Moods Presents: a Holiday Party

Live, hybrid, and deejay sets from Kiernan Laveaux, Cherriel, Shells and JZKL.

T’was the night before Moods Presents, when all through the house…

not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The headphones were hung by the chimney with care,

in hopes that St Etta soon would be there…

Moods is bringing back our holiday party (the last one was in, what, 2021??!). We’re debuting the first Detroit live act show from JZKL (Pittsburgh-based Kiernan Laveaux and Pittsburgh percussionist Johnny Zoloft); music from Shells of Tyvek/XV/Hello Records infamy; a hybrid set from Mixtress of Chaos (aka Detroit’s Cherriel); and Kiernan and co. deejaying throughout. It’s at Moondog Cafe, the new listening club-meets-gallery-meets-café, and starts at 8pm.

Come wearing your favorite holiday fit. Start a gift swap. Vibe out. Leave feeling inspired, maybe a little unsettled. It may end up a night you have a hard time speaking about.

The deejays were nestled all snug in their beds;

While visions of dance floors pranced in their heads;

Dan in their 'kerchief and Miguel in their cap

Had just settled their brains for a long winter's nap,

When out past the decks there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the booth to see what was the matter.

Away from the warehouse I flew like a flash,

Tore open the door and stared out in the night.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,

When what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a miniature slayyyy and eight tiny reindeer,

With a sweet young driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment she must be St Etta.

More rapid than eagles her coursers they came,

And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

"Now, Dancer! Now, Bartender! Now Live Acts and Deejay!

On, Bouncer! On, Venue Owner! On, Door Person and Photog!

To the top of the booth! to the top of the stage!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Etta too—

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in the booth

The prancing and dancing of the Moods Presents, in truth.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down to the dancefloor St. Etta came with a bound.

She was dressed all in fur, from her head to her foot,

And her clothes were all tarnished with cig butts and soot;

A bundle of records she had flung on her back,

And she looked like a deejay just opening her pack.

Her eyes—how they twinkled! Her dimples, how merry!

Her cheeks were like roses, Her nose like a cherry!

The record needles were drawn up like a bow,

And all across the dancefloor, it began to snow.

A wink of her eye and a twist of her head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

The Moods Presents crew went straight to their work,

Filled the dancefloor with joy; then turned with a jerk,

And laying their finger aside of their nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney they rose;

They sprang to Etta’s sleigh, to her team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard her exclaim, ere she drove out of sight—

“Happy Moods Presents to all, and to all a good night!”