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Finally
Ah, finally some time to post my thoughts 
I ended up driving down to San Diego Monday the 19th, driving back up here to the bay area on Tuesday night / Wednesday morning, then driving up to Seattle Wednesday afternoon with the fam to see friends for Thanksgiving. Drove back down and got in at 10 last night, so I've really had no time to get on the ol' computer for what seems like an eternity. 
Anyhoo, about Garnier... HOLY SHIT!!! Greatest DJ set I've ever seen. It was like one of those mix CDs you listen to and say, "that is so cool, but you'd never hear anything like that live at a club." Garnier played everything I never knew I wanted to hear, and more. He fully lived up to, and exceeded, all expectation.
From listening to his productions I got this picture in my head of him DJing and being very reserved and kind of boring to watch, but I could NOT have been more wrong. He was SO fun to watch, and looked like he enjoyed the tunes he was playing as much as I did, which seems kinda rare these days! His DJ tricks and mixing were a tad sloppy a few times, but the vast majority of the night he was spot on, which is just amazing considering the variety he exhibited.
Montie, Ryan, and I arrived at Avalon fairly early and the show beforehand was just letting out. Met up with Tigo, who looked as tired as we were. Montie, next time we can't rage like that the night before! I was already hoarse as hell from too much smoking, drinking, and yelling and screaming on Friday night. 
So doors open and they have the main room closed off. Lovely. We head upstairs and whoever was on the patio was playing some good choons, but damn that patio filled up fast!
I think it was maybe 11:30 or so before they even opened up the main room, but I can't remember very well
I loved what they did with the DJ booth, despite the clusterfuck on the sides it created. By the time everything was all set up, Tejada gets on and plays for what? half an hour? That was disappointing because I had wanted to see him for a long time.  But all the tracks he played were great. Short but sweet.
And then, of course, Garnier got on. And tore it. All night. I can't really express how fucking good he was in words. And I was way too intoxicated to really make much sense of it in retrospect.  I heard lots of popular tunes, and a ton of shit I did not recognize at all. I do remember hearing a DnB remix of These Boots Are Made For Walkin'. That cracked me up. And of course that Marky track from years ago. From listening to some other Garnier sets and from what Montie had told me, I had certainly expected some minimal and such, and I knew he'd drop some DnB, but what I was most pleasantly surprised by was all the FUNK he dropped. I absolutely loved it. Sorry you didn't, Julia, maybe you shoulda gone to Guetta, I heard he rocked it.  Ah I'm just kidding.
I was sooo pleased to hear The Man With the Red Face (which, for obvious reasons, I've decided should be my theme song ) , that track used to be a staple Montie track, and was really my introduction to Garnier. It was kinda funny to see the crowd on the floor thin as the track just kept going on, but I loved it! Of course the crowd didn't thin out too much. That was the most packed I've seen Avalon since the last time I saw Sasha there. Then again, I think I've only been to Avalon a few times since that night. And I couldn't believe how packed the place stayed! And in my opinion, no one deserves a crowd like that more than Garnier!
I usually hate how freaking packed Avalon gets on big nights, and I didn't really expect that sort of turn out for Garnier, but there it was! I guess once I got drunk enough I didn't really mind though.
 The other gripe I used to have about Avalon was the sound, of which I was never a huge fan. But the system sounded really good! And I kind of feel like a wuss for saying this, but at some points the bass was just TOO much. I could feel my brain rattling in my skull. But once again, alcohol cured that too and I just loved it eventually
Lovely seeing all my LATA buddies again! Tigo, always great hangin out with you! Bas, Clovis, I didn't see much of you guys that night but it was a pleasure nonetheless! Michelle, it was great to see you again! So glad to hear you enjoyed Garnier! Julia, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the night more  but it was great to see you nonetheless! Say hello to my fellow Washingtonian (whose name completely escapes me, doh!) for me! Chris, excellent pictures and excellent seeing you again! Looked like you were having a busy night! So glad you're doing the photos for Avalon! Keep up the good work! Refuge, so glad we got to meet finally! I've seen you on the boards for a while! I didn't catch your real name though! Sarah, I always have SUCH a blast with you on the floor! You are a dancing machine!!! I wish I wasn't so hoarse so I could have said something more than just mouthed the words "what the fuck?! awesome!" after every track he dropped!  If I'm forgetting anyone, I apologize! I blame the alcohol! Feel free to kick me the next time I'm in town!
I'm trying to think of what else to say about the night, but like I said, words really do it no justice. And looking at how much I just wrote, I applaud anyone who made it this far into this long-winded, basically pointless post.
Amazing night. Amazing people. Amazing tunes. AMAZING!!!
P.S. - Montie, I TOLD you we should have stayed longer!!! We missed your jam, I hope you're happy! Well maybe we'll get to see him drop that tune the next time he's here... in like 10 years.
P.P.S. - spliffs FTW!
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