Friday at Safari Steakhouse
Safari Steakhouse, 9430 Annapolis Road Lanham MD 20706

A couple who had been at Thursday's show were there. The husband came by and introduced himself to me, His name is June - I later heard her name is Shadonna. I told him about my project.

Peanut was there.

Kato, Teago, and Wayne, rapper for Fatal Attraction were there. Kato and Teago took Wayne to the show to introduce him to Familiar Faces' music. Fatal Attraction opens for Backyard, so he's familiar with their music, but they want to expand his range to other GoGo bands. DP asked what kind of music Fatal Attraction played. I told them the Duane Face story.

Donnell told Nephew how my filming wouldn't work. The video people thought the different media wouldn't go well together... Nephew said, "I guess he owes me something", laughing. I said, "Was there ever a time in your life when you weren't a smartass?" He said, "Never."

Familiar Faces
First Set
Donnell performed Common's The Corner at the sound check, a guy asked me if that was Common, I think he really thought that was Common performing, I told him it was Donnell Floyd
1) Instrumental
2) Halima-led Alicia Keys' Diary
3) Mike-led The Stylistics' People Make the World (Go Round)
Mike said to some girl (I didn't see who), "We're going to get married some day."
A male fan said, "Don't be afraid". I don't know if it was a request for the next song
4) Mike-led Glenn Lewis' Don't You Forget It
5) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
6) Halima-led Jill Scott's Golden - percussion solo at the end
7) Mike-led John Legend's Ordinary People - Halima played the triangle, which she got from Jacques Before the next song, Donnell said, "Jacques, collect your toys"
8) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself
9) Mike-led I Dreamed You

I asked Kato the name of his blonde friend. He said Danielle and that her sister writes for TMOTT - Che're Pennington. Tyrell, Britney, and Chocoltchp were there. I talked with Halima. I also talked with Peanut who sat on my other side. I asked him where his woman was, he said at home with the kids. He said he drives a furniture truck, bigger than the stereo truck, but not a tractor trailer. He talked with me about flight information, since he has a court date on Friday. I told him how Slim Goodie and 6'9 said they wouldn't go out again until Miami to save money. Tyrell talked with Halima.

Second Set
Donnell did Miami announcements and Stomp said, "There is pleny of room in his room." I went to Donnell and kidded, "Just for women only?" Donnell, then kidded him on the mic about whether or not it was for women only.
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
Britney sat on the bottom right speaker during the set
2) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
The crank started with
3) Donnell-led "___ is in the house"
4) Donnell-led "Can you help me ___? Can you help me? Trying to get away. Waiting to get away"
5) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
6) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot
7) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
8) Donnell-led Hold the Note
9) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
10) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine - Donnell did the musical effects vocally at the beginning
11) Donnell-led Common's The Corner - this time with just the sample "Hands free" as Donnell put it, Stomp danced. At the very end the percussion section did play.

6'9 was there, Peanut taunted me about it using his fingers to show 6'9

I sat over by 6'9, we talked about Gilchrist. He was disgusted by Real Sex which was showing on the TV. Love (actually now from What? Band) was there, I introduced myself to him. He hugged Stomp. I teased Stomp that he must have heard there was room in his room.

I talked with Lorenzo, asked him if he went to the Naval Academy (he talked about his ID re: the Naval Academy at Rehearsal) - he said that he played for their choir. I asked him who he played with, he said he would give me a resume.

Third Set
Donnell said that "Britney would do an erotic dance in Miami." He then addressed her, "You are young enough" to get naked on Haulover Beach
1) They started to perform the music to Faith Evans' Mesmerized while Donnell did announcements / Halima-led Faith Evans' Mermerized
2) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning - Donnell said, "That's what we talking about Brandywine, Trinidad, Simple City" / Keith Murray's Call My Name (Tease)
3) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease)
4) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
5) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time "ay ay, awa ay, Southeast, South, Southeast, Northwest, North, Northwest"
6) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Uh Oh (Heads Up)
7) Donnell-led Hey Miss Keta Will You Dance for Me "od ba ba ba"
Several women danced on stage, men put money in a woman's top (at her breasts), and skirt. Britney moved to the front of the stage (wearing a shirt with the words "Future MILF" printed on it that emphasized her breasts) so that she could get the same treatment
8) Percussion solo - the crowd shouted "Go-Go Smoke-ay!"
9) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls
10) Donnnell-led DIP Stomp - Mike added lyrics
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin'
12) Mike-led Lap Dance
One of Britney's friends sat next to her on the speaker
Donnell on the mic, "Lynette Wright and Angel - skinny and sexy, sensual. DP reminisces. You didn't think he didn't tell me? The first lunch break he called me"
13) Donnell and Stomp "Would it be alright if I called you tonight, If I went home with you tonight"
Continuing his conversation with those women, "Reezio. Don't act like you don't remember when we were being childish"

Yolanda was there.

Thursday at Venus Hall
Venus Hall, 15 K St NE Washington, DC 20002

This was my first time at the Venus Hall. As Donnell said, it is over by the ticket adjudication. It shares a building with Dominoe's Pizza. I recognized one of the bartenders as Imani, formerly from the Market Lounge.

A four person Jazz Band (guitar, bass, keyboards and drums) performed. They just ended their first set as I walked in. I only recognized Telando and Vincent among the audience members.

There were less than fifteen people there. During the second set, they performed a number of familiar jazz covers, the first of which I recognized as Herbie Hancock's Chameleon.

Mike Smith was there.

I talked with Packy for a while. Doc, Dwayne and I discussed why they switched to this venue with its very small audience.

YC and Tim (LJ) were there.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Jacques played during the first set
During the sound check, Donnell sang Minnie Riperton's Memory Lane.
He said "Mark, please don't play the Girl from Ipanema, that's from the band before".
Still, Halima did sing Stan Getz & Jo?o Gilberto's The Girl from Ipanema during the sound check.
Halima also sang Bob Marley's Is This Love during the soundcheck.
1) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know
2) Mike-led I Dreamed You
Mike said, "Thank you love" to Halima
3) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - the intro was different with a very laidback beat
The crank started with
4) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You - Halima, Donnell and DP danced the same dance
5) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
6) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
7) Donnell-led Common's The Corner - this is the first time they played it on instruments rather than just the sample
Halima used more nonverbal arm & hand gestures than usual, and did a black power fist at the start of the set.
There were fifteen to twenty people there for the first set. There was a couple there that I later learned are named June and Shadonna.

I sat at a table with Dwayne, Doc, and Halima. I asked Dwayne if he could play Maggot Brain. He said yes and there was even a Maggot Brain setting on his pedals. I talked about Hichael Hampton supposedly purposely sabotaging shows due to the large entourages. Go Go Mickey came by and shook hands with all of us. I said to Halima, that's the best conga player in the game. She asked why he's the best. I said what he plays and how he plays it.

Val "Tina Turner", Renee, Michelle, RE Angie, Candy, Michon, Mookie, and Los were there.

Second Set
Charlie played during the second set
The crank started right away
1) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
2) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
Donnell said, "Michelle went back to the Metro."
Donnell and Halima danced together
3) Donnell-led Hold the Note - Halima danced
4) Donnell-led Sly & the Family Stone's Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)
5) Donnell-led "If you have to believe in something, why not believe in me"
6) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - Los rapped, Donnell added the line, "Bounce, bounce"
Mike pointed behind me and smiled. I turned around and saw Halima dancing in the audience.
7) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut - Donnell invited Michelle on stage, she did a dance that mocked his onstage arm gestures / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
8) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine "going to get away, yes, yes (the line Charlie claimed Donnell had left out last Friday)
9) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Work the Walls
10) Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl
The crowd had increased for this set - there were at least thirty people there.

Spanky, a promoter, talked with me.

Before I left, Imani talked with me. She recognized me from Takoma Station. I said Market Lounge too. She said back to then? She said she works here and at Killi's Kafe. It was raining when we left.

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

Val "Tina Turner", Candy, Michon (I kidded them about not wearing hats), Tamara, Tim (LJ), Ray, Jay Floyd, and Michelle were there.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Donnell introduced the set by talking about about a guy (Chuck Brown) who started playing in places like the Ebony Inn and started to play the beat from this song under every song. The song whose beat he used they played:
1) Grover Washington Jr.'s Mr. Magic
2) Another instrumental
3) Mike-led John Legend's Ordinary People
Mike talked about hearing on the radio about GoGo's lack of originality. They named a band he had never heard of: Uncalled4Experience (he didn't actually name them tonight, I asked him the following night). They talked about their original. Mike said, "What about our album Evolution which is 75% originals?"
4) Mike-led I Dreamed You
Donnell said, "There's someone in the famiy who hasn't sung in three weeks". Mike said, "There's a picolo player who has their picolo in a case."
5) Tamara-led Mariah Carey's We Belong Together
6) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - she had a monologue with the women in the audience, She said "Shake your emotions, can't all wait around"
7) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
8) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
9) Percussion solo - Donnell sang, "Sweet Chelle, my belle"
10) Donnell starting singing Minnie Riperton's Memory Lane, then Halima did.
It's getting hard determining which is her best performance.
Donnell said, "Back all the way to Eastside"

Darrell, Mara, James and Sharmba Mitchell were there. I went over to Michelle, and sat between her and Val in the booth, with Halima across from us.

