Baltimore Travel Log November 16th , 2006

 

"We leaving at 9PM Sharp!!!!!!! "     

We were supposed to be on the road at 9 pm sharp and reach Baltimore by the time the dance started, which should have been 12 am. As usual, we were running late. We left Pittsburgh around 10:30pm and reached the dance at about 2:15 am. We would have made better time had we not been lost on some exit with an A to the B, or something so. In any case, we managed good timing.

The party was held at the Gala Center, which was a Banquet Hall located in the cut, on a dead end road; the perfect place for a party to carry on undisturbed into the early hours of the morning.

VybzMachine from Philly ???    

The ride down was nice and smooth. Everyone had reasonable attitudes and we were all looking forward to the dance. However, it seemed as though the dance wasn't looking forward to us. The women taking money at the door were not very pleasant; they had an attitude about letting us into the party without charging us; also it seemed as though there was so much going on. We stood waiting for the promoter for about ten minutes. Then it took another 7-8 minutes for him to convince the door women that we were all apart of the sound and that we had just traveled from Philly (Pittsburgh, LOL--on the flyer it says that we were representing Philadelphia).  

That should have been the precursor for the disorganization that was to follow. Anyway, when we finally entered the dance it was nice. There were different dance groups like the Attitude girls, Blackadiberry, Too Hype crew. These dance groups were featured by themselves and together doing some of the latest and oldest dances. They were hot!!! Their style and coordination was together.

"One more Ras."   

At about 3:30 we started playing. By 4 our segment was cut short, very short. We only played as you can calculate, for 30 minutes. Thirty minutes and a four hour drive. I mean damn. Can we get like ten more or even five more minutes or just three more songs instead of one. They told Faya Ras one more song and he asked for three more. They were so abrupt with Faya Ras and in a definitive tone said "one more Ras."   Even after the crowd shouted for more VybzMachine juggling the verdict was 'last song.' Faya Ras had to remind them that we were guest and that you don't carry on that kind of way with your guest.

None the less we played for a half hour. The trip would have been nicer had we received better hospitality. Don't get me wrong the dance was nice but the genuine appreciation for our contribution wasn't there. I rate this trip one of the worse.

Beloved Empress  

Written by Empress