Filming Wednesday at Takoma Station
Takoma Station, 6914 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20012


Mike, Doc, Halima, Pooh, Donnell, Godfather
Picture taken by and Copyright Jordan Rich
(It is a screen shot from the DVD made from the video footage).

I arrived an hour early to set-up for filming. I had already received permission from Familiar Faces and management at Takoma Station (thanks go out to Mel Floreza, night manager). I found the spot I figured was the best to focus on the band (I had filmed some three minute movies with my Dad's Canon G3 in the same spot earlier). I located an electrical outlet, which barely reached the camera on the tripod. Then, having received permission to hook up the audio input to the mixing board, I talked with Googie. He asked me for cords, I had left them in my car and went and got them. He worked out setting them up, as I was concerned about people tripping over them. I really appreciate Googie's help and patience working with me. As I set it up, a guy behind me asked me about how I became interested in GoGo. He gave me suggestions on how to make money with this, but I told him that's not the purpose behind this. I am filming this to use as reference for my thesis. I am of course providing the band with copies, and I have no say over what they do with their copies. This night was a performance celebrating Cookie of the PBMC's birthday (her actual birthday was Saturday).

I started filming a few seconds after they started performing. In the first set, Demitrius "Demi-Doc" McGhee, a producer for Murder Inc. (formerly a member of the Junkyard Band and Maiesha & the Hiphuggers) sat in for a bit on keyboards. Also, Halima, a female vocalist from Florida, sang a couple of songs: The Roots' You Got Me and Alicia Keys' Diary. This was her first appearance with Familiar Faces, which she later joined (in April 2005). The audio is pretty good except for a persistent little static noise. Also, there is buzzing when none of the instruments are playing. Donnell razed Dallas Cowboy fans about the release of the incumbent starting quarterback, Quincy Carter (whom Donnell referred to as Clarence Carter), for testing positive for cocaine use. I changed the first tape at 59 minutes during Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady in the first set.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Line up: Mike, Adia, Donnell, DP, Doc, Dwayne, Godfather, BJ, Pooh, and Bojack.
Donnell said, "On behalf of my man Jauhar, We're going to have us a good time tonight."
1) Grover Washington Jr.'s Lock It in the Pocket
Donnell said, "We're going to have a good time tonight y'all, we feel good up here."
Donnell said, "Look here y'all, we've got us a special treat in the house tonight, huh. We got my man Demi Doc, yo. Going all around the world writing songs for Ashanti, all around the world writing songs for Ashanti. You better hurry up before I take another solo. Give it up for my man Demi Doc, yo." Demi Doc sat in on Godfather's keyboard
After the end of the song:
Donnell (laughing) said, "This, oh, this is going to be one of those nights. Clarence Carter's on the pipe and Demi-Doc is in the house. We got some Cowboy fans in here? Oh, my goodness. Leon Lett..."
Nephew said, "Michael Irvin."
Donnell said, "Michael Irvin, Clarence Carter. There's not enough people in here yet, I'm going to save you for a few more seconds..."
Donnell said to Halima, "Huh, if you feel it let me know."
Donnell said, "We got my baby Linda Wills in here y'all. Yeah."
Donnell said, "You too... if you feel something. If you feel something other that... you come up here too baby."
Donnell said to Halima, "You feel something on this, you know I've forgotten your name, hold on one second."
Halima sat in
2) Halima & Mike (separately)-led The Roots' You Got Me
Donnell said, "Goddamn y'all," laughing, "Is that it Halima? Did y'all check this out, hold on, y'all check this out. Did you see what she did?"
Mike said, "That's some Anita Baker slash Joe Cocker. I thought a plane was going to land (making fun of her nonverbal arm & hand gestures)."
Donnell said, "One more time with my baby, Halima, y'all."
After Halima's second time sitting in:
Mike, said "Yeah."
Donnell said, "What the hell? All we need is Luther man; all we need is Luther now. That's my baby, Sweet Halima, y'all. Came down here from Miami, that's my part of town right there."
3) Mother's Day - instrumental, Donnell leads with his Soprano Sax
Donnell said, "Now, I'm going to tell you this. This is serious man. Hey Jordan, you make sure you print this right here. Cowboy fans are so petty. My bass player, my bass player just left me hanging in the middle of a song. And when I turned around to see what happened; he said, 'Yeah, don't talk about my Cowboys.' Is that; is that how you all go? Man, it's whatever, it's whatever, Wow! I'm going to go into the next song man because it's too early but, it's too early but... Oh my goodness, the quarterback is on the pipe, was the quarterback on the pipe? In the words of Chris Rock (in New Jack City), that sh*t was calling me man, it was calling me, that sh*t was calling me man, it was calling me, that sh*t was calling me. Somebody wake Billy up."
(Cowboy fans were yelling really loudly the whole time Donnell was talking.)
Donnell said, "I'm not going to take time out to be petty about this, y'all."
4) Adia-led Kindred the Family Soul's Rhythm of Life Donnell said, "Oh, lord have mercy. We're going to do this song for my baby Cookie, y'all. Huh? Fat Kat you in here? You not a Cowboy fan are you, homie?"
Mike said, "That's my man right there."
Donnell said, "My man Demi Doc back up once more. He's been gone from the city; he's been gone all over the country doing songs for Ashanti, my man Demi Doc."
5) Adia-led Alicia Keys' Diary - Donnell said, "Bring it down, bring it down for Halima" - Halima sat in toward the end of the song
Donnell said, "That's my baby Adia, y'all, and my baby sweet Halima. Yes sir, we got some singing women in the city, y'all."
Mike said (in an affected, gay voice), "They don't need them clothes DeeDee, they don't need the jewelries, them womens can sing, you hear what I'm saying honey your ear has to be in your foot, do you know what I mean Miss Cookie?" Then in his regular voice, he said, "Ha ha, yeah!"
Donnell laughed.
6) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady - Mike said, "That's an appropriate song, 'cause we're going to dedicate this to Miss Cookie it's her birthday. I know you're bashful and everything, you know but that's my baby and she is the golden lady."
Donnell said, "She is the golden lady. Linda Wills you know this one right here, uh uh, yeah!"
Donnell said, "Oh, I forgot about that Bojack. We're going to take a break, listen y'all, just in case a lot of you didn't know, the dude Mike from L!ssen is in the hospital fighting for his life. So if you could give that man y'all prayers, he was in a bad car accident a couple of nights ago and he's in critical condition. A couple of nights ago they didn't think he was going to make it to the morning, but he made it. So if you're on your way home or before you go to sleep if you could give that man your prayers. One of the good dudes in that band. One of the best dudes in that band and that's serious, that's my man Mike from L!ssen, man. (He has since made a full recovery).

