>No one could believe there eyes when they got there.

We’d been displaced by a mechanical bull.

A local industrial night has been going on in Springfield for a month or two now. I’ve only been once before, but last night there was something different.

It was already somewhat of a buzzkill walking into “The Salty Dog” for Construct. A local bar with chairs made of roughly hewn 2x4s, barrels on their ends as tables, metal nostalgia signs on the walls, a big safe, some old clawed chairs, and countless other nick-knacks adorning the walls – it’s not exactly the ideal setting for a goth/industrial night. I’d call it a western flavor, but with a mishmash of everything inbetween.

However, this time where the dancefloor once was, there was a large mechanical bull. It had a barrier around it, a brass fence of sorts, and it was surrounded by an inflatable cushion. Absolutely useless space — no walking, no dancing… and thereby everyone was displaced to the 6 feet in front of the DJ stage or to the sides if they wanted to dance.

It had a very strange effect over people. If there was any doubt before, they realized this was not their space — merely a night held for them at a local western-themed bar. No one really wanted to dance, I myself was unsure of where to dance. I wanted to be in front of the stage, but that was mostly in the way of passer-bys.

Everyone was awkward, unsure where to be, and somewhat miffed at the sight of this bull — I know I was.

All in all it was an odd situation.

Certainly no one expected that tonight they’d find themselves displaced by a mechanical bull.