Michelle and I got out of our seats to go outside. A number of people, including Packy came by and said they didn't know she was pregnant. She joked about swallowing a number of watermelon seeds and a watermelon kept growing inside her. DeeDee came by. Mike joked that he too was seven months pregnant. DeeDee said he was eight months and I was four months. Jauhar said I came by it honestly with the size of my clothes. He had also been in Miami last weekend.

Doc talked about how he hated the political stuff in In the Pocket. I talked with Mike about how Halima said his daughter sings. He said she sings better than he does. I asked what she sang, he said everything off the radio. Mike started singing a song that was familiar to me, but I didn't recognize it. He asked me if I knew who sang that. I said I didn't. DeeDee said I should know, that it was a disgrace that I didn't. Mike said, "Barry Manilow." I said that I thought it was poetic justice that his character got shot in the movie Copacabana (which I later looked up was the name of the song Mike was singing). Mike said he likes Barry Manilow.

When we went in for the second set, I went on the dance floor for the set.

Second Set
Donnell said he had been in Miami auditioning dancers for the video shoot. He talked about how people should dress for the different parts of the video shoot.
The crank started right away with
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
2) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
3) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
4) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
5) Donnell-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (tease) / Rare Essence's Spotlight / Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon?
6) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease)
7) Alternating Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It / Sam Cooke's Chain Gang (same music) / Percussion solo
8) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
9) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary (tease)
10) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
11) Donnell-led Hold the Note
12) Percussion solo - the crowd shouted, "Go-Go Smoke-ay!"
13) Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?"
14) Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl - Donnell did the regular bananas line
15) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin'
16) Mike-led Lap Dance - Donnell chanted, "Swing your body" and Mike chanted, "Swing"
Donnell kept restarting the final solo, sayin a girl who sang along and Stomp messed up
17) Donnell-led Common's The Corner
During the set, Angie danced back to back with me.
Robin and Tracy were also over by me.
Sharika was there.
DP came over to Michelle with his trumpet, about to play. She said, you're not going to blow that at my baby? He played a lullaby for her. He talked with her about his unborn baby acting up right constantly when he would get back from the GoGo. So he would play a lullaby. Michelle talked about how her baby reacted to the bass making the bench vibrate. She asked how old DP's daughter was, he said three. His said his wife got the lullaby tape in the divorce.

I sat down at a table with Michelle and DeeDee. Halima said goodbye to Michelle. Donnell had talked about the possibility of filming the making of the video instead of paying Nephew the fee, he told me to call him on Thursday. I told DeeDee and Michelle the two stories about my friend Craig in Miami. I asked if DeeDee was going to get topless, she said, "only in foreign countries". I told her that Miami is a foreign country. Stomp asked the sex of the baby, said the kid would be a drummer. I told them about Cindy Blackman and Susie Ibarra.

Tuesday at Rehearsal
Private Location

Familiar Faces
When I arrived, DP was in his car with his sons Derek Jr. and Darrell. They got out and DP was on his cell phone telling Donnell that Doc couldn't get off of work. Shortly after, Godfather, then Duane Face arrived, followed by Donnell, who let us in. Duane rapped NWA's Straight Outta Compton, Donnell said he obviously doesn't have kids. I told DP about the correct spelling of Lorenzo's name.

Donnell had just been in Miami the day before. Dwayne had a new Pod XT guitar pedal.

I asked Donnell what he was going to do with the video, he said put it through regular channels. He said that he wasn't going to sell it, there would be enough for a making of unless I filmed it.

Over time, Dwayne, Halima, Jacques, Mike, Nephew, Charlie (wearing an Aikman jersey), Smoke and Lorenzo arrived.

They went over Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl - Donnell wants it to be performed in a certain way. He joked that it was Halima's fault. She said okay. She said it was by the Neptunes more than Gwen Stefani. She asked if Stefani was really white, I said yes. She said I should pick up the album, I said I was probably not interested. She said, "Yeah, you like GoGo." I told her how things work there, that Dwayne always says mistakes are Donnell's fault and that Donnell says he's always right. I said if you agree with Dwayne, you are part of the Union, Dwayne is Jimmy Hoffa. If you believe something should be performed in the pocket, then you are on Donnell's side. Dwayne talked about how with Redds and the Boys, that he was the only musician Redds feared. He said if he were alive today, he would tell you. He said Vincent (Redds' son) was at Tradewinds the week before last, he would tell you. Vincent was sixteen and Dwayne seventeen when he joined. Donnell said you've heard of me, I've been your boss for a year now.

Donnell said that there's something wrong with one of his Saxes, the one he was using right then, that it is off key, but different for different notes. He said he may have ruined his son's musical career because he used it and was kicked out of the band, but it may have been the horn.

At one point, we smelled burning, Nephew wouldn't go. Halima did, the hot plate was on. Halima said to Nephew and I, you can't protect me on the red carpet. I told her about going to a premiere and not realizing it was a real premiere. I said she didn't need protecting. Halima said of my leg jiggling that I have a demon inside. I told Mike he should use Charlie's video. I told Mike about Donnell singing Credence and why.

Donnell had a frontline meeting.

Mark talked with me and Duane about being into geneology, that he was interested in his roots. He said he has white ancestry too, the Hopkins from England. He said his parents are Henrietta and George Lawson. He has a cousin Steve who is a musician. Godfather told us about how a man should treat women and their own kids. Godfather's wife is Bernita Curtis. I told both Mark and Duane Mile's quote on 60 Minutes, they both said that wasn't for them:
Miles and Harry Reasoner were discussing his marriage to Cicely Tyson, which included Reasoner quoting a passage from Miles' book.
Miles responded that he didn't know that, that he hadn't gotten that far in his book to proofread it, causing both to laugh.

Continuing:
HR: "It sounds like maybe you think, maybe you should never have married her (Cicely) in the first place."

MD: "I didn't marry her for that reason. I didn't marry her for sex. I didn't marry her for that reason. I thought she was a level-headed black woman. You know, but it switched."

HR: "She changed?"

MD: "She changed because she got so jealous."

HR: "Will you ever get married again?"

MD: "To who?"

HR: "To anybody, not to Cicely."

MD: "I know there's a couple guys I've been looking at, but never to a woman again."

(HR laughs at Miles' tongue-in-cheek joke, Miles sardonically chuckles a bit, too ... probably still smarting from his divorce settlement with Cicely).

Original airdate: November 12, 1989.

Saturday at Tradewinds
Tradewinds Night Club, 5859 Allentown Way, Camp Springs, MD 20748

Britney, 6'9, and RE Angie were there. Charlie came in through the front door; he said he was already in. I asked Doc if he had gotten any sleep, he said, "No."

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin'
2) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
3) Percussion solo - Donnell said, "Y'all feel that?"
4) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - Donnell had Halima dance
5) Donnell sang the announcements
6) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
7) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
8) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
9) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - Donnell added the line "Bounce, bounce"
10) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - excellent as usual
James was there, but didn't perform in this set. Sanisse and JoJo were there.

Halima asked why I never ate the food. I told her the same thing I said before - it's like taking away their pay. DP asked if I went to the beach, I told him I was at the Os game, and there was completely different weather from Thursday's weather. Godfather talked about how he used to try on Ms. Mack's wigs and play. Ras walked in. I talked with him about Ray Davis, and the girl being a fan of Reggae, intrigued by the Deep Band. I asked him where they are performing; he talked about places including Xcalibur.

Second Set
Donnell said, "This is the real Grown & Sexy, not just on the flyers. This is not the beat your feet or beat your meat."
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
2) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You - with a percussion solo
3) Donnell-led Hold the Note - the crowd shouted, "Wind Me Up, Smoke!"
4) Donnell-led "___ is in the house"
5) Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?"
6) Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl
7) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
8) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary
I noticed Halima first holding two drum sticks together, than beating one against the other. I also noticed Britney on stage playing a snare-less tambourine.
Donnell said, "This is old school, Eastside"
9) Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It
10) Donnell-led Brown & White / Ride Out / Northeast Groovers' The Water
Slick Rick (Hot Cold Sweat/Crossover Band) was there
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease) - Donnell said, "They think you'll fight if we play this. We'll do it if you promise not to fight. Otherwise, we'll never do it again"
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine
13) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda
14) Mike-led Lap Dance - Donnell chanted, "Swing your Body" and Mike chanted, "Swing", Donnell said, "Stomp f*cked up," so he had them repeat the last solo
15) Donnell acapella Vinnie D's Porno Star?
16) Donnell acapella Lisa Stansfield's All Around the World (tease)

Stacey, March, and Robin were there. There was also a tall guy with cane who had a belt bucket with a Ben Franklin or a stack of them (don't know if real) rubber banded together. Ras said to me, "You're in the thick of things (I was only a few feet from the stage during the second set)". 6'9 talked with me about John Gilchrist and Larry Hughes. Doc told Ras and I that I should work for the Post, since I write all the time. 6'9 said he was going to fly to Miami first class. I gave 6'9 the URL to my website. He said he would put it in his Blackberry.

I saw Dwayne and in a separate car, Robin (in the passenger seat) at the Exxon by Tradewinds, gas went up $.13 over the last week!

