With Polyphonic Spree ringleader Tim DeLaughter holed up to work on new music, Good Records manager Chris Penn says, the Dallas symphonic indie-pop band will not be doing its Holiday Extravaganza this season.
But that doesn't mean the record store is being completely Scrooge-like this year.
From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, the store will hold a family-friendly Good Santa party with holiday music from Chameleon Chamber Group, free Santa photos, milk and cookies, eggnog, and probably some beer as well.
It will also start the store's Toys For Tots and North Texas Food Bank donation campaign, which sounds like a good deal for anyone who wants to combine gift shopping with charitable contribution. A donation of either a toy or a non-perishable food item will give you a 15-percent discount at the store all the way until Christmas, Penn says.
Penn's a bit bummed about having to miss the Extravaganza for the second time in three years. But, he says, not having the holiday show gave him time to put together this event, something he'd been wanting to try for years.
"I've always wanted to do something like that at the store," Penn says. "But I've always been so consumed by the Christmas show that I wasn't able to. Audrey Easley [who plays flute in Polyphonic Spree and Chameleon Chamber Group] was working on her record and getting a photographer to come in and take photos, and we got to brainstorm about having Chameleon Chamber Group play at the store."
The idea was partly inspired by Criminal Records in Atlanta, which has an annual visit by the cigar-smoking, wisecracking "Asshole Santa." But Penn decided a more family-friendly event was more in keeping with Good Records style. Thus, "Good Santa" will be available for photos. While families are welcome to use their own cameras, a professional photographer will take pictures and either print them out on site or give a link to a Flickr page where the shots can be downloaded without charge.
"It might not be quite as nice as NorthPark's, but we'll have a tree and it will look pretty good," Penn says.
Chameleon Chamber Group will perform The Nutcracker Suite and other holiday music, probably beginning around 4 p.m.
