BUDDHA TREASURES
From the seventh to the 13th centuries, artists working in bronze and wood brought about an extraordinary flowering of Buddhist devotional sculpture in Japan. Carved and cast with unusual technical skill, these works remain secluded for the most part in active temples where they are objects of religious veneration but almost inaccessible to scholars and art lovers who have not traveled to Japan.
But this month some 50 of these works go on exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum. The show, The Votive Tradition: Treasures of Buddhist Sculpture from Japan, was organized by the Kimbell to mark its 10th anniversary.
Because of their age, rarity and aesthetic quality, seven of the works on display are classified by the Japanese government as National Treasures and more than 30 are Important Cultural Properties -the cultural equivalent of rare and endangered species.
The exhibit continues through October 31 at the Kimbell Art Museum, 1101 Will Rogers Road West, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (817)332-8451.
– Ken Barrow
SWEENEY TODD
“Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. / His skin was pale and his eye was odd. / He shaved the faces of gentlemen/ Who never thereafter were heard of again.”
So begins the prologue of Stephen Sondheim’s towering “musical thriller,” Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which Theatre Three unveils in its Southwest premiere this month. The title character is a man driven mad by injustice. When we meet him, he is slinking back into an inferno-like mid-Victorian London -already robbed of his wife, daughter and his own youth by a false sentence of exile. Murderous vengeance is his mission -on the judge who transported him, on the magistrate’s rich cohorts and on the class of “haves” who keep him and his fellow “have-nots” in their miserable place.
The plot is purest Grand Guignol, but Sondheim’s score (the most ambitious of his career) has vigor, weight and shattering moral energy. Together, the book and music create a tension that makes the show a musical theater landmark.
September 28 through November 6 at Theatre Three, The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets $12 Fri & Sat; $9.50 Wed, Thur & Sun matinee; $8.50 Tue& Sun. 748-5191.
– Patrick Kelly
CHAMBER CLASSICS
For years, the initials DCO meant one thing to Dallas music lovers: Dallas Civic Opera. Last year, when the company dropped the “Civic” from its name and became simply Dallas Opera, a new DCO emerged to claim the discarded abbreviation: the Dallas Chamber Orchestra. Founded in 1979 as the Highland Park Chamber Orchestra, the all-professional ensemble provides Dallas with a unique perspective on both chamber and orchestral music.
Now starting its first full season under the new name, the Dallas Chamber Orchestra offers a series of eight concerts September through May. Unique offerings for the upcoming year will include a performance of Bach’s six Brandenburg concertos, an all-Schubert evening and orchestral music of Mozart and Mendelssohn (two areas that have been particular strong points for the group in past seasons).
The opening concert September 26 will feature guest soloist Ellen Rose on viola for a Vivaldi concerto, as well as Mendelssohn’s Ninth Symphony for Strings, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Three Violins.
Performances are at 7 pm at Caruth Auditorium, SMU campus. Tickets $7.50, $49 for subscription. 826-6974 or 526-7380.
– Wayne Lee Gay
NIQHTLIFE
Abernathy’s. This is the most successful of four successful restaurants (the others are Shaw’s. Bluebonnet’s and Bogart’s) owned by Fort Worth native David Shaw. When it opened four years ago, Abernathy’s was the first of the good basic fern bars in Fort Worth. Consistently good burgers, nachos and salads, as well as just-right drinks, keep the TCU and young business crowds satisfied. (2859 W Berry, Fort Worth. (817) 9230941. Mon-Thur 11 am-midnight, Fri & Sat 11 am-2 am. MC. V.)
Adair’s. This place has got class: torn U.S., British and Texas flags pinned to a wall; two-tone harvest gold-and-beige vinyl booths; thousands of spitwads clinging for dear life to the ceiling; miscellaneous graffiti covering several walls; gobs of gimme hats tacked to the wall behind the bar; Roy Rogers’ “Happy Trails ” on the jukebox. Just about everybody is welcome here; Adair’s is for good, clean hell-raising with friends you haven’t necessarily met yet. (3903 Cedar Springs. 526-9379. Tue-Sat 10 am-2 am, Sun 6 pm-midnight. Closed Mon. No credit cards.)
Andrew’s. Folksingers and strong specialty drinks in an exposed brick/wood ambiance give this Scottish pub a comfortable, casual atmosphere. Andrew’s can be a great place to enjoy an after-work drink, and the courtyard is perfect tor savoring those star-filled summer nights. As for the food, the bleu-cheese burger and the mushroom burger, each served with red beans and rice, can’t be beat, and the artichoke nibbles or the nachos make for tasty appetizers. (3301 McKinney. 521-6535. Daily 11:15 am-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 2-7 pm. AE, DC, MC, V.)
