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Image: Christa Wittmier

When was

by Christa Wittmier | Jul 1, 2009

the last time you danced like that? I ask this question assuming that at some point between last Thursday and today, every single one of us has danced at least once to a Michael Jackson song. For me it was a bit more than I would have ever anticipated, but after his unexpected death it seemed to be the only thing to do.

The tributes this week in the nightlife were so spot on too; J-ROCC, Soul Clap, Graham Funke, even Third Eye Blind paid major respects in their own musical ways. I never danced more than I did this week. RIP Michael Jackson.

Also, I don’t know anything about shoes. I like shoes that don’t hurt my feet and that’s about it. A huge deal surrounding a new shoe is more appealing for the sake of a room stuffed with guys in arty T-shirts and supermodel looking girls than the actual… shoe. In any case, congratulations to Kicks/HI– they had one of the best release parties I’ve been to in a long time for their 3 Feet High collaboration with Vans, DQM and Huf on the Half Cab. Orange County’s J-ROCC of Beat Junkies fame laid down tracks that exemplified the very reason we should be mourning the loss of MJ, but it was also the free flowing booze that did a number on pretty much everyone. Artist Huf was there, but I only heard about it. He blended in the sea of arty shirts that got blurry to me incredibly fast. Zen Yoshifuku crept out of his North Shore hole, along with many other notables in the streetwear world; the In4mants, the folks from Fitted, Jules Gayton from Stussy and of course the guys from Kicks. Based on the photos and the stories and my two-day hangover, it was a damn good party.

Also a lot of nightlife anniversaries happening over the weekend. Parties for years. Bet you didn’t think the Kurious guys could get a line longer than ARTafterDARK for their four-year birthday at the Honolulu Design Center, and who would have thought Flash & Matty Boy would STILL have people crawling through Ala Moana trying to find white pants for their fifth annual White Party. Definitely the most notable in my book was the Nocturnal Sound Krew, and ESKAE’s three years of Soul Clap. I only expected to spend an hour or so at the White Party before heading to Chinatown to dance my face off at their event, but 2am was creeping way too fast and I found myself sharing a cab with DoSomethingTonight’s Alex Healy begging the driver to hurry up at 1:40am. We got there just in time for the lights to go on but that didn’t stop Compose from laying down track after track in a tribute to MJ that had people applauding even as they were being ushered down the stairs by security. Just dance. Sometimes that’s all we can do.

[nocturnalsoundhawaii.blogspot.com]

[www.kickshawaii.com]

Soul Clap June 26, 2009

39Hotel had made the announcement of last call, however no one wanted to leave Soul Clap. The NSK played their best that night and all were going nuts over Michael Jackson music. It was one of my favorite nights of Soul Clap and especially having Alex of DST looking and trying to dance like Mr. M.J.

AGAIN…No one wanted to leave the party @ Soul Clap, everyone was loving and feeling the music. So I took my mini Sony Camera to capture the live moment. We were all in appreciation for M.J. music.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” performed outside Sydney Opera House.

J-Rocc of the Beat Junkies trick mixing @ Skratchcon 2000

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