Kulcha Shok Surf Expo Party Backstage Bar Rosen Plaza
Presented by Sun Bum Serious Sun Care Products....
- January 11, 2011
- 0 Comments
- By Story/Photos By Courtney
For me, Surf Expo is great, but very over-stimulating. There’s so much going on for my brain to process--awesome companies and products, cool people, lots of good business being done, etc… and the artistic side of me always get distracted by the amazing layout and design of the booths and all the beautiful people roaming around (some half-naked). So after spending a whole day at Expo, it was with half-a-brain I attended the Kulcha Shok Surf Expo party presented by
Sun Bum Sessions at the Backstage Bar in the nearby Rosen Plaza.
This party was really just the thing for my distracted mind. There was a good-sized crowd, but it was not overwhelming. There was a really easy, happy vibe to the party… as created by the bands
Bootleg and
B-Liminal and DJ
Lance-O, all playing some excellent reggae. I felt myself unwinding, relaxing, and having a great time.
Bootleg came out first, with a smooth blend of reggae, ska, and punk. They played both originals and covers. My favorite was the cover of Tenor Saw’s classic “Ring the Alarm,” to which Bootleg added their own unique spin.
Lance-O was up between the bands. He played a lot of good reggae—roots, culture, and lover’s rock tunes of old and new, with a few dancehall songs in the mix. I always marvel at how Lance-O hosts, plays, and promotes tons of parties every week, every month, and still seems so stoked on the music. He was even DJing all day at Expo and kept such a good attitude and air of enjoyment for what he was doing that night at the party. What a champ!
I was with a few close friends at the party, including my good friend Sheena. She and I always love getting the dance floor started at reggae parties… so that’s exactly what we did. It was great because there were a ton of people just milling around the dance floor, not doing much. As we got out there and started dancing, singing and really feelin’ it, they began to watch us curiously and intently. It only took a song or two before the wallflowers were “feelin’ it” too, and began cutting a rug with us out on the dance floor!
When B-Liminal started playing, the dance floor kept going strong. It was clear they had a lot of fans present who were all giving their full support. And they sounded great! I’ve always heard great things about this band, and I was definitely not disappointed. They have a very original reggae/surf sound with loads of creativity and musicality present in their original songs.
Outside the dance floor, you had people from various sectors of the surf industry all mingling and asking each other business questions in a positive informal way. It was an extension of networking, a getting-to-know-you of sorts. I think this is just as big a part of the function of Expo as the actual convention. Just as corporate bigwigs in other industries might firm business relations on the golf course, the surf industry people connect at parties like these. Makes me grateful to be a part of such a cool industry. I really can’t wait for the next Expo in September to do it all again.
Courtney...
