Saturday at Virgo Bash 2005
Holiday Inn, Columbia Ballroom, 550 C Street SW Washington, DC 20024

When I parked, Lorenzo walked up to me. Dwayne looked for a parking spot nearby. I went to the front desk to ask where the show was. There were two ballrooms for the Virgo Bash 2005, listed as "dance party" - Discovery and Columbia.

On my way there, I ran into Jacques - I helped him carry equipment into the Columbia ballroom.

Most of the band was already there.

When Godfather walked in, Donnell joked about starting playing before Godfather could get to the stage.

Stomp, Dwayne and Donnell argued about who's in the union. When Doc walked in, they asked him where he stood, he said, "There's management, the union, and then there's Doc".

Candy and Michon were there in formal dresses. I didn't know this was a formal affair.

Donnell, Mike and Dwayne talked about Sly, how he doesn't perform anymore. I told them about his appearance for his Sister's Sly & the Family Stone reunion band Phunk Phamily Affair. (There is another one as well, Family Stone Experience). Mike said he wanted Sly and Larry Graham to get back together. I told him that according to the Sly and the Family Stone: An Oral History (For the Record), both Sly and Larry took out hits on each other. Mike said that Larry is religious now. Both he and Dwayne agreed he'd probably believe Sly is the devil. Dwayne joked, “Sly is the devil.”

There was another Lorenzo there - a vocalist. He assisted with set up. Mike said he went to Duke Ellington and sang with them at Cranberries.

Lorenzo asked if Michon and Candy were singers. They said no. He said, "Musician's wives", Michon said only her. He said something to Candy and I joked about her missing her chance to be a musician's wife.

Donnell joked, "Mark meet Dwayne, so your solos don't conflict."

During the sound check, Godfather and Halima performed Stan Getz' Girl from Ipanema.
Donnell joked about finding another place for Godfather.
Donnell sang, "I will praise you" during the sound check.

Familiar Faces
First Set
It started at about 9:40 PM. They were in the Bike Week configuration, except that Doc was on the frontline.
There was hardly anyone there yet in the audience, about six or seven people, including Michon, Candy and I.
Line up: Mike, Halima, Donnell, DP, Doc, Dwayne, Godfather, Lorenzo, Stomp, Smoke, Jacques
1) They started to perform the music to Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know - Donnell said, "Give me something Godfather, get it out of your system" / Halima-led Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know - Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, she also did a lot of echo vocal techniques, nice and different
Mike said, "Welcome to everyone who is here. The only pretty people - Halima, grab her. That's the closest thing."
2) Mike-led Raheem DeVaughn's Ask Yourself
3) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
Donnell said, "I don't know what's going on with the PA, it's going in and out." Unfortunately, this problem persisted throughout their performance.
Donnell did shout outs to Sweet Candy, Sweet Michon, Telando and I.
He said, "Everyone couldn't make it, everyone is on their way."
Donnell said "Work it Candy, Work it."
Donnell and Halima danced
Donnell said, "Come on and party baby, it's alright. I think they're on their way, I feel them coming. My baby Halima, yeah, she's looking lovely tonight."
4) Halima-led Jill Scott's Whatever - Halima moved around, both Donnell and Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, there was a nice percussion solo
Donnell said, "I don't know what's going on with the PA, but we're going to party anyway."
5) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - Halima and Donnell danced
6) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U - the frontline danced
Mike said, "One more time for Lorenzo on his birthday."
Mike said at the end of the song, "Give it up for Randy Watson, Sexual Chocolate"
7) They started performing the music to Fantasia's Free Yourself - Donnell said, "We're going too slow, we're going to take a break and figure out this PA system" / Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - Halima's singing was excellent, Halima bounced and used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures
Despite the small audience, the set was good other than the PA problems which were most annoying for the vocals.

I asked Doc if he had bought PFunk's new album, How Late Do U Have 2 B B 4 U R Absent? He didn't know about it. We went out to the hallway, where food was served. I also told him that Bootsy's next album is a Christmas album. There was an ice sculpture at the end of the food table.

I noticed Kevin, one of the owners of Club Levels, was there.

Mike said that Lorenzo was in a four man vocal group with him called Avantgarde. He said Lorenzo's band is backing Raheem DeVaughn. He said something about En Vogue.

Exquisite was the closing band.

Mike's daughter is 12. He wants everything to go right the first time because the music industry is so hard. He talked about Jesse Powell. Mike said that Mark Dawson sounds like Donny Hathaway, but he has had trouble finding an audience, so he has struggled finding a recording contract. I talked with Mike about Right to Rock and the Black Rock Coalition. I told him there was a music conference “The Word on Music” going on that day in Durham – the author of Right to Rock, Maureen Mahon was to speak, and Burnt Sugar, Greg Tate’s band that I am a fan of was supposed to perform. Many of the members of the Black Rock Coalition are middle class and grew up with whites and developed a taste for rock (much like "Whiteboy" of Rare Essence). Industry executives tell them whites don’t want to listen to them nor do Blacks. I said there are a lot of parallels between the BRC's struggles to find an audience and GoGo’s. I also told him a little about Rhythm & Business, a book about the Black music industry. (Another related book is Rip It Up!)

Second Set
There was now a crowd of about thirty-some people and by the end of the set, the place was packed.
1) Doc solo leading into / Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You - Halima and Donnell danced
Donnell said, "Gimme the top"
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, the frontline danced, there was nice percussion
Donnell said, "Where all the Virgos at celebrating here"
The crank started with
3) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - really energetic performance by Halima, she bounced and used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures, Dwayne touched her and she called out "Dwayne Lee"
4) Alternating Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl / Donnell-led Rare Essence's Hook Me Upa Donnell said, "We got some old school, let's take it back to the Howard Theatre".
5) Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It - Halima danced
6) Halima-led Mariah Carey's It's Like That - Halima used a lot of nonverbal arm & hand gestures
7) They started performing the music to Trillville's Some Cut / Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease) - "Go Virgos, It's Your Birthday" / Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut - the frontline danced / Notorious BIG's Warning - Halima did nonverbal arm & hand gestures with Donnell / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
Donnell said, "Is it back yet Junior (the sound man)? We got to go. Exquisite right here on this stage."
He said they would play before, during half time, and after the Redskins game against the Cowboys on the 19th.

I left and drove straight to Tradewinds. Jacques didn't come along, as Charlie plays at Tradewinds.