Sunday, August 13, 2006
Zurich Street Parade 2006
Yesterday I was at Street Parade 2006. This annual event which started in 1992 with a mere 2000 people is considered the craziest event in Zurich and now draws huge crowds. Last year was a record year with over 1 million people. Yesterday's cold weather made this number 800,000. Not bad for a city of 360,000.
Crowd was messy, music --or noise-- was techno (gross) , earth shaking sound volume was unbearable even with my earplugs. I thought this is mass lunacy. Appearantly this event is not addressing my age nor taste. But 1 million bass addicts can't be wrong I guess. Most attendants seem to be teens.
Bass was not the only addiction. I saw quite a few on grass and some reminded me extacy or similar substances.
Like many art events of our times the contribution of technology was ubiqutious and the works of sound and light engineers were impressive.
A 60 meter high ferris Wheel, with its special lightning effects fit well too.
