Thursday, October 4, 2018

Archive: Fall 2018

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

News & Notes: Spring 2018

The Spring Formal 'May' be Our Last at Stanton & Greene –  Each year, The Metro Spring Formal hosts a themed event to welcome the spring party season. This year we’ll be hosting “Studio 54: A Return to the 70’s & 80’s” on Sat Apr 7th. Our current home is Stanton & Greene on Capitol Hill. Unfortunately, the current GM is moving on to bigger & better things. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with him, but this leaves a massive wild card for what the future may hold. Never say never, but in the past such a shake up usually leads to the loss of a venue. So we’ll see, but finding a good venue who will work w/ us is an arduous task. So this ‘might’ even prove to be last Spring Formal. We hope not, but this definitely leaves the future in question.

Our Spring Underground Party has been Rescheduled – Initially set for the end of April, our venue had a schedule conflict, so we had to shift our dates. We’re currently planning on sometime in mid-May (possibly the 3rd Saturday). Please see U-Party for updates as this evolves.

To which…

We're Currently Looking for New Venues – Both private venues for our Underground Parties as well as larger venues for the Spring Formal (keeping in mind that UltraBar will always be our home for the Fetish Ball).  Please let us know of any leads – thank you!

The Metro Underground & DC Fetish Ball Celebrate 10 Years!  Over the past few months we celebrated a full decade in the scene. As the mad mind behind The Metro Underground, DC Fetish Ball, Metro Events, & Underground Parties, I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished in that amount of time. I’m not arrogant about it. Quite the contrary, I’ve always kept it in perspective & ‘am humbled by the level of support we’ve received over the years. But I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved & the impact these efforts have had for the scene. No doubt, we put our heart & soul into everything we do. But without you, we’re nothing but an empty room. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you one & all for being a part of that journey.  

Instagram & Tumblr – In an effort to keep current, The Metro is finally moving into new platforms of social media. This includes a new presence on Instagram, Tumblr, & Pintrest (as well as renewed efforts for Twitter which we’ve previously disregarded). Look for us! 


Other Important News from Around the Scene:   

Our News & Notes page has been recently updated. This is a continually evolving resource so please check back. In the meantime, here are a couple stories of serious interest…. 


The Impact of SESTA/FOSTA – As our trumptopian world offers up an endless parade of weekly chaos, slipping under the radar was the recent passing of the SESTA & FOSTA Acts. While on the surface such initiatives carry the spirit of something truly good & strives to put an end to sex trafficking, as law they are poorly written, FAR too vague, & carry deep ramifications for the entire scene & how we interact online. The fallout is already being felt as various online providers have scrambled to contemplate just what the new laws will mean. People affected are dating sites, hook up sites, anything listing legitimate escorts or adult services, as well as Pro-Domme’s, & an array of others in the alternative culture. Services such as Craigslist & others have already cancelled services for online personals & the reaction is already being felt on mainstream forums across the net. It’s no secret that big brother has been watching, but his impact just became very real for all of us.  See related articles here...

Dreamscape is No More – One of the East Coast’s largest & most loved rave-format music festivals is no more. Hosted at Ramblewood in Darlington, MD, last June saw the close of a giant. The official word is that its promoters are shifting gears to focus on their other two festivals & club nights. But like any major event that comes to a sudden & unexpected end, there’s always more to the story than what you read. Unfortunately, it’s not our place nor intention to comment on such issues. What matters is that one of the greats is gone & there exists a deep void that has yet to be filled. See Link for official statement.

The Steampunk Worlds Fair is Cancelled – Collapsing under the weight of deep scandal & continued allegations of sexual misconduct, Jeff Mach Productions lost full support of his base, & all of his events have fallen as a result (including Wicked Fair & The Geeky Kink Event). As the largest steampunk festival in the eastern U.S. & one of the largest in the world, a savior organization tried to initially step in & carry the banner forward. But we believe the reality of what it takes to create such an event was a bit too much. Consequently, they pulled out & there was no one left to take over the magnitude of such efforts. As a result, the World’s Fair & all Jeff Mach events have been cancelled. There are no current plans for a future resurrection.  See Link for public announcement.

Transformus Rises from the Ashes! – As other giants fall, like the Phoenix from the flames one has risen from the ashes! Indeed, Transformus is back! After a temporary hiatus, they now have a new location offering more space & better accommodations to fit the size of its crowds, Indeed, one of the East Coast’s most revered burns is a welcome return.Tickets are currently on sale & available. Please see Mainn Site for details.

