Teetering on The Fringe of “Cool”
by Sonya Collins
http://glasshousedc.blogspot.com/
“Cool” in the colloquial sense, has and always will be a subjective term because much like “beauty”, the definition is held within the eye of the beholder. Hipster, a term that has been around since the ’40s (think Jack Kerouac and “The Beat Generation”), originally consisted of young people who defied the conformist normalcy imposed upon them by the elders of their time. The expression still maintains much of that same meaning but has now taken on a very regional identity. DC to NYC to LA, all bring their own element of “hipster” to the table. Since we’re in DC it would be very fitting if to mention the authority on all things hipster – HipsterOverkill. Their monthly shindig, The Fringe brings out many of the often hated but still imitated bunch along with many others who wouldn’t be considered hipsters at all.
Hosted by MCSL and DJs Dimitris George and Tru, The Fringe takes place the first Monday of every month at Dupont Circle’s Steve’s Bar Room, a dive bar inside of an office building – irony at its best! As with most parties, the night starts off light but gradually builds into a make-shift sweat box by the end of the evening. Along with the growing crowd, the intensity in the music builds right along with it creating a heightened magnetism to the dance floor. DJs Dimitris George and Tru go back and forth, almost head to head with the dopest in Electro breaks, some old and new school House, the most nostalgic of 80s Pop and some Baltimore Club sounds from 30 minutes up the road (yes current Baltimore Club is willingly being enjoyed in Washington, DC).
One can never neglect to mention the always fun and undying energy known of the resident photographer, Garai Rice. He manages to capture practically the entire evening with his picture box, maneuvering through the room and dancing as hard as all the party-goers. You’re almost convinced that he uses an adhesive on his hands because he never drops the camera once. The guy is too real for TV!
By 12:30 AM, much of the crowd has lost their inhibitions to shots of Jagermeister and Vodka, both washed down with Heineken to name a few potables. However, ambitions of achieving an eventful evening are still high.
Hipster Overkill Presents The Fringe
Every 1st Monday of the month
9PM-2AM
21+
$5 entry
Steve’s Bar Room
1337 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC
http://www.examiner.com/x-6713-DC-Events-Examiner~y2009m4d7-Teetering-on-The-Fringe-of-Cool
