The vibe at this point was unbelievable. I looked back every so often, and all I could see were people dancing. I would look around me, and everyone was smiling. Every time a song would break down and the drums would stop, everyone would get hyped up and yell. About an hour into his set, I heard a little bit of popping coming from the speakers on the right side of the room. I crossed my fingers in hopes that this wasn't a PA problem. To my luck, our faithful narrator, MC Conrad, requested a new stylus for one of the turntables. LTJ stopped the record, and I witnessed an awesome occurrence. As soon as the sound cut off everyone went berserk with joy. Conrad gave a reassuring "How ya feeling Atlanta?" and of course everyone got hyped. The technical problems were handled and it was time to continue the musical journey.
I was told to go to the Sharc Tank at 3 o'clock; that it was going to be "crunk". I was delayed due to my entranced state during LTJ's performance, and got in the Tank a little after 3 o'clock. To my surprise, it was Atlanta's own break wizards, Cor_e and Dark 1. For those of you who don't know, these two bring the force like Starsky & Hutch, or even Cagney & Lacey. They are two impressive DJ's bringing unmatched skills with distinct track selection. I got into the old school flavor that was being dropped, and began doing the robot uncontrollably. These two know how to rock a party, and don't hesitate to get it jumping like JJ at a Good Times reunion.
After checking out the breaks throw down, I went back to catch what I thought was going to be the end of this evening's Progression Sessions show. Bukem's arranged time for ending was passed, as I expected, and he continued to drop roller after roller of his futuristic sound. He stopped the record and got an encore you wouldn't believe. Everyone was yelling for more, and he delivered. With a little guidance from the MC Conrad, LTJ slapped another record on the platter, and continued to move the dance floor. Then after that record stopped, everyone showed love as he dropped yet another tune. This time, he played a downtempo selection that only LTJ could get away with. Finally, one more tease and one more intelligent crowd pleaser, and LTJ retired for the evening. With shout-outs from MC Conrad and a standing ovation, the evening came to an amazingly delightful end.
Overall, this was probably the best party I've ever been to. I've had my share of massives and there seems to only be a couple of promoters out there that know how to do it right. I've heard mixed opinions on the current state of Atlanta's dance community and the venues that are in use. I personally love the Masquerade. I think it's a wonderfully sized venue, with a really cozy atmosphere. I also think that this party was exactly what the Atlanta massive needed. It was reassurance that there still is something besides drugs and bad vibes. Maybe it was coincidence. Maybe it was the Jazz-fused funk that the Good Looking crew brought so properly. Whatever it was, I am convinced that all parties here in Atlanta can be this good if people want it to be.
