recaptivate

Friday night's show in the valley was among the odd end of the SG spectrum. Weber's being filled with bizarre implements and strange people, with a vibe just far enough off as to make me unsettled. All of the strange beings and items in the room caused the sounds to make odd ripples as they reverberated off each of them. The stage surrounded by a large wooden railing caused the performers to feel not unlike playing from the deck of a ship, in my mind a pirate ship, we were on the main deck, the crowd on the deck below, Amy tempting them to mutiny, at the same time daring them to run it themselves. In the end they could tell she was crazy enough to be completely serious in everything she said, so when Amy wanted something thrown at her, a young man threw a $20 bill.

Saturday Amy and I were the special guests of Mr. Tiger to an art opening at the long closed Downtown MOCA gallery. The exhibit was titled ecstasy.... Something about altered states and what not, I don't really care much about the title, I just went along to dig the ride, and to try my hardest to take an active roll in the theme, I believe the three of us succeeded admirably. The highlights for me included a room w/ a DJ, which was basically and art piece that functioned much like any dance club, only with better decor than you've probably ever seen. I can't really describe the feeling so I'll cop out.
Another highlight was a large cavernous dark room with strands of equa-distant green l.e.d.s hung from the ceiling, the whole room filled with these hanging lights, and you the viewer allowed to walk through them and take part in the spectacle, seeing how with the exact measurement every direction you looked became a point in a perfect line, like being in a three dimensional lighted bar graph. Your life and your options are laid out for you in implication, it's easy then to see what is yours for the making.
After the opening the three of us went lind to a party that I had read about on myspace. The party taking place in a soon to be demolished hotel near downtown. It was dark when we pulled up, a rather unruly line had formed out front, it was obvious that people at this point were not getting in. Amy takes it upon herself to go and speak to a few young girls standing upon the porch. When asked how long the wait is to get in the girls tell her it's long, but they are a band w/ an extra plus one. Amy tells her that is very nice but I have these two boys w/ me also. She says, okay, then their names are Fury and Oil, and you are Emily's plus one.
Code names in hand we march to the front of the line and are allowed in no questions asked. Once inside we are herded to an elevator, where we waited to be taken to the top. To my horror I learn that nearly all the hotel has been chained up and that the two lobby elevators are the only way to get to and from the party location, smartly placed on the upper most floor. The elevator attendee is very kind, she warns us to never get into this elevator with more than 6 people, because it will fall, she also tells us just as we enter the party to be very careful as there are some very bad people here.
She did not even need to give this warning as I soon found out upon entering the sixth floor corridor, The atmosphere was thick and dirty, clinging to everything is that horrible psychic muck that groups of people not properly planned for nor accommodated make. I see all around me kids, nearly all of them to young and dumb to be handled the responsibility of governing themselves, multiply that by drugs and alcohol and you have an idiots Paradise. Bands are heard playing from down the hall and as you smoosh and stomp your way through the throngs of smoking children to pass by rooms you can see that bands are actually playing inside of the hotel guest rooms, feedback and ear splitting drum shots are predictably overly present. I am aghast in the horror of moronity around me. Feeling trapped and betrayed, this is not a party! Children let me tell you, you have not yet learned the art of reveling.
Finally our front door saviors swoop down upon us, telling us that we may hang out in their band room, number 614. Pushing again through the bad energy and worse decisions we finally reach the room, we are permitted in. The heat of the hallway and the smoke is gone. We are in a regular, clean, non-crowded hotel room containing people that I would probably let drive me home, all of which even appear to be old enough to legally do so. Their band name is Emily, they are an all female electro outfit, we have things in common. It's nice but I still feel what is going on in the hotel around me.
Soon there comes seeping rumors that police have arrived, that the party will be shut down. I even once heard the hotel was on fire, luckily this was not true. Eventually the rumors of the police become pressing fact and we all choose to leave while there is still a choice involved. We find that there is an unlocked staircase, it leads to the back of the hotel, from there we cut through the underground garage enroute to our vehicle. Startling crashing sounds and breaking glass. The idiots left inside are actually so short sighted as to be throwing bottles and things out of the upper floor windows.
Finally escape is made, we all decide it was interesting to see, so we were not sorry to have gone, but I would not go so far as to call it a good time.