DOC MARTIN
Finally, the underground moves above ground. The current surge in ATL’s electronic house music scene is the rapid expansion from the dark side to the bright side. Over the course of forty-eight electrifying months the summer has experienced a new party paradigm shift. This transition has eagerly been welcomed with open arms and dancing feet by party people all across the city. Gone is the only option of exclusive niteclub partying-holding late night hours in company of dark cigarette smoke filled spaces-traded for more family friendly get downs in public parks and recreation spaces. Several party promoters hold court at hotel outdoor pools and smoke-free restaurant rooftops. Bravo! Oh and yes, these parties are putting it down.
Such occurred on a bright and extremely heated Saturday afternoon. We’re talking about temperatures in the mid-90’s with a heat index blazing the upper 90’s. Folks, this party was not for the weak. Several party people packed a café’s rooftop in the city’s current hipster hang-out, the Old Fourth Ward. Aligned the front edge of the rooftop, several red and white cabanas shielded a DJ table with all of its shiny hardware. Unfortunately, the oppressive heat prevailed with victory as receded hairlines glistened and necks burned red. Located near the back of the rooftop, an open bar provided the much needed thirst quencher of killer cocktails and ice cold H2O. Several sweat rags, towels and headbands were in the house to catch sweat. One club owner changed tee shirts. Thanks be to the tiny water gun squirted by two lovelies that kept several dancers cool in mid-step. The only article amiss was the beach ball.
The faces present featured an eclectic group of visages. One couldn’t help but wonder what these faces appeared like twelve years earlier. Perhaps, softer, gentler, youthful and less seasoned. Now they were husbands with wives, mothers with child and singles looking for action. To the right of the roof were the ex-ravers, to the front the P.Y.T’s (pretty young things), to the left the electronic/dance bloggers and to the back the B-boys all cross pollinating the same social scene. Some were nouveau transplants to the music scene while others were old vets. One would think the torrid temps would scare away the diverse wonder but no, that wouldn’t happen. Maybe the allure had much to do with Los Angeles’ legendary house spin- master, Doc Martin.
By mid-event, a slimmed down Doc Martin rocking a brown vintage tee, shorts and headphones reminiscent of west coast grunge meets L.A. surfer stood behind the DJ table. The west coast outfitter opened with a dark tech number that steadily built into a peak time rhythm that caused the crowd to “oooh and awww.” Melodic rhythms from various dance genres crossed paths with one another to form a stunning eclectic display of harmonious melancholy. The three hour set contained little vocals and lyrics, but those little vocals and lyrics stood out like an ice cream cart vendor selling gourmet popsicles. From River Ocean’s featuring India’s, “Love & Happiness (Yemaya Y Ochun)” the Michel Cleis ‘Flore’ nine minute plus remix to a deep house extravaganza equipped with African lyrics sung in ancestral chants to the dance hall tinged Masters At Work “Work” pounded over a progressive electro charged beat had the sun burnt crowd eating up those gourmet popsicles. Around an hour or so later the party’s closer came courtesy of Earth Wind and Fire’s 1978 classic, “Fantasy.” What a fantasy to see people leaving the dark and seedy underground to dance above ground on a hot Saturday afternoon in the warm embrace of the sun.
This Is Doc Martin and this Is what the doc does best, crafting the marriage of classic, jackin’, tech and deep house beats into one big happy nuclear family much like the audience that was present.
Photography by Marie Sanders
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, Doc Martin, house music