Friday at Safari
Safari Steakhouse, 9430 Annapolis Road Lanham MD 20706

I arrived late because the exit ramp for Annapolis Road from I-495 was under construction. I had never taken any other route, so I got off at the next exit and consulted a map. When I arrived, Donnell was in the parking lot talking to Kato and Preston Blue. Charlie was there, wearing a John Elway Jersey and matching Nike sneakers. DJ Flava (aka GoGo Rudy) talked with DP. He said he didn't play the trumpet anymore due to his braces. DP said both his sons did despite having braces.

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Mike-led Bernard Ighner's Everything Must Change / Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - Halima's rendition uses the same music as Everything Must Change, in fact, until Mike starting singing, I thought My Funny Valentine was going to be performed first
2) Mike-led Glenn Lewis' Don't You Forget It
3) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's As
4) Mike-led John Legend's Ordinary People
Mike said, "Give it up for Zippy Custamata"
5) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself
6) Mike-led I Dreamed You
Mike said, "They say it's your birthday".
6'9 and DeeDee were there.

I sat down by Halima. I asked her about Everything Must Change, since she had said that that was the title of My Funny Valentine. She said that the music was to Everything Must Change, but that she sang the words to My Funny Valentine on top of it. I asked her how Thursday's performance was, she said not great, not a very big crowd. She asked where I was, I told her I went to the Orioles game. I then talked with Renee. I said she's been to more shows lately. She asked me what I did: going to all the shows and taking notes. I told her about my blog and said her picture was up from Wednesday. I told her how Steve Francis had not wanted me to take his picture. She asked if he was alone, I said he had an entourage, she said, "That's why all those big guys were there and he was standing off to the side." Someone to my left said, "He's always been that way." I asked Jauhar if he was really going to run for mayor, she said maybe in six years, after he's married and has his life straight. He said right now that they would attack his social life. I asked if he would wear a bow tie, he said, "No, I would dress like this to fit in with the people."

Second Set
1) Halima-led Cleva / Percussion solo / Stevie Wonder's Superstition bassline
"Up in here?"
2) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
3) 6 Minutes percussion solo
Donnell kept doing shout outs to Brandywine
4) Donnell-led "___ is in the house"
5) They performed the music to Faith Evans' Again but lyrics the lyrics were Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh" / Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
7) Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl - Donnell ad libbed line "If I were a rich girl" from Gwen Stefani's Rich Girl
8) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
9) Donnell-led Hold the Note
10) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease)
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda
12) Donnell-led Brown & White / Ride Out / Northeast Groovers' The Water - "Slow Pocket Ride"

The woman who had consoled Donnell was behind me, she waved to me. At the end of the set, I asked her and the other woman who had gotten DP's birthday cake their names. The first one was Yvette, the other Felecia. They asked my name as well. I told them about my website.

Kato asked me, "Since I am now a part of them", what they will be doing with the video. I assumed that they want it on MTV. He said Mr. Cheeks has been out of the limelight for a while. I sat down over by Kato's blonde friend, Danielle (Wellfhed). She asked me the time; she had to go to work in a couple of hours. She asked me if I was dating, I told her how hard it was for me hitting on women at the GoGo, although I did hit on one woman at Fur. She liked my sense of humor and told me I should practice my approach with her. Sanisse is a regular whom I first noticed at Safari, joking that Donnell was her brother at Safari when Angie was still celebrating her birthday. She talked with Stomp and I because she was having problems connecting to my website due to JavaScript problems. She said that Stomp's girlfriend was at the bar. I asked Stomp who his girlfriend was, but he wouldn't tell me.

China (wearing a shirt with the word "Foxy" printed on it), Tyrell and Genard were there.

Third Set
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - Halima sang, "I can't even sleep"
2) Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?"
3) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot
4) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
5) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine
Donnell said, "It's an Eastside party".
6) Donnell-led Hey Miss Keta Will You Dance for Me
7) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
8) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time
9) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Uh Oh (Heads Up)
Donnell said, "This is B__, my main man" song?
10) Percussion solo
11) Donnell-led DIP
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin'
Donnell said, "I take the Eat___", the crowd responded, "You a 'Bama".
13) A female fan rapped Common's The Corner
14) Donnell acapella with the same female fan on back up Credence Clearwater Revival's Proud Mary (tease) (because Ike & Tina Turner covered it)
Donnell said, "Val is looking old, as old as the real Tina Turner"
He went on to talk about how she "bought 2fers at Capital Plaza before they closed, who is next? Not Jordan because he will write something."
I asked why he did a Credence song but won't let Mike sing a Simon & Garfunkel song. He said he did that for Tina Turner.
15) Donnell acapella Simon & Garfunkel's Mrs. Robinson

There was a fight during the third set, but it was between a girl and her boyfriend and both were thrown out quickly. I talked outside with the security guards, Supa Dan and DeeDee. The security guards said that the woman who fought with the guy was his baby mama, so they didn't get involved once they kicked them out of the club.

Packy's & Genard's Birthday at Takoma Station
Takoma Station, 6914 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20012


Godfather, Lorenzo, Renee, unidentified fan, Dwayne, Halima (look how tall she is!)
Picture taken by and copyright Jordan Rich


Michon and Candy

Genard's Birthday - I don't know who Genard is. I walked in and the seats directly to the left of the aisle were taken. So I sat down a few seats to the left, but the guy next to me smoked, so I moved to the table to the right of the stage. I heard my name called and Stomp and Halima sat at the table behind me. Halima wanted to talk to me, but wanted to be able to hear me better or more privacy. One of the bartenders came by, she said to Halima that she had danced onstage with FF at Fur (I hadn't recognized her at the Fur). Halima talked with her about it. She has a beautiful face and large breasts and wore a shirt that had "Squeeze ____" printed on it.

Tim (LJ), Tamara, Renee, James, and Sharmba Mitchell were there. Jay said he thought L!ssen sounded like crap on Sunday. I asked him why he hasn't been out in a while; he said he embarrassed himself when he tried to dance with younger woman here at Takoma Station.

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Miles Davis' Tutu
Halima asked on the mic, "Who is Sharmba Mitchell?" He is a welterweight boxer. He is scheduled to fight Zab Judah for his titles in September.
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know - Halima said, "My mic stand has a personality of its own".
3) Halima-led Erykah Badu's On & On
The crank started with
4) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady
5) Halima-led Jill Scott's Golden
6) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself
Donnell said that "Shelle Haynesworth from the video shoot says that you must dress properly for the video shoot".
7) Mike-led Lap Dance - Donnell chanted "Swing your body" and Mike chanted "Swing" (I assumed it was Halima because it it so high pitched, but based on subsequent performances, it was Mike) with a percussion solo
Donnell said, "If we run out of hotel rooms, we will have bunk beds and sleeping bags." Mike repeated his joke from Bike Week, "I am in room 666, come if you dare..."

Candy, Michon, Angie, Mara, DeeDee, RE Angie, Mike Smith, Tracy, Darrell, Slim Goodie and Ray were there.

I went outside and talked with Doc, Pooh, and Dwayne. I asked Dwayne when Heaven Sent was next performing. He said they perform the first Sunday of every month at the Ikon in Waldorf, but there was some event coming up.

Sugar Bear, Donny Ray and YC were also out there.

Second Set
1) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Stars Be Partyin' "Sharmba Mitchell is here, Steve Francis is here, this is where the stars be partyin'..."
2) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
3) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
4) Percussion solo - the crowd shouted "Wind me up, Smoke!"
5) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
6) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
7) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
8) Halima-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl - first time performed with the music
9) Mike-led Rare Essence's Take Me Out to the Go-Go
10) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Roll Call
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's One on One (Footz version)
12) Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It
13) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine
14) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
15) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary
16) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
17) Donnell-led Hold the Note
18) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease)
Donnell told Steve Francis not to do that to Antwan Jamison the next time he comes to Washington, just lay it in.

Derek (spelling) conga player for EU, Ron Moten, and Rah were there. I didn't actually see Steve Francis until the end. He had an entourage with him.

Shaun was there.

Tuesday at Rehearsal
Private location

Familiar Faces
When I arrived, Donnell was already in the parking lot (still in his car). Duane Face pulled up. Duane's car was shiny - Donnell said it looked like new. Duane usually gets his car cleaned once a month, but the guy did it for $15. Donnell said he must be dating your ex-girlfriend, feeling guilty to do that. Even double that is cheap. Duane said that it was a first time price; in the future it will be $30. The discussion segwayed into Korean businesses vs. Black businesses. Donnell talked about the neighborhood near College Park - Riggs Rd. He said they had a number of people living in each bedroom and everyone has their own business. They came from nothing and they work had to save. He said he couldn't live in a five bedroom apartment with another guy. The discussion shifted to the clothing brands in DC, they discussed the differences. Visionz is alleged to steal designs, but Duane said that as an artist, he noticed they all do to some degree. Donnell used the metaphor that if another band used his arrangement of Fantasia's Free Yourself, that he would be really mad because it is personal and it would be obvious where it came from. They discussed how they differentiated from each other, that Solbiato (Donnell kept correcting Duane on his pronunciation), had the best material and stitching. Scooter is the EU keyboard player that I think looks like Walt Williams. Duane wore a matching Chevrolet NASCAR hat and t-shirt. I talked about the John Deere clothing in the South. Donnell asked what kind of art Duane did, he had a measured response that he did a lot of different types. He said he used to be best at pencil, but then to painting - oil paints, especially of things flying. Donnell had considered him for painting a corner with Martin Luther King's and Malcolm X's pictures with a chessboard there. I told him about Black Wax, a Gil Scott Heron movie where he takes a cigarette from one among a number of wax figures of Black leaders. We talked about Gil - Duane was not aware of his music. Donnell said his play was incredible. We agreed that his cocaine addiction was a shame. He talked about his keyboard play, I asked him "Brian Jackson?" But he meant Gil's own playing. Dwayne walked in and said that MVP was better than 911. He said they were better then and would be better now. I asked, "then how come you're playing here and not with them?" He said, "I felt sorry for him (Donnell)". Dwayne discussed the Pimpin' All Over the World Rare Essence remix with Donnell. He said your boy (DJ Flexx) arranged that. Dwayne said that the beat for Pimpin' All Over is "more listenable", Donnell told me to look that up. Dwayne said he's right regardless. It is indeed a proper word. Stomp, Doc, Halima, Godfather, Mike, his son and daughter, DP, his sons Derek Jr. and Darrell, Charlie, Los, Nephew, Jacques and Lorenzo arrived over time.

