New Year's Day at the Fur
Fur Night Club, 33 Patterson St NE, Washington, DC 20002

My brother pointed out to me before I left that the Fur had had a playboy playmate, Christi Shake, host their New Year's Eve event.

I stood second in line and talked with Neita. She was waiting for her brother Jason, who plays congas for Publicity. We talked for a bit. She used to sing when she was young. TT was a little in back of me in line. She introduced me to some of her friends, including one named Tiffany. They took my pen (the first time that's happened to me in a while), so all of what I have written is off the top of my head. TT, who is Mama Chelle's sister, was also celebrating her birthday with Moet and apple martinis. Neita introduced me to her brother. Also there, not in any particular order: Shorty Q, Selena & Trina, Supa Dan, Cindy & Kiki, Kim, Lolo, & Danielle, Archie Paige, Tyrell, Mama Chelle, Delano, Ray, Monique, Nikki, Shonda, Shauny, Mia (a bartender at Cranberries), Choo Choo, Net Boo, Britney (with a new hairdo), June and Shadonna. I introduced myself to Sherray (Always Showtime!!) whom I recognized from her avatar. She introduced me to Ro'chelle (toosweet).

Publicity Band
Three male vocalists (including Big Buck), Kamise (female vocalist), a trombone player, a sax player, a trumpet player, Jason (percussion), a cowbell player, at least two keyboard players, a bass player, a guitar player, a drummer.
They started grooving instrumentally, then Big Buck did shout outs, especially to TMOTT, then there was a pause before they started performing. After the first song, which Kamise led but I didn't recognize, she said, "That was a song for the fellas, now a song for the ladies...", then she led Mary J. Blige's Be Without You, then they performed Jamie Foxx's Unpredictable, then the crank started. Kamise also later led Lil Kim's Lighters Up and Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl. Those are the only songs I recognized other than the chant, Big Buck led about "Listen to that groovin'" the crowd responded, "Feel like moving that body". At one point the guitar player went on the left speaker and then later Big Buck went on the middle speaker. I noticed Chi Ali standing next to one of the keyboard players. Once the crank started, I really enjoyed it.

The crowd grew and it was really packed by the time L!ssen was setting up.

L!ssen
Scooby, Andre' "Tuffy" Jackson, Jasen "O" Holland, Songbird, two keyboard players, a drummer, a percussionist, a trombone player, a trumpet player, and a guy whom I couldn’t see what he was playing as he stood behind the right speaker onstage.
The trombone player started off, playing "Hail to the Redskins." The Redskins beat the Eagles 31-20 earlier in the day to clinch a playoff spot. The songs that L!ssen performed that I recognized were: their original Sunshine, D4L's Laffy Taffy with a sample from Dem Franchise Boyz’ I Think They Like Me playing at the time, Tuffy-led Djayz' Whoop That Trick, and Snoop's Drop It Like It's Hot. Scooby, Tuffy and O got on the three speakers, later just Tuffy did and then he was joined by Scooby and O. At one point, Chi Ali briefly sat in and stood on the middle speaker, he lead some chants including one about, "What do you do with your junk in the trunk?" They finished. DJ Rico asked them to perform for five more minutes, but Scooby said, "I respect Donnell to much to do that." DJ Rico kept pressing him to perform for two more minutes until Scooby relented. Scooby lead a chant of "Uh oh, uh uh oh." Then they really finished. DJ Rico said, "I asked for two minutes and he gave me two minutes." Scooby said, "I respect Donnell. He paved the way for n*ggers like me." I liked their performance. I prefer them to L!ssen Band.

Familiar Faces
The line up was (left to right): James, Mike, Halima, Donnell, DP, (behind the frontline) Dwayne, Doc, (behind Dwayne and Doc), Lorenzo, Godfather, Stomp, Smoke, Jacques
I went up front for their performance. Both Supa Dan and Archie asked me why I wasn't taking notes. When I told them why, they said I should get a pen from one of the band members.
DJ Rico joned on various members of FF as they set up. He said, "You gave James Lawson a job... I could do his job, not as well, but I could do it. I could do as well as Nephew. Mike Muse is there, the woman will be throwing panties on the stage (Mike shook his head no)... Smoke has the hardest hands in GoGo... He could bust a conga... Stomp is the only drummer who breaks all the cymbals... Godfather taught James Lawson everything he knows about GoGo. If it wasn't for Godfather, James would still be singing Barney. James is my man, even though he just gave up comic books. Donnell is my n*gga, he's the only one who can call me Rico Suave."
Donnell asked for a moment of silence for Kent "Hot Dog" Wood, a keyboard player for Rare Essence and EU who lost his life the other day (in a car accident).
Halima wore a black Black Panther Party with white printing that drew eyes' attention to it with the contrast with her dyed hair.
Halima tested walking over to the speaker, looking for impediments. I couldn't tell what kind of shoes she wore since her jeans reached the floor.
1) Halima-led Sade's Pearls - Halima ended up sitting on the stage
2) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Tell Me - the crank started, Donnell chanted, "Eya eya" and the crowd responded, "Ho" (he repeated this a few times)
3) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh" - Donnell went on the speaker in front of the stage, James held his mic to the crowd, they responded
4) Donnell-led "___ Is in the house" - Donnell switched to the middle speaker and DP went on the right speaker
5) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - Halima got down with her dancing, Donnell and DP went back onstage
6) Alternating Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You - Donnell got on the right speaker and called out names, then went back onstage, he held his mic to ladies to sing and Halima conducted them / Prince's Sexy M.F. (tease)
7) Donnell-led Hold the Note - Donnell and Halima held up their fists, Donnell went on the right speaker, Donnell chanted, "Wait a minute" / Percussion solo - particularly by Smoke - Donnell went back onstage
8) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut - Donnell went back on the right speaker, the monitor second from right started to smoke, DP called Omar over to work on it, he ended up unplugging it, James sang back up, Stomp played a dialtone and the frontline danced the bowing dance / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) / "Wait a minute" echoes
9) Halima-led Mariah Carey's It's Like That - Donnell went back onstage
10) Alternating Donnell-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (tease) - Donnell sat on the edge of the stage with his feet on the middle speaker, he did the keyboard effects vocally / Rare Essence's Spotlight (tease)
11) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel - Donnell stood on the middle speaker
12) Mike-led Lisa Stanfield's All Around the World (tease) - Mike stood at the edge of the stage (the left speaker was covered with jackets and stuff, so no one stood on it during their set)
13) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Overnight Scenario (tease) - Halima made a face
14) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda - Donnell went back onstage, then returned to the speaker, Smoke played timbales and Jacques played congas with drumsticks
15) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
16) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time - Mike and DP stood at the edge of the stage
17) Donnell-led "Southeast, South, Southeast" chant - DP went on the right speaker
18) Donnell-led "25, 25, 25" / Donnell & Mike-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls - "Get down like this", they did a pause that made the audience think they were done playing, a woman behind me called out, "Put it in like..."
19) Donnell-led "Unh, unh unh"
20) Donnell & Halima-led It Is What It Is - Donnell went back onstage before Halima's part, then back on the speaker
Donnell said, "I know what I forgot" -->
21) Donnell-led Trina Was Great - Donnell pulled Tyrell on the middle speaker and she danced with her back to the audience
At some point the monitor second from left also smoked and Omar disconnected it
22) D4L's Laffy Taffy - instrumental, literally only a few seconds
Donnell said of a woman, "That's my wife. Do you have breakfast ready?" She nodded. He said, "What will we have, eggs or waffles?"
23) Stomp briefly played a sample
I danced with Monique during the set.
DP really sweated through his shirt.