The Difference Between Sol Fusion And First Friday Atlanta

For some insane reason, I’m up at 7:45am writing after getting in sometime after 3am from another great time at Sol Fusion. And, no, this won’t be an article dissing one event or the other. Sorry to disappoint you. No drama here buddy.

Last night, I spent the first 90 minutes of the event helping out at the door/line, and spent a good chunk of this time reflecting on my previous experiences with Sol Fusion. Experiences which date back to 2004 (I think). My mental map went from the people to the venues to the culture shifts inherent in all movements. And once I started kicking it inside (you know how I do), the observation/analysis continued.

You might not know this about me, but my social graph extends across many different social circles, and age ranges. And because this Sol Fusion just so happened to fall on the first Friday of the month, several friends had to choose between Sol Fusion and First Friday Atlanta (w/Kid Capri).

Difficult choice? Not really.



Sol Fusion started out in 2002 as a small boutique party which served as a haven for music lovers, rebels, artists (whether they knew it or not), and everyone in between. Because the parties were so small, strong the energy was amongst the crowd (channeling my inner Yoda). It was infectious. Once, a few friends drove from Florida for a party, kicked it none other, jumped back in the car, and drove back to Florida…immediately. Yes, for the mathematically challenged, that was a 5 hour drive + 3 hours of intense partying + a 5 hour drive…with no rest in between.

But, alas, that was the Sol Fusion of yesteryear. Over the last few years, Sol Fusion has grown (as it should), and slid right toward the mainstream. The parties are larger, corporate funding as seeped in, the ladies have traded in their jeans and sneakers for dresses and heels, the fellas started wearing shirts with collars, the venues are much larger (and spacier which affects energy flow), the music has remained the same for the most part (unfortunately, the current state of music sucks), J Carter doesn’t rant at the top of his emails anymore, and the people have gotten older. But the parties are still kick ass.



On the other hand, First Friday started in the mid-90’s for the 24 – 35 year old “urban young professional” (when that term meant something). From what I can gather, the parties were held at great venues, played great music, and enforced a strict dress code. It, too, has grown over the years (as it should), and now features celeb deejays or hosts. And, yes, it has gone somewhat mainstream, sliding a little to the left.

So, what’s the difference in the two you ask? Not much. They both use many of the same venues. The music crosses over alot: Sol Fusion plays more old school/eclectic songs while FF features more current hits. The people at Sol Fusion are, at minimum, 6 years older than the FF crowd. They are different types of people, but the split (establishment vs. anti-establishment) isn’t as drastic as in previous years.

At the end of the day, you can have a great time at both events. I don’t want to oversimplify the difference and say it’s age, but I don’t feel like delving deep into the issue right now. I may explore it later.

Ok, the adrenaline just wore off. Going back to sleep now…

Comments

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments