The voracious, pulsating sounds of house music greeted me as I pulled back the curtain to enter the Zap club in Brighton, England. The base was vibrating the hairs on my skin. Lit cigarettes, sweat, and a touch of marijuana melded together to give the air a physical weight. Nearly every inch of the club was taken up with gyrating bodies.
The dance floor was a melting pot of humanity. Middle-aged men in suits danced next to eighteen- year old glow stick waving students; a group of girls in glistening black formal dresses danced beside a group of girls wearing bikini tops, short miniskirts and neon coloured thigh high boots; macho Middle Eastern guys in tank tops and gold jewellery danced next to a group of scantily clad flamboyantly gay men. There seemed to be no natural pattern. With each glance I saw a style, only to see its opposite a few feet away.
I followed the gaze of many of the clubbers as they looked up, their hands pointing and saluting a boxed in area high above the dance floor. There the DJ stood. He was like an artist in front of his easel, his hands in perpetual motion, working his turn tables and samplers; modifying, with a twist of his wrist, the experience occurring below.
I followed the gaze of many of the clubbers as they looked up, their hands pointing and saluting a boxed in area high above the dance floor. There the DJ stood. He was like an artist in front of his easel, his hands in perpetual motion, working his turn tables and samplers; modifying, with a twist of his wrist, the experience occurring below.
Back on the dance floor the music slowed. More people joined my gaze towards the DJ. I could feel the warmth of steam coming off the now stationary bodies. Sharp green lasers attached to the DJ box shone through this hazy cloud of perspiration giving it an eerie, translucent green hue. An aura of anticipation and restlessness was setting in. The DJ looked over the crowd, at least two hundred strong, waited a moment to build drama, the previous song now just a murmur to the frantic scream it had been, then with a mighty flick he punched one of his dials bringing on the other turn table. A new song, infinitely faster, more intense, and more vibrant enveloped the club.
The mob voiced its approval with a loud roar! People, whom previously had been standing, started moving to the music, their feet pounding the cement floor, their hands searching into the air. Knowing glances and smiles were exchanged everywhere. There was a fraternity amongst these people, this moment was there’s together.
No comments:
Post a Comment