Shake Your Bootie at the Bootie Mashup Party

Posted Sat, 04/03/2010 - 08:33 by Nick

Has it been a month already? Almost! I haven't blogged in a while for a couple of good reasons. First, I have been working hard on some creations in my mad scientist lair. Second, I have been busy going out and listening to music. I know, the sacrifices I make for you!
 
About a month ago a friend told me about a mashup compilation called "Best of Bootie." My first thought was skepticism. After all, what kind of site would willingly self-apply a name like "bootie?" Thankfully I ignored those doubts and listened to their best of 2009 compilation. I was hooked after listening to just a few of these very catchy mashups. There is a definite emphasis on danceability. They combine pop, rock, hip-hop, new, old, whatever. As long as it makes you move, it's in there.
 
While looking around the Bootie website I noticed a column listing parties they hosted. One of the parties happened to be in Portland in just a couple of weeks. I immediately contacted my fiancee and friends: we needed to check out the Best of Bootie in person!
 
After deciding to go, our next thoughts turned to panic. Would we, four not-so-hip early-30 somethings be able to hang? As one of my friends said, "I don't have clubbing clothes." We decided to try anyway.
 
One other surprise: the venue, Red Cap Garage, is a gay bar. Great, I thought, now I will definitely not be hip enough.
 
My friends, fiancee, sister and I arrived a little before ten, dressed as well for the occasion as we could manage. Our early arrival secured a cheap cover and a free Bootie March 2010 CD. We quickly grabbed a couple of drinks and got some seats near the dance floor. The dance music hadn't started yet; it was just some good chill-out mashups. While taking in the scene, one of my friends noticed Mysterious D, one half of the A+D team that powers Bootie, only a few feet away. She ended up being super friendly and down to earth. At the end of the night she even invited us to be her guests at a future show in SF! 
 
After the dance music started, the night flew by. We all agreed that their Bootie Mashup party delivered the goods. Aside from a set from a guest DJ that wasn't very dance friendly, the dance floor was packed all night. We had a great time partying to their super-fun, well made, very danceable mashups from A+D. 
 
At the end of the night we were all glad we went and our concerns about being out of place ended up being nothing to worry about. As this SF Weekly interview describes, "They jetset between multiple continents to produce the unpretentious party vibe that locals line up for three times a month here to hear top pop acts get jammed by electro, rap, punk, and more." The emphasis is on fun, not flash. 
 
A+D bring their Bootie mashup parties to cities around the world. If you like to dance, I can't recommend going to see them enough. A+D, and their friends, regularly host Bootie Mashup parties in San Francisco, LA, New York, Boston, Portland, Seattle and other cities. They also have regular parties in Europe and occasional one-off parties in other cities.
 
Check out A+D's Bootie Mashup site to listen to and download their best of mixes, see their tour schedule and see their blog.
 

 
Interviews with A+D: