The Five Essentials to Throw a Successful Event
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“One water and one vodka cranberry,” you tell the bartender who closes the tab. Grab the libations early. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. Cause when Louie Vega featuring Unlimited Touch’s “Music Is My Life” welcomes you into the expansion, you already know, it is going to be one of those nights.
Where perspiration drips down the fore and onto the chin. Already?
To the front of the space your red-bottoms trek. To the right, near the elevated DJ stage, feel the kiss of cool falling from unseen vents. There you make camp. Your real estate secured.
The Sound
And when the bass drops. Look. Upward. At the massive Funktion One sound cabinet perched in the nook of the walls. As you are immersed in a sound bath. The acoustics are warm. Yet phat. The perfect balance of clarity and impact. Never leaving the ears hissing for days to come.
There his feet shuffles and sidesteps. When she claps her hands. Your arms rise. Their freedom dancing to the Manoo Main Mix of Blaze’s “Be Yourself.” Joi Cardwell’s buttery vocals greets sparkling smiles and wide-open arms from a complete stranger, branding a Funkbox NYC tee. Think a family affair of multi-hue visages. With those in the know having gathered. Early. To consecrate the dance floor. Through movement of dance.
“Don’t Look Away,” Glam Soul’s Miranda Nicole whispers on her Tambor Music release. The Afro Warriors & Dorivaldo hit remixed by David Morales foretells his second coming. The reason why a steady stream of stans trickle onto floor two AKA the club level of Flash.
The Space
The Washington D.C. venue is many things. A bar & grill, art gallery or barbershop by day turned dance area at night, Flash is not. Instead, it is three floors of fun. The ground level holds a bar, DJ station and on this night an art installed painted commode. The second level is 3000 square feet of action, a bar, restrooms, audio control center, hanging sound gear, and an elevated booth that hosts top-tier talent. Atop floor three, another bar, wall art, deejay equipment and disco ball encamped beneath a half-open, half-closed rooftop. Where party two is held. For those who need a smoke or breather. Ah, the Capital City on view.
Where overlooking the balcony, thinking, nationwide, namely underground dance music venues are amiss in the current culture of clubland. Evermore rare, night clubs that cater to soulful/deep house veterans playing music on weekends. In most metropolises, promoters struggle to secure event spaces and pay rent, Flash is the rare exception. Nestled between Georgia Avenue and U Street, the Florida Avenue establishment has been in the game for a decade. Even having survived a pandemic. Perhaps, other cities can take a page from Flash’s playbook on how to save and sustain their underground culture from extinction while safeguarding against the milieu of current soulless “ontz,” cake-faced clown shows, and bottle services slapsticks.
Meanwhile D.C.’s favorite, DJ Soul is the architect of the energy. Painting the shimmering hues of emerald and cobalt juxtaposed the state of the art light show. He keeps a steady eye on the action below, on the floor. Delivering the late iconic Loleatta Holloway’s a cappella “Hit n Run,” Willie Ninja’s “Hot” (Expansions NYC Dub), Louie Vega staring Duane Harden’s “Never Stop,” and programmed drums circa 1993 NYC garage- that goes hard before dissipating into Muabaruka’s “Dis Poem.” Prior to a Prince tribute sleepily ending Soul’s invigorating journey.
Thus far, the party is a success. More importantly, what makes this party more successful than your previous visit to this establishment to experience the same global headliner five months earlier? That Black Friday, the day after giving thanks where mouths overstuff fowl. Your mind wanders against the rub.
The Funktion One sound system impacts. The ruby red lights wow! The no camera phones policy in effect. Lo-key, you realize the major difference.
The People
Hours into the soirée and you are spared. Elbow jabs. The fists. The shoves. The stepping on of sneakers. And spewing vomit! The issue is not the venue, Flash. The issue is your patrons. The dance culture tourists. Their naivety. Privilege on full-display. That Georgetown air.
Behold, in view, towards the bar are open spaces. Black shadows bouncing in and out of the vacancies. A vape here. A vape there. Everywhere there is a vape. And their smiles. People are actually enjoying each passing moment. Dancing around in mid-spins and exaggerated stomps.
They arrive. Four deep. Aluminum cans in hands. A band of bros of varying height and width, adorned with youthful hair colors standing in someone’s personal space. “Tomorrow. I’m leaving.” Bro number two tells security, the one with hungry eyes. “I came here to hear him play.” He gestures with a head nod to the elevated deejay booth spotlit by silver reflectors of antique flashes.
The Music Selector
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At age 60, el abuelo deejay is still sexy as hell. Black denim hugs his thighs. He slowly lifts his ribbed black jersey to wipe the sweat off his brow as if he is totally removing the garment. But no. He smiles. He winks. A streak of devilish charm courses his veins. His opening offer, playing Perempay & DaVinChe featuring Mr. V’s “This Is Not A Game.” The Afro-tech number, yes slumps along, is less disparate as more steering an overcurrent towards Nikki Afflick’s “Da Stankness” (An AfflickteD Soul Mix), David Morales & Scott Paynter featuring Romina Johnson’s “GIVE ME MORE” (Sunday Mass Vocal Mix) and Inaya Day’s “Feelin’ Feelin’ (a cappella disco) brings the funk. Yet, the conductor’s ear is to the pulse of the neoteric, never looking back. When the “Party in De Ghetto” superstar’s come-up, carved his imprint in underground dance nearly forty years earlier. When Mariah Carry was his muse. When he, the producer/remixer/deejay extraordinaire seemingly worked alongside every megastar ruling the music industry. Ever impressive was his expanding catalog, currently tagged at over 600 produced works, one of which won him a gold gramophone. From that classic sound of finger snaps and piano loops. To keys falling from the heavens. Elements so rudimentary that made perfect tuxedo music, as in people wanted to wear tuxedos to the dance club. The definitive reason for his coronation as a founding father, an archetype of early house music. Crowned King of House NYC. David Morales welcomes you to his Good Friday Mass.
