By Joshua Head
Miami Beach
Fl, August 21, 2008, --- On August 31, 2008, a true musical
master returns to
South Beach for Edison Farrow’s second Amnesia Tea
Dance at Opium Garden.
Edison’s Amnesia Ten Year Reunion party last month was a resounding
success, drawing almost 1000 partiers to dance away Sunday afternoon
and evening. A
few nostalgic fans even flew in from around the country for the
event to relive those long lost glory days.
With the threat of rain that day, Edison was able to deliver
on the hype. The
previous Amnesia Tea was billed as a reunion, an event that
transported many back to the days when South Beach was King or
“Queen” in some cases.
Labor Day weekend’s Amnesia Tea Dance promises to build on that and
take us forward into a new era.
To do that, Edison has enlisted the amazing talents of none
other than Susan Morabito.
Morabito’s morning parties at Crobar during Winter Party
Festival and White Party Week are legendary.
She is able to take you on such an amazing musical journey
that so few can. And
what a special treat to take that journey at the beautiful outdoor
space that is Opium Garden
We welcome Susan Morabito back to South Beach and
had the chance to ask her a few questions.
Susan’s absence from the South Florida scene has
been a noticeable one.
When asked about her return to “the great sandbar”, Susan says,
“It’s been about two years since I’ve played Miami and I’m very much
looking forward to it.
Amnesia T-dance is a big part of Miami gay history and tradition.
Being a proponent of gay dance history and traditions I’m excited to
be a part of it.”
Susan has such a unique style and has never shied
from spinning different genres of music in her sets.
I asked her how she will incorporate her special style into
the Tea Dance and what we can expect from her musically.
She says that “T-Dances should be light and uplifting and [I]
would like to go in that direction if the majority crowd will trust
me and let me take them there.”
Susan has played an almost infinite number of
events, but if she had the chance to play an event just once more,
she says, “The club would be Octagon and the events would be both
“Climax” Gay Pride Weekend and “Equinox” Black Party Weekend.
Both of those after-party events were magical.
Octagon’s dance floor was circular and circles create an
intimate feeling of unity.
Both Equinox and Climax were events about celebration and
community and each consisted of a full musical journey from
beginning to end which included the down trip.
The full musical journey is rarely a part of the dance
experience these days.
And the down trip is unheard of.”
I asked her if she saw the club scene improving or even dying
out and she responded, “I don’t see it improving, at least not
anytime in the near future, but it is changing."
Changing it is, as we all know too well.
There was a time when many cities, including Miami Beach,
could support mega-clubs with thousands dancing each weekend night.
Over the years, some DJs have changed jobs and left the
business all together.
I asked Susan if she wasn’t a DJ, what she would do.
She says that she has no idea, “but most likely something
else in the music industry.”
Susan began spinning in 1982, making her longevity
in the business pretty remarkable in and of itself. I believe the
only female DJ who has been around longer than her is Wendy Hunt. I
asked her to what she can attribute her incredible staying power, in
an industry that is dominated by men and has a reputation for rapid
turnover of talent.
Susan replied, “Playing records is a spontaneous art form, it’s
interactive, and it’s a give and take. I think I’ve maintained
longevity because I truly understand that. I’ve always evolved with
my music; my evenings are a full musical journey that takes you
somewhere. They consist of a beginning a middle and an end. I’m told
I present a unique sound and journey that’s very different from what
you hear on the circuit today.”
She continues, “And at the risk of sounding
arrogant I believe I am truly talented and that I’m a musical leader
that performs through emotion and conviction. I’m not commercial, I
don’t have gimmick.
It’s just me and the mood I create.”
Susan feels that she may not be for everybody, and possibly
not even for the majority, but she adds, “[I would] like to believe
that for all the reasons above, I’m
for enough people who have supported me throughout the years and
have given me that staying power.”
DJs retain huge musical libraries so I asked Susan
what type of music she listens to.
She says that she mostly likes to listen to what she calls
“granola music”.
According to her that would be Simon and Garfunkel, Nick Drake,
Tracy Chapman, Cowboy Junkies, David Berkeley, Iron and Wine,
R.E.M., Everything but the Girl, Tindersticks, Emmylou Harris, K. D.
Lang just to name a few.
We here at SOBEGAYINFO.COM want to thank Susan
Morabito for taking time out of her very busy schedule to chat with
us. The Labor Day
Amnesia Tea Dance promises to be an extraordinary event not to be
missed. We look forward
to the return of the Devine Miss “M” to South Beach, and her amazing
ability to take you on an unimaginable journey through music.
Amnesia Tea Dance
Sunday, August 31, 2008 - 4pm to 10pm
Opium Garden
136 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach
305.534.5488
$15 Advance tickets available at Halo or
www.BrownPaperTickets.com. Tickets at the door will be $20.
Miami Beach, FL (Send to Friend) - SAVE wishes to thank Edison Farrow for a great day, Sunday July 6, at the Amnesia Tea Dance 10 Year Reunion. This dynamic event, filled with music, dance, great entertainment, celebrated SAVE's effort to secure the historic vote of the Miami-Dade County Commission to pass the Domestic Partners and Family Health Coverage Ordinance on May 20.
of Warsaw Ballroom, Splash, Pump, Salvation, Paragon, Level, Kremlin, and the Loading Zone. Those gay nightspots defined South Beach in the 1990’s. Another weekly event that helped to define South Beach as a gay Mecca was the long-running Tea Dance held at Amnesia (now Opium Garden). Edison Farrow will be bringing back the decadence and fun of that weekly event that celebrated not only gay life, but life in general. Even with a name like Amnesia, it is hard to forget the drag shows and foam parties.
