You were out on Saturday, Dallas, playing nice and paying no mind to moderation. A fair amount of you were responsible for the sold-out showing at the Granada for Sarah Jaffe, John Singer Sergeant and Zhora. But at midnight, after a sun-drenched afternoon of day-drinking, you could tell the party wasn't over.
"Where to now? Where are you going?"
Luckily, Studio 410, your coolest friend's barber shop and salon in Oak Cliff, was throwing a party instead of a fade. We passed through the wardrobe of salon chairs, through the building and into a back-lot urban Narnia. DJ Sober already had the crowd jumping, folks were drinking right out of their 40 oz. bottles, and some new friends were being extra generous, passing out the Tecate.
Unfortunately, I missed the boxing match Studio 410 showed earlier in the evening and offerings from Dustin Cavazos and Joe Rich, but they had clearly done their part to set the mood. The couches set up in the parking lot, initially for fight-viewing, became a quick place to rest or sneak a make-out session as the night sweated on.
DJ Sober, who I am continually convinced never has an off night, dropped in plenty of Beastie Boys, and when the opening bells of "Girls" commenced, the crowd took a nostalgic breath before launching into a full-tilt dance party. The MCA tributes were literal, as many folks were making and toasting Brass Monkeys (malt liquor and orange juice) in the parking lot. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the opening strains of Selena's "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" made their way out of the speaker, as salsa-dancing couples quickly took over the makeshift floor. I encourage you to be at an Oak Cliff party the next time you hear Young Nino's, "Oak Cliff, That's My Hood," and let that magic just wash over you.
The perfect crowd at Studio 410 gave way to a perfect crowd at Cesar's Tacos, as everyone was trying to stop the night from ending. The Tejano music was loud, the green sauce was hot, and I find that to be an entirely pleasant way to fight sleep.
I woke up on Sunday with a headache, a smile and a little more in love with this town than I was the night before. You should get out more, Dallas, it looks good on you.
