The grand opening of the Steven Alan store on Knox Street last night featured, among other things, an appearance by Austin weirdos White Denim. They were scheduled to perform outside, but of course Mother Nature had other plans. Namely the first big rain storm we've had in what feels like forever. So the show moved inside, and ended up better for it. Suck on that, badly timed cold front.
When the water started falling, singer and guitarist James Petralli, drummer Joshua Block and bass player Steve Terebecki and their crew quickly scooped up their instruments and ran into the new store. They dried them off, plugged in and rocked out among the freshly folded shirts and Shinola's line of watches, bicycles and paper goods to create that rare kind of cozy little concert that felt more like a private performance for a few close friends and associates.
Heath Carr, the chief executive officer of parent company Bedrock Manufacturing, says they've been trying to bring a Steven Alan store to Dallas for a while, and a concert seemed like the perfect way to let their neighbors know they were open for business.
"We like to make a little noise when we open up a store," Carr said. "We try to get a band that's local...We like to make a connection whenever we can."
Designer Steven Alan said he liked the Knox Street area because it's one of the few retail venues he's seen when he was looking around town for a place that could not only keep it from being swallowed up by a cold mall but could also accommodate something as unique as a live concert for their official ribbon cutting.
"I didn't really know much about Dallas and visited all the different areas, and thought it was a good balance to what we have in New York and LA," Alan says. "I don't like shopping centers and I wouldn't want to be in a shopping center and I know in a lot of places in Texas, it's really about shopping centers and this felt like it would be better."
A hoarse and soaked Petralli seemed to enjoy the gig as well, despite its last minute relocation.
"It was cool, man. It was a really good time," Petralli said as he was packing up his equipment. "Everybody here...just tried to make the best of a bad situation. I had a good time."