I'm beginning to like this whole Spring cleaning chore. Now let's move on towards the soul. Maybe someone should inquire what the rate at Cactus is for a bumper to bumper soul cleansing.
I wrote this piece last summer at seemingly the height of annoyance of local promoters (selves included). The "Topless" party went away after a month or two, Sloppy Seconds is all yawns now, and even the prickly Preston Craig has mellowed a bit in the light of his own glow stick.
But recently, a running joke with some of my friends (yes, I have them) is starting to get old. Party promoter Caleb Guage's mass text assaults are at an all-time annoyance. Tuesday through Saturday he's lighting up everyone's Sprint bill like a Christmas tree.
And it's not necessarily the non-stop texting I mind, I'm all for anyone throwing great events in Atlanta, It's everything else about it. Not only do I not want to go to the W in midtown for $12 cocktails I can't afford with people who act like they can, but I don't want to be constantly reminded about it with text that read like a 14 year old girl on crack, "YO:Smoke & MIrr0rss// 2-nite// {W MIDTOWN}////+DJ P00p Sc00p on the tablez+DreSS -2- MOLESTE!!!<>"
I just wanted to get that out. Spring cleaning, is all. And yes, I do get the joke that i'm probably one of the all-time worst at shameless self promoting. But that's just it, a joke.
All that Twitter's isn't gold.
A PARTY WITH A CLOUDY VIEW
Style over substance, form before function – these are the guidelines. Atlanta's professional partiers have taken their act to another level, in the literal and figurative sense.
"Topless," the F*n Socialites new Thursday night weekly atop the downtown Glenn hotel is the spot to be for our cities hipster neon nation. Whether you want to actually look down on the people you think you're better than or party closer to the stars where some think they belong, the roof top venue is a fitting one.
Interactive technology has brought us together, while making it us less able to interact. Watching people text mid conversation, or overhearing deep discussions concerning of MySpace dramatics, It seems Generation Y has morphed into Generation TTYL (that's Generation Talk To You Later for you non-brevity texters).
The "Scene Celebrity" is a new breed. With the combination of party photographers and Facebook/MySpace, self promotion is at an all-time ease. Getting caught up in the hype, it's not hard to get a delusional sense of importance. Long time MJQ resident DJ Brian Parris sums the scene up, "None of those people are interesting, no matter how hard they try."
Photographer Midnite Socialite says that his group's vision for the Topless party is to eventually cater to the bottle service crowd. Typically, that would be the doctors, lawyers, and C.E.O's that are able to afford that lifestyle. The problem is, the party seems more of a mix of servers, retailers, and I.O.U's. The elitism just doesn't add up.
With a slight breeze blowing beneath the canopy's while being engulfed in the lit up skyline, you get a sense of being in downtown Miami during the Winter Music Conference. If only the F*n Socials could replace West End with the Atlantic Ocean. Now that would be something to send a MySpace bulletin about.
Go for the spectacular view, stay for the effort you've already invested, leave when you get the joke.
Raise some glasses and shake some asses, partying shouldn't have to be complicated.
For what it's worth-
Smoke & Mirrors
Every Thursday
W Midtown
Text Caleb for guest list
