It had been a year in planning every since I saw a picture of a guy dancing with a giant balloon on the Circuit Toys site, labeled Black and Blue, Montreal I knew I had to go. Dancing with balloons has become one of my favorite things to do. Last summer I went to huge party with some freinds and remembered that I had a few big balloons in my pocket from a previous fun session (see my website for that) I pulled it out and blew it up while dancing, just for the fun of it. WOW! What an experience as the balloon got larger and larger, the bass would completely vibrate the balloon, physically translating the music into sensation. Not only that, but people instantly became interested, amazed in the size of the balloon as well as the sensation. I tied it after it was full size, and danced with it over my head, sandwiched between me and a group of people, rolling it around us all. Finally we tossed it far overhead and watched it stay aloft and become the target of every laser pointer in the crowd. The balloon lit up like a UFO, and kept bouncing above us all. It would drift to the far end of the crowd then bounce back towards us. Totally hypnotic. I loved the way we all interacted. I wanted it again, I wanted to feel the vibration against my body.I had to blow up another one. I was hooked on Balloon Dancing.

Finally Black and Blue was here the epic event that I had heard so much about. I arrived too late to attend the Leather ball on Friday night, so used the time to sit and talk with my old buddy that I was sharing a room with. We got up early on Saturday and toured old Montreal, finally making our way out to the ‘village'. Montreal seems truly a European cosmopolitan city. After a light dinner and a few hours more sleep we made our way to the Military Ball at Metropolis. We arrived way too early (11:00pm) and there was no line, and what seemed like only a handful of people inside. The space was an old theater that was being remodeled into a dance venue. Simply a wide open floor that stretched forward to a stage flanked by bars and staircases leading up to the balcony level. Once up there, the seating had been replaced with row after row of stepped standing bars all overlooking the dance floor and the massive lighting structure suspended there. Slowly the space filled, before we knew it the dance floor was packed with bare chested bodies, and the balcony was slowly filling as well. We made our way down to the dance floor and joined the happy throbbing half naked crowd ourselves. The energy was very high, and the temperature continued to rise. We found an area of friendly hairy chested guys like us and that’s where we stayed the rest of the night. The stage shows started around 1:00am and were a spectacular surprise. The Music never stopped, the mix just worked into the show. The dance troop was very well choreographed, and Yvonne came out on stage and belted out a live show. The party simply continued. I was mesmerized by a certain sailor with huge legs, chest, shoulders and arms the man was massive, but moved like a well oiled machine. The best part was his smile framed by a carefully trimmed beard. WOW! Just a sample of how amazing the whole experience was.

Of course I finally broke out the balloons. After the last show around 4:00am, it was far too packed on the dance floor, plus it had gotten very hot, so we moved up to the balcony. The perfect place to start blowing up giant 36 black balloons. I got lots of grins and encouragement from some very hot men both on the dance floor and around me on the balcony. I blew them up as full and tight as possible holding them over the crowd. A few guys came over and asked to help blow them up, which I gladly obliged. A big Frenchman asked to put his lungs into the balloon to sail over the crowd. I like nothing better than to see a hot man heave his powerful lungs into a balloon, making it swell bigger, tighter and harder! He certainly didn’t disappoint me! What a wonderful man! The dancers below seemed to reach and stretch for me toss them down.and once I did the balloon would slowly drift downwards, being held aloft simply by the heat coming off the crowd. Eventually it made it s way to the dance floor and was knocked high into the lighting, cutting patterns in the lasers and smoke. Slowly drifting back down to get knock around once again, before flying high into the ceiling once again. The fun continued until 6:00am, and my body simply told me to stopgo rest.

I had intended to do some more sight seeing but when I awoke if was well into the afternoon. The wonderful Frenchman we had met during the party invited us out to his neighborhood for brunch and we obliged. It was a lazy breezy cold day in the park as we ate French food and sipped strong coffee, but still we were tired. So another nap before getting ready for the main event at the Olympic stadium. We awoke to the television babbling in French, something that you simply can’t get away from in Montreal. We dressed, and I carefully packed my balloons so they would make it through the security search at the stadium. The night before I had worn baggy military pants that easily held the balloons without question. But I had been told everything taken into the Black and Blue Ball would be questioned, the security line would be the longest wait. Although balloons don’t hold any threat or danger they are frequently associated at dance parties with Nitrous and are usually banned. Also since the recent wave of terrorism any loud Bang excites too much fear (as I would find out first hand later) I managed to pack my crotch with them, and once I had a sufficient amount of huge balloons in place we were off to the subway. Montreal has a very efficient subway system, and I am amazed at how large the trains and crowds traveling them are. At every stop more and more people dressed in wild black and blue dance garb climbed on the train. When we stopped at the Olympic stadium station, the train completely emptied! It seemed everyone in Montreal was going to the Black and Blue! We almost immediately ran into a couple of new friends I had met earlier. As the crowd turned into a line, they shared VIP passes with us. Seems two buddies had not been able to attend, and we all walked past the long line of people waiting to get in. We walked, and walked and walked.and still were passing the line!! It would have taken an easy two hours of waiting in line if we did not have the passes. After getting past coat check however, we did have to join a line, as we waited for the two step multi-person security shake down. We emptied our pockets, and had metal detectors waved all over our bodies, we were patted down thoroughly, and had our shoes inspected and hand s run under our waist bands all around. What a through ordeal….but finally we were through.

