Saturday, May 5, 2012
Burners!
For all you guys out there, I forgot to mention one of the most fun things about Burning Man! Well much like the decorated vehicles, people all around are dressed up....... or just going straight out naked or topless. Yes a great majority of girls ditch their clothes for the freedom of peace and love. Hooray for Burning Man!
Burning Man
Of course what would be a blog in "memoirs of a club kid" without posting about "Burning Man"! For those of you who don't know what Burning man is, well, it is a week long party, the week before and the weekend of labor day. There is a gathering of of over fifty thousand people the the Blackrock desert in Nevada. I attended Burning Man in the year 2004 but this is already after it has gotten very popular, each year the numbers grow larger and larger I imagine. The Burning Man rave started out in the early to mid nineties on the beaches of California with a handful of dedicated ravers, nature lovers, and humanitarians. The beach raves (kinda like ours here in Hawaii) ended up becoming too large, so the rave called Burning Man was moved from the beaches of California to the desert of Nevada. Oh, the gathering is called burning man because there is a wooden hand built fifty foot man. At the end of the week long partying and raving, the man is set on fire and everyone watches the flames huge and wide engulf the wooden image of themselves. Also at Burning Man there is a temple, also hand built out of wood, where one can go and write a prayer onto the wood; prayers to loved one's passed, or present, or any prayer that is special, a day before the man is burned, the temple is burned first. (I believe. . . my memory may be a little fuzzy :))
I flew into Las Vegas from Honolulu. I had never been to Vegas or to Burning Man. From what I had heard there were camps set up all through the gathering and that is how one decided where to stay for the week. Also, the motto behind Burning Man was "leave no trace", meaning whatever you bring in you take with you, no littering, no trashing, no dumping. Also, people have to bring in all of their own food supplies for the week, and especially water (being in the desert, water is very important), because there are no monetary transactions at Burning man meaning no way to buy food. Since there are no monetary transactions at burning man, everyone deals in barters. Like trading a massage for a drink, etc... I flew into Vegas, met up with my friends from Hawaii, because we were all going to stay together at the Hawaii camp! Also, from past "Burners" (we like to call people that go to burning man every year burners) we learned that the desert weather can be especially brutal. I mean over one hundred degrees in the day time with gnarly dust storms, and as low as forty degrees at night time! So with the guidance of our burner friends, we all agreed on renting a trailer for the trip. Our trailer was awesome! It had air-conditioning, a shower, toilet, beds, couches, a kitchen, and was very comfortable. I highly recommend renting a trailer if you decide to go to burning man, it really helps!
Once at burning man, you have to find your camp site. Also, at the entrance you are greeted by people in the silliest costumes, but that is just a teaser until the real party gets started. Ex. Teddy Bears, but we got there early in the morning, so everyone was dressed super warm. The way that the festival is designed is in maybe, five or six concentric half circles are named five different avenues. Within the semi circles, they are dissected into pie slices, these become other named streets. The streets are wittily named too, like "charmed", or "species", or "enlighten". (Btw, if an avid Burner is reading this, I may get some of the details wrong, but after almost ten years come one! no one's memory is perfect) In the center of the semi circle, where the radius would begin if it were drawn on a piece of paper, is the camp center. Here there is a huge tent for people to hang out, also they sell the two things only sold on the entire place, ice cubes and coffee. :)
As one walks around the "playa" (that is what they call the area of Burning man, in spanish I believe i t means beach) there are huge sculptures of wired people, abstractions, a forty foot see saw. Also, sometimes traveling across the playa can be cumbersome if having to walk, so it is allowed for people to build their own mode of transportation. The transportation cannot be like a regular car or bus, or moped. Rules say that is one brings transportation is that it must be decorated or done in a way as to not look like a car. I have seen, rolling by me, double decker pirate ships serving sushi, I have sat on a train on top of a swing anchored ten feet above the second story of the train, I have seen a huge cheshire cat purple and stripped glowing past me, and many more. And if one didn't want to walk there were always ample bicycles around. The bicycles were free for anyone to use, just leave um and find um and ride um.
Maybe with more time I can go into detail about some of my most fond experiences there at Burning man. But the best one and the most moving, was visiting my favorite artist camp. Alex Grey, this is before I met him in Italy, and it was phenomenal to meet him and chill with him in his camp. Also, for me, seeing the burning man burn down to the ground was a very spiritual and moving experience for me, I saw myself in the wooden creation, burning away, and becoming a new being, like shedding a layer of old skin making room for new growth. Tears even came to my eyes. One of the most beautiful images I remember from Burning Man, is watching the sun rise in the desert. While people were dancing to the music I was sitting on this sculpture made of metal and rubber and paint which had a balancing swing on it, and I just watched. As the warm sun rose over the cold desert, it looked like to me we were on the moon. I thought to myself we could be dancing on the moon. A gorgeous moment I will never forget. It's moments like these that make life worth living. Special moments that arise an emotion of mystery, awe, and gratitude, for we are so small, yet we are the entire Universe!