I walked over to Doc; he said, "What do you want?" I asked if he got any sleep. He said no, but he did see my picture with Rudy Ray Moore. He said that I looked like a little boy in the picture. I told him I had just gotten a haircut at the time and that it was taken in February 1999. It was at a 70s Convention (in Tarrytown, NY) and Richard Roundtree, Fred Williamson, Antonio Fargas, Gloria Hendry, and Gerald Martinez from Quentin Tarrantino's production company were there. Martinez had recently (at the time) co-written the book, What It Is... What It Was!; The Black Film Explosion of the '70s in Words and Pictures. I taped the interview session and Rudy's performance. Doc has a friend who is a big fan of Rudy. I told him that Ron O'Neal and Jim Brown were also originally supposed to be there, but backed out.

They rehearsed Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl. I asked Jacques if Takoma Station still stunk, he said no. Donnell wanted there to be a section (especially rhythm section) rehearsal every first Tuesday of the month. Nephew talked about the reviews of the band on TMOTT. They had a private meeting. But before they did, Mike played a recording of Proper Utensils' recording of Toto's Georgy Porgy to go over parts he wanted in it.

Duane and I sat out the door of the big room with Nephew and Los. Nephew showed us pictures of the dancing women at the Fur on his cell phone. He talked about Alicia Keys in her outfit at the BET awards. He talked about seeing her in a cat suit at the Nation, that she wasn't grown up yet, but she is now. He said unfortunately, she's probably gay. I asked why he thought that; he said she's never seen with a man. I told the story about my niece Kelsey, she sat on my lap while I was at the computer, I looked at a jpeg of Alicia Keys and Kelsey shocked me by saying, "She's sexy!"

I talked about Terry McMillan's husband being gay.

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!

Saturday at Tradewinds
Tradewinds Night Club, 5859 Allentown Way, Camp Springs, MD 20748

I went in and ate, 6'9 sat down with me. Ray came by and said hello to both of us.

Familiar Faces
First Set
James and Charlie were there from the start
Tracy and Angie danced over by me. Angie was trying to get me to dance more. The same woman as last week (KD) was again mocking my head bobbing. What they don't realize is that I learned to dance from these two guys:

1) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
2) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You
3) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Donnell-led "Do it for the ladies/fellas, Oh my God!"
6) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
7) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva - with a really long intro
8) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
9) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - Donnell added the line "Bounce, bounce"
10) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself
During this song Angie had me swaying back and forth.

RE Angie, Mama Chelle, March, Nita, Tasty, and Renee were there. Mark (I think) said that I must know something about the food since I never eat. I told them how I don't perform, so I am not going to take their food. One of the cooks? said I look Italian, I should like some pasta. Doc said I'm not Italian, the cook said Greek, he'd like a steak and cheese. They also discussed the Rare Essence remix of Ludacris' Pimpin' All Over the World; that it works because of the simple beats.

Second Set
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
2) Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?"
3) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
4) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut - Donnell said, "I thought we was a runaway train, right before we crash, we hit the brake." Donnell yelled to turn the house lights on because there was a fight. Slim Goodie asked me if I was going to write that. Donnell said, "We've had twenty, thirty weeks without fights, I don't know what the problem is." Donnell said something about Quisette / Notorious BIG's Warning / "Wait a Minute" echoes / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
5) Donnell-led "uh ah ___"
6) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary (tease)
7) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
8) Donnell-led Hold the Note
9) Donnell-led Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl (tease)
10) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time "aya awa-a"
11) Mike-led Rare Essence's Lock It / Donnell-led Sam Cooke's Chain Gang
12) Donnell-led Miss Keta Will You Dance for Me
A girl named Shaadi danced with Mike, then had Donnell resume Miss Keta so she could dance for him
13) Mike-led Michael Jackson's I Can't Help It
Jessica pulled me over to March, whom I grinded with for a bit during the set. Later, the woman who mocked my head bobbing (KD) danced with me and she actually told 6'9 to leave me alone. Yvette was there.

Friday at Safari
Safari Steakhouse, 9430 Annapolis Road Lanham MD 20706

Candy and Michon arrived. Peanut was also there. Lorenzo practiced on the keyboard. Michon took pictures during the performance.

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Grover Washington Jr.'s Mr. Magic
Halima was eating from Wendy's again. While they performed Mr. Magic, I told her that this song is where the GoGo beat came from. I told her that when they did Night Time is the Right Time that it was different since Chuck is about the only GoGo artist who does Blues. She said she was surprised she remembered all the words.
2) Halima-led Alicia Keys' Diary
Mike dedicated the whole show to Luther Vandross; he said, "He was called home."
3) Mike-led The Stylistics' People Make the World (Go Round)
Mike said that Luther's voice didn't change since he was seventeen, I can't sing like Luther, but I will give it a shot. In the news, there is burning everyday, redemption is coming, the man they call our leader doesn't like people who look like you and me
4) Mike-led Bernard Ighner's Everything Must Change
5) Mike-led Sammy Davis Jr.'s The Candy Man "Some say who can make the ___ go on, who can make the sun rise"
Someone said, "Don't that sound like don't cha know?"
6) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know
7) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's Golden Lady
8) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - Mike said, "This is a ladies song, I will have to make a rebuttal to this song". Halima laughed. Mike said, "I will be nice".
Donnell said, "They tore down Oxford Knolls ten years ago."

6'9, Nita, and Lisa of the World were there. I sat in the same seat initially, and Halima sat next to me. Then Halima had me move over so that Nita could sit on her right. Peanut asked me if I was pimping. I said no. I talked with Thomas and Peanut - about music and Maryland basketball. Thomas asked me who my favorite bands were; I talked about PFunk and Miles Davis. I said that Ricky Wellman had played with Miles Davis. We also talked about basketball; they asked if I was a big Bias fan. I said that I was thirteen when he died (actually I was twelve; I was four months from thirteen). I said that my first year at Maryland was Walt's senior year.

Second Set
1) Mike-led Michael Jackson's I Can't Help It
The crank started with
2) Donnell-led "___ is in the house"
3) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
4) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You - with different keyboard sounds than usual
5) Donnell-led Hold the Note
6) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
7) Donnell-led "Do it for the ladies/fellas, Oh my God!"
8) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
9) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - Donnell added the line "Bounce, bounce", the hits had more "punctuation" than usual
10) Doc & Halima-led "I should? That's my sh*t"" - I ask Doc what it was later, he said something with Nelly & Fat Joe - I looked up Get it Poppin' but it doesn't seem to match the lyrics, rather they matched Gwen Stefani's Hollaback Girl
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda
Donnell did a shout out to Tony Sharpe.

Peanut, Candy, and Tony Sharpe

Tyrell was there. I told Halima who Tony Sharpe was. Benjiy said hello, called me light skin. She asked why he did that, said that Jacques has light skin. I told her a number of people have thought based on my interests that I am Black, even one of the grad schools I applied to, even though I filled in Caucasian on the forms. Stomp told Netty about the dating service he wants me to put on the blog. Halima said of my notes, I bet those are gold to you. I told her I type them up them put them in a bag.

Doc asked if I could imagine Jauhar as Mayor of DC, he is apparently considering running. Doc said, I could see him as Mayor, but wouldn't believe anything he said. I asked, "How much of what Anthony Williams says do you believe?" Jacques said Jauhar's seriously considering running, can you see Jauhar in a bow tie?


Stomp playing congas

Third Set
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
2) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease)
3) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) / Percussion solo - the crowd shouted, "Wind me up Smoke" / "Wait a Minute" echoes
4) Donnell-led Hey Miss Keta Will You Dance for Me - "Od ba ba ba"
5) Percussion solo with Donnell chanting
6) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine
7) Donnell-led "25, 25, 25, 30, 40, Girl wants to shake that ass, but you've got to give up the cash" / Rare Essence's Work the Walls - he added the line "Hey Tamika", Mike added something as well and the crowd shouted, "South, Southeast"
8) Donnell-led DIP with added rap / the music switched to Faith Evans' Mesmerized, but the lyrics were still those to DIP / Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - Stomp twirled his left drumstick (that was something Jammin' Jeff did)
9) Donnell rapped - Donnell said, "That's all I know, I need a copy from you Nephew"
Lisa, the same short unsmiling woman I saw sitting by the monitors with Rare Essence at Club U was there. Tijuana and Ytee were there. Donnell said, "Thank you, Lincoln Heights, since we got rid of your girl, sent her on a slow boat to China. Mission impossible, will self destruct. Look at Yolanda (complimenting her based on her tight outfit). Get in the grass girl"
10) Donnell-led Sugar Hill Gang's Rapper's Delight (tease)
Only Stomp was still playing. Donnell said, "Googie, tell Larry to give it up."

