July 4th Celebration at Fur
Fur Night Club, 33 Patterson St NE, Washington, DC 20002

I arrived at 8:40 because the Fur's website said the doors open at 9 PM. I got a parking space right on Patterson. A dude waved me in then asked for money to watch my car. Since I have had bad experiences with people in Baltimore who will break into your car if you don't pay them, I gave him a couple of bucks. The woman in the car in front of me criticized the guy and said I shouldn't have paid him anything. I walked up to the Fur and asked when the doors opened, they said 10. So I walked around the corner to the two story McDonald's and hung out there until 9:40 PM. There was a guy from Fur there (he had a Fur t-shirt), I asked him the admissions charge, but he said, "No speak English". I walked back to the Fur. A group of people was there. I didn't realize it right away, but most of them were members of Publicity Band. I picked up on it when they said female band members could go in. The woman from the car in front of me was with them. They referred to the one guy as Buck - his avatar picture is so small! I introduced myself to him and Ms. Devine, whom I did recognize, introduced herself to me. Buck said something about how you aren't allowed to chew gum. One of the women said, "This isn't Dream!" I was the fourth guest through the door. As I stepped to the door, one of the security guards shook hands with me. He works at Takoma Station when I go there on Wednesdays. The cover was $35.

The Blue Room is far from an ideal performance area. The dance floor is small, and a number of the seats don't actually face the stage. I got a seat on a coach facing the stage.

Publicity Band
There was a crackling sound throughout most of the set
1) Ms. Devine-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - it had more harmony and different keyboard hits from FF's version
2) Ms. Devine-led "There's so many things, free your mind"
3) Male-led "That girl thinks that she's so fine"
4) Male-led The GAP Band's Outstanding
The crank started with
5) Male-led ?
6) Male-led "turn me on?"
7) Male-led ?
8) Male-led "Love you" - it had harmony, I think I recognize the song as one that After Hours performed at the Fantasia After Party
9) Male-led ?
10) Male-led "Make money" - nice crank
11) Male-led "Funky Stuff"
During the set, three girls sat over by me on the couch. The one right next to me was dark skinned with glasses. I introduced myself to her, but she just smiled (in a way that said I had no chance) and shook my hand. Later she asked me what I do when she saw me taking notes. Chi Ali sat at the couch next to mine and said hello. Other people here during this set - Stomp and Nephew. Publicity sounded sort of busy during the set, I think the PA system had something to do with that. They did have nice harmony. It was pretty crowded by the end of their set.

Before After Hours started performing, I saw Slim Goodie, Mama Chelle, 02, Delano, 6'9, Tyrell, Britney, and Delano. The group of women sitting by me left to go to the bar, and a new group of women sat down by me.

After Hours Band
1) Sean (Kal'el)-led "To hold you tight" - I believe this was the same song as their opening song at the Fantasia After-Party
2) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - nice, but very different from the FF version The crank started with
3) Chi Ali-led "Let me introduce myself"
4) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Jill Scott's He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)
5) Sean-led "Big boy spot"
6) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl (tease)
7) Chi Ali-led "I wish I could make you feel it"
8) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Michael Jackson's Thriller (tease)
9) Chi Ali-led "2ing to the 3"
10) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led "All aboard the night train"
11) Alternating Sean-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down / Chi Ali-led "Step down, step back"
12) Chi Ali did announcements while the percussion section played.
The PA wasn't the best, but it was a nice performance. DP and Packy were there during the performance. Packy told me it was his birthday (the 4th). Even before the performance ended, they had opened up the entrance to the main room and people started to go in.

In the main room, I told DP about the gum, he said he chewed gum when they searched him. We talked about stringent security, he said, "Why would I bring a weapon in here?" He further said if they frisked his feet, he would just go home. A woman who looked familiar (I later learned her name is Shonda) asked me, "Are you Mr. Funk?" I said yes and asked her who she was. She and her friend with her are both bartenders from Safari. A woman I didn't know came right up to me; she was dark skinned with sunglasses on. She had had a shot of Wild Turkey and another drink, but she wasn't "where she needed to be." She is a bigger fan of Reggae than of GoGo. I told her about Deep Band and she was really interested. When I went to the bar, Supa Dan said hello. The woman left to go to the mezzanine, but asked me to stay there so she could see me again. She got Ras' website address from me.

L!ssen
E dedicated the whole show to Luther Vandross
Stan Da Man was the guitarist
This was the first time I have seen Michael Thompson in person without his eye patch (he did have a cast on his arm)
1) Michael-led "Let me hold you tight"
2) Michael-led "My heart breaks"
3) Yannie-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - laid back at first. Yannie is a great singer, but she over sang this; I wished I had ear plugs.
4) Michael-led "Heartbreak hotel"
5) Michael-led "I will say goodbye"
6) E-led Ludacris' Number One Spot
7) E-led "Racking four bones (or four balls, he had his hand on his crotch, but also held out four fingers)
The crank started with
8) Yannie-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl
9) Alternating E-led "Oh yeah, ladies" / "Hold it"
10) Yannie-led Amerie's 1 Thing
10) Michael-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
11) E-led "Say what, uh oh, uh uh oh"
12) Instrumental
E did a shout out to Levert, apparently on the mezzanine level? Their performance didn't flat out bore me like they did at their album release party, but they just don't do it for me.

Tracy, Angie, and Tamara came by. Sharmba Mitchell and Tijuana there. Angie pointed out Jay Floyd.

Familiar Faces
James and Jacques were there from the beginning.
Angie had us go up closer to support FF.
1) Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - This is now the best performance from her I have witnessed, surpassing the best Free Yourself performance I've witnessed
2) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again - she pulled out all the stops on this one too
3) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
4) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
5) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) / "Wait a Minute" echoes
6) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary (tease)
7) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda - the crowd roared
8) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
9) Donnell-led Hold the Note - Smoke added a different beat than usual
10) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Uh Oh (Heads Up)
12) Doc-led Snoop's Drop It Like It's Hot
13) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls (tease)
14) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease)
15) Donnell-led Rick James' Mary Jane (tease)
16) Mike-led Lisa Stansfield's All Around the World (tease)
17) Donnell-led Vinnie D's Porno Star?
18) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls - Donnell said, "Fun withya, done withya"
19) Donnell acapella Prince's Take Me With You
James did some crotch grabbing during the set.
During the performance, Jay went up to me and said, "Now who's number one?"
This was a nice performance.
I told Jay that Ed Stewart had filmed the prior show there. I noticed that none of the bands said "Happy Fourth of July", nor did FF do a birthday shout out for Packy.

I talked with Doc; he said he was surprised to see me there. I saw Diva with 02. There was a huge crowd to get out. Yvette waved to me outside. Outside I asked Doc about what he said, he said it's not a nice neighborhood and he doesn't like to be there. He hasn't gotten to sleep since Tradewinds and was headed toward an errand. Godfather had gotten a spot real close to the Fur. 02 and Diva walked by, 02 said I must have gotten there real early. Getting out was a pain, eventually a cop had me back up and eventually I had to turn around to get out. Godfather got out before me. I had meant to check how many GoGo's I've been to, I did and figured out that this was my 100th!