Good Times and Crazy Times

For me the evening of December 21, 2005 will not be remembered so much for the most lopsided victory in the annual Bragging Rights game as much as for the wild evening that I experienced. Normally I don't miss the big game, but tonight we had some good times planned. Calc2 wanted to get the hook up going on with Jim Mahfood. The 40 oz. Comics creator was performing live art at the Red Sea on the loop, and Calculus wanted to do some networking.

The plan seemed to run into some hick-ups along the way, though, as family business often trumps other business. We did have Matisyahu and RJD2 to supply ample soundtrack needs for the evening. They helped smooth out and sweeten the otherwise rough spots in the evening. We found out that Eyecon was a new daddy. Rob G was in town and playing downtown. J-Toth managed to shoot a nail through his foot. Calc2's family was thinking about getting another dog. His daughter seemed destined to never go to sleep. Crazy times.

Taco Bell even wanted to make a brief cameo in the evening as a super villain of mythic proportions. How is it possible that they forget something every time you go through the drive thru. Luckily we checked the bag before we left the window. They forgot my Meximelt again. That's twice in a row they forgot a Meximelt that I had ordered, and at least the sixth time in a row that they forgot something in my order. When all was remedied, we went home. I may just give up on Taco Bell altogether. Is it really worth it?

We finally got going. We headed straight for the Red Sea. Jim Mahfood and Jose were putting up some mad artwork. DJ Pickle was working the turntables. We came around to say hi to DJ Mahf. Then the music stopped. Who kicked the plug out of the socket? Whoops. Boy I hope that wasn't me.

I tried to find a good spot to see the art as DJ Mahf took over behind the turntables. He started us off with his Jurassic 5 mix. Always good times. I found a comfortable spot to watch Mahfood do his thing. Unfortunately there was a couple of 30 year old women who blocked my view of Jose's work, but there was a cutie who was all smiles sitting off behind me. Nice. The 30 year old Buffarillas in front of me did supply some minor comedy as Mahf started digging into his less hip-hop oriented records. They absolutely LOVED! when he started to drop things like the Temptations and Boys II Men. "Finally some music I know! That incessant hip-hop was getting so tiresome. I mean it all sounds the same, right?" Whatever.

It looks like Rob G finally finished up downtown. He and Tucker arrive with the Frozen Foods crew. A series of greetings and sometimes awkward hip-hop chest hugs ensue. Apparently while at Rob G's show some tool decided to buy Tucker's CD just so he could break it in half in Tucker's face. Who does that? Someone who goes that far out of their way to symbolically declare their utter hatred for someone's art needs to realize that no one cares about their opinions. As Rob G mentioned, "These things only happen to Tucker."

The guys from Perfect Strangers hand me a newsletter and a CD. Vol. 1 Iss. 1 of On Air Magazine. This is definitely a service that St. Louis hip hop needs. Much love to the Perfect Strangers for showing much love to a hip hop scene that deserves much love. Of course, the most exciting discovery is that I finally have a copy of Serengeti's "Dennehey." Hopefully now more people can hear this masterpiece of rap love for Chicago.

Well the art continues and the turntables don't stop. Some other artists including Calc2 get to put up some art. The Doom piece that Mahfood did was probably the highlight of the artwork performed that evening. Things start to wrap up, and people disperse.

Calc2 and I head with Ben Sheppard to his place to watch the new 4 Star video. The Gonz is crazy and amazing. Eric Koston is unbelievably smooth. Japan looks like a lot of fun. How do they make it look so smooth and so easy?

We then head back to the Delmar Lounge at 2:30 where the crew is hanging out. As we come in Jim Mahfood and Danielle run off somewhere in an excited hurry. Whatever. We say high to DJ Mahf again. Then the fun really gets started. Danielle was caught allegedly tagging the vintage cigarette advertisement they had airbrushed on a back wall in the bar. Who cares? Cigarettes suck anyway. Cover it up. Use a less dangerous product to advertise and add some supposed "atmosphere" to the walls. You can call a bar anything you want, but in the end it's still a bar.

Then a team of bouncers storm the men's room:

Bouncer: What are you doing?

DJ Pickle: I'm taking a piss.

Bouncer: And what are you doing?

Sheppard: Taking pictures of my friend taking a piss.

And allegedly DJ Mahf is still performing art. "Oh wait, he's a real graffiti artist," someone chimes. Should someone get a free pass because of their apparent reputation? The bouncers apparently decide that it should not. They clear the bar for closing time leaving Danielle and Mahfood inside. Some of us hang out front waiting to see what unfolds. Calc2 thinks he has some Magic Erasers and offers to be a Good Samaritan and clear everything up for the artists. But, alas he left the Magic Erasers at home.

Then three cops show up with a paddy wagon and head inside. Then a few minutes later a fourth member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department comes by and joins the fun inside. Then over the course of the next half hour we see as many as three more police cars stopped by the bar. Do they really need seven cops to take care of two alleged graffiti artists? In the entire city of St. Louis, there's really nothing better to do? There aren't any more serious crimes being committed? Shouldn't they be more concerned about suspects armed with real weapons instead of markers?

Finally at 3:30 they bring Jim and Danielle out in handcuffs. Ben Shepp snaps a few photos. The cops yell at him to stop, "You think this is funny?" Then they yell at us to clear the sidewalk because the bar is closed. Of course, since we are just inside the borders of the city, Pickle and Jose have to drive all the way downtown to try to bail out their friend. If we had been on the other side of the block, this could have been a much easier trip. In bed by 4:00 a.m. Crazy times. Am I getting too old for nights like these, or are these nights getting too old for me. At least I've got "Dennehey."