I flew into Las Vegas from Honolulu. I had never been to Vegas or to Burning Man. From what I had heard there were camps set up all through the gathering and that is how one decided where to stay for the week. Also, the motto behind Burning Man was "leave no trace", meaning whatever you bring in you take with you, no littering, no trashing, no dumping. Also, people have to bring in all of their own food supplies for the week, and especially water (being in the desert, water is very important), because there are no monetary transactions at Burning man meaning no way to buy food. Since there are no monetary transactions at burning man, everyone deals in barters. Like trading a massage for a drink, etc... I flew into Vegas, met up with my friends from Hawaii, because we were all going to stay together at the Hawaii camp! Also, from past "Burners" (we like to call people that go to burning man every year burners) we learned that the desert weather can be especially brutal. I mean over one hundred degrees in the day time with gnarly dust storms, and as low as forty degrees at night time! So with the guidance of our burner friends, we all agreed on renting a trailer for the trip. Our trailer was awesome! It had air-conditioning, a shower, toilet, beds, couches, a kitchen, and was very comfortable. I highly recommend renting a trailer if you decide to go to burning man, it really helps!
Once at burning man, you have to find your camp site. Also, at the entrance you are greeted by people in the silliest costumes, but that is just a teaser until the real party gets started. Ex. Teddy Bears, but we got there early in the morning, so everyone was dressed super warm. The way that the festival is designed is in maybe, five or six concentric half circles are named five different avenues. Within the semi circles, they are dissected into pie slices, these become other named streets. The streets are wittily named too, like "charmed", or "species", or "enlighten". (Btw, if an avid Burner is reading this, I may get some of the details wrong, but after almost ten years come one! no one's memory is perfect) In the center of the semi circle, where the radius would begin if it were drawn on a piece of paper, is the camp center. Here there is a huge tent for people to hang out, also they sell the two things only sold on the entire place, ice cubes and coffee. :)
As one walks around the "playa" (that is what they call the area of Burning man, in spanish I believe i t means beach) there are huge sculptures of wired people, abstractions, a forty foot see saw. Also, sometimes traveling across the playa can be cumbersome if having to walk, so it is allowed for people to build their own mode of transportation. The transportation cannot be like a regular car or bus, or moped. Rules say that is one brings transportation is that it must be decorated or done in a way as to not look like a car. I have seen, rolling by me, double decker pirate ships serving sushi, I have sat on a train on top of a swing anchored ten feet above the second story of the train, I have seen a huge cheshire cat purple and stripped glowing past me, and many more. And if one didn't want to walk there were always ample bicycles around. The bicycles were free for anyone to use, just leave um and find um and ride um.
Maybe with more time I can go into detail about some of my most fond experiences there at Burning man. But the best one and the most moving, was visiting my favorite artist camp. Alex Grey, this is before I met him in Italy, and it was phenomenal to meet him and chill with him in his camp. Also, for me, seeing the burning man burn down to the ground was a very spiritual and moving experience for me, I saw myself in the wooden creation, burning away, and becoming a new being, like shedding a layer of old skin making room for new growth. Tears even came to my eyes. One of the most beautiful images I remember from Burning Man, is watching the sun rise in the desert. While people were dancing to the music I was sitting on this sculpture made of metal and rubber and paint which had a balancing swing on it, and I just watched. As the warm sun rose over the cold desert, it looked like to me we were on the moon. I thought to myself we could be dancing on the moon. A gorgeous moment I will never forget. It's moments like these that make life worth living. Special moments that arise an emotion of mystery, awe, and gratitude, for we are so small, yet we are the entire Universe!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Where the clubkid is now. . .
To put things in to perspective, I was clubbing over ten years ago, and I stopped going out about two years ago when I seriously began to focus on my academics and completing college. I also changed my degree from fine arts to engineering, I am right now under the heading environmental engineering, but now I am also considering changing to chemical engineering. Anyway, the type of person I am is all or nothing. When I decide to do or to commit myself to something, I put my 100% and more into that goal. When my goal was to know artist and musicians on the island and work out of my art studio loft I rented out, I totally immersed myself in it. Now my goal is to educate myself, I have always been good at Mathematics and Sciences, I just was too focused on Art to give any interest to these subjects. But now that I am taking many math and science classes I am doing quite well. I have been accepted into Phi Theta Kappa, Have made the Dean's list multiple times and am moving on to calculus II, Physics, and Organic Chemistry next semester. In only two years, by next semester all I will need is one more physics class and I will be complete with my associates in science, A.S. Then I plan on continuing as far as I can go, Masters? Doctor?
