CLUB 'APOLOGIZES' FOR DRUG RAID WITH TECHNO PARTY

Near Total Eclipse Of Dancers At Friday Night Event

Continuously mixed electronic music flowed Friday night at Total Eclipse,
with bass lines pounding late into the early morning hours. But the
vibration of house beats and techno was missing something crucial: dancers.

Dubbed "Apologies," Friday night's event was intended by the all-ages club
at 500 Toronto Road to make up for the last electronic music night, March
9, which was cut short when U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents
raided the club.

"They could fit everything that was found right here," Samantha Strumpher
said, cupping her hands. "They could have found more drugs at almost any
bar downtown."

Strumpher was at the club March 9. She said she attended both that night
and Friday for the music.

"It was a good time while I was here -- you couldn't even move around the
place," she said, referring to the night of the raid. "People come for
music they won't hear anywhere else around here."

Matthew Graves, who is involved with music production, was at the event to
experience the mood as much as the music.

"I like seeing stuff like this going on - it gives me hope," Graves said.
"We need a spark, some excitement going on, another flavor, another spice."

No more than 50 people, a fraction of the nearly 300 guests at the raided
event, which was labeled "The Orgasm," attended Friday's gathering.

Fliers for both events said no drugs, alcohol or "bad vibes" were allowed.

"I think everybody's been scared off," said John Dedrick, owner of Total
Eclipse. "I'm going to lose $4,000 tonight. ... It's not going to happen
again."

Dedrick brought in DJs from Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis and Bloomington
in addition to local talent Friday. As a precautionary measure Friday,
Dedrick increased security by searching patrons' pockets, patting them down
and checking everyone's identification.

In a statement sent to The State Journal-Register by JJJ Productions and
Total Eclipse, Joel Christner explained that efforts to hire off-duty
police officers to help the club's security staff were unsuccessful.

Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson said he received a letter from JJJ
Productions outlining security plans for the event, but it would have been
against policy to station officers at the club.

"The guidelines are that, first off, (off-duty officers) can't work in a
place that serves alcohol," Williamson said Friday. "Also, they can't work
in a place that may be sometime called into question of ethical activity,
either in the parking lot or otherwise."

While unethical activity may have transpired last month at the club,
"Apologies" transcended the hedonistic association of "raves" and drugs for
some of the people that did attend.

Eric Dix, also known as DJ Vamp, didn't seem to mind having the dance floor
almost all to himself when he wasn't behind the turntables.

The Bloomington DJ practiced head spins and some break-dancing moves that
would have been impossible on a packed dance floor.

"I'm just here to have fun," Dix said, adding that he doesn't use drugs or
alcohol. "I'm all about positive, positive, nothing negative. ... Music is
such a beautiful thing."

About 4 a.m., Dix made his belief evident. With the club virtually empty,
he kept spinning records for an audience of one.