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I never considered myself a dancer. I didn't know how, I felt awkward and self-conscious, I didn't enjoy the places where other people seemed to like dancing. When I discovered the dance, I was alone in my room listening to reggae. It wasn't a social happening, it wasn't about appearance or attraction - it was about me and the music. For me, dance is where I find my spirituality, where I connect with the common emotional threads woven through all sincere music. The dance floor is my church, and my movement is my worship.
It was with this perspective that I wandered into Horning's Hideout for the first time on July 27th, anticipating another celebration of sound and motion. I would not be disappointed. For three nights, The String Cheese Incident led a unified crowd through a grand celebration that reminded me once again how beautiful it is to be Alive. The pure ecstasy of crazy, reckless freak-out dancing with so many other happy people, all focused on the same sound, possessed by a group mind, is the greatest experience I have ever known.
String Cheese played three extremely varied sets, all over the map in their influences and progression, but always carefully crafting a flow of energy and emotion through one song into the next. Finally I understood why people I'd danced with in the past couldn't believe I'd never been to a String Cheese show, these guys were so good at leading and communicating with a crowd. The audience at this show was the greatest community of dancers I've had the privilege of moving with! So many smiles shooting back and forth through the crowd, inspiring glances and dancing collaborations. Like an endless feedback loop from the stage to the crowd, through the audience and back again to the stage, the energy would build and build upon itself, until the band led it to a screaming climax and - !! Those are the moments that I live for. That is what it is to be alive.
I was impressed, inspired, exhausted, anointed. To me, a truly great show can only happen when the band is channeling their deepest inspiration through their instruments, and the crowd is doing the same with their bodies. I found all this with The String Cheese Incident at Horning's Hideout this year. It's a bit sad to know that they'll be playing no longer, but exciting to find the next band that can create such a joyous event.
See you all out on the floor...
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Great post, the dance is life, and you've communicated that well here.
yes, a great post! i have been to 4 horning's but alas i missed the final one. one of the great, safe music venues to freak out in and one of the great bands and families to freak out with
You're such a freak Steve. We actually played with the idea of forming a activist group when we were kids - FANATICS - freaks against nukes and the irresponsible corporations...those were the days...