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Paris Techno Parade
The second time around
20/09/1999 -
Following the overwhelming success of Paris's first Techno Parade last year, thousands of ravers took to the streets of the capital on Saturday September 18th to celebrate the Techno Parade '99. The second edition of the Paris Techno Parade proved to be every bit as successful as the first, 250,000 techno fans lining the streets between Place de la République and the vast open-air lawn at Reuilly where they partied into the early hours of Sunday morning. As Techno Parade organisers set their sights on a mega-party for the year 2000, read on and enjoy our fun-filled review of the Techno Parade '99.
The Techno Parade Storms République
Last year's Techno Parade kicked off at Bastille, but this year ravers assembled beneath the statues at République, techno floats pumping out a constant stream of manic bpm. in the early afternoon sunlight. From République techno fans headed off on a 'tourist route', taking in a series of sights as they paraded towards the open-air lawn at Reuilly. The ambience was decidedly 'July 14th', ravers letting their hair down and partying in the streets as hundreds of surprised bystanders cheered the carnival floats, the older generation discovering throbbing techno beats - which, to them, sounded more like the pounding of a pneumatic drill than the soothing melodies of a Mozart concerto!
The 32 floats in this year's parade left République at 2pm amidst a swirl of bright pink smoke and ecstatic techno fans reached the lawn at Reuilly four hours later. Several fans collapsed in a tired heap on arrival, but thousands of more committed ravers partied on and enjoyed a five-hour techno extravaganza at Reuilly while others headed off to other events organised in bars and clubs across the city.
Follow That Float! Sticking close to the techno floats proved to be a tricky business - it's not that the floats were going particularly fast, but they were pumping out a non-stop flow of mega-decibels which defied the ears of ordinary mortals! What's more, the floats were often squashed so close together that ravers had loudspeakers coming at them from all directions.
Several more discerning fans were dancing along with yellow earplugs sticking out of their ears, but others had their heads pushed right up to the speakers, partying like mad things.
Techno fans being a "totally-wired" generation, hundreds of ravers were also dancing along holding their mobile phones up to the speakers, sharing the ambience with friends at home or further up the procession. Meanwhile, the 1,400 police officers drafted in to supervise the Parade looked on in sarcastic bemusement as ecstatic fans partied by, leaving a faint whiff of prohibited drugs in their wake.
Happy, Smiley People By the end of the day everyone was smiling, especially former French Culture Minister Jack Lang, the man responsible for launching the concept of the Paris Techno Parade. "Jacky Baby" (whom ravers affectionately dubbed Daft Lang last year in reference to French techno duo Daft Punk), paraded at the head of this year's procession, sitting on a float decorated with the banners of a top national radio station.
France's pioneering techno DJ Laurent Garnier also looked rather pleased with himself. Garnier was seen beaming happily at the crowd, generously signing a long stream of autographs from his frontline float. Eric Morand, director of Technopol - the association responsible for organising the Techno Parade in conjunction with WM Evénement - was also grinning from ear to ear. Morand, who also happens to produce French techno star Mr Oizo, was doubtless delighted to see his young protégé on giant advertisements for a well-known brand of jeans plastered all over the walls at Reuilly.
However, amidst the general smiles, partying and laughter, this mega-advertising should perhaps cause a few warning bells to start ringing. We should perhaps start thinking about whether the techno movement is in danger of being exploited by big business - and whether thousands of innocent techno fans are about to be transformed into mindless mass consumers! We don't want to sound like party poopers, but we hope the Techno Parade 2000 is not about to be turned into one giant advertising billboard!
Follow That Float! Sticking close to the techno floats proved to be a tricky business - it's not that the floats were going particularly fast, but they were pumping out a non-stop flow of mega-decibels which defied the ears of ordinary mortals! What's more, the floats were often squashed so close together that ravers had loudspeakers coming at them from all directions.
Several more discerning fans were dancing along with yellow earplugs sticking out of their ears, but others had their heads pushed right up to the speakers, partying like mad things.
Techno fans being a "totally-wired" generation, hundreds of ravers were also dancing along holding their mobile phones up to the speakers, sharing the ambience with friends at home or further up the procession. Meanwhile, the 1,400 police officers drafted in to supervise the Parade looked on in sarcastic bemusement as ecstatic fans partied by, leaving a faint whiff of prohibited drugs in their wake.
Happy, Smiley People By the end of the day everyone was smiling, especially former French Culture Minister Jack Lang, the man responsible for launching the concept of the Paris Techno Parade. "Jacky Baby" (whom ravers affectionately dubbed Daft Lang last year in reference to French techno duo Daft Punk), paraded at the head of this year's procession, sitting on a float decorated with the banners of a top national radio station.
France's pioneering techno DJ Laurent Garnier also looked rather pleased with himself. Garnier was seen beaming happily at the crowd, generously signing a long stream of autographs from his frontline float. Eric Morand, director of Technopol - the association responsible for organising the Techno Parade in conjunction with WM Evénement - was also grinning from ear to ear. Morand, who also happens to produce French techno star Mr Oizo, was doubtless delighted to see his young protégé on giant advertisements for a well-known brand of jeans plastered all over the walls at Reuilly.
However, amidst the general smiles, partying and laughter, this mega-advertising should perhaps cause a few warning bells to start ringing. We should perhaps start thinking about whether the techno movement is in danger of being exploited by big business - and whether thousands of innocent techno fans are about to be transformed into mindless mass consumers! We don't want to sound like party poopers, but we hope the Techno Parade 2000 is not about to be turned into one giant advertising billboard!
Pierre René-Worms
Translation : Julie Street
