Malfunk, Eufunk

Malfunk, Eufunk

Inauguration Day: I sat in Astor Cafe next to the Duomo with Marisa, Kerry, and V. We watched the big screen; I sipped white wine, I felt happy, teary at 6 pm Italy time. The girls I was with chuckled at me tearing up but I don't care. Obama's speech had me nodding my head in agreement; I thought they could have picked a better poet (though it would be tough for anyone to follow his speech). I was with my two roommates and V; Elvin the waiter was clowning around. He's Albanian but he made a point of putting the Italian flag next to the screen. It was all in fun I think, but he's also kind of a buffone too.

I feel frustrated with people on this program. A friendship with a girl I thought I got along with just blew up. Twice now I have introduced her to new people and I only had the best of intentions; both times she reacted poorly and her negativity tainted the evening. Maybe she will read this and understand what I am saying, and maybe she will not. From my experience I know that I just need to distance myself from negativity like this.


The good news is, I'm equipped with plenty of skills for venturing out on my own. At Astor after the inauguration, we met a student from another program. His name is Fiko (next to me, above); we started talking and discovered that we are both interested in electronic music. He told me about an electronic show the following night with an artist named Jamie Lidell. The club is Tenax (TNX) and it's a 15 minute bus ride out from the center of Firenze. Lidell was soulful, funky, beat boxing and mixing at the same time. He wore a gold jacket, a tux shirt, and MC Hammer pants. Funky for sure.


TNX was fun because it was full of Italians, not Americans looking to get drunk and Italians looking to get on drunk Americans. That's what clubs in Firenze's center are like - knock offs of american bars, playing hip hop, terrible mixing, high drink prices, drunk girls, grabby men. But Wednesday was the best time I've had dancing in Italy so far. No one was creepy or forcing themself into my bubble. That has always been my favorite part about the electronic scene: true listeners abound.
Wednesday I met some Italians and a girl who lives in Italy but is from Colorado; they were very kind and I am looking forward to meeting more locals. I think that will help me find people more my style. I'm going back to TNX tonight to see two names I'm very excited about - Konrad Black and Seth Troxler - and two other names I've never heard of (Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts). It's a Beatport 5 Year Tour. Maybe the people I met Wednesday will be at the show tonight. I am going out independently; I am going out for the music. It seems like I'll have plenty of opportunities to meet locals and dance senza creeps - as long as I keep my eyes open.