You piss me off real good! I no talk to you.

Kristin: um, again, chick question... but are you mad at me about something? Or is the shortness cause you're wicked busy and I keep interrupting
theAlphaJohn: haha
theAlphaJohn: im on a conference call
theAlphaJohn: just working on stuff in the background
theAlphaJohn: not mad at you at all
Kristin: ok... whew
Kristin: well... I hope you come out tomorrow night
Kristin: haven't seen you in 100 years
Kristin: would be nice to shake it on the dancefloor with you
theAlphaJohn: yeah it's been a while
theAlphaJohn: are you still white?
Kristin: lmao
Kristin: as far as I know
Kristin: I'm still a chick as you can tell
theAlphaJohn: im all asian now
Kristin: really...
theAlphaJohn: i hear yellow fever is the new black
Kristin: LMAO
Kristin: alrighty!
Kristin: does that require surgery?
theAlphaJohn: not much
theAlphaJohn: it's all outpatient
Kristin: oh good...
Kristin: as long as they don't have to remove you nipples and reattach them
theAlphaJohn: then hair dye, spray on tan, and lots of anime / graphic novels (read: comic books for people with masters degrees)
Kristin: omg
theAlphaJohn: would you like me to go back to being terse?
Kristin: NO!
Kristin: that was not a complaint

Call a Spade a Spade

KK: so do you think you'll be able to join us tonight? I need to verify with Onsaya if she's going
theAlphaJohn: probably not
i was going to go skiing, but it's too warm. need to work a little late and get caught up here. i have homework and other bullshit to get done this weekend
KK: boo hiss...
theAlphaJohn: it's a double edged sword, knowing me
on one hand, i bitch if you ask me too early if im available
KK: hee heeeeeeeee
theAlphaJohn: on the other, i'm not always free at the last minute
KK: lmao
theAlphaJohn: basically, i'm a pain in the ass
KK: 2 of a kind then...

TCM @ Buzz

Not since 2006's Summer of Electronic have I seen The Crystal Method live. They did play a show at 930 Club, but I didn't think it could compare to their last performance at Nation.

Until TCM @ Buzz @ Fur !!!

Photos from High Rezolution



Hi, I'm half the DJ ensemble known as "The Crystal Method". Would you like me to spin you a tune?!?!



Look, it's Kristin!



If you look very closely, you'll find a blog author wearing a brown dress shirt. Banana Republic made 5,000 of them, and the other 4,999 are buried in the closets of Persians all over the US.


In addition to Kristin, both Charlie (George's brother, a.k.a. "Mini-football") and Corey came along. We did run into the gorgeous ladies of Winchester (who now live in Silver Spring). Pregame involved too much vodka and too little cranberry, but somehow we all survived.

wh00t!

Happy Birthday, Aunty Samantha

[Photos from High Rezolution]



This entry is post-dated, because I was a dehydrated disaster on Wednesday.

Corey, Kirsten, and her friend Onseya joined me for a bangin' evening at Firecracker. Corey and I had a brief pre-game in the parking lot, then made our way inside. While I was in line, a lass named Andrea and I discussed DJ Icey's performance a few weeks ago in Chicago, and that she was there to see Starkillers (who I was also excited to see live for the first time).



Apparently there are four DJ booths in Fur, but before Tuesday night I'd only found two. We wandered into the Mafia room so I could catch part of Bob Jong Ill's set. He was spinning what I would call progressive house, which isn't my favorite, but I really enjoyed what I heard.

Kristin and Onsaya finally showed up, so we worked our way into the main room to hear the end of Icey's set. As I've said, I'm not the biggest break-beat fan, but he really pushed that sound system to the edge; I'm glad I wore ear plugs. We worked our way toward the booth and ran into Andrea and her friend Tammy; we ended up dancing together for most of the night.



In talking to Tammy after the show, it turns out we were just a few feet from each other during Paul van Dyk's show.

Andrea and Tammy:



Sweaty Mess:



...

Back to Fur: at one point last night, I got pissed that my shoes kept coming untied, to I kicked them off and danced on the disgusting dance floor without them.

In short: Bob Jong Ill kicked ass, Icey spun a good set, Starkillers rocked the house, and DJ Dan crushed the crowd at the end.

