Photos: Sexy Fitsum
Really good photos: Graham Meyer
Sexy Fitsum: Sexy Fitsum
Should I have been surprised or not at the crowd I saw outside Gallery Restaurant and Lounge at 1AM last fraturday night? Sure, what with Carl Craig– a dj pretty well known and legendery to anyone in the past 18 or so years who goes to the club for the dancings — was headlining, and, relatively speaking, the cost of entry was close to peanuts, but, if anyone remembers how hard that mf rained … the last thing I expected was see the parking lot — parking lot — jammed up with humanity; smoking, drankin, dancing a little to the music coming over the speakers and showing no kind of hurry about getting inside the nice, dry club. Soldier-Photog Graham Meyer got there before I did and got off some great crowd and dj shots.
I missed Measax & Docindo.Dorsey as well as Shane Camp and Drug Mules (Nemo & Axiom) and most of Gamal’s sets. But not the headliner’s.
Even as I’m posting this, I’m amazed that Dave & Graham were able to bag this guy… anyway, the crowd was THICK. Naturally there were loads of djs among the layfolk. All screamed their full-throated approval, rock show-style, to just about everything Carl Craig dropped. The shots above are mines, taken mostly from the same perch (no more than 2 feet max from safety) for most of the night, while Young Graham put in legwork.
Like clockwork AND much to my neverending joy (no…), the bar shut down at 2AM. Thanks, Maryland. Refreshments were limited to 12oz (if that) bottles of water. Five dollar 12oz bottles of water. Firebrand cosmonaut Chris Burns was, of course, not having any of it and insisted that I capture his vigorous protest on camera, which, you know, I would’ve done anyway.
By 3AM (cue rave humor avalanche), Craig had finished his 2 hour cameo and I was ready head back to DC. I was tired and old and really didn’t care if I missed out on the cheap and heapin’ breakfast Gallery was offering in about 30 or so minutes. So I followed two DURKLs, one Jesse Bishop, levorutiorary reader Chris Burns and two young ladies out the club, thinking we were heading to a cab stop, but instead ended up at the Silver Spring Tastee Diner. Alyssa was kind enough to rewind me that the one in Bethesda rules harder via Flickr comment.
Cole DURKL, above, is actually laughing at me. “You went to Tastee Dinerrrrr!?!?!” says Dave to me a couple of days later. I should’ve stuck around, just for the full-serviceness of being able to round out the night like that. Again, Graham…
Moving forward, I urge all to either run far the fuck away from, or quickly back to, Gallery in Silver Spring for LODA’s Halloween. Nouveau Riche plus Ed Dudes and Chris Burns will headline, for starters. Nouveau’s last stand there scored a tad below colossal. Plus, I think by now — a million and one BYT write-ups and all — Team LODA ’s proven themselves to be pretty decent at throwing good parties. At this point, it’s not out of the realm of probability that they’ll book Obama for a surprise appearance.
» Graham’s complete set here.
» Help yourself to sleepytime here or here.
I’m going to dip my bals in it. Again. And again.
October 2, 2008 at 3:36 pm!?!?!
October 2, 2008 at 3:47 pmi see you know my friend, laura, fitsum. that girl is everywhere.
October 2, 2008 at 4:04 pmYeah, Laura and that fat white guy she’s with.
October 2, 2008 at 4:51 pmI have no clue which guy you’re talking about, Fitsum! Lately I’ve been rollin up with my boy Julian who neither white nor fat…
October 4, 2008 at 9:37 amit’s good to see ed hardy douche bags and bagettes coming out to show their support for a legendary dj.
these shots look like an american idol after party.
american idol afterparty huh?
hehehe
Bitchin’ night all the way around. Way to capture the vibe Fitsum!!!
October 2, 2008 at 2:42 pm