Rapped over the knuckles

I would like to rectify a slight blunder on my part. It would seem that I have totally got the wrong end of the stick when it comes to what exactly the “D-ToX Sundays” sessions, formerly at Berlin in Melville, is all about (it’s now at Roka Bar in Milpark). This was pointed out to me kindly by the gentleman orchestrating the whole operation.

While I was of the impression that this right here was a full-blown party on a Sunday, I was told it actually isn’t so. Therefore I am forced to give you the concept of the sessions as intended. The info relayed to me by the person in charge reads like this:

The current entertainment scene of Johannesburg is cluttered with parties that focus only on mainstream or commercial music.

A breakaway or “detox” from the club prototype, the weekly, D-ToX Sundays sessions, designed for the discerning partygoer, showcase non-trendy yet popularly accepted music, along with the screening of urban visuals.

So there you have it.

This past weekend I had to deal another dire nightlife situation. This is the life I chose, so yeah, no complaining.

With that on my head I visited a pal who lives in Melville. Not-so-avid partygoers love to harp on about the idea of having a couple of friends over and a bottle of wine and just “hanging out”. And I have a theory. You don’t hang out at home if you live in Melville a stone’s throw away from the famous Seventh Street. As well intentioned as you may be, you will, and I guarantee this, go out and join the rest of the hot young things running rampant on Seventh.

So the problem is actually with residing in Melville, I believe. You live there so that going out to Seventh Street is no big deal. Nothing special ever goes on there (well, I came to this conclusion after D-ToX Sundays were moved from here) — it’s just a bunch of people having a good time and drinking themselves into a stupor. Ah, good times. Well, you also have the “cool people” trying to be seen who hop from spot to spot looking for a good time. This, I must admit, is also the fun of Seventh, the variety … You can actually spend the whole day there and go home the next day utterly satisfied.

So now it actually pains me that the one gig that made going to Seventh Street all that much sweeter has been taken to a different setting altogether. I’m not complaining, just pained. Roka, as followers of the blog may or may not know, is where the legendary DJ Kenzhero’s Party People goes down, so it occupies a special place in my heart already. I will get to experience it all this Sunday. The venue is bigger and the jury is still out whether it’s better …