Hey Googie, these monitors, I don't know what's going on, these monitors keep going out."
Googie said, "The power in the amps."
Donnell said, "The power in the amps. Also, we got a problem with drugs in professional sports y'all. It seems, it seems we have a problem with drugs in professional sports."
A Cowboy fan named Don got up on the mic and said, "Yeah, yeah, let me tell you all something..."
Donnell said, "They tell me Quincy Carter..."
The Cowboy fan said, "Do y'all remember the last time the Redskins beat the Cowboys? Let me tell you a little story, I got a son, he's seven years old, the Redskins beat the Cowboys one time since he's been born and his name is Donnell too. I'd like to mention that."
Donnell laughed.
Don continued, "One time in seven years has the Indians beat the Cowboys, crack or whatever, it don't matter. We can use and we don't lose, that's our motto. Use and don't lose. I'll take a quarterback on crack and ten and six and the playoffs. What about the Skins? They could have given Patrick Ramsey some crack last year and he maybe he would have gotten them a little further. But I'm not going to let Donnell heckle myself here tonight. I'm going to tell you all, my son Donnell, he's seven years old, he only seen the Redskins beat the Indians, the Cowboys one time since he came on this earth."
Donnell said, "Hey, cut him off Googie."
Don replied, "Don't cut me off. Don't shut me up. 'Cause we right back at you. All I'm going to tell you is get ready for Vinnie, he'll be in town September 27th Monday night, Vinnie will be here and get ready. Every quarterback that line up against you, you know we burn you..."
Donnell said, "Hey Googie..."
Don, no longer on the mic, said, "Why you cut me off?"
Donnell said, "Ten for ten, nine for nine, eight for break, y'all."

I did not film the break when the DJ played music. I went over and talked to band members. Juanita, who had sung at Xcalibur last Thursday, said hello. I initially didn't recognize her because her hairdo had changed.

