Redeye - Trying to Thrive in ‘05 August 31 2005

If you’ve watched network TV recently, you may have noticed that I’ve been receiving rave reviews:

“Fast and furious and tightly focused and blessedly short.” — Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

“This nifty, tense thriller ... brings together ... a relevant-sounding if thoroughly undercooked story.” — Manohla Dargis, New York Times

“Red Eye stretches believability ... more than once, but ... moves with such headlong speed.” — Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

OK, admittedly these quotes are about Wes Craven’s new film, but I think I produce “gripping, seat-clutching suspense.” — Peter Travers, Rolling Stone. Maybe I can at least stretch believability, be blessedly short and thoroughly undercooked? Sounds a little like my week’s subject: Groove Fest ‘05, which took place Sat., Aug. 27.

A joint effort between Compound, In Like Flynn, Q-100, Five AM Music and Surface, among others, Groove Fest turned Compound’s Brady Avenue block into a miniature MTV Spring Break. Regardless, “blessedly short” didn’t apply. The event ran from 2-10 p.m., though I attended from 7-10 p.m., concurrent with the “headliners.” That bulged the crowd to 75 people. OK, it wasn’t quite that bad, but I was reminded of a schoolyard rhyme: I see London, I see France, I see promoters lose their pants.

You’d think with two tightly run stages of soaring, commercial dance featuring throaty divas and banging trance/tribal/house (+ booty dancers) there would be more cross-demographic appeal. Promoters forgot one equalizing deterrent, however: disco naps. The gays are still leisurely waxing their chests while Atlanta’s hordes of Xtina Haguileira wannabes are cautioned to even avoid 40 watt bulbs or get skin cancer! While there weren’t enough people to upset peace, love, unity or respect, the event really represented Atlanta’s contemporary PLUR: people largely under-represented.

OK, less on no-shows, more on the show. For the anthemic prog/trance fan, this was the big blow-up (in rave world, that’s a good thing). Hearing songs like Narcotic Thrust’s “Safe from Harm” and Motorcycle’s “As the Rush Comes” live was surely U4IA. On the flip side, once it was dusky, groups including DHT and AGO (why let the cheesiest go last?) opted for “candlelight,” semi-unplugged deliveries of certain trance thumpers. Sorry, but that shit only works when off your tits in Ibiza, and just barely then.

It wasn’t until Abercrombie and Adidas transitioned into Armani after-party at 10 p.m. that people eagerly showed up to Feelgood — DJ Charles Feelgood, the night’s undisputed success pounding out dirty filtered house and swaggering punk-funk.

It’s almost too bad Groove Fest didn’t go off as hoped. It’s probably this summer’s only outdoor gathering not rained on, and the only one offering more Port-o-potties than necessary. And how can A-Ha’s “Take on Me” remixed not bring a smile to collagen-enhanced, Euro-trance-loving lips. But wait, is that really groovy?

RedEye celebrates going out and going off. Send comments to redeye@creativeloafing.com, but hand-scrawled hate mail is preferred.