Mousetrap: the Britpop dance that was(n't)

so Mousetrap is a monthly dance night at the Black Cat and usually it's the second Saturday, for anyone planning on a trip to D.C. and wondering if there's a groovy thing to go to. this time it was the day after xmas, entitled "Mousetrap: the Holiday Edition".

miscellaneous amusements of the evening:

1) the top three songs of the evening (in terms of getting peeps to the dancefloor) were the Ting Tings' "That's Not My Name", Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks", and MGMT's "Kids".

what's wrong with this picture? 2 out of 3 of those aren't even British. it should have been named "music that British people like to listen to" dance night, not a Britpop dance night.

there were some really strange selections beyond the requisite "Brimful of Asha" by Cornershop. I'm always a bit amused whenever they're played on the same night as the Smiths since back in the day during the Finsbury Park disaster, they claimed "Kill Uncle" was a racist album.

that said, I get a lot of satisfaction singing along to "This Charming Man" and "Bigmouth Strikes Again" b/c of course I know all of the words ::grin::

2) I love the Beatles and I love the Rolling Stones. but I find dancing to "A Hard Day's Night" and "Street Fightin' Man" a bit difficult. I can't be the only one.

3) there was a lit snowman sitting on the stage where bands usually perform. I guess that's what made it "Mousetrap: the Holiday Edition". ehhh...

4) the first hour and a half we were there (11 to 12.30), the music was great. then it started going south, playing songs from earlier generations (see #2 above). nothing wrong with that music, it's just not really music to dance to, you know what I mean?

I noticed a ton of people had already bailed by 1, which is usually a bad sign.

5) Morrissey's voice on "Bigmouth Strikes Again" sounds weird on a PA system. like it's stretched and whiny like a little kid's.

6) there was group of five or six guys who pointed in my direction. I'm not sure what they were doing, but I certainly smiled and hoped one of them would come over and dance in my direction b/c it would have been fun to have someone else to cut a rug with. I'm one of those people who don't need Dutch courage to get out there and dance, and generally, I don't care what people think of my dancing (remind you of anyone...?). in any event, nothing happened and the blokes disappeared (who knows, maybe they thought the music was a snooze too).

what didn't happen reminded me of this video. yes, it's full of Lee Press-on Nails, fluorescent clothes, and big hair, but it's from the '80s and it's Whitney old skool. still great after all these years.

not sure how these VEVO YouTube channels work, so if you get an advert, apologies.