There is one thing that can be said about my time spent at Blow Up and that is that I never had a “Bad Night” there. I did take one too many shots of tequila from time to time….but they were celebratory shots and the hangover I battled through on Saturday morning at work was well worth it.
These are the five reasons I love Blow Up and the things I will miss the most about it.
1. When you arrive its guaranteed that there will be one of your friends outside to greet you but usually many friends. Everyone loves you at Blow Up and everyone is happy to see you there. And your favorite bartender always knows what you are drinking, and is generous too. You feel welcomed and loved. Not only by your friends but you are loved by the party itself.
2. I loved leaning against the railing on the balcony and watching all the hot girls dance and the kids go nuts when the songs exploded. I felt just like Bryan from Queer as folk. knowing I had my chance with every cute girl there. Which brings us to…..
3. I always loved the plethora of cute girls all decked out in their hot new clothes… always there to work it…. and so inviting to a young hungry redhead like myself.
4. I loved and hated finding pictures of myself with sometimes lots a boob oooooor all the incriminating photos of the many many girls I was kissing. I mainly just love everyones enthusiasm for the camera. The pictures were never ever boring. And all the memories we have now that we can hold onto.
5. Of course seeing Jeff and Ava and Richie! and dancing with them all night long.
The thing I love most about you, You just wanted everyone to feel free and happy and get down. And I Honor that more than anything!! Can’t wait to see what comes next. Love You.
xoxo,
Florie
With BLOW UP gone and everyone having house party get togethers and such, Richie and I were talking and thought why not put together a mix of what we would be playing at BLOW UP right now if it were happening. Some classic late night tracks along with a few newer jams. So if you wanna recreate the night, put on your favorite jams, drink some vodka red bulls, get all fucked up… then once you’re all fucked up, drop this mix on your loudest soundsystem, turn it up as loud as it can go, and then just go bananas!!!
BLOW UP was one of my absolute FAVORITE parties to DJ at in the world! Sadly i recently received the heart breaking news that this legendary weekly party has come to an end….
It’s not often I get that sweaty, [at BLOW UP] I was just having that much fun and dancing all over the place. I played all kinds of dubstep, electro, wobble madness and people were down for whatever just wanted to have a good time….
we don’t really know what to say. we have received literally hundreds and hundreds of messages and it has been almost overwhelming- so, so, so much love. thank you to jonathan for this tribute video and thank you to jazper for this incredible letter- these represent the feelings so many of you have expressed and we are deeply touched.
all we can say is we love you all and miss you so much.
xox,
jeffrey + ava
letter from jazper received march 4 at 5:15 pm
Most things in life, after the fact, fade from your memory into some sort of a hazy blur, but even still I don’t think I can ever forget my first time at Blow Up—a sentiment I am sure is shared by many, if not most. It was April 18, 2008 and a spur of the moment decision led my friends and I on a drive out to San Francisco, wearing outfits we had bought at least a week earlier, to what was your third year anniversary; a night unforgettable. And soon enough, there we were, waiting impatiently in line, already hearing the bass pumping, the crowd moving, and the floor shaking. Our anticipation to get inside and see what all the noise was about grew with each step closer to the Rickshaw doors. Inside, we were greeted by a larger-than-life sculpture of Jeffrey, sculpted entirely out of ice, feature for feature, and a tall, angelic, blonde beauty capturing everything on camera. The nights festivities included a Jelly Donut rapping, a shirtless man from Milwaukee having body convulsions on the floor, words foaming at the mouth, and even a soon to-be bride being given lap dance after lap dance, onstage, from complete strangers. In retrospect, it was one of my favorites, and I’ll never forget it. Just like every night at the Rickshaw, everything was loud, sweaty, and insane. It was on the dance floor under the lights, sneaking on stage next to Richie, and standing on that piano against the red velvet curtains (my favorite place really), that we felt a thrill like we could get nowhere else. It was this feeling, and the constant surprises, everything, that had my friends and I coming back to Blow Up night after night, because here we felt like we were young, and living.
Little did any of us know that this single night would be our initiation into a club scene, that before Blow Up, none of us knew anything about. Because of Blow Up my iTunes library is filled to the brim, my closet has an ever-growing collection of things bought just to wear clubbing, and I’ve made countless friends that to this day I still hold dear. Most notably however, these past two years have been a defining part of my youth and the lives of my friends and I as we know it; and I cannot thank you, Ava and Jeffrey, enough for all the work you’ve put into running a club as successful and popular as Blow Up, and for all the behind-the-scenes work I probably could never conceive of that went into putting together each night.