Thursday at Bryne Manor
Bryne Manor (3877 Knights of Columbus), 1501 Southern Ave, Oxon Hill, MD 20745

The flyer said $10 before 9 PM, so I was there before 9. I was the first guest. I even arrived before Suga Wuga. He talked with a security guy about how he was taking a risk with this show - he didn't get to hand out flyers after last night's show due to the early ending. I told him about the sewage problem. He called me Familiar Faces #1 fan. He said that FF is booked solid through October. He said taking risks is okay, it's only money. He said that the security guard shot at Lavar Arrington's party was one of the Four Horsemen. I went in with him and sat in a plush chair. I met a guy named 'Metrie, we talked a couple of times. The next guest arrived at 10:20 PM.

Telando came out and talked with me. He said he works for the government. He's getting old and should let someone young do this for a change. I said that he gets paid to go to GoGo performances. He said yes, that's cool. He said he sits in the back or wears earplugs so his hearing is unimpaired. I told him about a music professor I had who has tinnitus. He said, "I know what that is." He said he's almost done, his big three for the summer are Unifest, the BBQ battle, and I forget the third. When Thomas walked in, he said, "We can't get rid of you, huh?" Suga Wuga got Popeye's chicken for the security guys. A bass player walked in - he had a bass on his back; he wore a white Old Navy t-shirt. When the GoGo pics guy set up the backgrounds, I noticed one of the backgrounds was specific to this venue; it was of a black Escalade SUV and had "The Manor" and "Byrne Manor" printed on it.

I eventually went into the performance room - the lights were dimmed so that it would be cooler. Godfather said hello. He asked if Little Benny had played yet, I told him no one had. Then he walked over to Thomas and Googie. Thomas said to/of Godfather, "Look, it's one of the coneheads!" Los, Charlie and Little Benny were there.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Charlie was the second percussionist for the night
Donnell said, "You know it's the first of the month when Charlie got new stuff, buttas, new cowbell, Chinese shirt (Solbiato brand).
Donnell, Halima, and Mike performed when they tested their mics (they don't always). Halima laughed. There was lots of messing around.
The crank started immediately with:
1) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
Day Day, the conga player from the beginning at Safari last Friday, said hello to me
3) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
4) Donnell-led "Trinidad crew" rap - "Da na ah"
5) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
6) Donnell-led Hold the Note
7) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda

Ray and 6'9 were there. I asked Doc how many sets they were performing, he didn't know. One of the drum set up guys talked with me and Telando about TCB's movie. We discussed how negative the cover image of the movie is for GoGo.

His brother, the other drum set up man, is the bass player for Dynasty Band. They thought I was the one in change of Byrne Manor, since I was there so early sitting in the plush chair outside the performance room. When I told them what I am really doing, they were interested in having me write about the Dynasty Band. He gave me the manager's phone number, his name is Twin. I teased Packy about wearing sunglasses; he said he's trying to be incognito. There was a really statuesque woman named JoJo there.

Second Set
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
The crank started with
2) Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Little Benny joined in - Donnell-led Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) / "Wait a Minute" echoes
3) Mike-led Donna Summer's Love to Love You, Baby (tease)
4) Little Benny-led Notorious BIG's Warning
5) Little Benny-led Rare Essence's Spotlight / Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon?
6) Little Benny-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (Donnell still did the effects), Mike added singing in a high voice
7) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease)
8) Mike-led Lisa Stansfield's All Around the World (tease)
9) Donnell-led Rick James' Mary Jane (tease)
10) Donnell & Little Benny-led Rare Essence's Roll Call - Halima joined in the dance
11) Donnell-led "25, 25, 25, 30, 40, Girl want to shake that ass, but you've got to give up the cash" / Rare Essence's Work the Walls
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
13) Donnell-led "___ Got No Drawers"
14) Donnell-led 911
Los danced onstage
15) Rare Essence's Marinda - instrumental
16) Little Benny rapped
17) Donnell-led Family
18) Donnell acapella Dave Hollister's One Woman Man "Seeing you reminds me of"
19) Donnell acapella Minnie Riperton's Memory Lane
6'9 did more stuff with my hands during this set. He just doesn't think I dance and party enough.

JoJo danced up front at the end. Donnell's talked to her on the mic, "We was neighbors. Get off of him, you know I get jealous." He thanked the drum set up guys, saying, "Thank you, Harry's drum majors." Donnell teased Charlie more about his shirt and his shoes, "it's three blades of grass, not a tree, those are Timbos, not Timberlands. Charlie's shirt is from Godfather's store. He has an independence car (whatever that means)." Charlie said, "I'm not forty, over the hill." Donnell said to Tijuana, "Tijuana said when I popped the Jaguar, you were out of there." Stomp said of Nephew (who wore an orange United Clothiers Association t-shirt), "He looks like a last year pumpkin."

I asked DP about his vacation, he enjoyed it. He went to Myrtle Beach with his kids. I said, "Again?" There were between thirty to fifty people in the audience.

LJ's Birthday at Takoma Station
Takoma Station, 6914 4th St NW, Washington, DC 20012


Candy and Michon
Picture Copyright - Michon Battle

There was a thunderstorm going on as I drove over to Takoma Station. When I walked in, it smelled really foul. It turns out their pipes backed up with sewage. I walked in and Candy was there, I hugged her hello. I asked her about her move, she said now she doesn't have to drive up here every week. I believe I recognized Vinnie D from last Thursday. Michon, Tim, Tracy, Roosevelt, Stacey and Tamara were there. I asked Tim "LJ" Littlejohn if he was celebrating his birthday, which is actually Thursday. He said no, last year, his 40th birthday, he had a big celebration. When his brother Roosevelt arrived, they brought a cake and gifts. I asked Doc if that was Vinnie D, he didn't know. DP was back from his vacation tonight. James and YC were there for the start. I gave Mike the flyer showing that Suga Wuga was the promoter for Thursday's upcoming event.

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) I was shocked when they performed a Blues-based tune for the first time I had heard, Mike, then Halima-led Ray Charles' Night Time is the Right Time
2) YC sat in on an instrumental - I believe it was Grover Washington Jr.'s Lock It in the Pocket
Donnell said, "If you are here tonight, you are truly a music lover" since it stank so badly. He said, "They swear it be fixed by next week."
3) Halima-led Erykah Badu's On & On
4) Mike-led John Legend's Ordinary People
5) Mike-led Stevie Wonder's As
6) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - another excellent performance, she told the women in the audience, "Sort of an anthem for girls all around the world." She then joked, "Don't talk to me."

I went outside immediately to get out of the stink. So did most of the band. I talked with Doc about Night Time is the right time, he said they were just messing around that that was basically a sound check, which explains why they start first sets with instrumentals. DP talked about the sewage being a health hazard, because they wash the food with water from those pipes. DP talked about other food incidents. Donny Ray came by, then later Sugar Bear. Sugar Bear had two lady friends, one really hot whom Godfather talked to. I said to Doc, this is when it is good for women to be wearing strong perfume. He said, "That's f*cked up." We told Sugar Bear about the sewage problem, he said it was the fault of 'this guy' - pointing to Dwayne. Dwayne said, "I'm funky, but I'm not that funky!" On a more serious note, Sugar Bear did talk about it as a health hazard, but he and his lady friends went in anyway. DP joked about the two guys dancing, doing dances from the 70s. He expected the one guy to do the robot.

Tyrell, Angie and 6'9 were there.

Second Set
Donnell did a shout out, "We have a legend in the audience, a Grammy winner, although I don't know if I like him too much now, Sugar Bear"
Mike joked that Donny Ray looked like a runaway slave
The crank started right away
1) They started to perform the music to Faith Evans' Mesmerized (tease) - Donnell said, "They're not ready for that" / Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh" / Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
2) Donnell-led Slick Rick's La Di Da Di (tease)
3) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
4) Percussion solo - the crowd shouted, "Wind me up, Smoke!"
5) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
6) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
7) Donnell-led Hold the Note
8) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
9) Sugar Bear-led medley: "Gimme that beat, when you say __, then you say ___, and then you don't, do it for the ladies, Oh my god!" / Juvenile's Slow Motion (tease) / "When you get to the good part..." / Sly & the Family Stone's Family Affair / Funkadelic's Undisco Kidd (tease) / Bad Girls (Cops theme) (tease) / Ludacris' Number One Spot (tease) "We're so hot, we've got the number one spot" / 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease) - "Go LJ, it's your birthday"
They ended early: at 12:30 due to the sewage problems. Stacey had motioned toward me, I thought she was trying to get me to dance, but she just wanted to say hello. Michon took pictures.

