With sound systems pumping and beats reverberating up and down Market Street, an estimated 65,000 naked and semi-naked free spirits, costumed dancers, and lost tourists pulsated to the music of San Francisco’s Love Fest on September 29.

“When the first sound system turns on [for Love Fest], that’s when I get excited,” said Love Fest President Joshua Smith.

The over 200 sound systems moved via floats, which carried dancers, turntables, and DJs, towards Civic Center Plaza last Saturday.

Click the link on the right to view multimedia presentation, produced by online producer Yevgeniy Sverdlik.

“This year I’m glad the community [of San Francisco] has really gone all out with the floats,” said Smith of the 23-float parade that began at noon. “There was a float that included a plane and another with a hot tub.”

The colossal crowd, who watched the floats roll by for over an hour, ranged from the modestly dressed parade goer to the nude bicyclists, short-skirted roller-skaters, and bikini-clad hula-hoopers.

But it wasn’t until floats stopped at Civic Center Plaza that Love Fest turned from a fluid-moving music parade into a static dance party.

“[It’s a celebration] of love, people, and community,” said Smith.

“[Love Fest] became something I couldn’t take my eyes off of,” said California College of the Arts student and first-time attendee Lana Nichols, 21, as she danced in her pink-neon outfit. “It’s amazing to see so many people in one place, moving to the same music.”

Love Fest, which originated in Berlin, Germany almost 20 years ago, is known for its assortment of house music, which was generated by a DJ on each float.

“[House music] can consist of techno, electronica, and dance, as well as remixes of songs from other genres of music,” said San Francisco-based DJ Scott Binder about the strong-beat driven music he plays.

Binder and fellow musician Nathan Heal make up Cybersutra, a two-man DJ team that was featured on the float for SF House Music, a house music promotion site and club on SF State’s campus started by SF State alumnus Alex Girsh, 29.

Girsh, who graduated with a degree in Music Artists Management in May, created the company last fall, hosting monthly DJ sets in Malcolm X Plaza near the end of the month and showcasing different DJs in the area.

“We play high energy sets,” said Binder, who plays music from a computer, mixer and turntable, while Heal accompanies him on keyboard. “San Francisco is pretty much the mecca for house music in the United States. And Love Fest is great way to showcase this [music] in a positive, upbeat environment.”

Cybersutra spun tracks and moved to the beat driven out of the speakers, while much of the crowd watched them perform and moved along to the beat.

“These guys are really good at creating dance music,” said Nichols as the float rolled by her.

But not everyone enjoyed the show or the music, including Academy of Art University student Matt Sutter, 22, who said the sound systems were too loud, and the naked men were definitely a turn off.

“I’m glad I went—to say I’ve gone—but I don’t think I’ll go again,” said Sutter, 22.
While others, like Brendon Quirk, simply didn’t attend.

“I’m not a big fan of house music,” said the SF State political science senior, 21, whose dislike for the genre was a main reason he did not attend the event.

“I think the message behind Love Fest is good,” said Quirk, 21, referring to community and love, “but I just didn’t want to go.”

For more information about Love Fest and SF House Music, visit their Web sites at sflovefest.org and sfhousemusic.com.