Crossroads is defined by a road that crosses another road, or a road that runs transversely to main roads.*
“Please Stand By” reads the words painted on the wall. Around the corner, patrons sit at the bar, two pool tables entertain folk, “Pulp Fiction,” plays on several monitors, tired butts sit on couches, and a kid’s horsy ride sees no action. Over here hangs HD plasmas. Overhead hangs shiny disco balls. Over there hangs a speaker monitor from the ceiling. On the wall behind the DJ booth a graphic novel’s storyboard of love-scorn characters is painted, adjacent that wall freighting abstract heroines pose, as a painted naked anime girl blows a kiss from the DJ booth. The room with entirely too much activity, dance floor is completely empty.
A pillar of afro house blesses the lifeless floor. Where is everyone? Perhaps viewing the event’s live stream video in comfort on a laptop at home. The time reads eleven thirty. By the time the hour hand strokes midnight the crowd peaks to forty-something. A wandering eye questions is this as good as the attendance will get? Yes.
Techie synths, Latin percussions and sacred rhythms gather brave sojourners to join the dance ritual. This sacrament comes courtesy from the minister of sound DJ Ausar. Neither rare or common, the mouth covered DJ runs onto the floor, dances, and returns to the DJ booth to cue the next song. This is all a night of fun for the city’s Kalakuta radio show host. However, his night of fun is not without technical difficulties.
“Stop Jealousy,” by Boddhi Satva featuring Ze Pequino (Culoe De Song Kamnguni Remix), the final song in Ausar’s blessing, sets the place ablaze. That is, until the song lives up to the first word in its title and comes to an abrupt stop. Please, not again. Where Ausar drops the ball is where the night’s guest headliner from New York City picks up.
Sugar Groove’s guest DJ, producer and remixer extraordinaire always manages to bring the “WOW” to the event. Anyone for electric guitars that scream over afro house, acoustic guitars that pluck sweet goodness from melodic harmonies, pulsating bass lines that transform into staccato jabs of Latin percussions, a Hammond B-3 that takes the track to church and piano keys that play a dazzling sound spectacle worthy of the world’s tenth wonder? Then look no further than Louie “Lou” Gorbea. The man knows his music. He knows instruments. This is his crossroads of diverse sounds.
Whew. The music starts. Lou sheds his jacket, adorns his bald head with a Crossroads shroud much like the ceremony of a minister robing before delivering a sermon. Lou’s sermon starts with a fiery blast of energy, equivalent to a preacher’s heaven and hell brimstone tactics. Except, DJ X-Trio provides the brimstone. The “Africa” track pumps at 125 beats per minute leaving behind the previously afro house tracks at speeds of 120 BPMs. Wait one minute as dancing feet play catch up.
The minister of music delivers an uplifting message of vocals and soul-stirring music form the global unity anthem of Black Coffee featuring Hugh Masekela’s “We Are One,” to the Elements of Life featuring Josh Milan’s optimistic “Children of The World (Dub),” to the old-school gospel-esque Joe Smooth featuring Anthony Thomas’ “The Promised Land.”
Trouble brews. Just like a thief in the night, the enemy sends in a distraction. Here comes Jezebel. She is dressed in a black bustier and black knee high boots. She walks up to the DJ booth to deliver a message to the minister. “Turn down the bass.” Jezebel commands before turning around and walking into a chained cage where the distraction decides to put on a show. Epic fail. This is no burlesque. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
The bass plays “ a whomp, a whomp, a boom” and the music continues. Pop pusher Lana De Rey sounds innocent yet willing singing “Video Games” over an afro house treatment. One of the party’s surprise treats. Some dancers cheer; other dancers are distracted. The beguilement abounds; conversations, laughter, friendly pranks, actor Samuel L. Jackson’s horrible jheri curl wig, Jezebel gyrating in the chained cage and the hotties mounting white horses. The room becomes a circus. Sadly, the music becomes muddled, lost in translation. That is…..
Until DJ Swift’s, of Sugar Groove, laptop driven music set, surprisingly, places the focus back on the music. An on the fly remix of “golden voice” Akram Sedkaoui’s on Jerk House Connection’s “Each and Every Day (Life Goes On), with the bass, middles and highs from Maya Jane Cole’s “Simple Things” brought feet dancing back to the floor. Swift rewinds time playing not one but three Dennis Ferrer’s anthems from yesteryear; Joey Negro presents the Starburst Band’s “Journey to The Sun” (Dennis Ferrer Remix), “Church Lady” and “P 2 Da J.” NYC’s club Shelter knocks on Atlanta’s club Shelter door with Jill Scott’s “Rolling Hills” (Shelter Mix). The 1999 tribal banger, Men From The Nile’s “Watch Them Come” takes the dancers around the world to close the party.
The party had its share of challenges, some expected and others not so expected. Sadly, the venue kills the vibe. No wonder the attendance slacks. Sugar Groove must be at a crossroads. The question begs further growth away from the venue or a slow death at the venue.
Words and photography by AJ Dance
*Dictionary.com
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Tags: Atlanta Georgia, deep house music, DJ Swift, house music, Louie Lou Gorbea