Donnell said that starting next Thursday, they will be playing Thursdays at the Venus Hall on 15 K St NE, DC. It will be a true happy hour, 6:30 to 12, with Shorty Corleone's Band Heat (also with Go-Go Mickey) opening for them. The Venus Hall is over by the Greyhound station; don't act like you haven't been on a Greyhound. Rah was there. Donnell said, "I would like to thank Lawrence Atwater for a good job, I don't believe LJ is only 41, he's been bald for twelve years." I asked Tracy how long Donnell has been bald, she said she didn't know. Darrell asked me why I didn't have my camera; I told him my dad took it to Fenway, since it is my brother's birthday. He thanked me for including the two women in the blog, but said he still didn't get their names. Tim's cake was good. Tamara said I had promised her I would dance with her. She was upset.

Tuesday at Rehearsal
Private location

Familiar Faces
When I arrived, Godfather was outside. Donnell was inside, in a meeting. Dwayne and Duane Face arrived, then Doc and Halima. Halima chewed on a licorice root, Dwayne asked what it was, he said it looked like a doobie at first. She even used it to brush her teeth. She also put herbs in the water. I asked her who was the artist for On & On; she said Erykah Badu. Then Mike, Stomp and Smoke arrived. I asked Mike about who the artist on sing for me was, he said it was Send for Me and that Atlantic Starr was the artist. They worked on the harmony for Fantasia's Free Yourself. They didn't have a recording, but Mike sang her line in Toto's Georgy Porgy to her. He said she has been singing the harmony from the Eric Benet version and that's fine. Halima asked Doc to sing more harmony.

They had a private meeting, Stomp asked me not to leave. I talked with Duane Face. He said he had played in Richmond with EU - he didn't know which venue. He said the crowd was so big he couldn't see the end of it. I told him about the Mayo Island show I went to last summer. He said that Sugar Bear had to convince him to go, that as I well know, he doesn't like to go anywhere. He said the recent Bud's show he played at was a warm up for this show. He said he saw Toni Braxton and someone else backstage, but he didn't care. He said a fan came up to him and said I've been following you guys since 1976! Of course, Duane wasn't born in 1976! We also talked about MD basketball, stemming from my saying that the regular keyboard player (Scooter) from EU looks like Walt Williams to me. Duane said he became a Maryland fan in the Gary Williams era.

Stomp asked me to put up a band dating service on the blog, for women (NO MEN) who are interested in dating band members (not including Doc, Jacques, Dwayne and Halima) to email me their pictures to me to pass on...

Saturday at Tradewinds
Tradewinds Night Club, 5859 Allentown Way, Camp Springs, MD 20748

I left early because of the ongoing construction on I-495, but there wasn't any tonight, so I arrived early. Slim Goodie, Tyrell, Black Heart, and Delano were there. I also thought I saw Donny Ray as well. Love played congas for the night so Smoke could take a day off to celebrate his birthday. James and Charlie were there at the beginning. DP was not present tonight. Lorenzo and Stomp were already there and all of the equipment was already set up when I arrived. I asked Lorenzo how the afternoon show went, he said it was good. Four guys danced with each other, trying to impress each other.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Packy played the Tambourine.
1) Mike-led Glenn Lewis' Don't You Forget It - Donnell told a girl dancing, "Move somewhere else, I can't concentrate."
2) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
The crank started
3) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease) to Sweet T?
6) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
Halima said to the audience, "You're going to have a good time tonight, so don't worry."
7) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
Donnell said, "Mike said he wants to go back to the Coliseum, 1986 at the Capital Centre,"
Mike said, "He said that, I didn't".
Donnell continued, "The Howard Theatre, forty to fifty pounds ago".
Mike said, "That part is true". The dance floor cleared except for couples
8) Mike-led O'Bryan's Lady I Love You
At the end of the song, a woman said you need to "give the guitar player some".

6'9 and Renee were there. When I went into the kitchen, I asked Doc how the day show was. He said it was good for what it was. I asked him what that was, he said, "I don't know, ask Halima, it was her show." I asked Halima, she asked, "Why weren't you there?" I said it was too early, she held up three fingers. I said yes, but I was not fully awake early enough to get there on time. I asked her how the show was, she said, "Hot". Donnell said to Charlie, "I've never seen cufflinks on a $5 shirt before." Nephew replied, "Well, maybe if they are 2 for a dollar." The DJ played GoGo during the break. RE Angie was there.

Second Set
Donnell said that "Tradewinds is really the only grown & sexy"
Donnell said, "Fantasia was on the radio, saying how sweet Halima was singing her song"
A woman made fun of my head bobbing.
1) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - another excellent performance.
Halima added spoken (not sung) lines addressing the ladies in the audience: "You know how it is when brothers just carry on..."
The crank started with
2) Alternating Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized / Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
3) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot - Donnell added the repeating line, "Bounce, bounce", two of the women in the front row moved onstage and danced with Mike, Tyrell also danced onstage, and Donnell danced
6'9 again decided I wasn't partying enough and dragged me to the front, he had me doing gestures with my right hand and arm (but didn't hold my wrists like Thursday) - Halima laughed and smiled and repeated the same gesture, James was laughing too
4) They started performing the music to Trillville's Some Cut, but the lyrics were to Donnell-led "Tired yet, ready to quit?" / Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
5) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
6) Donnell-led Hold the Note - a really long Love solo
Donnell said of Love, "for a moment there, I thought he was Jungle Boogie or Go-Go Mickey. Don't sleep on the youngins."

Packy and Jermaine laughed, saying "Jordan is writing it down." Donnell talked about the Miami trip, talking about South Beach being topless and Haulover Beach being nude. Halima said, "Naked," and kidded me about what 6'9 had me do. Donnell said, "Jordan, you can write this down: if you don't get a package, don't think you'll be getting in to the concert and video shoot for free. If you have your own flight, you will be paying dollars. Jordan is our court stenographer."

Ras Lidj was there at the end. I asked him where Deep Band was performing since I saw they didn't perform at Bud's on Thursday. He said they wanted him to play even earlier and they had no crowd as it was.

Smoke's Birthday
Safari Steakhouse, 9430 Annapolis Road Lanham MD 20706

DP wasn't present tonight, he's on vacation. There was a large group of people in the lounge. At one point, one of the women complained that one of the men had grabbed her nipple. All of the women proceeded to grab each others nipples. Then they took pictures of each other with cell phones. Next the women dry humped each other - including one of the women giving another a lap dance. One of the other guys not in their group sitting by me said, "I want whatever they are drinking." One women locked tongues with one of the men.

YC was there. I asked Halima if she was cultivating a new image as she was more formally dressed all three nights this week than in weeks before. She said, "You think this is formal?" Halima asked why the girls I freaked with weren't there with me tonight. She also asked me again why I wasn't married. She said I should have a section on the blog for it. I told her I had not found the right woman. She asked me why I came alone all the time, I said most of my friends don't like GoGo, besides a lot of them are married with kids. She said I should make them like GoGo. (For the record, my friend Sean has come out and wants to again, but is really busy).

Familiar Faces
First Set
1) Mike-led Ruff Endz' Someone to Love You - at the very start someone else played congas, I later got his name, Day Day. After about a minute, Smoke took over.
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Didn't Cha Know
3) Mike-led John Legend's Ordinary People - it begins with a drum beat, Donnell said, "it's not a solo stomp"
Mike said, "Strut baby strut" to a woman
I approached Day Day during this song and asked him his name.
4) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
5) Halima-led Erykah Badu's On & On - it had a seemingly sudden ending
Donnell said, "Now you know why I didn't want to stop the last song, Halima's feeling something tonight"
6) Mike-led The Stylistics' People Make the World (Go Round)
7) Halima-led Jill Scott's Golden
Donnell said, "Fantasia didn't perform at the after party due to contractual restrictions. She gave Halima props. She gave Halima respect as we disrespected her by singing her song."
Halima said, "She's sweet."
8) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - excellent as usual
Donnell said, "I am trying to think of something else for her to sing. Lorenzo, play one of those gospel songs. He's the minister of music". A number of band members laughed.
9) Mike-led "Didn't get a chance to say last night"
10) Mike-led Glenn Lewis' Don't You Forget It

Los, Kato, and DeeDee were there. I believe I saw Benjiy there. Mike told DeeDee what 6'9 (or Big Dave as DeeDee called him) did with/to me last night. I said the worst part was when he had my foot off the ground.

Teago was there. He, Kato, Mike and I had a discussion together. I asked Teago about him saying Potomac was cool, asked him if he went to Churchill. He said no, he went to Potomac High School. Mike said he always had trouble finding Potomac High School; that only those who went there know where it is. Teago and Kato said you must have had such a great time. Mike said that Body Moves was used in the Alec Baldwin movie Thick as Thieves. They laughed when they saw me write it down. Teago remembered the scene it is in. Tyrell was there.

Second Set
I believe Donnell said, "Fantasia was a little bigger than the picture, she could add forty pounds. She can sing."
Mike Smith, Blue of Y2K, and Love of Raw Image were there.
Donnell did shout outs. He said it was Smoke's birthday - "He is seventy-two years old."
1) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You
2) Donnell did announcements - the percussion section kept playing
3) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized - James was on backup vocals
4) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
5) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
Mike said, "I told ya" with an accent for Kato
6) Donnell-led Ludacris' Number One Spot
7) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
8) Donnell-led Hold the Note
9) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease)
10) A long percussion solo - Smoke waved while playing the congas
11) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda (tease)

China was there. Suga Wuga, who is promoting next Thursday's Familiar Faces show which is being recorded for a DVD. Suga Wuga asked me my name. Then we had a short discussion with Donnell. He said to me, he (Donnell) doesn't return my phone calls. Donnell said tell me your real name and I'll call you back. He said Ralph. Tracy, Angie, and Sixx were there.

