It's a Monday night, there is never any question where to go. Slap some product on your hair, a bit of body glitter and you're off to the fore-father of the urban house party, Boom Boom Room. Many have come and gone, but we have the chance to talk to the one of the men behind the scenes that keep the beat thumping, the liquor flowing and the most important, keeping the people coming, BOI Magazine has had the pleasure of working on many promotions with this promoter of Boom Boom Room, where the house of heart is beating strong. Let's see what he has to say.

This is your 14th Anniversary of Boom Boom Room, How did it all start?
Boom Boom started originally by two promoters from New York. Eventually they moved back, but the night remained at Red Dog. It continued to thrive there till the closing of Red Dog. Music 101 took over the event in May of 2004 and moved it to Green Dolphin Street.

What makes your night so unique?
I can't narrow it down to one thing. But if I had to go through a list, the fans are on the top of that list. It is a nice mix of people. It is an excellent example of what a night should be. We have people coming from all corners of the city. Every ethnicity, race, gender and sexual orientation is represented. To me that is the key to a successful night. It represents the real Chicago. Although it started as a gay night (and for most part it still is,) now it has become much more than that. Of course what holds the night together is House music. Under the umbrella of House, every Monday we pay tribute to Chicago's diversity. Another big factor is the location. Green Dolphin Street is a unique space and has more to offer than any one club. Its location and easy access makes it an ideal place for a night. It also has the best outdoor garden of any other location I have worked with. There are other factors as well such as the staff, which we feel very fortunate to have them, its hosts who are some of the best hosts this city has to offer. Also being on a Monday makes it possible for a strong industry turn out and therefore a strong word of mouth support.

What gives Boom Boom Room its lasting Power?
First and foremost, Boom Boom Room is a testament to the power of House music in Chicago. Today, its residents, Lego and Michael Serafini, in the front and my partner Just Joey and Uncle Milty in the back bring their own fresh new approaches. The entire night is based on House music. It is their individual approaches and little nuances which makes their music unique and sustains the night. Throughout its 14 years, some of Chicago's best DJs have performed at Boom Boom. Lego has been the only mainstay of the night for the last 12 years. It is the longest residency in Chicago which says a lot about Lego! Aside from music, I have to say, the fans are the other reason. They have supported this night year after year in the heat of the summer and cold of the winter. They truly are the greatest fans House music has ever had or a night could ever wish for.

Describe the crowd Boom Boom Room brings in?
It is hard to describe the make up of the crowd. We have a little bit of everything. The night is mostly gay. They are the heart and soul of the night. But added to that, we have plenty of industry support, downtown schmoozers, suburbanites, cool cats, club kids, trendies, dancers that are just there for the music and hanger-ons who just want to be there because they want to be a part of a great night.

What's going on for your 14th Anniversary party?
Boom Boom Room is a Chicago night. While others try to be more like LA or New York, this night represents the best of Chicago. So, it is no coincidence that our anniversary is also about Chicago. We have a great line up of Chicago DJs representing it. We are very happy to have Mark Grant there for this night. He, too, was the resident for Boom Boom Room for many wonderful years. Music 101's goal has always been to stay true to the essence of the night. So we are going back to the roots and what shaped this night. Having Mark there will bring back wonderful memories. There are a lot of other guest appearances and surprises which I don't want to spoil for people. You just have to come and experience it for yourself.

Who would be your ideal "special guest" DJ/Artist at Boom Boom Room?
While there is a tendency in most clubs to rely on out of town DJs, Boom Boom Room is a Chicago experience. It is important to us to stay true to that. This city offers some of the best talent in the world. We don't need to go far to find a great DJ or artist. So I would say, our ideal artist is a local talent. We firmly believe in providing a platform for our artists to shine. Having said that, we have brought many out of town artists as well and we will continue to do so. I suppose our ideal out of town talent will be someone that understands the concept of the night and can perform for a Chicago crowd. Also, throughout the New Year we will concentrate more on local visual artists. You can never have enough of them around. I am sure there are many of them we don't know yet, but I am going to make that my mission for the New Year.

What else would you like our readers to know?
I want to thank each and every one of your readers for their support.
Although the flier might say Music 101, but in reality this is a group effort and everyone plays a part. We have big plans for the night such as franchising it and upcoming CDs. We need your input. It is hard to make everyone happy, but we are here to serve you. So, please let us know what we can do to make the night more enjoyable for you.