Apparently Grand Rapids does its own ball drop, something new that they started last year. I kept hearing only bad things, that it's way crowded, freezing cold, the bands aren't that great, and the main complaint being that the timing of the ball drop was off last year.
Despite all these negative comments, our group was finally convinced to give it a shot. Liz and Andy graciously offered their apartment (about a mile from the center of downtown) as a headquarters, and around 10:40 or so, we decided to head out.
Whatever people may tell you about Grand Rapids, let me just say, it can really be a cool city when it gets going. There were literally thousands of people there (approx. 30,000 according to Grand Rapids Press), and while the ball drop wasn't super spectacular, the atmosphere was great. The live bands had already done their thing hours before, so I believe there was some radio station people playing random songs. I can't remember disagreeing with any of the songs though- they were definitely working the crowd into a concert-like frenzy. I remember going through a mosh pit at one point, to get a little closer to the front, and being mildly surprised that a mosh pit had even formed at a New Year's bash. Just not something you hear about all the time.
I have to give a shout out to Matt Shanahan for sticking with me while I was questing forward into the surging crowd to fulfill my (admittedly drunken) need to be closer to the main stage. Within seconds we were separated from the rest of our group (who opted to not risk being trampled) and were pressing up against random strangers in an effort to get close. And what happens when you reach a wall of people unwilling to budge? The answer was simple to me: crowdsurfing.
I managed to convince some people next to me (a group of girls and one guy) that we should lift someone up and send them forward, because it would be awesome. Of course all the girls immediately got these terrified looks on their faces, so I turned to the guy and began to communicate over the sound, which I will emulate here for you with the wonderful caps lock key.
Me: "HOW MUCH DO YOU WEIGH??"
Guy: "I don't know maybe 150?"
Me: "YOU SHOULD GO THEN!"
Guy: "No, I don't know... whiney excuses..."
Me: "OK THEN I'LL GO! LIFT ME UP!"
The rest of it's a blur, I don't know if they actually lifted me up voluntarily, or if I just sort of jumped on top of them, but the ride was awesome, although it did only last about 30 seconds, and I only got about 5 feet before finding myself on the ground, staring up past legs and faces I didn't recognize. Thankfully, one of those kind strangers helped me back up to my feet.
Somewhere in there, the ball dropped, and I was fascinated by how quickly the couples locked into the make-out position around me. It was like being in a giant ball pit, bouncing around freely, then suddenly, some chemical reaction causes pairs of them to morph together all around you, and all the invisible connections that you couldn't see before become clear to you. And then some streamers hit you in the face.
At long last we found ourselves right in front of the stage, in all its glory. All I remember after that is that the music was loud, the people were screaming, and the dancing became a sort of wriggling and pushing and jumping up and down, because that was all we had room for.
Eventually we left, my throat hoarse from singing, my head spinning and my ears deafened. There was some mayhem back at the apartment, per usual, before we all crashed. Oh and I guess on the way downtown I angered a drunk man by kicking over a snowman (who, I should mention, was already without a head.)
Just goes to show, you can't please everyone! Happy 2010!
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