Third Set
Donnell did announcements. He said they would be playing with Chuck Brown tomorrow of the Taste of DC, but he didn't know when or exactly where. Doc said 3:30 PM, that it was in the Washington Post.
Mike said the line from Airplane 2: "It's a damn shame what they did to that dog."
Love played congas at the start of the set
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
2) Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
3) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary
4) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Geraldine - "Got to get away"
5) Donnell-led "___ got not drawers on"
6) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda - Smoke took over for Love as they had a technical problem; they had to re-tighten the congas and Smoke switched them from left to right
7) Donnell-led Rare Essence's What N*gga What?
8) Donnell-led Rare Essence's All Da Time
9) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Uh Oh (Heads Up)
10) Donnell-led Miss Keta Will You Dance for Me - "Od ba ba ba"
Kay Kay was on stage (I didn't recognize her without her glassess until Donnell mentioned her name, she is really gorgeous without her glasses), and Donnell pulled Tyrrell on stage as well
11) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club(tease)
12) Kay Kay rapped
13) Don Choo rapped

02 and Delano were there. Donnell and a woman teased Blue about her real name, Miriam Boston. Doc said, there you go writing her name. I said I already knew her name, that Nephew had thanked me for revealing her name to him via the caption to the picture when I interviewed her and other members of Y2K. Lorenzo found a condom on the guitar amp. Dwayne said it wasn't his, but fell out of the amp. Doc joked that I needed it after freaking the girls last night. He thought I was going to pass out - I don't know why he would think that.

Fantasia After Party at Zanzibar
I met with Tom Ellis over in Adams Morgan. The Mary's Rec Center over by the corner where my car was parked was the first place he saw Rare Essence, though the venue had a different name at the time. He said that Little Benny wore in a cast during that performance. I followed him to his apartment, where he gave me a copy of the GoGo documentary, "In the Pocket". He told me about the Redds split with Rare Essence due to Ms. Mack and that he drew a number of members of members to Redds and the Boys - including both Godfather and Darrien Rice. Tom played timbales in a Reo-managed band that would rehearse prior to Trouble Funk. He said that Reo took guys from other bands to Trouble Funk.

Zanzibar on the Waterfront, 700 Water Street SW Washington, DC 20024

I made sure to come early since I knew from the boat ride I went to last year that finding parking near the waterfront was ridiculously hard. I managed to get a parking spot several blocks away from Zanzibar. Interestingly, they had me exchange the ticket I bought from the promoter for another, generic-type ticket, which I then handed over to the ticket-taker at the door. I then walked in and said hello to Vincent, who was the only one there I recognized. I sat down in the front row on the left side. I got up out of my seat when the DJ was setting up, he asked me to sit down, my getting up made him nervous. If he was DJ Flexx, I sure didn't recognize him from his photos. Two women came by and one said, (I assumed to me) to move over and sit to the right. But actually she was speaking to the other woman - they wanted to sit on either side of me. I didn't get their names, although the one on the left has a maiden name of Floyd, and wondered if she was related to Donnell. They spent most of the time asking me questions. They asked me more than once if I was married. The first time, I said no. They asked, "why not?" I said that I had not found the right woman. They both said that's smart, and the woman on the right said she had been married for seven years. The second time, they asked me if I had kids, when I said no. The one on the left said, you really are straight. They had come to see Fantasia and had never seen Familiar Faces before although the girl on the left said her sister had and had recommended she see them. I told them that Fantasia would be performing with Rare Essence on Friday at the Amazon. She said she knew some people from Rare Essence were in FF, she asked me if Benny was one of them. I told them he is currently a free agent and told them about his reunion show. They didn't even realize After Hours was performing tonight - I pointed them out when they were setting up. They were tired from drinking - they occasionally leaned their heads on my shoulder. They ordered crab cakes. They didn't want to get up, but the waiter said the plates were hot, so they moved to a table. They insisted I come along. Stomp sat in the back. I teased him because this was the first time I have seen him dressed up, he wore a suit. I asked him if it was Shooters brand. Ray, Mama Chelle, Tanya, Googie, Telando and Michon were there. When Donnell arrived, I pointed him out to the one woman, she went up to him to ask his ancestry; she said afterward that they probably are cousins. When I pointed out the various people in FF as they arrived, she said you know everybody. I told her about my thesis. They went up to dance when After Hours started to perform.

Lots of members of FF teased Stomp about his suit.

After Hours Band
When warming up, Chi Ali did a rap about various GoGo groups
1) Sean (Kal'el)-led "I Call your name"
2) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led "There is only one for me"
3) Chi Ali-led "I Wish I could give you the crank"
4) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Michael Jackson's Thriller (tease)
5) Chi Ali-led "Da da da da / Brown & white / Apple martinis all night"
6) Chi Ali-led "2ing to the 2, 2ing to the 3"
7) Not sure if Chi Ali or the female singers really led this "Everyone aboard, all aboard the night train, Chi Ali-Everybody in the club, put your hands up"
8) Sean-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - they had a keyboard-driven steel drum sound intro
9) Chi Ali-led "Step front, step back, get on the floor"
They had some kind of technical difficulty, I asked someone in FF about it later; they said it had to do with the drum feed.
10) Chi Ali-"Hold up, wait a minute, looking for the door, ride with this, let your hair down" - again the keyboard-driven steel drum sound
11) Sean-led Juvenile's Slow Motion
12) Chi Ali-led "A-F-T-E-R-H-O-U-R-S"
13) Pretty Nikki or TJ-led Donna Summer's Love to Love You Baby
14) Sean-led Nelly's Flap Your Wings (tease)
15) "Everyone in the club is getting tipsy"
Chi Ali closed it by saying "Take Me Home"
I was impressed; they really have a nice sound, particularly the vocals. As Doc had said to me earlier, they do have great harmony. I do wish they would turn the crank up some.

YC, Slim Goodie, Tyrell and March were there.

Familiar Faces
I went on the dance floor for their performance.
First Set
1) Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - a nice performance
Donnell did a shout out to Vinnie D in the audience
The crank started with
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
3) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
6) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - I hoped they wouldn't perform this because multiple bands performing the same covers = The Suck.
However, I do understand not wanting the earlier band to dictate your own setlist.
7) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
A huge group of people rushed behind me, and Donnell said, "Fantasia is in the building"
8) They performed the intro to Fantasia's Free Yourself while waiting for Fantasia to come up. She did come onstage, but only sang the first line with Halima. She said they (meaning her management) don't want me to sing (on Friday Donnell said that she couldn't due to contractual restrictions). Fantasia then left the stage and went over to the corner, where they had GoGo pics set up so people could have their picture taken with her. Halima gave a great performance.

Doc jokingly tried to convince Tanya and her two friends to pose for Mike's website. I said Mike should bring Joi Ryda to one of their shows. Doc said that would be bad because everyone would be looking at her instead of the band. Also, we don't know where she lives. I talked about Vida Guerra also.

6'9 was there.

Doc asked why I wasn't getting a GoGo pic with Fantasia, I said I am not a fan and she's not attractive. He said I bet if Zappa were there you would get a picture. I don't know where that came from; I am not that big a fan of Zappa. I told him that. I said now if Larry Graham were up there (or Larry Dodson). He said I know if George (Clinton) were up there, you would go. I told him, have I shown you my picture with Rudy Ray Moore? He said, you got a picture with that crazy n*gga? Dolemite, huh?

Picture taken at 70s Convention in Tarrytown, NY February 13 or 14, 1999. Picture copyright Jordan Rich.

Jacques said you can't see Fantasia (due to the big crowd).

Demetrius Owens was there.

Since YC had his flute, I asked why he didn't play. He said he was letting them do their thing; he's looking for a job.

A number of the band members were uncertain of the time the show was supposed to end, they were all told it was ending at 2 AM. I told Packy I had never seen him so dressed up before.

Second Set - started at 1:50 AM
Mike said, "Slow down Tyrell and let me watch you walk away"
1) Mike-led Toto's Georgy Porgy
2) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
6'9 decided I wasn't partying enough. First he walked up and stood to the left of me and had his arm on my right shoulder and had my right foot off the ground. Then he pulled me up front and held both my hands up. After that, a couple of girls freaked me, and I grinded with the one in front of me. Mike smiled and pointed in my direction.
3) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
4) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
5) Donnell-led Hold the Note
6'9 was upset that Donnell didn't do a shout out to me. He said of me, "He's family"
6) Donnell acapella 50 Cent's In Da Club (tease)
He did this for a woman for her birthday; she was upset that he didn't do it earlier. He said he would celebrate her birthday the next night.

Smoke came over smiling, talking with me about how he was amused by my freaking the girl. Stomp said 6'9 and I looked like a dance team. Nephew said in response to Stomp, you look like half a cotton candy (both Stomp's tie and vest were pink. I noticed only at the end when they stood next to each other, that Nephew and 6'9 wore the same green striped Seek Abundance shirt (Donnell wore a solid black Seek Abundance shirt).