We could already hear and feel the bass beat vibrating the core of the building. We made our way through the maze of dark passageways under the stadium bleachers, until finally we turned and came out into the stadium. Far out in the distance stood a metal structure that reached several stories into the air. It was covered with lighting effects that created a throbbing blue green glow over the center of the stadium. You could see a gigantic projection screen directly in front of us in the distance and one off to either side. The whole area was ringed with small grand stands and drink bars, around that was a huge empty area for socializing and a ring of ‘port-potties’ that seemed to reach into infinity around the floor of the entire stadium. It was one huge spectacle in the darkness. As we walked down the main stairs and closer to the center of the stadium we realized that it was much bigger than ever imagined. There were multiple stages under all the rigging, and multiple dance floor areas within the circular wall of bleachers. The large area outside was ringed with drinks and refreshments much like a carnival or state fair. That is when the festival hit me. There was every type of person there men and women. Shirtless muscle boys and drag queens in the wildest light-up outfits ever seen. It really was a giant carnival within a stadium. You could not see the roof, or much past the lights and it really was as if you were in another place and time. The music, it was everywhere. The speakers were so perfectly spaced, that the sound was clear and loud, and not overpowering or boomy, amazing! Almost as amazing as the lighting.

We got drinks and just wondered around in amazement meeting people, trying to sort out where the best area would be. At 1:00am Images of Human League appeared on the giant screens and they suddenly appeared on a stage in the distance. The sound however, was as if they were right in front of us. They performed only two songs, the new one and 'don’t you Want Me' It was great fun and after they finished the dance kept right on going. Until the lights died down and a very strong search light came across the top of the crowd. Sound of a tribal horn wailed and you could see a Pan figure blowing his horn in the light, the rays streaming out from around him. An exotic queen on her barrage came into the crowd, belting out a diva inspiring chants. Slowly the guards moved her through the crowds, her chariot just about head level to the center stage, where she joined a sudden bevy of dancers in a brilliant trance mix. The lighting changed and aerial dancers appeared at the tops of the metal structures all around us were performers and dancers and everyone was completely caught up in the experience. Shadow images of cultures from the world over appeared on the giant s screens. Then the screen to the far end of the stadium lowered like a reverse curtain, revealing a temple replete with a golden Buddha. The temple itself began moving and gliding out over the heads of the crowd on overhead suspension tracks. It held it own lighting system which was completely amazing on its own. It traveled to above the center stage over the singing diva and dancers and rotated. Eventually lowering to become a part of the whole performance. What a spectacle! There were suspend hoops that dropped down as well and circ du solei style performers dangled danced from them. The crescendo and lighting continued to build until the towers erupted with fireworks. The crowds was all reaching upward and going wild in dance at this point. It was truly amazing. Nothing stopped the dancing just kicked into another gear. The temple became a floating palace of lighting that kept circulating over the crowd. Combined wit h the light towers in the center and the columns of light on either side of the screens it certainly was not a dark dance floor. As far as you could see were hundreds, thousands of bobbing heads and arms, all moving to the tribal, trance and house mix. I danced with my new friends arm in arm. A wonderful man with a sweet warm smile gave me a massage to the rhythm. A feeling of warmth and brotherhood swept over us all. As the night wore on New DJ’s were announced simply by wording on the giant projection screens, and subtle changes in energy on the floor. The center stage came to life again with a mass of flaggers all working orange balls of light that looked for the world like balls of fire.

Two particular highlights of the early morning were the angels and the sunlight. Around 5:00am the lighting had transitioned to near all pure blue and fog. Out of fog floating delicately over us all appeared a 20 foot tall angel. A beautiful bodied person wearing yards and yards of long flowing transparent white fabric. Topped with a huge lace metal crown. The gown fluttered from side to side as if it had wings, and was brilliantly glowing in white light. It was very unearthreal. Suddenly there were two, then four then six giant angels all fluttering over the crowd. The wings then became dance flags, and it was the most intense flagging I have ever seen. All while we still danced! The angels seemingly magically disappeared, and a version of let the sunshine became the mix. Everyone around us joined arms in embrace as we all sang along at the top of our lungs. Almost as if on cue, golden beams of sunlight could be seen streaming in from the top of the stadium high above us all. It was truly spiritual moment as we were all connected and singing and happy.

Oh yes, and my balloons! I had been so caught up in the experience of the whole festival; my balloons had waited until last. I blew up a huge clear 36 balloon with stars speckled all around it. And enjoyed the vibrations of the music with in the balloon. I hardly wanted to let it go, but wanted to see it soar over the crowd. I tied it and pushed it aloft. Instantly it began a journey across the stadium and back, we watched it bounce for a long time. Laser pointers lit it up like a UFO, and followed it high in the air and back down. It was truly magical. Soon there was another followed by another! Not all mine, so obviously more people had the same idea. I blew up a giant 8 foot long airship over my head. It worked like a beacon, people coming over to me in the crowd to say hello, people I didn’t expect to see there, and people that I had wanted to find. Smiles from a hot cop told me that everyone was having a blast. What a great smile he had! We held the balloon between us six different people and all danced together, holding the balloon as it vibrated. Many hands came in to feel the experience. I was in another world.

I learned my lesson about peoples fears shortly afterwards. Several people were asking for balloons, and I had brought many smaller 16 balloons with my website logo imprinted on them to pass out. One brave fellow decided to ‘show off for me and blew the balloon to bursting, which normally really gets a rise out of my groin as it grows harder and tighter. He did a spectacular job too pushing his muscle into it. When it exploded, it was a sharp POP type bang. People screamed, and a few hit the floor as if a pistol had gone off. We were stunned. I decided it was time to stop. Unfortunate state that the reality of fear has marred our enjoyment of fantasy. It had been a year in planning, and was well worth the wait. As I walked out into the sunlight at 9:00am, the party was still raging on inside until noon that day. But my body had experienced enough and I had to sleep. Many thanks to my new friends in Montreal for a wonderful experience.