Difficulties with air conditioning

April 13, 2007

Vishal had said that he asked Shila to DJ in case I wasn't back. Shila did not show up for quite some time. I'm not sure what the fix would have been - probably have Johnny/Serap/Abit DJ for a while?

As the social hour was about to start, I was mostly concerned about finding out how to get the air conditioning turned on. This turned out quite problematic. I thought I turned it on, but not necessarily with full ventilation. Abit seemed to know more about it, but I think all he did was to turn the fan on. When I looked a bit later, the air conditioning unit was turned off somehow. I tried to turn it on again. Later on, there was more meddling done by others, but when I looked again the setting looked wrong. I tried to fix it again, but it never became satisfactory. The main floor was quite sticky for much of the evening - not good.

Playlist

Playa No More - Crystal Sierra (1)
Mandali - Africando (2)
Lluvia - Eddie Santiago
Desnudate Mujer - Frankie Ruiz (3)
A El - Oscar D'Leon (4)
Hong Kong Mambo - Tito Puente (5)
La Muerte - El Gran Combo (6)
Lindo Yambu - Cheo Feliciano (7)
Adelante Siempre Voy - Ray Barretto (8)
Ave Maria Lola - Roberto Torres (9)
Ritmo Pa Borinquen - Grupo Latin Vibe
Cubanoson - Cubanoson
Mi Charanga - SonSublime (10)
Asia Mood - Tito Puente (11)
El Preso - Fruko and Sus Tesos (12)
Un Apretoncito - Toke D Keda
Senora - Domenic Marte
Nadie Se Salva De La Rumba - Celia Cruz/Ray Barretto/Adalberto Santiago (13)
Cali Pachanguero - Grupo Niche (14)*
El Pito - Isidro Infante
Montuno Street - Azabache*

break (15)

Juana Pena - Willie Colon (& Hector Lavoe) (16)
Se Me Fue - El Gran Combo
Avisale A Mi Contrario - Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound
Lluvia - Willie Rosario
Nadie Como Ella - Marc Anthony (17)
El Tema Del Apollo - Eddie Palmieri (18)*
Plastico - Willie Colon & Ruben Blades (19)
Agua Limpia Todo - Tito Puente
Dime Que Quieres - El Gran Combo (20)
La Lucha (featuring Shanny) - La Excelencia (21)
Ran Kan Kan - Tito Puente (Mambo Birdland version) (22)

break (23)

Tu Son - Oscar D'Leon
Guaguanco Del Gran Combo - El Gran Combo
Esas Lagrimas - Gilberto Santa Rosa (24)
La Llave - Grupo Latin Vibe (25)
La-La-La - Direct Latin Influence (26)
Luna Negra - Rey Ruiz (27)
El Cantante - Hector Lavoe (28)

(1) With Vishal gone, I thought I could play this as something of a warm-up track without having it be played again later in the evening. Wrong. Shila played it again during my first break.
(2) The only reason I used this is because it's slow. I don't think many people like it though.
(3) I played this one in part because Mike was there - for old time's sake.
(4) This is not going too well. Not horrible but terribly uninteresting.
(5) A little better now.
(6) It got Johnny and Serap more inspired.
(7) Getting colder.
(8) Colder.
(9) Warmer, but it doesn't really help me.
(10) It was okay for a while, but it's going downhill again.
(11) I might as well have a dance. I asked Pauline.
(12) Someone requested this song. I had Shila cue it up.
(13) This probably was decent start to get back to Salsa.
(14) This wasn't. It was a request from some Latino - probably Columbian. How is it that it's popular when Vishal plays it but not when I play it? There seem to be a lot of never-before-seen Latinos tonight. They want Merengue, etc.
(15) I had Shila play a couple of Merengue. He started with Suavemente and followed it up with something new. He also played 4-6 Salsa. Some of the things he played tonight included Mi Tierra and Playa No More. I think I danced with Andrea at some point and also with the girl of "the goofy couple" as an exercise in adjusting to different style or looks. I thought it was fun and amusing, and I may not have been alone in thinking so.
(16) Another request. Latino visitors enjoyed it. Some regulars did not. I personally think it's a fine song. Plenty of songs at SOS/BritSalsafest/Madrid Simposium were as challenging to dance to. I guess it depends on whether you want a kind of song where you could do anything you like as opposed to a song that forces you do adjust your moves, etc.
(17) There was a request for Marc Anthony. I guess it happens.
(18) I wanted a big change of pace.
(19) There was a request for Ruben Blades too. I wanted to add an amusement factor too. Again the Latinos in the club seemed to enjoy it.
(20) Another request! What's with so many requests tonight? The request was for El Gran Combo. I asked any song in particular? He said Brujeria. That's okay. Any other suggestions? He can't seem to think of any names and says something newer. Okay. This one is only about 6-7 years old unlike Brujeria, which could be from 20-30 years or more ago.
(21) Let's try something even newer. No, maybe not. It didn't work so well.
(22) I had Shila cue up some Merengue again. I don't remember if I danced to this - maybe with Serap by the stairs.
(23) A shorter set by Shila.
(24) The murmuring from some of the Latinos was that all the music was "old." How about something newer - like Gilberto Santa Rosa? Gilberto Santa Rosa is new?
(25) I thought I would follow a 90's Gilberto Santa Rosa with a song from 00's - not that most would know. I danced with Pauline again at some point and it might have been to this song. I'm pretty sure I had at least 7 dances with at least 6 people tonight.
(26) Another one from 2005.
(27) I think by new, they meant Salsa Romantica, which is the old new. New new probably sounds old, which is by intention if not really successful in sounding truly old.
(28) Last song. Both Pauline and Andrea are still there (Andrea with a bouquet of flowers from her boss), but both are too tired. I danced with a girl who might have been getting a private lesson from Johnny this evening.

Total 39 songs. 2 Bachata. 1 new Cha Cha. 36 Salsa including 2 new. I felt that it was a very unsatisfying set. I don't think poor floor conditions helped with the atmosphere.

Mark and Jane were something of surprise shows - more so given no one else from the team was there [note: I had forgotten about Thomas]. Cambridge feels quite empty.