After dinner Wednesday night at a place called Super Steak (false advertisement), I'm led off to a club to hear some live music. the club is called True Color and its as far from being a tourist joint as is possible. My company includes Kevin and his good friend Bobby. There are two floors. the first one being the disco floor and the one above being the live music room. Of course these are on the 4th and 5th floors of a smelly building that has an even smellier staircase. I am quickly reminded of the horrible club fire here in town two weeks ago that claimed 48 lives. But I continue on up the stairs with my colleagues. We find ourselves greeted by a lovely host that Bobby seems to know. She leads us into the live music room and places us at the only empty table. The place is packed. Everywhere yelling, laughing, cigarette smoke. Patrons shaking their dice cups so loudly that if I were blind I'd might mistake the place for a rattlesnake den.
To retain use of the table you must purchase a bottle of liquor. We opt for a bottle of Absolut Mandarin. It's brought out, along with a carafe of ice. the first round is poured, Gumbai! A second round is poured, Bobby's host comes over for a brief visit. She share's a Gumbai with us and leaves after which Bobby announces that it's time for him to split. He lives in Hong Kong (a true honky) and the border closes at midnight. Then it's just Kevin and I and a whole lot of bottle.
The first band comes out. They're not too bad. a Little cheesy but it's to be expected. Gumbai! A second band comes out. Gumbai! The lead guitarist has spiked hair, big black sunglasses, and a black tie over his purple untucked shirt. He starts off the next set with a pseudo-blistering lick A'la Iron Maiden and the whole band joins in. Gumbai! Wow, this song is kind of rocking, Gumbai! Then their next song is a slow drawn out love ballad. The crowd goes nuts. meanwhile I sulk at the tease that is chinese music. There is no rock in China. A sad gumbai follows. There is no time to mourn though. We are really having too much fun. A quick glance reveals a near empty bottle. so one more Gumbai and it's on to the discotheque.
Somehow I managed to get separated from Kevin on the way downstairs. Undaunted by my lack of communication skills and succumbing to the magnetic pull of the music coming from inside I strut through the doors and make my way straight to the dance floor.
I will not go into detail about my moves. Let's just say on those rare occasions I can get down with the best of them. At one point I was pulled up on stage, danced with everyone in the room, I had a heartfelt chat with the black mc's from the states that performed a couple of times(once giving me a shout out during one of their performances), was horded by a bunch of young Chinese hipsters that were fighting each other to pour me a drink, shared high fives with some Euros, found Kevin, shook him by the shoulders and howled at the moon. Which turned out to be a fluorescent light on the ceiling.
I had a good time, great time, a time and a half. That and a sinister hang over the next day.
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