EVENT REVIEW: The Hot Boat 2015 with Donald Glaude and more 09-08-15

The Hot Boat Cruise aboard the River Gambler was one of the best boat cruise of Summer 2015, and one of the best parties of the season. I’m a professional partier and have a PHD in proper partying. Due to my 10 years of study and experience, I knew I would not be able to walk on the gravel that is the parking lot adjacent to the vessel the Hot Boat is annually held on. I brought a thick, plush, blue bathmat to stand on while wearing my bright pink stilettos so I could wait for guests to pick-up their tickets from me. One must look hot when attending the Hot Boat. If that means bringing a bathmat so I can stand steady just to look “hot,” then gosh-darn-it that’s what it takes!

Every year Jermz creates landyards for the promoters, media, and DJs which consist of a theme. This year it was cars! All of the promoters and DJs got to pick their favourite car lanyard. I picked the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR AMG Roadster lanyard. Apparently it’s a hot car.

Hotboat 11 once again took its place on the two-story River Gambler with DJs playing on both levels. This cruise was once again a Jermz (Jeramie King) blowout of great music. Hot Boat promoter Greg Nolan said, “It’s not just a cruise, it’s (a) reunion of amazing people as well!”

It was my retirement from hosting and promoting nightclubs and boat cruise events, and what a retirement and reunion it was! I had so many followers of my events who have followed my hosting career come up to me and express their gratitude and personal stories. I note here that I will still continue to host Pride Toronto and of course continue my career as a music writer.

Washington native and “The Hardest Working American DJ” Donald Glaude was the featured DJ who destroyed the decks with an impeccable journey that left his audience looking upon him in anticipation of what he would drop next, and do next. His style of mixer control included using his hips, lips, teeth, butt and nose, all which were tight.

With his back faced to his audience, he scratched-tricked his CDJs with his hands while looking over his shoulders. This of course enraged the Hot Boat fiends into an eruption. Glaude was the master puppeteer to his dancing audience.

On the floor below was one of Canada’s true exports Ovi M. He smashed everyone into a deep, dark, tech-house oblivion. Honestly that man never fails to deliver.

The cruise started with the well evolved Pinky Pereira playing downstairs. This cat has come a long way through his DJ career and can move a room. Upstairs, the party started with the sounds of J-Prez, who knows how to instinctively get a dance floor in motion, or in this case a boat deck. He did this with kick-back, throw-back sounds such as Madison Avenue – Don’t Call Me Baby and the infamous A Studio feat. Polina – S.O.S.

Jermz opened for Donald Glaude with his brand of full-on techno and tech-house that wiggled many of the sexy Hot Boat butts, following Glaude was Chris Ink who opened with Fernando Mesa, Angelo Ferreri, Gion – Maldini (Guille Placencia Remix). Downstairs featured Justin Chung, who I feel has a strong musical future ahead of him, Hugo/Wiley and Ryan McDonald all contributed to the Hot Boat soundtrack of 2015.

What makes Hot Boat parties stand out from all of the other summer season cruises is Jermz and Kyle Atkinson’s forthright business attitude, and not paying attention to what anyone else in the circuit has done or says. Simply put, they know what works and they put it into action.

This year’s cruise had 400 hot people on board, and Jermz assured me “Number 12 (is) coming for 2016!” and he also expresses a “Big thanks to everyone that came out of their busy schedules. We’re happy everyone had a good time! We hope that our Hot Boaters come back next year!”