Free The Streets

Photographs by Raz Azraai

Nightlife photographer Raz Azraai talks about shooting L.A.’s most notorious underground party, The GeoMetro, and how the party is surviving while in quarantine.

Los Angeles, California, USA

What is the GeoMetro Party?

The GeoMetro Party, simply called GEO by the community, is the biggest, most notorious underground warehouse party in LA. An all-inclusive and all-around wild affair, our underground gathering has gained a massive following in the streets of LA, with young people of all creeds coming to dance on top of a 91' GeoMetro car, the centerpiece and namesake of the party. The party has now spilled out onto the streets of LA, particularly resonating with the skate and street art community.

The GeoMetro Party exists because it is unique. It is the only party in Los Angeles that is truly all-inclusive, with a dynamic mix of young people of all creeds and colors. The best in live pop-music is also showcased in a rapid fire set, with record labels and agencies vying to snag a spot. But during this pandemic, the community is flourishing outside the party, through GEO’s roots in street skate culture.

GEO's motto : FREE THE STREETS

What kind of people attend?

All inclusive, all type of cute personalities that express pure pleasure, love and freedom. .

What's next for this party?

The GeoMetro Party will be collaborating heavily with dope musical artists and painters on clothing collections inspired by the streets of Los Angeles and beyond. Heavily influenced by the skate culture within the GEO community, GEO skate decks are in production and will be available soon. They are rad!!!

GEO is currently collaborating with MusiCares charity and actor, painter BooBoo Stewart on a charity collection (Booboo Stewart X The GeoMetro party) that can be viewed on the link in @thegeometroparty’s BIO. 100% of the profits go directly to the Grammy Musicares charity.

How did you get into shooting nightlife?

It's definitely from being apart of GEO. Also I my mentors Jose Vergara and Aidan Klimenko inspires me so much to just shoot. I fell in love with watching people enjoying themselves being at a dance party or a hardcore punk gig. It's the human ability to put aside everything else and enjoy music, dancing and being silly is what gets me. I don't just shoot, I love dancing at a party I am shooting or moshing and getting myself hurt at a hardcore gig while shooting and leave with huge smile that I have documents of the night with me.

How did you get involved in GEO? Why do you like shooting this party?

It all started when me and my fellow boyband-mates, Charlie Cosser and Jarvis Anderson from Meen Streets decided to throw parties with a car '91 Geometro car after year of writing sexy songs together. This is a representation of our personalities and we have the most fun throwing GEO, endless laughters and smiles gearing up the party, during the party, breaking it down and planning the next one.

I love shooting this party because everyone that comes to GEO is purely there to be themselves, express their freedom and enjoy incredible new pop artist. The smiles from everyone's face are incredibly attractive and infectious. Also... damn, everyone looks good!!

Now that nightlife is put on hold, what have you been doing to stay creative?

Enjoying the pause is part of staying creative for me. We live in a world where everything is evolving so fast and nothing is cherished and appreciated easily. Therefore this circuit breaker as I like to call it, is really important to re-design a way of thinking about life and it makes me appreciate simple ideas. Slow down, do it again. I have also released a guitar-driven music, Saylor Twift which is out on all digital platforms. With that, as a musician as well, playing guitar and writing music has been my therapy and my voice since I was 10. And photography is definitely a part of my language, what I feel while listening or playing music, I express it with photography by going outside safely with my mask on and shoot anything I see on the street. I feel like making photographs makes me a better musician. Vice versa

What's next for you?

Where GEO steer itself is where I'll be next. Aside from that I am currently in the process of making my photos available for prints purchase at dancefloormurder.com, investing my time writing and releasing new guitar driven music in late Summer which you guys can view and listen to whatever I am working on at @raz_azraai. 2020 is obviously an incredible year to face yourself, create and I have been grateful for all the learning curves and experiences.