Decentralized Dance Party Hits Detroit With Hundreds Of Boomboxes, Business Attire

Watch out Detroit: the Canadians are coming, and they're bringing a party.

The Vancouver duo of Gary and Tom (who refuse to give last names and insist they're from the future, not Canada) will descend on Detroit this Saturday with banana suits and hundreds of stereos. It's the 43rd Decentralized Dance Party, something like a flash mob mixed with a drug-free rave, and they're hoping thousands will attend the moving event.

Gary and Tom bring around 300 boomboxes and ask others to bring their own. Using an iPod and an FM transmitter, they blast their music (expect booty bass and Jock Jams) through an unused frequency so guests carry the music with them, individual stereos blasting as they're led on a party parade that weaves through downtown streets.

"We love routes where there's a public fountain along the way, and you can get a hundred people to jump in," Gary said. "We call those swim meets."

The duo have been traveling in a motorhome filled with stereos for the "Strictly Business" tour, which will has stops in the U.S. and Canada. It was partly funded by money raised from donations in each of the cities for gas, the motorhome and thousands of batteries. The Detroit Kickstarter raised $1,005.

On Saturday, they ask attendees to attend in businesswear, with as many props as possible, whether stapler, filing cabinet, or an off-theme kiddy pool. And they're serious about costumes and props, which are two of the seven rules, Gary and Tom say, of successful partying. Yes, they have a "Party Manifesto."

The starting location for Saturday's party will be announced Friday night on the event's Facebook page, which has a slew of guests showing off pictures of costumes and readied boomboxes. The duo will work with residents to figure out a route and coordinate with police.

They say everyone is welcome at the event, which will start at 8 p.m. and last about 4 hours, and they ask people to refrain from drinking or drugs.

"Basically our philosophy is the reason people drink too much at parties is because parties are boring, and they use substances to overcome their inhibitions," Gary said.

"Our goal is to create something where instead of diminishing their consciousness, they can expand it -- through partying."

For more information, see the Decentralized Dance Party website or better yet, just show up, with your best suit on and trampoline in tow.

Flickr photo by eliduke.