In trying to balance my heavy academic life, I enrolled in a Modern Dance class here at K.C.C. this semester. This was the first time I have ever taken a dance class, although I love dancing and have been dancing my heart out for fourteen years or so. I was unsure if I would enjoy the class or not. But that was silly, because I absolutely love it! I love the movement, the expression, and I love learning new ways to move and to be flexible and strong. I recommend dance to anyone who hasn't ever taken it. It is freeing and cathartic. After dance class with all the endorphins running through my body, I always feel happy. Next semester I am going to take ballet and then after that probably modern dance again. I am even thinking of enrolling in a private dance company. With all the rationality of mathematics and formulas of chemistry, dance is the perfect action to balance the retired club kid's life. Keep on dancing!
In trying to balance my heavy academic life, I enrolled in a Modern Dance class here at K.C.C. this semester. This was the first time I have ever taken a dance class, although I love dancing and have been dancing my heart out for fourteen years or so. I was unsure if I would enjoy the class or not. But that was silly, because I absolutely love it! I love the movement, the expression, and I love learning new ways to move and to be flexible and strong. I recommend dance to anyone who hasn't ever taken it. It is freeing and cathartic. After dance class with all the endorphins running through my body, I always feel happy. Next semester I am going to take ballet and then after that probably modern dance again. I am even thinking of enrolling in a private dance company. With all the rationality of mathematics and formulas of chemistry, dance is the perfect action to balance the retired club kid's life. Keep on dancing!
Full moon gatherings
Other events that I used to be a part of were full moon gatherings on the beach. Every other full moon or so, we would coordinate a party/rave on a secluded beach. After we had been throwing parties there for over a year, other promoters and people started learning about our secret spot, so, needless to say, it is now no longer secret. You would drive past sandy 's beach and keep driving till you saw a little entrance between some bushed onto the beach. You could drive your car through those bushes and then keep driving, on the beach, parallel to the ocean, about another five minutes or so until you were closer to the dance area and park. Once parked there was still about a ten minute walk or so to the party. Try carrying speakers ten minutes while walking in the sand, and wire and other sound equipment, it was a lot of work, but in the end, it was so-very worth it. :)
Some nights I can remember there were so magical. The full moon would be shining upon the ocean in shimmering opal and iridescent tips of the waves. There would be a d.j. station, which was the only place covered in case of rain, of course. But surprisingly, I hardly remember it ever raining, most nights were gorgeous. We all would dance in front of the d.j.s in a make shift dance floor. I will never forget that dancing on sand was way harder to do than dancing on a hard surface, it makes for fond memories. D.j.s would spin until dawn and that was usually when I stayed till and then after clean up, go to a friends house and crash.
Towards the end, I heard other people and other promoters throwing their own parties there. I think they ruined it for us, because immediately after they started throwing their parties, the police became aware of our spot. One time, the police chased us out before we had unloaded the gear for the d.j. equipment. We left and then came back twenty minutes later. No one the wiser. Cheers and happy full moons!
Some nights I can remember there were so magical. The full moon would be shining upon the ocean in shimmering opal and iridescent tips of the waves. There would be a d.j. station, which was the only place covered in case of rain, of course. But surprisingly, I hardly remember it ever raining, most nights were gorgeous. We all would dance in front of the d.j.s in a make shift dance floor. I will never forget that dancing on sand was way harder to do than dancing on a hard surface, it makes for fond memories. D.j.s would spin until dawn and that was usually when I stayed till and then after clean up, go to a friends house and crash.
Towards the end, I heard other people and other promoters throwing their own parties there. I think they ruined it for us, because immediately after they started throwing their parties, the police became aware of our spot. One time, the police chased us out before we had unloaded the gear for the d.j. equipment. We left and then came back twenty minutes later. No one the wiser. Cheers and happy full moons!
Monday, April 30, 2012
my first warehouse party
In the late eighties is when electronic music became more and more popular and when the underground scene of raves began. In the early nineties raves were known as secret, illegal parties; sometimes outdoors on a secluded beach or sometimes in warehouses, and these parties were never advertised. The only way that one would know how to get to a rave would be by a secret map that only some people were given. When my friends and I threw "future primitive" up in the mountains, we made maps for people to go to and we never made fliers or had promotional media for advertising. We didn't want it to be commercial and we wanted to keep our party special, I imagine in the early nineties that was some of their goals for keeping a low profile too. Also the notion of being part of something secret and in some sense hand picked to go to, was all the more exciting to fuel a night full of adventure, music, dance, and magic.
