"I never cared for Michael Jackson either way before he passed away last Thursday, June 25th, 2009. However, when I learned that the Alamo Drafthouse was having a memorial sing-along to the King of Pop, I felt like I had to go. I suddenly had this inescapable urge to sing and dance dance dance to the man's music. I knew that being at a place like The Ritz, with the audio and visual of MJ, and a room full of people who felt the same way would be something close to heavenly. And it was. Not a soul sat as we watched epic music video after music video. The entire crowd danced and sang and got up on stage and butchered every dance step to "Thriller". It was beautiful. After coming down from my high of the evening, I thought to myself, "If only when we all die the entire world got up and danced."

Thoughts & Photos by Lauren Modery