The Juice Box

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 bottles of water!

by Steven Satyricon

As social as I am (read: club whore!), there are certain events that I’ve heard about repeatedly and never attended. This past weekend’s Flagging In The Park was a virgin experience for me–I’d never even so much as visited the AIDS Memorial Grove, which plays host to the event–but between DJ Craig Gaibler spinning and our flagger friends from SLC being in town, the stars were clearly aligned for us to check it out.

The Grove is truly a place of beauty and serenity, just a short walk away from the road but with the feeling of being removed from the bustle surrounding it. There’s a nicely-sized glade with a walking path surrounding it which served as the flagging arena as well as a spot for folks to spread their blankets and get comfortable. I’m not honestly certain where the nearest official public restroom is located, but most people seemed comfortable wandering to a more or less secluded tree to relieve themselves, and for an Alabama boy who grew up in the Appalachian foothills, this was a familiar and inoffensive practice. Though the sky was overcast, the weather wasn’t nearly as cold and damp as what Golden Gate Park has a reputation for–though the organizers no doubt scheduled the event from 1PM to 4PM in part to avoid the fog sweeping in. I myself kept my sweatshirt off the entire afternoon and thought it felt wonderful.

There really isn’t an adequate way to describe the simple beauty and gentility of watching the flaggers who filled the field. A sense of peace and quiet joy pervaded the atmosphere. I’ve often heard flagging referred to (only somewhat jokingly) as “a dying gay art form” so I found it somewhat ironic but perfectly fitting that so many flaggers and their supporters were gathered in this place which is dedicated to the memory of those we have lost. I felt the tangibility of history and reverence even as we laughed, smiled, and celebrated. In a word, beautiful. It should also be noted that there was a fair showing of hula-hoopers and poi-spinners, as well, adding their talents and unique energies to the movement in the grass.

DJ Craig Gaibler has quickly garnered a reputation for customizing his sets to blend seamlessly with the vibe of whatever event he’s playing, and this day’s set was no different. So many tracks he spun took me back 10 years or more to happy memories of Sunday afternoons in the sunshine, yet the flavor of nostalgia was balanced by current and even (dare I say) timeless standards. Again I feel that the only appropriate word to describe music was joyful. The flow of sound fit perfectly with the gentle flapping of fabrics and the blurs of color flying through the air. There were a small number of technical difficulties over the course of Craig’s set which resulted in sudden stops in the music, but it’s my understanding that the cause of these blips has been discovered by Craig and the same mistake won’t be made again. Even with the gaps in sound, however, the crowd remained buoyant and unfazed–partially due to the fact that this was a non-dance event, i believe, therefore making the interruptions feel less jarring. Overall, the music was another fantastic gift from Craig and I encourage everyone to follow this man closely and catch his sets where you can.

My only other complaint regarding Flagging In The Park was that it was over far too soon! I have no idea what sort of restrictions might be in place at GG Park regarding amplified music, or if weather-related fears are the only reason it ended at 4 as opposed to, say, 6. The feeling to me was that many of us would’ve gladly stayed later if we could’ve. I don’t know if there’s a possibility of extending the hours of the next Flagging event, but I will gladly attend and hope that we might be blessed with a longer stay in this fabulously sublime space of music, community, and kinetic beauty.

Tags: Craig Gaibler, Flagging in the Park