside a certain truck that you liked the sound of, or to stay still and soak up the different vibes of each van and its followers. The liberal, hedonistic crowd soon became famous for their inventive dress sense, exhibitionistic - and often kinky - tendencies, and for their 'back-in-the-day' rave costumes, which would include furry leg-warmers, glow-sticks and of course plenty of whistles. The festival's original cries for love and tolerance were rarely impeached and incidences of crime were always surprisingly low for such a big event.
Despite it's enormous success in the '90s, in the mid-noughties the Love Parade was in serious danger of submerging completely. Originally billed as a political demonstration, the German state had been legally responsible for policing and clearing up after the event. However in 2001, after years of legal wrangling, the courts ruled that the Parade had become a commercial event and was responsible for paying for itself. At first organisers rose to the challenge and sponsors were found, but its declining popularity and perceived significance meant that, since 2004, the required capital could not be raised. There were many that thought the Love Parade would never raise its magnanimous head in Berlin again...
Thank the Gods above though, these pessimistic forecasts were banished in 2006 when the Love Parade made a surprise - and triumpant comeback. The organisers found new sponsorship and a staggering 1,200,000 people took to the capital's streets to celebrate the event's return. It seems that there is hope yet for peace, love and hedonism on Planet Earth!
Finally, if you can't make it to Berlin for the 2007 Love Parade, then just remember that the legacy of the Love Parade now stretches out to a number of amazing cities around the world: Santiago, Acapulco, San Francisco and Tel-Aviv were amongst hosts for parties in 2005 and 2006!
|  My rating of this page is poor because of some of this peoples brokened this magical atmosphere.I read all the comments smoking meenwhile some good sh*t,and i laughed many times on their opinions.i don't want to comment others but it seems to me that i have to deal with some of you people who don't have anything else to do just to critisize.Srry first for my bad english,but i'm a mad raver from romania,who was borned for electronic music,and desperately need some good material every single day(believe me i know you are many like me)But think about it,i'm busting my ass for further informations,not to mention financiary money and organisations of our small group who represent us from our poor country on the bigest electronic dance street parade worldwide,and then some of u came with questions & doubts.NOOO this year the loveparade will go on.the exact date is on 25 august 2007,in a big cultural town named ESSEN,near DORTMUND.If u don't believe me guys & chicks verify me on the official site of the LP.U will find many other details(that just in the case if u are really really interested of this party,not just make bad comments & critics).Just think about it this is the first time for me to make my dream come true and make it reality.Shame on those who went to LP once or twice as i read it and still judging this party.The message still remained L.O.V.E.& PEACE,understanding between this variety of nations unified under the flag of happinesss,joy fun,instead of violence and other bad behaviour.Finally what more i can say soem of u folks really disappoint me(for me people u are not real loveparade fans,shame on u.)Anyway ALL YOU PEOPLE u are welcomed on this mass party with warmness.Musicaly speaking u will sure find you're style.In ESSEN i think this will be the first time when will be dancing under the sunshine of techno,hard house,clubbin',progressive,minimal,electro,d & b,trance u.v.a.i will waiting for u people patiently like i'm waiting for this mega event(1 month remained).If some of u need a talk,just send me e-mails and u will receive a qucik response from me as soon as possible.For those who work hard,this is a great opportunity to relax & chill,and to forget all your problems.Until then love rullz & peace for all my soundloverz!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
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reviewed by VERTYGO from Romania on Jul.22.2007 |