When I first heard that Blow Up was over, I of course was saddened by the news, and a rush of nostalgia came over me remembering nights like my first, and desperately piecing together the others. But what is most important is that you two always gave it your all, consistently delivered; and this is what will show and what will matter in the long run. To have delivered San Francisco with such amazing parties time and again, and kept it going strong ’til its last, what you two have created is truly remarkable, and will never be forgotten. And though I am sad, I know that there are more things in store for you two and for San Francisco via Club 1994 and whatever other projects you two geniuses have floating around your heads; that, with being on the cusp of 21, I too will be able to revel in. The wait is (and has been) killing me.
By this time maybe my words sound trite, but I just wanted to say thank you Ava and Jeffrey. You don’t know how much of an influence (good and bad, ha), you two have been in my life, and I wish both of you my best.
the messages are endless and these are just a very few of the tweets that have poured in since the news of the end of BLOW UP. thank you everyone for your words and support.
“Blow Up is a San Francisco institution, and Paradise isn’t sure what to do with all this new-found free time. For now he’s heading toward the desert.”
“If I hadn’t worked with them for Blow Up, my life would not be what it is today. There would be no Desolate Wastelander and I would not have the amazing friends that I do now. Above all I would not have these amazing memories that I’ll hold onto for the rest of my life.”
“There really was no wilder party in SF. We’re gonna miss going crazy on the stage at Rickshaw after one of those giant pint-glass sized Red Bull vodkas, but most of all we’re gonna miss the good times.”
We are so sorry to announce that BLOW UP is not happening tonight, for the foreseeable future, and possibly ever again. Jeffrey + Ava have exhausted themselves trying to find a suitable location to hold BLOW UP and have come up empty handed.
Thank you so much to the countless people that banded together and searched high and low with us. There were a few offers, but none that were 18+ that we felt were safe for us to let loose and enjoy ourselves like we always do at BLOW UP.
The Rickshaw Stop is having some issues with The Law. They now have to limit the number of people inside the Rickshaw to less than HALF of what the BLOW UP crowd is and they have to avoid having a line out front. The venue is still open, but we understand most nights will be 21+ and they will have to be very small parties compared to BLOW UP.
This is very sad day for us. Richie Panic and Jeffrey Paradise have DJed at every single BLOW UP for what would be 5 years next month. We really don’t know what we are going to do.
BLOW UP is over. We are wishing you a sad goodbye today.
Roxy’s Myspace profile Oxy Cottontail
What happens when you mix that ‘popular girl’ from school with the ever so charming sweet heart, that bad ass music loving chick, and a party crazed lady? You get the one and only, Roxy Cottontail. Now, what do you get when you put Roxy Cottontail and Blow Up together? – One hell of night!!
[Watch this awesome interview with Roxy]
Based out of NYC, Roxy does it all from promoting, djaying, and recording – without a doubt meeting anyone’s criteria. She’s notable for helping establish the Hollertronix party with Diplo and Low Budget. Not to mention helping Spankrock with his rap career. Like our many guests, she has worked with the best of the best! (Here comes the name dropping) From spinning with DJ AM, Aoki, and Stretch Armstrong, to throwing and hosting parties with Slick Rick and Spankrock, recording with the Electroclash legend Larry Tee, and starting her own radio show with Dj Melo X, her talent doesn’t go unnoticed. With her love for bringing people together to have a good time, having her at Blow Up this Friday is truly a match made in heaven!
WAIT! That’s not all…just when you think this party can get no hotter, Jeffrey adds a little bit more spice to it. Jesse Jamz is coming back to rock the party as well! Jesse has been djaying since he was 16, and when he hit 21, he had spun for some of the biggest parties out there. Parties in the electro/dance loop such as the Ruff Club (NYC), Live Forever (Philly), and San Francisco’s very on Blow Up and legendary Frisco Disco parties. Be ready to jam!
Last Friday we pulled off something incredible, and evidently nothing can prevent us from having our fun! On such short notice we had to move the party to a different venue, and yet the insanity of a Blow Up party followed. Where ever we will be this friday…you better be ready, because we’re still wildin’ out!!
Ain’t no party like a Blow Up party, cause a Blow Up party wont stop!
-Chris Mags
We know we’ve said this a few times already, but we want to say a BIG thank you one more time to the Bambuddha Lounge for putting us up last minute!
Check back for more details about BLOW UP location this Friday!
YOU GOTTA FIGHT
xox,