Larry Harvey (Burning Man Founder) January, 11, 1948 - April 28, 2018 - Larry Harvey, the founder of Burning Man & main force behind its core principals has recently passed away. Most people grieve such loss, but I take a different perspective…  What an incredible life to have created something that would have such an impact on so many. My god, what an amazing legacy to leave behind!  THAT is a life well lived!  Rest well good sir, you have brought a sense of love & light to the world that burns bright & carries forward forever more. We honor your memory, your life, & the impact it’s had on so many throughout the world. Please See: Journal Memoriam.

Drac’s Ball Celebrates 20 Years! - On April 14th, Drac’s Ball will host its 20th Anniversary in Philadelphia. We believe this is the longest running Goth Night on the east coast & possibly the nation. The event is already sold out & plans are set. Twenty years in the scene is an amazing accomplishment. So we salute such an awesome achievement!

Tribalcon Draws to a Close – Offering one of the nation’s most beloved gatherings for Tribal & Fusion Dance, this past February Tribalcon celebrated its final installment. This effectively brought the end of an era to a close for a great many. In short, the rising expenses of travel, lodging, & venue created an inequitable weight on its promoters. The economies of the festival just could not support the rising cost for such an endeavor. So the core promoters have wisely decided to refocus efforts into a single teacher model for those in the community. We wish them well w/ their new endeavors & hope for a fulfilling future as they now venture forward.  See Facebook for follow-up.

Spoutwood Faerie Fest Hosts Its Last – Spoutwood Farm has announced that this May will probably be the last Faerie Festival for the venue. Never say never, as the owners ‘may’ move the beloved festival to a new location (ha! I see what you did there). But as it stands, the plan is to simply let it draw to a close.  Growth is good, but the festival has grown so much that its now stressing the farm, surrounding township, parking, & staff. So, after 27 years of making magic come to life, 2018 will host the last May Day Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm.  See Link for announcement.

Klimaxxx Takes a Break while Swinky Fills the Void – As one of the area’s more active swinger nights, the founders of Klimaxxx have decided to step away & take a break. This is a great loss for the scene & we thank them for all their effort to create such a great night. However, in its wake one of their core promoters has stepped forward & created “Swinky” to help fill the void. The inaugural event offered a great night which we hope will build to an amazing future. We wish them luck as the weeks & months progress.

TABU Launches TABU Travel – Baltimore’s most recognized & only ‘on-premise’ club for the Swinger Lifestyle has now launched a new initiative w/ Tabu Travel. Hosting annual trips to such destinations as Hedonism & more, this creates a new dimension for the social circles of the area. Please check it out: Tabu Travel.

Mixtape Draws to a Close – Traditionally hosted at the 9:30 Club, Mixtape offers one of the area’s best & longest running dance nights for the gay communities. Unfortunately, the promoters are moving on with other endeavors. So this brings an amazing night to a close. We wish them well & hope for a bright future in all they hope to be. Their final nights will be Gay Pride at the 9:30 Club on June 9th, & a final farewell at the U Street Music Hall on Sept. 8th. See Facebook.

Code DC is now Hummer – DC’s all male night for those into gear, leather, & more has passed the baton. As Code DC comes to an end, Hummer has risen in it’s place. Hosted 1st & 3rd Saturdays at the Glory Hole (just off of New York Ave), they offer a very similar night under new leadership.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

A Few Notes for the Fall Festival Season (2014):


No doubt, FALL is my favorite season! From pumpkin spice lattes to Oktoberfest beer, the turning of the trees, great fashion, spooky decorations, & an endless array of fun things to choose from, energy fills the air & it's a great time of year.

So helping to keep you I the loop, our autumn updates for The Metro Underground are now complete (we will do one final brush up for Halloween).

Please see http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com as well as links below for what's happening from around the scene.

In the meantime, we're only a few short weeks from one of DC's most lavish & anticipated events: The DC Fetish Ball & DC Fetish Weekend…

Please join us October 10th-12th (Columbus Day Weekend) for a time of unforgettable beauty, intrigue, & sheer possibility. Bringing together some of the scene's very best DJ's, Models, Fashion, & Nationally Recognized Talent - all accented w/ an incredible play space in some of the city's most lavish venues, the DC Fetish Weekend promises to bring a level of twisted delight worthy of the Nation's Capitol! 

Friday (10/10):  Exotic-Erotic Pre-Party at Mad MoMo's.
·         Mad MoMos (3605 14th St. NW DC): offering an intimate setting with beautiful atmosphere, we've arranged a great night to kick off the weekend in style.
·         Dinner Seating runs from 6:30pm-9pm. Main Party runs 9pm-3am. Kitchen runs late. 
·          Please note: this event IS a full blown play party, but due to size restrictions we DO expect it to Sell Out.

Saturday Afternoon (10/11):  Afternoon Vending.
Saturday Night (10/12):  One Great Night - Two Great Parties.
·         In the spirit of The Metro Underground, we've joined forces w/ two of the area's most recognized clubs to bring a level of top notch play & possibility. See links for info.
·         But save your energy! You'll need it for one of DC's most lavish & anticipated nights.

