On Saturday, June 23, Summer Solstice took place in the Kimmel Center from 3 p.m. until dawn of the next day celebrating the summer season with tarot readings, music, and coffee.
This is the 3rd time I've attended this event and I haven't been disappointed; and each time I went there were always sometime new to see and experience. And this time it was extra special because this was the first time that my friend and I stayed until dawn of the next day. We stayed awake for 15 hours to celebrate summer and roamed around downtown Philly at night (Center City is pretty safe compared to other parts of Philly).
I'm not surprised that I was able to stay up: years of writing, typing, finishing up essays and research papers at SHU's 24-hours computer lounge have trained me to accomplish such feat. Also on this day, I tried a Vietnamese Iced coffee, which possibly could have aided me as well.
The entrance fee is $10 BUT since my dad works for UPenn (one of the sponsors), we got in for free. One of the great things about this type of event is that there are multiple events/acts going on at the same time, so you have a choice of what to do (most people wouldn't exactly have the same experience unless they go to the same things).
First we watched a dance performance from an Aztec group called Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac. The dance they did was pre-hispanic type. There were a lot of drums, clay flute, and concha shell. Their dance was a paean to the four elements in the universe: wind, fire, earth and water. They wore costumes plated with faux-gold and head-dresses made of peacock and quail tail feathers.
Then we attended the Hip H'Opera. This is a fusion of poetry and opera. Poems, written by underprivileged teenagers from not so-good neighborhoods in Philly, were adapted into opera songs with accompaniment. There were instances when the poem was better than the musical adaptation and vice versa. There were some that were successfully synthesized. I like the song about the grandma, the poems about 'there's no place like home,' and 'mute.'
We listened to singer/songwriter Cynthia G. Mason, and jazz group Dena Underwood Trio.
One of the beauties of this type of event is being able to go in and out of the building. Even though my friend and I stayed up til dawn, we didn't stay inside the Kimmel Center straight for fifteen hours. Around 9 p.m. my friend and I split up. I went to a birthday party in South Philly, and my friend went clubbing. We met up again at midnight.
There were fashion shows, speed dating, drag shows and tarot card readings. In the past I always missed the chance of having my tarot "cards" read so this year it was one of my main goals. Before meeting up, I checked to see how long the line was for the tarot readings... at first it looked like the line was too long so I left... later when my friend and I returned around 2 a.m. the line diminished tremendously (by 80%) so I sat and waited (caught my breath, rested).
There was only one more couple in front of me before it was my turn... and then the tarot readers announced that they were only going to read one more person: in my mind I was like "on my gosh, I'm so close, I waited for an hour and half, I can't believe I'm going to miss the opportunity again and there's only one (ONE) couple in front of me"--- I did the next best thing I can think of... I started talking in the hopes of getting some pity/sympathy votes...
I found my listeners... their names were Vernel and Katherine, complete strangers... they started spreading the word that the tarot readers will only do one more reading... I started telling them my story (about me attending the Summer solstice in the past and always missing the tarot card sessions, and how this time was the first time that I stayed all the way through til dawn). Vernel and Katherine were very sympathetic, they urged me on/egg me on and suggested to me to tell the tarot reader my "story". They reminded me to "believe" and to at least try... at least I would do my "part" (no regrets on myself for not trying).
Maybe it was the fact that it was 3 a.m., (the possibilities seem endless at 3 in the morning) so I started thinking... maybe the positive vibes would be noticed by the tarot reader... maybe I can send him a telepathic plea so I asked Vernel and Katherine if they could help me with my telepathic plea... I think he heard it... I was rubbing my temples and focusing really hard... the tarot reader turned around, looked at me and smiled... after the couple, he agreed to do one last reading and it was me...
Tarot reading
I don't know whether to believe it or not... whether tarot readers always point out the positive (because maybe it's good for business)... whether it's too general that "anyone" and everyone can take something from it/interpret it, apply it to their own lives... I came to a realization that in tarot readings, the listener is also part of the conspiracy (they're the ones that apply--whatever is revealed--it to their lives)... they shuffle the cards/ cut the deck, they ask the questions... I listened intently to what the tarot reader said and I was surprised at how close he was to the happenings in my life... I was taken aback when he told me that I could ask him 5 questions... I had one question that I wanted to ask and the rest were fillers (instead of using these wisely I asked questions that were already answered/revealed)... I was just glad that the tarot reader gave me his time (I told him my story)...
my tarot reading session ended around 4, which meant that I had an hour left before the drum session began... I found Vernel and Katherine and told them about my session... they were happy for me, we chatted a bit about coincidences and each other's background... I went to talk to my friend, and when I came back down to see what Vernel and Katherine were doing, they weren't in the lounge area anymore... they disappeared... maybe they were angels? or maybe I just needed sleep?
the only complaint I had was that around 4 a.m. certain areas were closed and there were few activities left mainly listening to trance and techno music... I wanted to walk around the Kimmel Center and look at the artworks... 4 a.m. is the perfect time to look at art and contemplate, one's mind is so clear, alert, focus and empty that one can better study the artworks....
at 5 in the morning, I was still conscious... the Sunrise Drum Circle began... I didn't have a drum so I just used a book, the people with drums formed a circle and started creating beats... there was a flute accompaniment... some people (women) started doing belly dancing or some kind of isolated movements... other drummers did drum solos... I looked up and the sun's beams filtered by the plastic-glass ceilings of Kimmel, shimmering glints from steal frames, splashed on the walls of the Perelman Theater... then everything ended at 6 in the morning...
my friend went straight home... the Septa Bus wasn't functioning yet so she took a taxi... I was so tempted to have breakfast in starbucks (but I wanted to sleep when I got home)... instead of spending $20 on taxi, I waited for a while (around 7 a.m. the bus would start working)... I walked towards City Hall... streets empty, taxi cabs roaming-looking for passengers... I passed LOVE park... I walked through the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (modeled after the Champs-elysees)... I visited Rodin's "The Thinker"... I walked to Philadelphia Museum of Art, climbed the famous Rocky steps... once on top, I sat and look at the Philly skyline... sitting there I started falling asleep (can you just imagine me falling asleep on the steps of the art museum en plein-air?)
my phone rang... it was my dad... he woke up early... I asked him to pick me up... I didn't have to wait for the bus... I got home and slept for 4 hours... I got drank from all the art I experienced and when I woke up at noon, I didn't have an aesthetic hang-over, WOW! :)
Posted by Michael Diezmos at June 28, 2007 8:19 PM