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STRONGER :: I may have grown up with Madonna, but it’s Britney Spears who joined in and continues with me on my journey. Madonna taught me what a virgin is. Spears taught me life may be hard, but it’s up to me to make it what I want.

Spears has been to hell and back, and she’s done it all in front of the world. And while she had to kind of know the price she would pay for having a public career, I’m sure she didn’t plan to have the type of public meltdown(s) she presented us with.

Yet it was her strength which she gave her the come back of all come backs: She was presented the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at this year’s MTV Awards, and honoured with a dance performance dedicated solely to her.

It was nothing but epic.

I admire Spears’ strength. Her 2000 hit “Stronger” is one of the tracks I’ve placed on my own Life Soundtrack. Although the song is about a girl who’s tired of her cheating boyfriend, for me it means something entirely different, it means to have strength in who I am and all I set out to do.

It also reminds me that no one can tell me differently.

CONCERT :: Britney Does Toronto

The video for that song is one of my favourites due to it’s simplicity. The dancing sequences features Spears alone except for a chair. The concept was entirely created by Spears. Her dancing is fantastic and makes me wish it was me in the video.

The brand that is Britney Spears is by now a well-oiled machine. Her every step is strategically planned. Even her meltdowns inside the 30 Mile Zone were all planned. (No one shows such behaviour in the 30 Mile Zone unless they want/need the publicity.) Her songs all have a robotic vocal, which has become her signature sound. Her videos are shot and released like feature films. Her TV appearances and her performances are well-organized. Spears simply shows up when she’s told to, gets dressed in what she has to wear. She’s scripted on what she’s to say and not say and then walks out on stage to execute.

INTERVIEW :: Miss Raquel One-On-One With Paul Oakenfold

When the lights dim she quietly leaves to go back into her world without the press and onlookers.

I come from both the Madonna and Britney Spears generations. Madonna taught me to be brave. Spears taught me anything can be accomplished and overcome.

Just like the lyrics in “Stronger”, I’m stronger than yesterday.

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Tags: Britney Spears, Britney Spears Stronger, GayGuideToronto.com, GGT, Madonna, Miss Raquel, Shaun Proulx Media, TheGayGuideNetwork
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TIME WARP :: What I miss is being on the dancefloor immersed in what my musical minister is preaching to me.  I remember about five years ago a popular Canadian DJ/producer telling me how he missed paying his cover to get into a club and have fun.

Funny how this comment has kept with me for all these years and now I understand what he was saying.

I entered Canada’s electronic music scene (EMS) pretty much just as I started working in it. Being of the mind set I had – and still do – of wanting to work in the music industry, I took the industry and made it work for me.

Little did I know I’d lose a bit of enjoyment along the way.

Don’t get me wrong I truly love what I do, but I’ve discovered year after year it’s getting harder for me to be on a dancefloor and just dance and disappear into my musical journey.

I don’t mind people dancing into my space and asking me about the EMDS. If I did I would have gotten out a long time ago. You know when you’re on the dance floor feeling the groove, feeling your move, singing the vocal while your feet move to the four by four beat being instructed from the speakers. It’s this experience which is yours and yours alone.

You know what I’m talking about.

Halloween 2010 I saw Carl Cox at Toronto’s The Guvernment. This was the last time I was free on a dancefloor until Pride Toronto 2011.  I had one last event to host, at CZ Toronto’s infamous after-hours. It was here I intended to dance, no matter what.

And I did! I danced for five solid hours to the sounds of Tom Stephan a.k.a. Superchumbo, Deko-ze and Jon Herbert.

My legs hurt, my hair was up, I was sweaty and didn’t care that my lip gloss wasn’t on.

It was the music, dancefloor and me.

Not everybody understands house music; it’s a spiritual thing, a body thing, a soul thing. – Eddie Amador – Yoshitoshi Recordings 1998

Tags: Carl Cox, Deko-ze, Eddie Amador, Electronic Music Scene, GayGuideToronto.com, Jon Herbert, Miss Raquel, Shaun Proulx Media, Superchumbo, the guvernment, TheGayGuideNetwork.com, Tom Stephan, Yoshitoshi Recordings
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Pride always has been in my life. I remember when I was my teens my mom going to various Pride events. She used to tell me about the Pride Parade, describing to me the massive floats, lavish costumes, vibrant colours and fabulous music.

My mom volunteered at ACT and Casey House for seven years as a Buddy to those with AIDS. I learned from her the impact AIDS has on those who suffer from it, and for those who love them.