Sunday (10/12):  The Metro Underground Presents the DC Fetish Ball …
·         The weekend culminates in the opulence & decadence of the DC Fetish Ball.
·         DC's most Scandalous Affair! Hosted at the beautiful & spacious Ultra Bar (911 F St. NW DC): offering 3 full floors of exotic possibility.

For Tickets, Talent, Links, Models, & More => See:  http://DCFetishBall.com
Join the Facebook Fetish Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/131545809506

Event Page on Fetlife: https://fetlife.com/events/282745

-------------------------------------------------------------

Plans are also being laid for the Black & White Ball in November:  driving off our success of the past 2 years, the annual Black & White Ball has gained ground. We're currently laying plans for one of the scene's favorite parties to kick off the December Holidaze. So keep an eye out!

For this & other coming events, be sure to check Metro Events at http://www.themetrounderground.com/Events.html

-------------------------------------------------------------

Photos from 2013 are FINALLY being posted! 

What can I say, last year brought chaos of biblical proportion. Posting pics were pushed off as a result. But we'll finally have them up w/in the next couple of days (if they're not already up by the time you read this). 

Links to galleries will be posted on the Metro Pages for Facebook, Fetlife, on the Events Page for our main site & the pics page for the DC Fetish Ball. They will also be posted to my scene profile for Facebook & Fetlife. See links:

Thank you for your patience. My apologies for the delay.

-------------------------------------------------------------

I'd like to offer our congratulations & heartfelt condolences to a couple scene favorites.

First, the good news => this Saturday, D~X~S Rapture will celebrate their 7th anniversary in the scene! Offering monthly play parties, the new Rapture Social, as well as vending at area festivals & events, they've been a mainstay for quite some time. And with all the changes that have taken place over the past few years it's no small accomplishment to still be going so strong. We offer them our most sincere congratulations.

In other news, I'd like to take a moment & offer my deepest condolences to The Pleasure Garden Club in Philadelphia. I understand its owner & founding member has recently passed away. Without question, he created a force w/in the Philadelphia underground & alternative culture. Although I was never given the opportunity to know him personally, my thoughts & best wishes go out to all those who are affected by his loss.

-------------------------------------------------------------

And finally, a few featured events for the Fall Season:  

- The Maryland Renne-Faire runs each weekend from now until Oct. 19th.

- Risque (Fri 26th): kink oriented play party meets alternative dance night, Risque hosts one of the best nights for the underground adult subculture. Come this Friday for a chance to win 2 free tickets to this year's fetish ball.
- The Golden Tether (Fri 26th):  Studio 58 in Frederick hosts a renne-faire kink event in honor of the Fall Equinox.

- DXS Rapture (Sat 27th): Celebrating 7 years in the scene w/ a special play party BBQ.
- Synn-Ergy (Sat 27th): hosts a special swingers meet & greet at the Gryphon in DC.

- DC Tribal Cafe (Sun 28th): One of DC's best nights for Belly Dance.

- Anime USA (Oct 3rd-5th): One of the nation's largest & most recognized anime conventions takes place in DC the first weekend in October.

- Fetish Weekend Exotic-Erotic Pre Party (Oct.10th): Hosted at Mad Momos.

- Crucible's LF&P (Oct.11th): Fetish Market & Play Party hosted by The Crucible.
- Tabu HallowSwing (Oct.11th):  One of their best parties for the Baltimore Swing culture.

- The DC Fetish Ball (Oct.12th):  DC's Most Scandalous Affair!  See links!

But these are just a couple ideas for everything going on! For a full rundown of what's happening from across the scene, be sure to check out The Metro Underground….

Please visit our main site @ http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com


Also on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/MetroUndergrnd
Quarterly Newsletter on Blogspot: http://metronewsletter.blogspot.com

-------------------------------------------------------------

One last bit of important news. It appears the spam bots have found me, so please note that my email has changed. Please see "About Us" on our Main Page for updated information. 

We hope see you around the scene!

Rick D~
(RichardAD)

The Metro Underground & Metro Events.

The Metro Underground: http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com
Metro Events: http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com/Events.html

The DC Fetish Ball: http://DCFetishBall.com

Sunday, April 13, 2014


Just in time for spring, the annual build-out for The Metro Underground is now complete (actually we've been done since the end of February but we're late on the newsletter).

Offering full calendars for the local & national scene, regional clubs, groups, mainstream listings, resources, plus news & notes - The Metro Underground offers a primary gateway to the full spectrum of the underground, alternative, & adult scene (for DC, Baltimore, & the Mid-Atlantic from Philly to Richmond). See links below.

