August 12, 2008

William Reed’s Forever Birthday Massive

Hotel San Carlos in the heart of hotter-than-magma Phoenix, Arizona, claims to be haunted by ghosts: apparitions of a white-gowned old woman, toddlers playing in the hallways (a la The Shining), and stubborn presences borne of the Indian burial ground bulldozed over to make way for what would turn into a celebrity-studded bed-and-breakfast (Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable were regular guests). But the only spirits we found Sunday were the poolside excitations of William Reed’s Forever Birthday Massive, featuring deejays Ultraviolet Sound, Electric Valentine, Kid Vicious, and more.

ANTICS unveiled two new designs for our screen-printing escapades and embossed them on the fly for the shirt-hungry, like plump Thanksgiving turkeys thrown to the masses. The dance floor was on fire, and those who pushed the good foot for several straight deejay sets cooled off in the pool area, which by late afternoon was a bustling village of swimming, sprawled-out Sunday fun-day enthusiasts. We were all treated to a tranquil shade, thanks to a transparent overhead tarp that was set aglow by the setting sun and then a nighttime nebular light show. With the water below and the galaxy above the venue suddenly felt spherical, globe-like; by the evening’s end the good vibrations came full circle. Like any 19th century pastoral novel.

- Jake Anderson

Posted at 2:27pm
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