A vague memory I have is staying at one of my mom’s friend’s apartment on Queen Street West just above where the Black Bull is now. I could clearly see the CN Tower from the room I slept in. The apartment belonged to Jeff, a man my mom cared for who had AIDS. I was around eight years old but I remember Jeff’s apartment so vividly for the warmth, space and the waterbed. remember looking out at the CN tower and marvelled at how it could stand so tall.

Another memory of my mom’s time volunteering at ACT is Michael. He had a dog, a greyhound named Lucy and they lived in East York. Michael had a great garden which was laden with herbs and spices that smelt so wonderful. My mom was close to Michael. Once he passed away I remember my mom telling me how she was there with him in his home as he breathed his last breath.

I’ve learned a lot from my mom. She is a strong woman to have been a Buddy to those who needed it most. My mom is a true living angel for the care and time she gave to ACT and to those she now cares for as a personal support worker.

As an adult I experienced Pride and all its glory with one of my bffs Erin, and Deko-ze along with many of our friends.

Because of all the stories my mom told me about Pride all I ever wanted to do was be on a float never did I think I’d host stages or events. I’ve since hosted Central Stage in 2009 and 2010. And now will host Labatt’s South Stage for the Dirty Disco Collective Sunday July 3.

Thanks to the strength of my mom I live without fear or stereotype. Although I am straight I prefer being around the LGBTTQ community; its here I belong.

Although Pride is a celebration in who we are, we should be celebrating who we are all year through. After all: we all piss, shit, laugh, cry, eat and need love.

Join me, and Dream Big!

More Miss Raquel

Tags: GayGuideToronto.com, Miss Raquel, old school Toronto Pride, Pride memories, Shaun Proulx Media, The AIDS Committee of Toronto, TheGayGuideNetwork.com
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When it comes to clubland, are the parties you play at proper?  Miss Raquel defines proper partying across Canada and chats further with Shaun Proulx:

My friends and I have a saying about partying. “Proper”, we say, when describing a venue or event we feel is run and put together professionally with care. There’s partying and then there’s proper partying. I don’t think you get to fully understanding proper until you’ve had at least four to five years experience under your dancing shoes.

It’s about knowing what you like and how to seek it out. Picking the venue to spend your hard-earned money and precious time at, their sound system, the calibre of the DJ(s) booked, and the price for drinks are all part of the proper process that makes a great night out.

When it comes to the most proper city to party in, I’ve been to many different venues in cities around the world; for me Montreal is proper. It was a trip there in April that was the reminder to me what exactly proper partying is.

Montreal club Stereo’s sound system, for example, is constructed from a DJ’s perspective (Angel Moraes) and delivers delicate pounding sound waves that let you talk while being right in front of the speakers. They don’t allow gum inside the venue. The floor is so clean and sheen you could eat off it (seriously). There’s vending machines not bartenders (although there is one on the upper level) selling water, pop and energy drinks to quench your thirst. And the calibres of DJs who play there are high: Steve Lawler, Danny Tenaglia, D-Unity, for example.

Toronto has many proper venues such as Footwork, fly Nightclub, Wrongbar, Stone Lounge, Sound Academy, and The Guvernment for example. It’s too bad thought that several venues in Toronto fall short in too many areas such as cover charges way too high for what you get (bad sound, bad service, etc.), and the same DJs all the time (or hearing ones that don’t understand the concept of programming). And then there are those venues which are downright dirty, with filthy washrooms, or wet floors. These places aren’t exactly the type that should be asking for $20 or $30 at the door.

Now that I’m a senior in proper partying – and damn proud of it – I lean towards smaller venues that have lasted in the scene for some time. They step outside the musical box and book all kinds of electronic music talent, the kind of talent which doesn’t always get the chance to play but should, club cool politics be damned.

Across Canada there are many proper places to party. In Calgary there’s the Warehouse, in St. John’s, Newfoundland there’s Liquid, but for best in Canada Montreal is where it’s at.

It’s proper.

Tags: Angel Moraes, d-unity, Danny Tenaglia, Fly Nightclub, Footwork Toronto, GayGuideToronto.com, GGT, Liquid Newfoundland, Miss Raquel, Raquel Richards, Shaun Proulx, Sound Academy, Stereo Montreal, steve lawler, Stone Lounge Toronto, the guvernment, The Warehouse Calgary, Wrongbar Toronto
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