Circuit MOM

Circuit MOM, aka Matthew Harvat, is a Chicago-based gay performance artist, event producer, and DJ, popular in the Circuit party scene of the late 90s and 2000s. Harvat is a leader in the Chicago gay community, helping through his celebrity to fund the Chicago Gay & Lesbian Center in the Lakeview, Chicago neighborhood.

Career
Originally, Harvat performed under the name Lee Ving. As Harvat explains it, the moniker of Circuit MOM was first used in 1996 at a Hotlanta event.

"It was 2:00 a.m. and the venue ran out of bottled water. I happened to discover the catering kitchen where the staff was filling pitchers of ice water to wheel out to the 3,000 people on the dance floor. I grabbed six pitchers for our Chicago gang and headed back to the dance floor. Needless to say, I didn't make it very far. 'The crowd parted and there you stood with water to save us,' said a shirtless man with dark hair and an amazing body. 'You're our Circuit Angel ... no, you're our Circuit MOM!' The nickname just sort of stuck. But it also reflects me as a person. I tend to be very nurturing, reliable and I never forget ... just like mom."

The Circuit MOM name later moved on to public performance with her debut at Crobar two years later per a friend's birthday request.

Her appearances since have included performances at Montreal's Black & Blue, Toronto's Gay Pride, Miami's White and Winter Parties, and Washington, DC's Cherry events. In time, Circuit MOM became an icon in the east coast gay party circuit, performing at Orlando's Gay Days at Walt Disney World seven times.

Throughout his career Harvat has also performed as a DJ, with his first gig in 1982, and more recent appearances at Circuit Nightclub and Spin Nightclub in Chicago. In his DJing capacity he has worked with artists such as Deborah Cox and Donna Summer, debuting mixes for their various albums. His style has been described as "a synergy of tribal, house, anthems, vocals and classics."

Awards

 * Best of Show/Performance, Circuit Party Awards, 1999, for a re-interpretation of Madonna’s "Beautiful Stranger", Recovery Party
 * Best of Show/Performance, Circuit Party Awards, 2001, for "Circuit MOM in Concert II" (tie)

Discography

 * Circuit MOM: Red
 * Circuit MOM: Blue
 * Circuit MOM: Orange
 * Circuit MOM: Black
 * Circuit MOM: Hot Pink
 * Circuit MOM: Green T
 * Circuit MOM: Chrome
 * Circuit MOM: White