We have been planning this past weekends booze cruise for quite some time.  My friend Ronnie, Jen Barnes and myself had a great idea back at the beginning of the summer.  Lets rent out a reasonable sized boat, and have a sunset cruise on the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend on picturesque Casco Bay. All sounded good in theory.

The forecast from the weather channel looked good 7 days ago, and with the help of Hurricane Ernesto, just went progressively down hill.  As Sunday approached, it was clear that not only was it going to be a wash out, but it was going to be in the mid 60s.  Torrential rain and cool temperatures, not exactly the kind of things that help when you are planning booze cruise.

We drove up to Portland on Sunday afternoon, determined to make the best of a bad situation.  What ended up transpiring was a great night of music, partying and one of the best weekends of the summer.  Who would have guessed it?

We checked into the Howard Johnsons hotel at exit 48 (right across the street from Pure Platinum the strip club open until 6 a.m. every night) and got settled in.  After getting changed and heading for a quick bite to eat, we arrived in Portland amid some pretty nasty weather.  As 7 p.m. approached, the crowd was pretty thin and the weather wasnt about to change.  To add insult to injury, the captain informed us that the conditions were too dangerous to go out, and so we were going to have to stay on the dock and party on the boat, like a floating club.  As the doors were shut and the party began, we had about 75 people (roughly half of what we were hoping for.)

My buddy Ronnie (DJ Subduction) started things off upstairs and played a very energetic, sometimes old school, trance set.  His mixing was very good and he had the upstairs bouncing from the get go.  His girlfriend Robin informed me that this was only his second real gig, which made what he accomplished even more impressive.  Downstairs, Cooch held it down with some chunky house and thick, smooth, electro.  The place was rocking by the time he got off at 8.

Portland scene veteran and all around great person, Jen Barnes jumped on next and took things in a smooth, soulful direction.  Lovely house, inspired acid, and some funky rhythms were displayed with on point mixing and a ton of energy.  Upstairs, Solrae (aka Angela) was dropping a smooth, funky house set for a crowd that was up for it, as witnessed by them dancing outside in 55 degree freezing rain.  Both floors were rocking.

Joey Melanson and DJ Mifo (both from Boston) were up next, and playing a very energetic, driving house set.for the top deck, while I closed things up down stairs.

From my first record onward, the crowd was into it and really a lot of fun.  I played the Claude Von Stroke remix (thanks Claude) of Feedee Legrandes Put Your Hands Up Fro Detroit, dropped some moving tech house (Good Times by Trevor Rockliffe), some driving techno and a lot of other goodies.  I ended with the truly massive remix of Big Fun by The Dons, and Beachball from Nalin and Kane.  I stopped playing at 10:30 and we quickly packed up and headed to Lava Lounge on Fore Street, for part two of the event.

After short set up, I was back on the decks at Lava Lounge by 11 p.m.  The place was pretty well packed, and with at least 50 people having followed from the boat, it was just a continuation of the previous 2 hours. 

I started with some more mellow tracks, including stuff off the new Trentemoller full length, but quickly took it up to some funky techno from Adam Jay, Brian Kage and Mhonolink.  I slipped in some new music from Alex Under, Adam Beyer, and dropped the massive Chris Liebing remix of Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes.

The crowd was into it the whole time, clapping and dancing and really giving me back every ounce of energy.  Jen and Ronnie were leading the way on the dance floor and Dawn was holding it down behind the bar.  Truly one of the best gigs I have played in a  while.  After the set, we packed up and headed back to the hotel for some late night gabbing and other assorted indiscretions.

Every time I visit Portland, I have a blast.  The people in the scene there (Jen Barnes, Solrae, Ronnie and Robin, Larry and Kate etc etc) are so down to earth and so much fun.that it is just a pleasure to play there.  They dont have 500 people, or a fantastic venue with cutting edge sound and lights.  But what they do have is people.  Good people that like to party and smile and dance and have fun.  And that is truly more important that any of those other superficial things.

Thanks so much Portland.  Cant wait till my next visit.