Partyphile Anxiety: a condition brought about by the sudden lack of good places to party, which leaves partyphiles tense, restless, and in dire need of some hardcore partying.
I am sure most Dabawneyo partyphiles have been suffering from partyphile anxiety lately. Somehow, the bars we used to frequent are now filled with wannabes and high school students; which isn’t really the crowd of choice for ultimate partyphiles.
The cool crowd now flocks to places where they can chillax over some frozen beer instead of spending money in clubs \that offer cocktail concoctions and great house music. This isn’t really bad, but it just leaves the really good bars with a lot less “spenders” and are instead filled with kids who aren’t even of legal age to drink. There has also been a sudden decrease (or maybe even a complete disappearance) of really good events thrown by the hottest clubs in town.
So we, the partyphile crowd, look for other places and ways to have fun. Now, we see house parties gaining popularity again. I used to think this was reserved for the high school crowd; and that was actually the case when I was still in high school, not too long ago. But now that the tables have been turned and little kids now frequent the hottest bars; we are left with no choice but to go back to our old ways of gathering the barkada and mixing up our own cocktails. Somehow, the party scene is becoming less about where you go, and more about who you are with: a futile attempt for partyphiles to keep the party flame burning.
The Davao party scene used to be a lot more exciting. There used to be a lot more party options for the gimikero. There used to be better bars; hotter events; more exclusive parties. We did not have to share the dance floor with people of the (excuse the term) jologs crowd. We used to be in our element when we were in bars; now, we seem more and more out-of-place in the sea of kids, emos, and wannabes.
And it used to be easier to classify if the crowd was of the ultimate partyphile race (those who love to drink, dance and socialize); the partyphile wannabes (those who love to drink, dance, and try to climb the social ladder), or the non-partyphiles (those who love to drink, sit and indulge in senseless conversation). Now, it seems like everyone drinks for the sole purpose of getting wasted; Davao has become one of the most intoxicated societies in the Philippines. And it doesn’t take a genius to figure this out. A lot more restos and “grills” have been popping up, posing to serve good food, when all they really sell are cases upon cases of cheap frozen beer.
Davao has ceased to become exciting for the partyphile race. It has, however, become a haven for everyone and anyone who would want to get wasted, puke in public and try to look for cheap thrills.
So, what can a poor, frustrated partyphile do to solve this problem?
Sadly, I do not know. But I have been contemplating on (gasp!) quitting the party scene completely; a really big and scary step for someone who has found solace in hardcore partying. But until I am ready to give my party mojo up, I will continue praying that some inspired entrepreneur would finally open a bar in the metro and breathe new life into the waning Davao party scene.
So to all the anxious, lonely, out-of-place partyphiles out there, let’s keep our hopes up and wish that the Party Gods would send us a new hotspot in the coming months… or else, the partyphile race might be completely extinct.