Second Set
Donnell sang, Tyrese's Sweet Lady "Sweet Lady would you be mine, up for a lifetime, when you need me, just call and receive me, sweet lady would you be mine..." during the sound check
Don said, "Happy birthday, Cookie!"
Donnell said, "Hold on, let him get this over with man. Hold on, hold on y'all, let him get this over..."
Don continued, "Cookie, happy birthday baby. We love you baby, for all the tickets you sell us, all the work you put in, all the flyers you make me pass out. We love you baby..."
Donnell said, "You hear that Stan, he said he the street team..."
Laughter.
Don continued, "I'm with you Cookie, you know that. Huh, we love you Cookie, come on..."
Adia said, "We love you."
Don said, "We pass some flyers for you, do whatever, just give us the good rates..."
Adia said, "You knew there was a catch."
Donnell said, "Is that it?"
Don said, "Let's get back to this Dallas Redskins thing. Let's get warmed up, gimme the Blueprint. Gimme the Blueprint, baby. Gimme the Blueprint..."
Donnell said, "Come on Don, I let you do that at the beginning, come on. Listen, I was going to say a whole lot about the drug problem that we're having in professional sports, but I ain't really got enough time man. It seems like everyone in Dallas just want to get high. I'm not sure if my man Rayful ain't in the protective witness program in Texas or something 'cause everybody in the Dallas organization all they want to do is get high. I'm not sure what's going on over there, but the Cowboys are now looking toward forty-three year old Vinnie Testaverde. I'm taking all bets, all the time. Yeah! I don't care if you all play Silver Hill boys club I'm betting, you hear me?"
Mike said, "Dexter Manley should have been with the Cowboys."
Adia said, "Not the boy club..."
Mike said, "He should have been."
Donnell said, "You know what Chris Rock said?"
Adia said, "Tell them one more time."
Donnell said, "The sh*t be calling me man, the sh*t be calling me."
Mike said, "Hollywood Henderson."
Donnell said, "Look here, each and every... Hold on, hold on, hold on. Do we got one more boat ride we're going to do Stan? Is that official yet or do we got to wait? Just in case you all missed the boat ride man, that joint was off the hook. So they added one more, is that right? September, wait a minute, wait a minute."
Someone in the audience yelled, "No, August!"
Adia said, "August 28th."
Donnell said, "August 28th y'all. They done swing one more boat ride in the middle. August 28th, y'all."
Mike said, "Someone said they're having it on a different boat though."
Donnell said, "Same boat, see how people are?"
Mike said, "They said they're having on that boat by the navy yard that never move, that one. That ship by the navy yard that never move..."
Donnell said, "You see how people are?"
Mike said, "Why would they say"
Donnell said, "My man Bud did go on the boat ride y'all, his girl didn't make him baby sit like he had anticipated..."
Mike said, "Got his ass!"
Donnell said, "He was on the boat ride y'all. He was dressed up, had a fresh new pair of Nikes, a fresh new pair of Nikes on... Let's go baby.?
1) Mike-led Javier's How Beautiful You Are - Donnell said, "I'm not sure y'all ready, we're trying to get this thing warmed up" / Donnell-led Brown & White (tease)
2) 6 Minutes percussion solo
3) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You (tease)
4) Donnell chanted "My man Bud come to get down..." (then my man Ray, Linda Wills, Sweet Halima, my man Stan, RE Angie, my man Mike...)
5) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You - nice percussion solo, Donnell said, "Hey Jack, hold it down..."
6) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You / Donnell chanted "RE Angie..."
7) Adia-led Erykah Badu?s Danger - Donnell chanted, "Hey Linda, if you want to Go, Go", nice percussion
8) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh, Eya eya" - nice percussion / Donnell-led 911 (tease) / Donnell chanted "Each and every Wednesday night..."
9) Donnell-led Terror Squad's Lean Back - Donnell added, "Washington DC, sh*t happens..."
10) Alternating Donnell-led 911 - not with the complete lyrics, "Lord a mercy... haterade" / "Wait a minute" chants / Donnell-led Family / "Wait a minute" chants
Donnell said, "Something to bring you all back down as you walk out the door."
11) Mike-led Michael Jackson's I Can't Help It
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda
Don was singing, "I'm going to make you love me, baby" to Cookie.
13) Donnell-led acapella Family - he couldn't remember all the words.
Donnell said, "Cookie brings 'em out y'all. Crystal (spelling?) was going to beat me up if we didn't play that song. That's not Crystal? I thought it was Crystal; I am sorry Tanyelle (spelling?). That's what it was. Tanyelle, right? Tanyelle was going to beat me up if we didn't play that song."
Donnell said, "Like to thank my man Demi Doc for coming out and getting down y'all. Also, I do want a slice of cake. I'm not sure who y'all think you are playing with..."

In the second set, I changed the second tape at 54 minutes during Terror Squad's Lean Back. For the third tape, I had to move away from the tripod because so many people stood up to dance, blocking the view of the camera. Donnell came over to see that everything was all right. Unfortunately, the worst part about moving the camera was that it lifted the audio cord in the air, twice people tripped over it and the audio cord yanked out - the sound was distorted at those times, and the video went black as I had to find the cord.

I talked with Mike and his girlfriend Monica. She and I talked about my thesis and how I like GoGo. I then conferred with Mark and Adia about interviewing them. Mark talked about what he was drinking. I told a story of how I went to the Brickskeller in DC and the cook offered $100 to anyone who would drink a concoction without telling us what it was first. We all declined. Mark said he used to go to the Brickskeller all the time when he was in college. He went to a conservatory that taught acting, ballet and lighting, but not music.

As I walked to my car afterwards, I saw the 7-11 and thought, if I am thirsty after leaving a performance here, I could get a drink. Donnell must have read my mind, because I heard my name called and Donnell was standing in front of the 7-11 with a drink. We talked briefly and he offered me a ride to my car. I declined because my car was only a couple of blocks away.