I am trying to find someone else to accompany me. I live four hours away from New York City, and it's a rough drive, especially in the predicted bad weather. Rubyterry can't decide, but eventually makes up her mind, even though she feels bad that her boyfriend and the girl I want to be my girlfriend can't go with us. I try to talk eclip5e, no_comply, an old high school friend, and someone I work with to come too, but they're all busy, except for my high school friend who had a run-in with the cops.

Tuesday, Aug 17:

In order to leave work early enough to make the show, I wake up at 5 AM, and get to work at 7:30. After work, I drive to Ruby's house, and change my shirt to a more suitable one. I can't change my pants because I don't have cruise control. When I arrive at destination #1, I ask Ruby's mom if I can use the bathroom real quick. Ruby gets home from work and changes in about three seconds, and her mom feeds us leftovers. We leave her house at 6:00 PM. The show starts at 7:30 and it's a two hour drive.

Fortunately, I have my mom's car.

Normally, I drive a 1988 Toyota Corolla station wagon with four wheel drive. It has a tiny 4-cylinder engine, but the manual transmission makes up for its lack of power. My mom has a 1994 Chevrolet Corsica, with a 3.1 liter V6. It's also more comfortable, quieter, and cleaner; it has an automatic transmission (so Ruby can drive on the way back (I almost always drive when we go somewhere because she has no car, I do, and mine's a stick. Ruby doesn't drive stick)) and nicer speakers. I find a parking place at about 7:30. Less than half a block from 5th Avenue. Swanky. I can't quite afford swanky but it's still cheaper than taking the train

We get to the stage, and see the line. It's LONG. My friend Gene showed up. He had waited in line and was about to get in but he couldn't stay. Poor guy... He told us how he accidentally got some people busted for drinking in public.

We actually get in the gate right before they close it up. Anoushka Shankar, Ravi's daughter, is on stage with her ensemble. There are a few appreciative folks near the front but all the jungle kidz are talking so I can't hear well.

Some girl walked past me while I was in the crowd. I lost my balance and fell.

Ruby happens to excel at making her way through large crowds. She is small, nimble, and dedicated. I follow her closer to the stage, where Miss Shankar is finishing up. DJ Siraiki is up, with Chandrasonic of Asian Dub Foundation, but before he starts playing, the mistress of ceremonies tells the crowd about the new Asian Underground scene that's springing up in the Big Apple. Siraiki starts spinning this exact kind of jungle, and I promise myself to take frequent Thursday night trips this coming semester.

The stage lights dim, and four guys who look like real badasses step up to the four keyboard/monitor rigs on a raised platform on the stage.

Krust   DJ Die

SUV   Roni Size

Stage right: a set of electronic drums. Stage left: a bass guitar and an electric double bass. These are unoccupied at the moment.

That moment is over. Neo-Central Park is about to explode.

MC Dynamite and Onalee both appear out of nowhere and start pumping up the crowd. The drummer and bassist attempt to drive the lesser people from the foot of the stage.

They played Share the Fall, they played Brown Paper Bag, they played the new single that comes out in September. In the middle of a song, someone jumped up onto the stage. Before the security guard could tackle him, he dove off the stage onto some girl's head. Reprazent stopped playing while Dynamite berated him for being an ass. She was fine and they continued. Then they finished, and we booked.

Wednesday, Aug 18:

1 AM. I drop off Ruby at her house. She tries to get me to stay the night, but I have work in the morning. At the Connecticut/Rhode Island border, monster fog sets in, and it ends up taking me about three hours to make a two hour drive. I return to my house at 4 AM. I have to be at work at noon.