The question of where to be for Countdown 2006 is proving drastically tough to answer with no major venue booked by any large trance organizer in Tokyo. There are plenty of choices, just no "one place to be," and unfamiliar limits on crowd sizes.
What we are seeing this year can be called the "Christmas Effect." This happens when Dec. 25 (and a week later Jan. 1) falls on a weekend and organizers face tough choices on where to focus their resources in December.
With New Year's Eve venues and artist bookings at an obvious premium, the growing popularity of Christmas is fast becoming the better bet. Parties have in fact been taking place all week.