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

I called Donnell to ask him if I could film the Friday performance. He said that was okay. He then called me right back and said he wanted me to go ahead and film the making of anyway; he wanted me to start tonight.

A blood moon was out tonight.

Nita was there. She said she lives walking distance from Takoma Station. She talked about being tired a lot. I said you're awful young to be so tired. She said, "If I had waited any longer, I wouldn't have come out at all."

Ebony was there.

Candy and Michon were there. I asked if they were going to Miami. They said no. Candy said, "You can have fun for us." Michon laughed. I said, "I will". They both laughed.

Tamara and Tim (LJ) were there. I asked Tamara if she was going, she said, "No, but I'll be there in spirit."

Godfather had a second keyboard - a Korg in addition to his regular keyboard. He also wore granny glasses - I told him I hadn't seen him wearing glasses before. He said I should take a picture. I told Halima I wanted to film her - asking her about the trip because I couldn't imagine anyone else being more excited about the trip.

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Blueprint - instrumental
2) Parliament's P. Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) - instrumental
3) Alternating between Mike & Halima (just improving) Donny Hathaway's Little Ghetto Boy (Whatcha' gonna do when you grow up and have to face responsiblity ? Will you spend your days and nights in the pool room ? Will you sell caps of madness to the neighborhood ? / Halima had a speech and then she sang Gladys Knight & the Pips' "Morning" Train to Georgia (same music behind it as Little Ghetto Boy) / Mike-led ?
Someone yelled about Mike, "Parkland's finest!"
4) Mike-led I Dreamed You - he had an intro speech leading into it
A guy sitting behind me yelled, "Get that p*ssy, Mike!"
5) Mike-led O'Bryan's Lady I Love You - Mike led it with "No hurt worse than a hurt man. Tell your lady I cannot breathe without you.", Mike went out singing on the dance floor, it was an excellent performance
6) Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - I thought, "Wow! It's getting harder and harder to determine which is her best performance."
Donnell said of her, "We are going down to her hometown." Halima said, "Yes, yes!"
The crank started & the the dancefloor filled during
7) Halima-led Jill Scott's Golden
8) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady
9) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - She had an opening monologue to the women in the audience, in the middle, she said, "Everybody get down so I can take my shoes off", she was barefoot standing on the stage, she bounced up and down, it was excellent as usual.

June and his wife Shadonna, Darrell, Yaquim, Val, Peanut, and Jazz were there.

I filmed Halima outside, then she watched it and said she wanted a copy. After we were done, Junie from EU talked with her.

I talked with Doc and Dwayne. Stacey, who had had her birthday the night before, was there. Go-Go Mickey came by. A number of police cars were on the block. Doc and Dwayne said they were there to see Halima. Smoke told me he doesn't have a girlfriend, the woman I thought was his girlfriend is just a friend and often his ride to shows.

Dwayne talked about John Legend probably being gay. I said Dwayne would be married soon. He said he would be married, no engaged, by the end of the year. He went to something with his girlfriend and her family asked when they were getting hitched.

The second set was really crowded, which was surprising since there were fewer regulars than usual there. The woman who makes fun of my head bopping was there. I introduced myself to her. She said her name was KD. She wore a t-shirt that had "I Heart NY" printed on it.

Second Set
Donnell said that Mike would be wearing a brand new Speedo with extensions and a girdle."
Mike said, "Donnell is the 'Bama of the week."
Donnell continued, "Mike Muse will be wearing a new pair of Speedos. For the women, we have rooms available, for the fellas, we are sold out."
The crank started during
1) Mike-led Ruff Endz' Someone to Love You
Donnell said, "6'9 killed Len Bias." 6'9 yelled, "Hey!" - he was not happy about what Donnell said
2) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
3) Halima said, "Hey, ladies" - the percussion section played and the crowd shouted, "Go-Go Smoke-ay."
4) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - she worked it
5) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
6) Donnell-led "___ Is in the house"
7) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
8) Donnell-led Hold the Note
9) Percussion solo - the crowd shouted, "Go-Go Smoke-ay"
Go-Go Mickey sat in
10) Do the Mickey? - percussion solo
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine with Donnell doing the effects vocally at the beginning
A woman named Dawn started dancing with me during the set. She was annoyed when I would stop to take notes. Her brother asked me if what I was writing was her phone number.
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Spotlight / Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon?
13) Donnell-led Vinnie D's Porno Star?
14) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease)
15) Mike-led Lisa Stanfield's All Around the World (hard to read my own notes but it's a guess)
16) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Roll Call
17) Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It
18) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Donnell & Ebony-led Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name
19) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease)
20) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
21) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time (tease)

I asked Jauhar if I could talk with him at the end of the performance, but he was nowhere to be found then. Stinka was there.
I interviewed Tim and asked why Angie and Tracy weren't there. He said they were getting dolled up for the trip. I talked with Nephew. He said he was camera shy.

I followed Stomp to his car, where he gave me a video from Bike Week. I saw Darrell, asked him if he was going, he said, "No", but he did go.

I went home, slept for a couple of hours, then drove to the airport. I flew out with Michelle and DeeDee.

I met with my friends Chris and Joe on Thursday.