Rockin’ it out with Kool and the Gang

If there’s anyone who throws a better party than AmericasMart, I want to know who it is.

Tonight, Kool and the Gang turned the atrium in Building 3 into a concert hall, complete with screaming women and floor-rumbling bass lines. Of course, those of us whose roots trace back to the 80′s were singing along while gyrating in the aisles (not as bad as it sounds). All in all, it was one heck of a fun night.

Jeff Portman, President of AmericasMart and all around terrific guy, introduced the band like a road-savvy roadie, which immediately brought the place to its feet. Sixty seconds later, it was a party. A big party. As in thirteen floors big. People jammed the balconies nearly all the way to the top of the building, arms in the air, dancing their socks off. One woman had a huge lime green sign that started on level five, then eventually found its way to the edge of the stage. It seemed everyone knew the words to “Celebration” (or were at least doing an awfully good job faking it).  Never in my life have I seen so much pent up frustration turned into pure bliss in such short order.

At one point, the band slid into an island vibe, temporarily throwing everyone for a loop…not typical Kool and the Gang fare. Confusion quickly disolved into rhythmic chants at what morphed into an on-stage limbo contest-—sans limbo bar-—for a handful of audience members. If you weren’t there, trust me. There’s little in the world that holds as much head-scratching fascination as seeing six middle aged white guys in ties shimmying and slithering like teenagers. I’d love to know how much Advil was consumed three hours later.

Retailers needed a mental break. Vendors and reps needed a mental break. And every one of them got it.

And, apparently, so did the women who turned the glass elevators behind the stage into levitating dance cages.

Who knew going to market could be so much fun?