There were a fair amount of people there, but it was far from packed. When I walked out, Halima said, "You're funny," and then "They sure had you hemmed in".

YC talked more about how he wanted to join them - add a new sound. He said, they would have to change the mix, he could do it himself, but he would leave it to Googie. He's known Googie for years, he lived by him. YC asked me what kind of stuff I had, I told him both audio visual and pictures and gave him the URL of the website. He asked me if he was representing the Washington Nationals, I said yes.

Tracy's Birthday at Takoma Station
I met with Kip Lornell at his house for lunch. He talked with me about the state of GoGo and the possibility of a second edition of The Beat. He was going to tonight's show as well.

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

Ebony was there and said hello, I haven't seen her in a while. She was wearing tan colored sunglasses. Angie, Darrell, Tim (LJ), Tamara, Yaquim, Ray and Michon were there.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Halima wore pearls and a formal black dress.
1) Miles Davis' Tutu
2) Halima-led Erykah Badu's On & On - a number of people stood on the dance floor
3) Mike-led Ruff Endz' Someone to Love You
4) Mike-led Toto's George Porgy - the dance floor started to fill up
Halima did a shout out to her stylist, Keisha
5) Halima-led Rodgers & Hart's My Funny Valentine - an excellent performance with Donnell again playing with her hair during the appropriate part in the song
Halima said, "This is lady stuff, girl talk."
6) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - another excellent performance
7) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You
8) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized

Sharmba Mitchell, Mama Chelle, March, Stacey, Slim Goodie, James, Mara, and Val "Tina Turner" were there.

I teased Halima about being so dressed up - I said, "when is the formal dinner party, the rest of us are underdressed." She said that she needed to be dressed up for her stylist.

Kip was there, he said he listened to the first set from by the bar, watching Sportscenter at the same time. He said the speakers by the bar didn't have the vocals up far enough in the mix. He said what so many people have said - Halima is an excellent singer, but so not GoGo. Personally I find that to be a positive - she's a great singer and she's expanding the boundaries of existing GoGo. He went on the dance floor for the second set, so did I.

Tracy said she didn't want to be seen - despite Donnell's shout outs to her, she wanted her birthday celebration to be low-key. Robin and Tracy's sister were there.

Darrell pointed out a girl sitting in another girl's lap. He sat in the lap of another girl in the chair on the other side of the table. He then sat on the lap of the girl in another girl's lap. He asked their names, but they wouldn't tell him and he asked me to post that.

Second Set
Donnell did a shout out to his high school sweetheart; he said he's known her since Earl Elementary
James sang backup during the second set
1) Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva
2) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
3) Donnell-led 50 Cent's In Da Club(tease) - Donny Ray was onstage
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Donnell-led "Do it for the ladies/fellas, Oh my God!"
6) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down - Donny Ray was an additional backup singer
7) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
8) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
9) Donnell-led Hold the Note
10) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut (end of James on background vocals) - Mike added vocals / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease) - Ebony rapped / Donnell-led "Wait a minute" echoed
11) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary (tease)
12) Mike-led Lap Dance - Donnell chanted, "Swing your body" and Mike chanted, "Swing" (I assumed it was Halima because it was so high pitched, but subseqeunt performances show it was Mike)

Tracy cut her cake. Slim Goodie was hovering by the wall; I asked her if she was hiding. She said no, she was just looking for Googie.

Tamara warned me that next time I'm on the dance floor; she's going to dance with me.

I asked Googie about his playing bass. He said he hadn't played in four years, it is better when you can rehearse with the band. He said he prefers to play in the studio. I asked him what about Reality (meaning the reunion of the Reality Band), he said, "At some point."

Stomp teased Donnell about the mustard yellow pants he wore at rehearsal.

Tuesday at Rehearsal
Private location

Familiar Faces
When I arrived, Stomp waited in his car. I asked Stomp how the Sunday show at Banneker Field was, he said good, Googie played bass, he was good. When Donnell arrived, he wore his "mustard yellow" pants. Thankfully, it was not as hot inside as last time. Over time, everyone but Jacques arrived.

They went to work on Fantasia's Free Yourself - they wanted to get it better for the Fantasia After-Party. Donnell had trouble getting a practice CD to play, in either the CD player in the practice room or in the main room. There was a discussion over Fantasia and female stars who aren't hot - talking about how much it matters, or as Donnell said, "Is it just a coincidence that almost all star female singers happen to be hot?" They said Jill Scott appeals to the backpack and berry crowd (I don't know what that means).

Finally, they worked on Geraldine - I guess it is a Rare Essence song. Halima joked that she wanted the song to be about her. I told her she could write a new song about herself, "Halima drives a beama, she is quite a screama..." Halima had seen my blog and was concerned when I told her I left in what she said about singing Fantasia's song. She said she didn't want people to think she was serious and that that she was arrogant.

Saturday at Tradewinds
Tradewinds Night Club, 5859 Allentown Way, Camp Springs, MD 20748

I arrived pretty early since the expected traffic delay didn't occur. Vincent and Paul were outside. We talked - about construction on I-495. They talked about not moving for an hour once on the beltway. I told the story of how I went on Spring Break and a tractor trailer crashing across all the lanes of the highway in the middle of the night. They said it is often about three hours to come and take car of stuff like that and is $200/hour. They said in the winter tow trucks and taxis gouge you.

I sat in a fairly close table while waiting for them to set up - I said hello to Doc on his way to the bar. Ray and Darrell were there.

Familiar Faces
First Set
Charlie and James were there from the beginning
1) Mike-led Marvin Gaye's I Want You
2) Mike-led Anthony Hamilton's Since I Seen't You
3) Halima-led Faith Evans' Again
4) Donnell-led "Hey ay, Ho oh"
5) Donnell-led "Do it for the ladies/fellas, Oh my God!"
6) Mike-led Bobby Valentino's Slow Down
7) Alternating Halima-led Erykah Badu's Cleva / Mike-led Slick Rick's La Di Da Di - "La Di Da Di, she likes to party, don't hurt nobody", the second go round he sang in a really affected voice / Percussion solo - Donnell said, "Right there Smoke" - Donnell did a shout out to his high school sweetheart, Pinky, of another woman, he said, "I see you party when your husband ain't there"
6'9 was there
8) Halima-led Amerie's 1 Thing - she sang parts like an echo
9) Halima-led Fantasia's Free Yourself - another excellent performance

I went into the kitchen with the band, everyone was there except Halima. The food hadn't arrived yet. Omar said he had checked out my site, Stomp asked him if he was on it. He said he needs posed pictures and started to pose. I told him I couldn't hold a camera straight while taking those pictures, I'd be laughing too hard. Charlie called Donnell Pussybutt, I told him Stomp called him Pussybutt Jr. Stomp got down to what Doc called noise. Stomp said he made a living off that banging; he didn't need a (non-music) job until 2002. Doc said, do you know who you're talking to; I used to book NEG's shows. Donnell said, "Let him think he's paid well". In Rare Essence, we used to make $50 a week and had paid vacations, playing 4 times on Thursday, 3 on Friday - including that they would make $40,000 at the Coliseum. Ms. Mack made two million a year and we made $50 a week. Little Benny quit because he wanted a raise to $100 a week and they wouldn't give it to him. Nephew wore a really tight black shirt; they teased him about it - they said he dressed like Miami Vice. Doc talked about the pictures on Rare Essence's new website, including one with Smoke's uncle Boogie Dews and others he couldn't identify.




Mike, Doc, DP, and Dwayne had a long conversation about what they need to do and the music business. Dwayne said he learned about the music business from James Funk. He also took a class with Jay Rosenthal. They talked about the live experience and studio being different, DP said Rare Essence's Body Moves was the best GoGo record ever - it sounded like R&B but was GoGo. Lorenzo had worked on the original of a song that the DJ played, a DJ Rico song.

Diva, Delano, and Mama Chelle were there

Second Set
Donnell talked about Nephew wearing a really tight shirt with "fake muscles."
I danced toward the front of the dance floor this set. At one point, 6'9 danced behind me with his arm on my shoulder. Since I was taking note, the guy in front of me asked if I was their (FF's) manager. I said no.
1) Halima-led Faith Evans' Mesmerized
2) Mike-led John Legend's Used to Love U
Mike Smith was there
3) Alternating Donnell-led Trillville's Some Cut - Mike added new lyrics / Notorious BIG's Warning / Keith Murray's Call My Name (tease)
4) Donnell-led "___ is here"
5) Donnell-led Tupac's Hail Mary
6) Mike-led Prince's Take Me With You
7) Donnell-led Hold the Note
8) Donnell-led Tom Tom Club's Genius of Love (tease) / Rare Essence's Spotlight / Rare Essence's Get on the Wagon?
9) Donnell-led Vinnie D's $55 Motel (tease)
10) Mike-led Lisa Stansfield's All Around the World (tease)
11) Donnell-led Rick James' Mary Jane (tease)
12) Donnell-led Rare Essence's Marinda
13) Mike-led Lap Dance
Donnell said, "Stomp is Lawrence Atwater".

02 was there. I talked with Halima. I asked if she was going to sing Free Yourself at the Fantasia after party. She said, "She won't be there". I said, it is the official party, she may be there. I asked Halima if she would sing Free Yourself in front of Fantasia. She said, "I'm not afraid of her, she should be afraid of me. I am talking a lot of junk, aren't I?"