The first warehouse party I went to was when I was sixteen. This was in the nineties and there were illegal raves going on in Hawaii then, much much more than they have now. Well, rarely do they have them now, I think HPD got wise to what was going on. Any way, the rave I went to was only advertised through word of mouth. No fliers, no maps, only people through people to people contact and words. The warehouse was called "Atomix" and it was located in a discreet crevice in the warehouse district of Nimitz highway. It was huge inside with an upstairs where they usually played jungle or drum and base, and also an outside area with tents. This was before the big ecstasy scare with kids dropping dead. This was before spinning glow sticks was popular, and this was before the time when girls dressed like strippers to raves. Everyone here was part of an underground family that supported music, and of course there were drugs on the scene, but it was never an issue if you went sober. I must say, that first experience of going to atomix at the age of sixteen changed my life. I loved the experience because it was pure freedom, and I felt so comfortable. At punk rock shows when I would go, there wasn't the same vibe of carefree that raves had. I mean you could dance with your eyes closed at a rave for hours and no one would bother you or question your behavior. At punk shows, I found many people had to uphold a facade and it often times was very violent with the mosh pit being full of big white guys with steel toe boots ready to kick skulls in. I never really was one for violence, so the p.l.u.r. (peace, love, unity, and respect) vibe of raves was a welcome change. If any one of you has ever been to atomix, I'm sure you will remember it fondly, remembering some of the big named dj's that you have seen there.
The first warehouse party I went to was when I was sixteen. This was in the nineties and there were illegal raves going on in Hawaii then, much much more than they have now. Well, rarely do they have them now, I think HPD got wise to what was going on. Any way, the rave I went to was only advertised through word of mouth. No fliers, no maps, only people through people to people contact and words. The warehouse was called "Atomix" and it was located in a discreet crevice in the warehouse district of Nimitz highway. It was huge inside with an upstairs where they usually played jungle or drum and base, and also an outside area with tents. This was before the big ecstasy scare with kids dropping dead. This was before spinning glow sticks was popular, and this was before the time when girls dressed like strippers to raves. Everyone here was part of an underground family that supported music, and of course there were drugs on the scene, but it was never an issue if you went sober. I must say, that first experience of going to atomix at the age of sixteen changed my life. I loved the experience because it was pure freedom, and I felt so comfortable. At punk rock shows when I would go, there wasn't the same vibe of carefree that raves had. I mean you could dance with your eyes closed at a rave for hours and no one would bother you or question your behavior. At punk shows, I found many people had to uphold a facade and it often times was very violent with the mosh pit being full of big white guys with steel toe boots ready to kick skulls in. I never really was one for violence, so the p.l.u.r. (peace, love, unity, and respect) vibe of raves was a welcome change. If any one of you has ever been to atomix, I'm sure you will remember it fondly, remembering some of the big named dj's that you have seen there.
Monday, April 23, 2012
pink caddilac
Well I started talking about pink caddilac last blog and I had titled the blog roller disco funk and didn't even get to why I had titled the blog such. Well, as I mentioned last time, I became buddy buddies with the promoters of the club (I gotta leave out the names, it doesn't take away from the story). One Tuesday night that I was there, a friend had pitched to me that he wanted to start a roller rink disco night. I love roller skating, but am not too keen on roller derby... yet. Well I thought it sounded like a fabulous idea! I helped my friend do some promoting and, faithfully there on opening night I was there in my hot pants and fish nets and blue wheeled Rydell suede roller skates. Once again, I guess not too many people were willing to party on Wednesday nights, so I had the entire club to myself to roller skate around in. I loved it. I even got to be a pro at playing pool in roller skates:). Well, roller disco night was short lived and didn't last long, but while it did it was super!
roller disco funk
A while ago at a club that is now known as the Irish Rose Saloon, there existed the dirtiest seediest hole in the wall club that one could ever imagine. It had a dark wide stairway going up from the door entrance into the club. Once at the top of the stairs all you could see was the dance floor to the front left, the bar to the right and behind, towards the back, some pool tables with hanging dingy lamps over them with plumes of cigarette smoke filling areas between. Towards the opposite of the stairs and everywhere else around the club was darkness. In this darkness was booths with tall backs to sit in, the kind of booth and tables one sits in when you don't want any one to find you. This club at the time that I would frequent there was called "Pink Caddilac". But the dingy club has existed the same way it had always been with a variety of different names whenever they had to change owners or some shady business always seemed to loom in the atmosphere. Other names this place was called was... "evolutions", and some others I can't remember. Promoters used to throw jungle nights there called "rewind" and I had some good times there in the "nineties". But my favorite night was the eighties and goth nights. They were every Tuesday. At this time of my life, I would go out to the clubs at least four/five times a week. I practically lived at a handful of clubs. And of course whenever you're a regular at a club, the promoters and worker's for the night, always become your buddies. And me always being there every Tuesday night, I ended up drinking and playing pool with the djs, and heck, I'd be the only one there and I'd have the entire dance floor to myself!
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