White Party ’09 packs in Lady Gaga, legions of superheroes and lots of hot guys.

by Jeff Katz

It definitely takes some superhuman strength to keep spinning around the dance floor for 20 years. So for the White Party’s big 2-0, April 10-12, Jeffrey Sanker and his crew of party boys decided to up the ante, making the Palm Springs party weekend bigger than ever and giving the main event a “Legion of Superheroes” theme.

Expect lots of capes, high boots and skin at Saturday night’s White Party—and that’s likely just from headliner Lady Gaga. It was just a year ago that Lady Gaga, then practically unknown, performed a short set at one of the weekend’s pool parties. But this year the show is all hers, as she takes the White Party stage at the Palm Springs Convention Center during the main event from 9 p.m.-5 a.m.

Speaking of those legendary pool parties, boys will pack the deck for the Spring Break Pool Parties all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. DJs Casey Alva, Marco and the Perry Twins will take care of the music, as will Erasure’s Andy Bell, who will spin a special poolside DJ set on Saturday from 3-4 p.m. Candis Cayne will also be getting some sun on Sunday as she brings her act to the desert.

And while the White Party itself is the main event, there is plenty of dancing in store before and after. Friday night features the return of the Boxers or Briefs Underwear Party, from 9 p.m.-4 a.m., featuring DJ Oscar Velasquez and sponsored by Club Papi. And the Climax afterparty will run from 4-10 a.m. on Sunday, if you’re not quite ready to call it a night after the White Party.

Of course if it’s Sunday afternoon on White Party weekend, that means it’s time for the T Dance. This year White Party Park will be turned into a nautical wonderland, with DJs Brett Henrichsen and Joe Gauthreaux handling the soundtrack, featuring some of the biggest dance hits over the span of the event. Little Latina pop star Kat DeLuna will also be on hand for a live performance before what’s being promised as the most elaborate fireworks display in 20 years of White Parties.

To handle the expected massive crowd, organizers have expanded to include two host hotels this year. The Wyndham Palm Springs will continue its duties as main host to a number of the parties, while the posh Hotel Zoso has jumped on board as well, a great option to be near the action without actually sleeping in the middle of it. But who has time to sleep with so many parties to hit up?

the details

White Party’s 20th Anniversary
April 10-12
jeffreysanker.com

Stay at:
The Wyndham
888 E. Tahquitz Way
Palm Springs
wyndhampalmspringshotels.com
Hotel Zoso
150 S. Indian Canyon Dr.
Palm Springs
hotelzoso.com

White Party Guest DJ

Bell of the Ball

Before he hits Palm Springs for a rare DJ set, Erasure’s Andy Bell talks to Frontiers in L.A. about what music he can’t get out of his head.

by Jeff Katz

Have you been to the White Party before?

Never been to the White Party Palm Springs, though I have been to the Wyndham Hotel before for the Steven Chase Awards, where we performed. I'm very much looking forward to it after the White Party on the Atlantis cruise. I’m getting slightly nervous, but love playing electronic dance music. 

I know that you did a DJing tour for your Electric Blue album. Is DJing something you've always done, or have you taken it up more recently?

I've been doing it sporadically over the past 10 years or so, [and] didn't realize what a huge collection of electro I had. I'm a frustrated disco diva, really.

Do you DJ often around the United Kingdom and Europe?

I tend to do private parties and special one-off electro nights. I love doing it. It's just as good as playing live. Probably done about 10 DJ slots in the U.K., but not any in Europe so far. 

Who are you spinning a lot of right now?

I like the remixes from the Gossip and “No Static” by Bottin, also Frankmusik. Really like “The Fear” by Lily Allen and “Love Etc.” by [Pet Shop Boys]. 

Lady Gaga is headlining this year's White Party. Are you a fan of hers?

I caught one of her sessions on 4Music video channel and quite enjoyed it. I'm glad that the electro torch has been passed on once more, but when you've been doing it as long as we have, it's quite hard to be blown away. I love Fedde Le Grand and Miss Kittin, but Lady Gaga seems like a fun girl.

You and Vince Clark [Bell’s partner in Erasure] just released a huge, awesome box set, Total Pop! Deluxe Box. I'm sure it's impossible to pick one, but are there any songs in this new set that are a personal favorite?

Ooh, I love “Rock Me Gently,” “Here I Go Impossible Again” and “Breathe.” Bit of a softy, really.

When you're DJing, is there one Erasure song and one of your own tracks that you always try to play?

I love the MHC mix of “Always.” [It’s] very sexy. My own fave is “Electric Blue.”

I understand there will also be a remix album of the Pop! collection. Is there a remix that you particularly love or DJs that you really like?

I like Fred Fake & Seamus Haji, Sound Factory, Fingers & Thumbs.

How’s the new solo album going?

It's going fantastic! I'm in electro-disco heaven working with Pascal Gabriel. We're doing some quite unusual things. Wait until you hear the Perry Farrell-Andy Bell duet—you're gonna love it. Hopefully it will be out in 2010.

Andy Bell will also be doing an in-store DJ set at 6:30 p.m. on April 9 at Amoeba Music, 6400 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood.

More info andybell.com