Our first submission from Mark, our Paris correspondent! Read on...

00.47, June 21st 2002, Paris, and the city is on fire. I have to share this with you.

Taking place outside my bedroom window as I write this, is La Fete de la Musique, an annual music festival that takes over the streets of Paris, takes over the pavements, the squares, the boulevards and avenues, in a melee of seemingly uncontrolled musical hysteria that brings out the wild and life loving side of everyone around.

I have enjoyed many nights out in this amazing city, but this evening has been special.

A night of constant and ever changing beats, pitches, tones and tempos, that on almost every corner manifests itself as the best night out in Paris.

Walking, no dancing through the narrow streets, I have come across such a tapestry of sounds as to be uncertain as to which I like best. The roughness of the Indy band with its lyrical and fresh, though inaudible rhythm; the just-as we-like-it romance of the jazzy quartet with their homely and innocent look; the two little girls, no more than 12 years old, playing the flute to perfection; the fantastic color of the Gay jungle sound, surrounded by hoards outside the Open Bar in the Marais where, the street packed with chanting boys, all whooping at the heavy dance music, a sprightly young lad dances provocatively up a lamp post, suggestively wiggling his bottom.

Black, white, homo, hetro, young and old....who gives a damn, the streets are packed, the drinks are flowing, the air is filled with a hint of grass and hardly a policeman to be seen, this truly must be the best music event ever held outside of a field.

The only people having a nightmare of course are those driving. They can't move, and we pedestrians love it. Honk your horn all you like because we aren't moving, at least not out of your way. This another of those beautiful Parisian nights when anarchy takes over and 'the sensible' be damned. If you have somewhere to go, go tomorrow. Tonight it's about release, and in Europe anyway, no-one does release better.

June 2003. Make sure you are here.

Mark