The Music
Anyone for Dua Lipa’s “Levitating?” Before the music journeys deep, way deeper. The hip-house beat. Those sputtering drums. That jolts the heart. Listen to the low frequency calling to mind an approaching freight train. That rushes to run you over. A sudden gust blows over you. When the drumming percussion drops over strings. This is how people experience love on the dance floor. Play “2B Luv” from legend Crystal Waters. In a moment the David Anthony produced Extended Mix blossoms into Morales & Mr. V’s “Everyday of My Life” (Vocal Mix). The standout you have waited to hear all week. The powerhouse drops you to your knees. As you perform a supta virasana to the strumming of a sitar, the blowing of the Shehani. The sampled sounds of Bollywood from Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy” excites!
Disco to the gospel of David Morales’ “Never Looking Back.” The “Life Is A Song” star holds his ear to his Friday mass. His call, their response. Into the air, a bottle is raised. He takes a swig. He holds his glass. Cheers. David is all fun until he is not. Ask the clueless blonde touching the equipment in booth. The King’s wrath eschews.
Sing along to the is it or is it not Whitney Houston’s vocals belting “It’s Not Right but it’s Okay.” The King stands, commanding his mass to chorus. Directing their mouths to sing “Can’t Nobody.” With his hand, he waves as painting brushstrokes avec baton. The instruments shout. He is a maestro of music. A minister of sound. And he busts a dance move or two in the booth. As fists pump to a corny EDM attempt at a Chaka Khan cover. That has the entire room singing and swinging. Ibiza arrives!
The party girl and guy friend bouncing on the couch recognizes Miley Cyrus singing “I can love me better than you can” from her recent “Flowers. While the bald headed and potbellied tambourine shaker discerningly identifies (David Morales Classic Club Remix) Jamiroquai’s “Space Cowboy.” Don’t get too comfortable. Cause when he gets ready to sing “Everything is good and brown,” Morales abandons the song altogether for Amir Alexander’s “Sonic Weaponry.” WTF!!!
Mistake one occurred minutes earlier, when accidentally his majesty’s elbow grazed the pitch control and the drums ran away, vocals sounded like the famous chipmunks trio singing. Bodies froze. Time stood still. Oops.
The music started over. Even the best are not immune.
Foundations
Throwing a dance party is no easy feat. All elements must fall into play. Your mind wanders again. Much like a music selector playing music. Every song stored in their rekordbox is not party material. Therefore, knowing what songs and what songs to not play during a show is essential. Much is the hustle of an event promoter. Everyone is not cut for the job. Throwing perfectly executed parties is not left to chance. Instead, think of throwing parties as a calling. Where party promoters are visionaries. Successful visionaries are strategic planners with a keen eye for detail. Whose communication is essential for auspicious execution. The foundation be deeply rooted. Every detail in place. Thankfully, tonight, all details are in place.
The best t-shirt award goes to “Techoes.” The winner, a blonde haired kid stumbles by with drink in hand to the worst cover of the Jackson 5’s “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Mistake number two of the party is playing Gloria Gaynor’s rendition. Pure disco torture.
Caiiro’s “The Akan” makes up for the previous song slip. Even though the song plays only two minutes before eclipsed by David Morales & Elle Cato’s “I Feel Love” (Extended Mix) . The shocker is hearing Dennis Ferrer’s “Son of Raw.“ “You don’t know,” but nothing compares to that tech house drop from the mid-aughts.
Dancers are kept guessing. The playlist meanders and shifts. Cross pollinating genres and styles. The music goes nowhere yet everywhere. The pulse of the room is up for guess. Anyone for Morales’ “WEPAA,” reminiscent Sunday morning church? Pig&Dan’s “Make You Go Higher” (David Morales Stereo Mix)? Barbara Tucker wailing “Deep Inside” against Ultra Nate belting “Free” is the ultimate smashup? Or not? Or is Soul Avengerz’s, A Rogers Surgery Mix a necessary Sunshine Anderson cover? After all, we’ve “Heard It All Before.” Listen closely, there is a diamond in the rough, something sparkling for everyone.
The Five Elements
The music. The sound. The space. The people. The music selectors. Are the five essential elements needed for a successful party. When all five fell into play. Perfectly aligned. Flawlessly executed. Placid expectations be damned! David Morales playing at Flash Good Friday night/Good Saturday morning triumphed. Evidence as the final note fell, walking outdoors at 4 am, visages overwhelmed. As one veteran dancer noted, “I see why he is a legend. He played music, I needed to hear.”
wrds: aj dance
graphics: aj art
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Tags: #dancefloormagic #housemusicexcellence, afro house, afro tech music, classic house music, DAVID MORALES, deep house music, Def Mix Recordings, Diridim Recordings, DJ Soul, flash club, flash dc club, house music dancing, soulful house music, Washington D.C.