~ A Few Notes for the Spring Season ~

First things first… 

Please Note: The Metro Underground & Metro Events are actively searching for a new venue to host our annual events.

Our flagship affair, the DC Fetish Ball will always be held at Ultra Bar but we're currently seeking new locations for our Spring Formal, Black & White Ball, Friday's Meet & Greet for DC Fetish Weekend, plus other potential parties/events.

We also offer networks for various groups & events associated with The Metro Underground. Many are constantly seeking new venues to hold their own events.

Potential locations must be able to host numbers of 400 (+), be amiable to events that carry adult themes, have availability on the weekend (Saturday), access to a good sound system & proper lighting/ambiance, & be financially viable. Metro access & available parking are a definite plus. Allowing ages 18 & over is preferable but not a deal breaker. Central to DC is also preferred (but there has been discussion about moving our spring formal to Baltimore). Most important is a good working relationship w/ the owners to build an ongoing relationship that will carry forward.

Please contact Richard A.D. for details: Rick@TheMetroUnderground.com

-------------------------------------------------------------

Metro Events:  over the past few years we've generally held 3 events/year plus at least 1 annual private affair.  For 2014 we plan to turn this upside down & hold our main event (The DC Fetish Ball) & 2-3 semi-private affairs.  You'll receive word as to what is currently in the works, so please keep an eye out!

In line with this, I know we've been talking up The Metro Spring Formal. In fact, it was our intention to take our spring event to an entirely new level - something on par with DC Fetish Ball minus the Fashion Show. Unfortunately, efforts for the spring formal have been indefinitely suspended & probably cancelled.

In the meantime, we've had a LOT of people asking about pics for 2013. We'll have them posted soon. A lot has been going on so certain priorities have been pushed off as a result. We're sorry for the delay.

-------------------------------------------------------------

On a more favorable note, with spring now upon us, the Festival Party Season is finally in full swing. Check our calendars for what might be in the works. But don't wait until the last moment, get your tickets now!

Tickets are currently available for the following (this is only a partial list, so please check our main site for the full rundown):

- Fusion (coming mid-June):  Tickets increase to 2nd tier on Monday, 4/14.

- Fabulodge Fire & Flow Retreat (hosted April 25th-27th):  An intimate burner retreat hosted just west of Fredericksburg. Tickets close out on Tues. 4/15.

- Awesome Con (Apr 18th-22nd): DC hosts one of the region's larges comic conventions.

- Transormus (Hosted Jul 18th-20th): Round 2 tickets go on sale April 20th @ 4pm.

- Fairefest (May 1st-4th): Hosted in Glenn Rock, Pa. Tickets are currently available.

- Beltane (May 1st-4th):  Celtic Tribal meets Sensual Desire in Darlington, MD. Tickets are currently available.

- Leather Stip Returns (May 8th): Hosted by Asylum 13 in Wilmington, Del.

- MD Faerie Fest (May 10th-11th): Tickets now available so get those wings a flappin!

- Va Renne-Fair (May 10th-11th): Opening weekend for Va.Renne-Fair in Spotsylvania.

- Steampunk Worlds Fair (May 16th-18th): Tickets are now available.

- Camp Crucible (Memorial Day Weekend):  Tickets are now available.

- Kinetic (Cancelled!): in case you haven't heard.

- Honfest (June 6th-8th): A Baltimore tradition not to be missed!

- Karmafest (June 7th-8th): Holistic/Yoga festival in Towson, MD.

- Free Spirit Gathering (June 12th-15th): Family-friendly Pagan gathering at Ramblewood.

- Freeform Art Festival (June 12th-15th): Hosted at Schuylkill County Fairgrounds.

- Pennsic (July 28th-Aug 10th):  Online Pre-Registration closes June 16th.

- Touch of Flavor (July 4th Weekend): Exploring the possibilities of intimate desire. Tickets are now available

- Pex Summer Festival (July 4th Weekend): Tickets are now available.

- Starwood Festival (July 8th-14th): America's largest pagan gathering. Tickets available.

- Annapolis Irish Festival (July 11th-12th): Hosting celtic traditions in Annapolis.

- Artscape (July 18th-20th): One of the area's largest art festivals takes place in Baltimore.

We'd also like to offer special congratulations to Vicki & Rick of Tabu Social Club. Coming Saturday, April 19th they will celebrate 10 years in business. Quite a milestone for any company, but even more for those in the scene.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Please visit our main site @ http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com


Also on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/MetroUndergrnd
Quarterly Newsletter on Blogspot: http://metronewsletter.blogspot.com

We hope see you around the scene!

Rick D~
(RichardAD)

The Metro Underground & Metro Events.

The Metro Underground:
http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com
Metro Events: http://www.TheMetroUnderground.com/Events.html

The DC Fetish Ball: http://DCFetishBall.com