It is simply an index to mail lists. I find it somewhat difficult to believe anyone could know about every party anywhere. However, we do have a mechanism here at Hyperreal that may help. Check out the G.R.I.D and search for parties in your area. Another good source of this kind of information is the newsgroup rec.music.info .
Further information is available in the catalogs.
You can receive Innovative Info, a biweekly list of new imports you can order, with short descriptions of each item, by sending mail to Todd and asking to be added. Archives available at ftp.uwp.edu. In most cases you should first try to send mail to the Contact address. Give your request time to be processed. If archives and other list files are available via anonymous FTP or through Gopher, do everything you can to access them via those channels.