More pics of our crew:

End of Chicago :: Glow Presents Bad Boy Bill @ DC Club Fur

Once again, Kristin and I made our way into DC to see Bad Boy Bill (above, dancing with skanks after his set Saturday night) at Club Glow.

Disturbingly, unlike last time, there's photographic evidence we were there:




Oh sweet merciful Christ. Look at my facial expressions!?!?

Kristin, who is much more pleasing to the eye than I am, managed to be facing away from the camera both times. Thankfully, the really embarrassing pictures didn't make the website.

BBB worked in a bunch of his new stuff that's available on Beatport -- I highly recommend you check it out.

Glow presents Bad Boy Bill at Club Fur

First, let me apologize for the ancient picture of Bad Boy Bill. I realized a long time ago that camera phones do not good pictures take in a club setting, and I won't be that douche bag who brings his camera with him. I'm there for the music, I'm there to dance, and I can almost always find shots a real photographer took during the show the next day. Not so much this time.

With that out of the way, Kristin asked if anything was going on this weekend since it was her birthday, and it just so happened that Bad Boy Bill was spinning at Glow to promote the release of his new DVD, Behind the Desks. We decided that tapas and sangria at Jaleo would be the perfect pre-game experience before a night of dancing to ear-bleeding bass.

With a nice buzz and our hunger abated, Kristin and I found parking and started walking towards Fur. The fun began immediately: a gaggle of drunk, college-aged girls had taken a limo from Martensburg and knocked a chain-link fence over at a construction site next door to Fur.


Quite a hike.

They were walking right behind us as we got into line...behind about 100 deaf kids from Gallaudet University. One of the drunk girls, when we explained they were four blocks from a deaf university, professed her love of sign language and decided to practice her ASL alphabet. While we made friends, her cohorts told us how their evening was ruined because "the guys" were having poker night but some other girl showed up there. About that time, a Fur employee came by and told we were in the "Deaf Party" line so we walked to the other side of the building.

We had a spot on the floor about 15 minutes before Bad Boy took to the decks. There was a traditional exchange between DJs about 1:00am. "You ready to go on?" "Nah, go ahead and spin another song." Though just before this, the sound engineer came out and adjusted the levels until everything was nice and thumpy. When it was time to switch out, they were still fucking with the video feed, but the show started anyway to a rousing cheer of "Bad Boy! Bad Boy!..." started by yours truly.

Bad Boy's style is Chicago House, but he backs everything with deep, dark euro-beats. A typical house DJ will just beat-match two records together and let them play. Bad Boy sets himself apart from normal house DJs by scratching (simply as an effect) and using incredibly tight breaks for faster builds. Here's a one minute sample that includes both:

Just a phenomenal show all around. The place was packed but the crowd was great. Kristin and I danced with another couple, a black guy and his hot red-headed girlfriend in cammo pants and a wife beater. Totally worth the price of admission.

Concert :: Paul Oakenfold

Last Thursday, Kristin and I went to see Paul Oakenfold hosted by Glow at Club Fur here in DC.


For those who don't know, Oakenfold is a British trance DJ who came to prominence in the late-1990s. These days, most of his time is spent overseeing his label, Perfecto Records (home to Paul van Dyk, among others).


Of his music (and stage presence), people generally have one of three opinions:

• [Non-scene People] - "Oh my God, Paul Oakenfold is the hardest techno DJ ever. Oh-can-fold! Oh-can-fold!"



• [Candy Kids and Scene Regulars] - "What, he actually spun this time? his pre-recorded CD must've gotten lost or misplaced." and "Perfecto Presents: My sellout-ass needs to build our brand and make us more loot."



• [Moderates like myself] - Sometimes Oakenfold is good, sometimes he's not, but the crowd is by far the most entertaining part of the night.

Not only did we get our dance on for three hours, but my night was made by the group of five or six highschool kids who apparently scored some black mitsubishi for the evening. It was like time lapse photography watching them get more and more out of it until it was clear they were going to miss homeroom the next day.

