Photo by James Holmes
Audio By Carbonatix
As we walk through our everyday lives, it’s easy to overlook how music shapes our moods. It lifts us, breaks us, excites us, and in some cases, seduces us. At Fetish Factory’s long-standing fetish parties, music does more than set the mood, it triggers imagination. We caught up with Danny Ae, a key organizer and self-described “creative therapist” behind the scenes, to explore the deep, genre-blurring relationship between sound and submission.
Now celebrating 30 years of provocative nightlife, Fetish Factory has evolved into a cultural institution. The upcoming Halloween Fetish Ball, and their Tension party happening on November 14, are just two of the many events in its packed annual calendar, each one backed by a sound philosophy as complex as the parties themselves.
“For a very long time, I called myself a creative therapist,” Ae says. “I want to be on top of everything that’s next and what could be next for the company.”
With over two decades embedded in FF’s culture, Ae oversees the music programming and DJ bookings. It’s a role that demands sensitivity to the community’s roots and boldness to push sonic boundaries.
Fort Lauderdale’s Fetish Factory is the longest running Fetish event in the U.S.
Photo by James Holmes
“I think that the music takes several roles at the parties,” he explains. “There was the dungeon version of the party… it wasn’t meant to be danceable, it was just meant to be a diffusion of all the things that was happening within the dungeon environment, with music like Enya and things like that.”
Over the years, the soundtrack evolved from ambient textures to a full-blown club environment. Ae describes the unique blend of scenes that molded the FF sound: South Florida’s goth underground, the rave movement, synth pop, punk, and eventually EDM. “There was this kind of gelatin of all of these electronic styles… they were okay with each other.”
This genre-bending ethos remains central to FF’s programming. Still, it hasn’t always been smooth.
“There was a point when… the things that were bringing everything together were no longer working,” Danny says. “You can’t pay bills with the same 200 goths showing up to the party.” So, like any subculture with staying power, FF adapted. “We had to find the correct niche within this style of music that’s going to continue to propel us forward and keep us relevant while still trying to keep things dark and mysterious.”
Photo by James Holmes
Today, the parties often feature separate rooms to cater to a broader spectrum: darkwave and industrial in one, genre-defying techno in another. That elasticity is the key to both legacy and longevity.
“Now, what’s really interesting… is that all of a sudden we are reaching a wonderful situation where there is this listener, the modern listener, [who] will listen to anything,” Ae says. “Genres are no longer a thing.”
That freedom allows the Fetish Factory team to introduce darker or more experimental tracks to newcomers without alienating them.
“We have the ability to now do that,” he adds. “The message of the event needs to touch as many people as possible. Once they are touched, they will indulge in everything the events can offer, including all the different music.”
South Florida’s multiculturalism also plays a role in FF’s genre fluidity. “These goth girls, you put ’em in a house party and somebody plays reggaeton and they’ll get down… You can dress super goth, but I bet you that in your headphones, you may have Tupac.”
This melting-pot mentality is particularly evident in the Halloween Fetish Ball, which takes place this weekend at the Manor in Fort Lauderdale. The event promises a haunted house-themed ballroom on one end and a raunchy slasher fantasy on the other, each with its own curated sonic world.
“On my slasher side, I have IVNX also Sideshow and Kieto to keep it really dark and heavy. On the haunted house side, I have J-sin and Tumbles, who are excellent at merging darker techno and psytrance elements,” Ae shares.
Even the most outrageous sound choices have a home at FF. Danny recalls the moment he heard “Vengaboys” played at a Canadian fetish party: “Everybody was dying dancing on it… it goes to show you that creating this elasticity within your listener is still punk rock, man.”
Ultimately, FF’s soundscape is a mirror to its mission: to invite, to provoke, and to set you free. As Danny puts it, “I want the ability to welcome everybody and anybody. ‘Cause everybody and anybody is welcome here, and you deserve this event.”
Halloween Fetish Ball 2025. 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday, October 24, at The Manor LIVE, 2345 Wilton Dr., Fort Lauderdale; fetishfactory.com. Tickets cost $47.50.
