Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Cream Calendar DJ Jonathan Toubin's Soul Clap and Dance-Off, Tonight at FooBar
Posted by D. Patrick Rodgers on Tue, May 17, 2011 at 10:46 AM
A couple weeks back, I was at the awesome Beachland Ballroom in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, when I was lured into the venue’s adjoining tavern by a throng so frenzied I thought Lady Gaga must have made an impromptu drop-by. Nope — it was New York City DJ Jonathan Toubin, whose Soul Clap & Dance-Off has grown from its humble Brooklyn-underground beginnings to a national phenomenon. Armed with an exceptional collection of vintage soul and R&B 45s, Toubin has been crisscrossing the country, spinning tunes while dancers compete for the grand prize (in Nashville, $100). The scene in Cleveland was bonkers, as sweaty contestants — identified by numbers on their backs — writhed, squirmed, shimmied and bounced the night away, while onlookers cheered, laughed and gawked at the incredible display of flailing bodies. Think of it as Saturday Night Fever for hipsters — and more fun than you ever thought possible on Gallatin Road.
One-hundred bones, friends. As you may have surmised from that flier over there, judges include Watusi expert and Heavy Cream guitarist Mimi Galbierz, Third Man rep and two-step aficionado Ben Swank, Jonas "Turbo from Breakin' " Stein of Turbo Fruits, Ben "Dead Can Dance" Todd of Nashville's Dead, FooBar's Shorty (on the dance floor), Anna "Banana Fana Fo Fana" Lundy of Grimey's and tangoin' taco-pusher Teresa Mason of Mas Tacos. Things kick off at 10 p.m., and here's the Facebook event page. Prepare to get your swerve on.
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