Image by TheDigitel
Same party. Same people. Same location, even. Different year.
It’s 2010 at Shine and all the cool kids are arriving late for the hip-hop dance party. The booths have “reserved” signs for Ayoka Lucas and her crew of fashionistas. By 11:30 you walk onto the dance floor right as they play “It was all a dream. I used to read Word Up magazine . . . “ There’s a sixteen year-old model in black leggings and an oversized off the shoulder shirt dancing with a guy with dreads promoting his new street wear line and handing out buttons with his logo.
It’s 2010. It’s 2011. It’s Shine. It’s Barsa. It’s a Charleston Fashion Week after party. It’s Groundhog Night. But at least it’s always a good night.
Typical schedule on Friday night after the fashion shows ended –
10:30 – Tents let out
10:35 – Try to snag a table at Hall’s for a bite to eat. Give up and leave.
10:45 – Arrive at “The Big Mix” at Eye Level Art just to realize it’s about to end.
11:15 – Arrive at “The Bigger Mix” at Tivoli and DJ Bird Flu is spinning. Say to yourself “Where is everybody?”
11:30 - Walk next door to Barsa to finally grab dinner.
11:35 – No time for food. DJ Natty Heavy is spinning and it’s an all out dance party. You realize now that you’re at the after party. And it’s even the “official” after party. You’re at “The Bigger Mix” and you didn’t even know it.
If it weren’t for Twitter, this place probably wouldn’t be so packed. The “official” after party was set to be “The Bigger Mix” (an after party for “The Big Mix” which went on at the same time as the shows at the tents over at Eye Level Art) at Tivoli with DJ Bird Flu. There was a last minute move to Barsa with DJ Natty Heavy but there’s still some action next door at Tivoli. But those in the know were following #thebigmix and #thebiggermix to determine where the real party was. No need to check in to a party anymore to see if it’s good. Virtually check in and you can size it up –
@InfamousP if you ain't at #TheBiggerMix afterparty downtown. you are #LOSING!! @NattyHeavy choppin it up w/ my cuhz-o. #WINNING
@daniellencote Not thin at #TheBiggerMix ;) RT @Calendar_Girl Someone just came to Rec Room and begged people to go to Tivoli. Guess the crowd is thin?
Rumor has it DJ Bird Flu pulled out of all the Fashion Week gigs because it wasn’t getting VIP treatment or that Tivoli couldn’t get a liquor license in time. Doesn’t matter – there’s always tomorrow when Tivoli will be hosting Homegrown.
It’s all the same cool kids you’d expect to see tonight. You know them by their Twitter handles - @ayokalu @mychaelknight @GQbound @nattyheavy @Technicalevent @quinnjoe @sharisknight @karenbriggs @aleysa @daniellencote.
What other time of year that you can hear this much good music on every night of the week in downtown Charleston? It’s only Friday and already we’ve been rocking out to DJ Joycette & K-Flo$$y, Righchus, Y Not, Electric Friends, Willem Wolfe, and best of all, Biz Markie. Tonight DJ Natty Heavy keeps the energy going. It’s old school hip-hop at it’s best – no Top 40 Kanye West songs tonight – think Biggie, Outkast, Rick Ross, Nas. For another couple of hours on the dance floor, everyone forgets they’re exhausted, starving and hungover.
And we don’t stop . . .
