Eclipse.  April 27, 1996.  Washington DC

Half-eclipse

Highlights of my Eclipse...

-THe space, sound, setup and lights. WOW =) WHile total darkness
was never achived, it was okay being dim. Lasers, neato
projections, lasers, lights, sound (while not crazy  LOUD like at
Vibration, earplus were still necessary.)
THE LIVE ACTS
-Dubtribe - always a grovvy pick-me-up with those drums, flutes,
etc. However I think I enjoyed them more the first time I saw
them in a smaller club.
- Rabbit in the MOon - OH MY GAWD! :) Fuking insane over the top
wigged out performance. This was my first time seeing them, and I
braved the front of the crowd to see the antics of
Mr. Rabbit. However, the crowd rush to get the light sticks was
sorta scarry. Also, does anyone know the name of the first song,
with the electrified digerdoo? THat was a wild track!!
- Prototype 909, while I still didn't feel overwealmed by them,
their set was much better than the one at Mars.

sour points
the DJs
- Just not being in the general groove of things - and as such
this was not a crazy dancing party for me. While I like funky
breaks, they are not my love, nor did they move me tonight. I
really couldn't dance until dub tribe. (Then some during the
jungle, and the WHOLE time during RItM. I know people said they
weren't so danceable, but I synch with the more environmental and
ambient elements and was just going crazy the ENTIRE set!!)
- However, during dub tribe I got into a bad mood... =(
- As I said, none of the DJs really moved me, and things were
just weird coming into the party during Adam X's set. It was too
nice out to gforce oneself into the space
- this might be good or bad. The space was just HOT, and as such
there was a communal sweat going on whether you danced or not!
- the almighty senators. WHile they sounded okay, and are
probably a good band (loved those horns!) they felt out of place.
- never going into the bleechers to see the view from at top -
hope someone took a photo! :)
- just being crazy tired. I guess waking up at 5 in the morning
does that to you...

Oh, and AFTER eclipse, my carload decided to go to the Buzz
Afterparty (how was BANG? I would have liked to go, but wasn't
driving ;) ). However, while Eclipse was FUN, the buzz party was
AMAZING. THis was my first time at Buzz, and it is a NICE club -
good to see a medium sized place. After getting lost 2 million
times and dring back and forth to the Armoury, we finally get to
the Capital Ballroom. DJ Who sounded sweet, but I needed my sleep
so I got some near the bleechers in the techno room. Next up was
what I missed BIG time at Eclipse - Dave Trance (does he have mix
tapes?) and Lieven provided some sweet melodic trance that just
made the evening special. I wish I could have danced more, but I
was just too tired. I wound up dancing to about 4 tracks towards
the end of the evening. Also the techno room was really nice -
lights and strobes to a STRONG effect, the sound quite perfect
with no need for earplugs, not too cold, not too warm, and just
completely amazing.  Afterwards crashed at a friend of Jess's
place about 10:30 (got lost to there too ;) ) and didn't wake up
till 5, aiiieeee! There went my plans to P-Funk oh well...Can
someone let me know privately how the party was?

PS: the area around BUzz was BUSY when we got there - looks like
the GO GO gig with DJ Kool had just let out - luckly there were
no visable brawls ;)

'Tis too hard to make a list of names, and I wasn't listed in
most of the others so :-P  Those of you who made Eclipse bearable
know who you are.

Although props to Jess, Jwan, and Taj along in the car rides.

/Michael - sentinel