January 04, 2006
NYE 05-06
My New Year's Eve was probably not like yours. Mine was kinetic, ecstatic, loud and long. There were three things that I wanted Jiwon to experience with me in 2005: Burning Man, a Rhythm Society event and Breakfast of Champions. By sticking with me through New Year's, she has now done all three.
At 10pm New Year's Eve we arrived at our chosen New Year's party. It was a private dance party, thrown in a warehouse in San Francisco by the fine folks at False Profit, for themselves and their friends. The space was decorated with fabric and chickenwire and lights and video projections, and featured a large dance floor and two cozy chill spaces. There was a pro forma midnight countdown, but other than that, it was a great party, but similar to other all night dance parties that happen around here, except that, as a private party, it had more of a community feel to it. Great people, great music, no place I would rather have been for NYE. Jiwon & I worked the door from 2:15-3:15, sitting outside at a card table, making sure late arrivals had invites and being ready to hit the switch controlling the revolving siren lights inside if the SFPD were coming up the street.
The party was winding down at 6am, and people were heading to Breakfast. Of Champions, that is. Jiwon & I made the short drive over there, and got in line. I'd spent the night sober up until this point, though by the time we got to the front of that huge line and entered Breakfast of Champions at 6:45am New Year's Day, that was changing. I described the event last year, but I'll add that this year, it was even more intense and, to me, more amazing than last year. People kept pouring in, and by 8am on this Sunday morning, January 1, it was packed with probably a thousand people, a no-holds-barred celebration that was still going full force when we finally left...around 3pm. Two things made me most happy at Breakfast of Champions: First, the music & dance scene upstairs, and second, seeing so many friends there. At BOC, breaks were upstairs, house music downstairs. The Space Cowboys throw righteous parties—on the playa and in the city—and their breaks DJs do it for me every time. I spent pretty much the whole day upstairs in the sweaty throng of dancers, getting off on the breakbeats, the bass and the unrestrained energy of the people around me. I'm not kidding: I really can't get enough.
At the same time, seeing so many of my friends at BOC felt special, as if there was some recognition that we were in the midst of something unique, and that it was we ourselves who were making it so. Since most people there had been up all night and well into the next day, you never knew exactly what to expect from anyone. I was not a neutral observer, but my sense is that in general it was much more enthusiasm and somewhat less coherence than one would get from that same person when sober and well-rested. I was feeling pretty effusive myself, and those hours spent there playing and praising and gushing with friends were precious ones.
Jiwon got to meet, and re-meet, quite a few people, and it was gratifying for me to overhear friends speaking well of me to Jiwon. She's my touchstone, my fulcrum, my springboard, and I'm happy for her to know that the energy that I'm bringing to this scene is appreciated. And yes, I suppose by now it's fair to say that I am a part of some sort of scene here, though I've never been comfortable with the idea of being a part of anything really. But as its positive and creative and joyful nature is clear to me, and as it effortlessly cycles back to me at least as much as I give to it, why not embrace it? Why not indeed.
We left Breakfast, I drove Desiree home, Jiwon & I showered, ate some food, slept for fourteen hours, and awoke the next day no worse for wear.
I did take some photos, but I think it's still hard to imagine if you weren't there.
Happy New Year!
Posted by Jason at January 4, 2006 12:26 AM | TrackBack