June 5th - Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ)

So, when you are an adult who has experienced an unusual amount of stress such as packing up all of your worldly possessions and driving for three days across the southern states of America with two highly attitudinal felines, you inevitably reach a point where you either require a nervous breakdown or you must dance really, really hard for a long time. Having recently relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, this marketer by day and reveller by night thankfully chose the latter. I decided to get loose at an ATL favorite by the name of MJQ (Modern Jazz Quartet). MJQ is the kind of place one goes to dance. There's no need for flashy outfits with matching accessories or six hours at the salon. If you feel like dancing and not leaving the dance floor for hours despite the wet heat, a random elbow in the face and the unmistakable aroma of burning illegal substances then MJQ is your place. In the daylight hours one would never tell that this random garage on Ponce De Leon is an absolute crackin' music emporium once night falls.

After centering myself to the tunes of Paulo Nutini , donning a boy-beater, jeans and stilettos, and grabbing a bite to eat, we hightailed it over to MJQ at the stroke of midnight and walked into the literally underground spot to the sound of the late Biggie Smalls. We ordered a couple of beers and then hit the floor, happy, smiling, excited and all. From the DJ's table was a steady stream of hip hop classics including A Tribe Called Quest, KRS One, Naughty By Nature, E-40 and on and on and on. Then at one magical point made specifically for lovers, the music switched to reggae and we grooved to hits like Action
and Murder She Wrote.

In a word, it was AWESOME. You see, MJQ always attracts a crowd who will give you plenty of space to express yourself on the dance floor. There is no person randomly standing in the middle of the floor or shouldering their way through to the other side. Even the folks standing outside of the center are moving to the beat. The DJ knows how to hype the crowd. The music is stopped for sing alongs. Exhibitioners have dance-offs and the crowd makes a circle to accomodate.

OutPast30 Lady danced for just two hours that night. Why? My goodness...because of the humidity. It's been about six years since I've sweated a freshly permed head of hair out on the dance floor. I guess it's something with which I'll just have to reaquaint myself. Upon exiting the club, ears ringing, sticky, heads still bobbing to the bass we checked out the ice cream truck parked outside. Sweet Asha sold everything from Otter Pops to bottled water to Lifestyle condoms. Now, that's good marketing. MJQ, I will be back....soon.

To my West Coast readers, please stay tuned and keep reading. If you've never been to Atlanta, there is so much to do. In the tradition of Las Vegas, it is a 24 hour city but it's got a certain je ne sais quoi that makes it reminiscent of the Bay Area and New York and New Orleans all wrapped into one. I hope that I can convince you to visit. To my new Atlantean friends....oh the fun we're going to have.