I biked over early to Bushwick mainly because I was scared to be biking to Bushwick. Q: If a crack house explodes in Bushwick will anybody hear it? A: No, because there is nothing there but crack houses and warehouses. So I was scared. But I had been promised it would be worth it. Psychic Revolution, Will's old North Carolina buddies, were coming through town on their grease-powered bus tour. Company was playing. There would be an unofficial Oakley Hall set, with Crazee finally back at the mike after a long recovery from his horrible finger-slicing accident (As we sat out back in the woodworking space, Crazee came out for a beer, looked around, and then said with a very serious face, "Hey, I'm looking for the table saw," and then he laughed.) And it would be in a house, a real house party, no bars, no clubs, no cover charge, no bouncers, just people in a house drinking some beer and listening to some good music.
Bushwick? Really? Oh, all right.
Oakley Hall boys Jesse and Steven.
Company; I like how she looks so serious when she plays.
Don't ask me the name of this band, but they were pretty damn good; She looks like a doll.
Now this is when there is a hint of the lip-locking craziness to come. I never met a straight man so in love with kissing other straight men as Will. He is in love with love, and loving his friends, and if you put enough beer in him, he is an unstoppable kissing force. And of course there is nothing I love more than taking pictures of men kissing men.
As near as I can tell, Psychic Revolution is really just a big grab bag of bands traveling together. The music just didn't stop all night - one great band would finish, and another would take the stage. Everyone had something to say and it all sounded good. For me the turning point was when some Psychic Revolution members decided to take to the streets and sing some songs and play their guitar. Every time a car would turn down the street someone would yell, "Car!" It reminded me of playing stickball as a child. People were singing and dancing and stomping - the folks of North Carolina are some good people. And of course the only thing I love more than taking pictures of men kissing men is taking pictures of a public spectacle.
I was waiting for these cats to start making out right then and there.
They're kind of the same picture and I kind of don't care.
Who were these two bearded men in trucker hats? I loved them.
The view of the crowd from the roof.
Once I got up on the roof, I decided to get some more pictures of boys kissing boys, and luckily a few boys -Kid Millions was so on that shit - obliged me. But I got to thinking, am I being sexist here? Doesn't everyone - men, women, puppies, kitties - want to share the love? I decided I was on a mission, to make everyone kiss. And no, it really wasn't that hard.
So I present for your viewing pleasure: twenty-six pictures of people smooching.
Click here for the love.