For Michael Bart, also known as DJ Barticus, Michael Jackson lives on through the upbeat, timeless tunes he's left us.
Bart hosts an '80s dance night at Casa Cantina, 4 W. State St., every week, but on the cusp of Jackson's death he decided to make last Friday's a Michael Jackson Tribute night.
I was getting ready to do another '80s night when I heard of [Jackson's] death
Bart said. I thought it was a worthy occasion to change the theme.
He started off with an eclectic mix of mostly '80s hits and as the midnight hour approached, seamlessly moved into an hour plus of solely Michael Jackson's music. Bart teased the crowd, at first only allowing a few Jackson songs to play and slowly gave the crowd pure Jackson, mixed like they'd never heard before, culminating with the Jackson 5 hit ABC. Bart ended the night with his usual 80s fare, but not before dancers were completely submerged and moving in a Jackson-esque stuttering dance.
Chase Rosenberg, a graduate student studying environmental and plant biology, said that this is how we should remember Jackson. Not for his questionable private life, but for the music we still enjoy.
I think this is how all funerals should end up Rosenberg said. Everyone starts reminiscing and drinking and it turns into a party.
Party it certainly was, with Casa packed and the dance floor moving the entire night. Strange private life notwithstanding, Rosenberg and many of the attendees think we should remember Jackson for the upbeat, timeless tunes he's left us. Not every man can continue to thrill us from beyond the grave, but Michael Jackson can.
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Culture
Luke Abaffy