Are you going to see Oakenfold?

via email:

theAlphaJohn: Are you going to see Oakenfold?
George: crap, i forgot this was coming up. you down?
theAlphaJohn: yeah. BTW (cause Kristin and i were just looking at it):
PLEASE NOTE:
Gum, Glow Sticks, and/or Audio/Video Recorders Are Not Permitted
DRESS CODE: DRESS SMART.
Dress to Impress - No Athletic wear, no rugged wear, no boots, no timberlands, no hats, no sneakers, no shorts, no flip-flops, and no baggy jeans.
George: it's like they just kicked me out. shit.
theAlphaJohn: remember how much shit that hooker who worked the door at avalon gave you?
George: yeah, i'd have to find my shoes.
theAlphaJohn: i promise not to tell hollister. i wouldn't want you to lose your endorsement deal.
George: i had to google that.
theAlphaJohn: Why? You lived it.
George: i am uber retarded.
theAlphaJohn: lol. prob just too much time on myspace clickity-clicking for little anime-fangirls to worship you

Concert :: The Prodigy

George, Kristin, and I (the WTX/STi trifecta) went to an all-ages concert at Nation last night with Adam Freeland and The Prodigy.



Thursday nights at Nation are typically reserved for Alchemy, which is the Goth/Industrial night. In addition to "normal" concert goers, one was treated to people in floor-length cloaks, goggles, gas masks, mohawks, pointy hair, lots of leather and fishnets, and a variety of men who didn't look so hot in women's clothes.

For example, this young man (about 18 years old and probably 6'2" 150lbs) decided to dress like a young blind girl who went shopping at H&M. Pink and yellow neon tank tops, fishnets, and a hideous skirt:



After Fluffer DJ #1 and Fluffer DJ #2 shat out their version of "I don't need no stinking lessons...I'm a DJ" we were greeted by the musical stylings of Adam Freeland:



If you gave your Technics 1200 an allowance and it shopped at Hot Topic, it would be spinning something identical to what Freeland does. It was an hour of build...build...build...nothing. Bitch must have done a slow down and dropped the beat five times.



The place was packed though, and everybody was there to hear "Voodoo People", "Smack My Bitch Up", and "Fire Starter", including the group of 16 year olds we ended up moshing with (the pit literally formed around us).



That, and a little diner food from Metro 29 makes for a perfect Thursday night in my book.

More inane discussion about my dating season

Chatting with Kristin, an old coworker of mine:

Kristin: so are you doing anything tomorrow night?
theAlphaJohn: i dont think so -- why what's going on?
Kristin: I think a bunch of people are meeting at Sully's in Chantilly
Kristin: I don't know if you ever knew Sunny who used to work in our dept
theAlphaJohn: no
Kristin: she's the lead singer of Dr. fu
Kristin: www.drfu.com
Kristin: and we're going out to see her
Kristin: Heather and her husband
Kristin: I think Kathleen is going
Kristin: maybe Nicole and her husband
Kristin: possibly Whitney and her husband, although I doubt it
theAlphaJohn: she's cute
Kristin: Whitney? Yeah...
theAlphaJohn: no sunny
Kristin: yeah, she is too
Kristin: HILARIOUS
Kristin: married
theAlphaJohn: of course. it was either that or gay.
Kristin: but if you're not doing anything, you should go
theAlphaJohn: like i want to hang out with a bunch of married people on a saturday night
theAlphaJohn: and kathleen
Kristin: ...
Kristin: well we're not the only people who will be there
Kristin: and my husband's not going
theAlphaJohn: but you're married
Kristin: so?
Kristin: I'm married and you're not and we're going to Prodigy...
theAlphaJohn: that's Prodigy at Nation, not Dr. Fu in Chantilly
theAlphaJohn: my future ex-wife is not at Sully's
Kristin: ok, fair enough
theAlphaJohn: we're fast approaching the beginning of my 2006 dating season
Kristin: the beginning of your 2006 dating season??? it's nearly March... what are you waiting for?
theAlphaJohn: patience dear, it's not for 2 1/2 more months
Kristin: oh - ok...
Kristin: you don't start dating again until April???
theAlphaJohn: link
Kristin: although if you were going to Ultra I bet it would start a couple weeks early
theAlphaJohn: ...
theAlphaJohn: what does a giant rave in Miami have to do with anything? it's not like im celebate out of dating season
theAlphaJohn: i'm just not...dating
theAlphaJohn: my mating season is year round, but my dating season is may-september
Kristin: ah...
Kristin: alrighty...
theAlphaJohn: don't act like my strangeness is something new
theAlphaJohn: we worked together for a very long time
Kristin: I'm not acting like the strangeness itself is new
Kristin: merely discovering its facets as we go