Making the Scene

I am a second generation Chinese-American. In terms of cultural practices, my family is very traditional as a whole. However, I have always found myself to be somewhat outside of that circle. Even though I do participate in those family traditions, if it weren’t for my parents, I most likely would not be doing them at all. In the past, we have gone to a couple of Chinese New Year festivals where we’ll watch the lion dances, fan dancing, Chinese opera singers, fireworks, and so forth. My aunt, at least from what I know, used to perform in Chinese opera when she was younger. When I was growing up, I would always hear opera music emanating from her kitchen walls whenever I was at my aunt’s house. To her, the pitches probably flowed through her mind and whisked her back onto the stage, but for me, the voice pitches were unbearable. I mostly considered that type of music to be very shrill to my ears. It is times like those where I have always felt like an outsider. I can’t understand the beauty and significance of certain Chinese practices because I have been so accultured to the western style of music. For most of my life, I have just appreciated Chinese music because it is a part of my ethnic identity, but I have never had any significant interest in it. However, as I get older, I am starting to see how much more I want to integrate my culture into my identity. In general, age induces a desire to gain a much more global perspective.

Clubbing is definitely an AWESOME example of an environment where music is the central element. In fact, sometimes just hearing a very upbeat song on the radio is reason enough for me to spontaneously throw on some clubbing gear and hit up Sunset. This was actually a topic of conversation between my friends and I just recently. There are many different kinds of clubs. Clubs can have themes throughout the week such as Asian Fridays or 80’s Night to promote the venue. The atmosphere can also depend on the quality of the DJ. Some prefer more remixes or straight tracks.

For me personally, my entire clubbing experience can be ruined by the music. I tend not to prefer techno music because I simply do not know how to dance to it. Hip-hop and R&B music is my cup of tea at a club. There generally is a consistent beat that I can move my body to. This is not to say that techno music does not keep beat either. Techno tends to exude a more fluid rhythm that changes many times throughout the course of the song. In short, the music makes the club.