COURTESY OF DOUBLE-O-SPOT All ages can dance and get clean at the same time at Virus tomorrow. Don't forget to bring a change of clothes!

Good, clean fun

180 gallons of foam will
fill the dance floor

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By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

WIDELY KNOWN as a haven for the all-ages crowd, Virus undergoes a cleansing of sorts on the last Saturday of each month. Party promoters Double-O-Spot and the Vinyl Pymps have collaborated since February to bring bubbles to the late-night party scene with an "Afterhours Foam Party" at the club.

Foam parties originally got their start on Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain in the western Mediterranean. The tourist destination is known for its wild night life; visitors often note crazy pyrotechnics and costumed dancers as highlights of their party experiences. And forget about clubbing until dawn -- in Ibiza, it's not uncommon to be moving on to an after-afterhours spot at eight in the morning.

Back in Honolulu, Greg "G-Spot" Dehnert pushes on in his quest to spread the gospel of foam. "I think it's catching on," he said earlier this week. "A lot of people don't understand the concept of a foam party ... they've never really seen it before." Dehnert explains that with television programs like "Wild on E!" and networks like the Travel Channel giving exposure to foam parties, more Hawaii residents are learning what to expect at this type of event.

"You'd be surprised at the diversity ... of the crowd that comes to the foam party," he said. "It's kind of a gathering place of different scenes from the night life."

As would be expected, the earlier (if midnight could be considered early) you arrive at Virus, the younger the crowd. By 2 a.m. the party sees an influx of people over 21 making their way from other clubs that are just shutting down, followed by another swarm around 3:30 or 4 a.m. No alcohol is served on the premises at Virus, something that could be viewed as either a blessing or a curse.

On one hand, having a chance to sober up while rolling in foam helps clear the mind for the drive home. At the same time, however, could you really enjoy dancing in one big bubble bath without having just a little bit of the edge taken off? Make sure you're sufficiently hydrated with beverages of the adult variety before heading into the club.

Other preparations to make for tomorrow's party should include a change of clothes, especially if you're coming from another nightspot with more of a dress code. While Dehnert promises the foam he uses is "non-sticky and non-slippery," it will get your clothes damp and could possibly ruin those expensive kicks you normally wear.

"It's not going to stain or anything ... it has a piña colada scent," says Dehnert of the foam, which is ordered from Kentucky. The best attire to wear is "whatever you're most comfortable in," he suggests. Some people have even been known to treat the club like their personal bathtub, taking off most (if not all) of what they had on when coming into Virus.

Tomorrow's "After-hours Foam Party" will also have the most foam of all, so far -- after starting out with 70 gallons of foam solution at February's party, the promoters will rock 180 gallons of the stuff this month for people to wade through. DJs Byron the Fur, Daniel J, Matthew Grim and others will man the decks in Virus' main room with most of the foam. A second, less foamy room will feature drum-n-bass and a more laid-back vibe.

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