Arthur’s. Quiet jazz, intimate lighting and overstuffed sofas make Arthur’s the perfect bar for a tête-à-tête or an after-work get-together with friends. The drinks are good and strong, and the service is unobtrusive. (8350 N Central Expwy. 361-8833, Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am, Sat 6 pm-2 am, Sun 6 pm-mid-night. All credit cards.)
Bagatelle. If you’re tired of your rowdy friends and would like to slip into a plush, dark booth tor a smooth drink and a little intimate conversation, this is the perfect place. What you’ll find at Bagatelle is good food and great jazz. Karen Edwards sings and plays the piano Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights; the Paul Guerrero Jazz Quartet performs Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. (4925 Greenville. 692-8225. Mon-Wed 11:30 am-midnight, Thur till 1 am, Fri 4 Sat till 2 am; Sun brunch 10:30-2. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4:30-7. All credit cards.)
Balboa Café. Not intending to be uncomplimentary, we find this place a bit like an old shoe: nothing we haven’t stepped into a hundred times before, but often a comfortable and form-fitting relief. It’s more cafe than bar, with good sandwiches, plentiful servings and beer-batter onion rings. The Greenville Avenue location includes a patio for balmy nights, but has only a small bar. (7015 Greenville. 369-7027. 3604 Oak Lawn. 521-1068. Daily 11 am-2am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7, MC, V, AE.)
Bar Tejas. For so long, this has been a favorite standby nightspot The drinks are great and the food has always been just what we wanted. (Try the nachos with black beans and chicken.) But on our last visit we were disappointed to the point of hurrying down our order and pushing tor our check: The music was loud and obnoxious. We haven’t given up on Bar Tejas, but we recommend you take note of the acoustical level before paying cover. (2100 Greenville. 828-2131. Daily 3 pm-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 3-7. AE.)
Belle Starr. Not quite in the same league as Diamond Jim’s. Belle Starr has become a real haven tor semi-urban blue-collar cowboys and cowgirls who just love to two-step and polka (this place is equipped with a huge dance floor). (7724 N Central near Southwestern. 750-4787. Mon-Sat 7 pm-2 am, Sun 4 pm-2 am. All credit cards.)
Biff’s. Biff’s belongs in the middle of an 8-foot snowbank with a fire blazing in its fireplace, icicles clinging to the windowsills and red-faced people bustling about in fur-lined parkas and après-ski boots. The atmosphere is definitely wintertime in Aspen. If it’s burgers or nachos you’re after. Biff’s is the place. (Their combination nachos are among the best in town ) But if it’s good drinks you want, better head somewhere else: Biff’s bar brands are cheap, with the attendant “green” taste. (7402 Greenville. 696-1952. Daily 11 am-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7 AE, MC, V.)
Billy Bob’s Texas. It was only a matter of time before someone built a c/w nightclub bigger than Gilley’s; it’s perfectly logical that it was built in Fort Worth. Billy Bob’s has 42 bar stations, six shops, two restaurants, a seating capacity of 6,000. real cowboys riding real bulls in a stockyard arena, and some of the biggest names in country music. (2520 N Commerce, Fort Worth. (817)625-6491. Mon-Sat 10 am-2 am; Sun 4 pm-2 am. Happy hour daily 4-8 pm. V, MC, AE.)
Cafe Dallas. If you’re out to pick up someone and you can’t do it here, there must be something wrong. This place is literally overflowing with eager young (well, maybe not quite so young) swingles in all shapes and sizes. Anything is “in” here; as long as you act like you belong, you will. And Cafe Dallas has one of the best sound systems in Dallas. So, if you like to dance (anything from disco to New Wave to rock) and don’t mind a few indecent proposals. Cafe Dallas is for you. (5500 Greenville. 987-0066. Mon-Thur 3 pm-2 am, Fri till 4 am, Sat 8 pm- 4 am, Sun 8 pm-2 am. AE, MC, V.)
Cardinal Puff’s. Mostly we love the atmosphere here-open rooms filled with gentle breezes, plants, garden furniture and an occasional wandering cat. It’s still a good place for conversation and relaxing, but the drinks (our margaritas tasted like 7-Eleven Slurpees) could stand some revamping. (4615 Greenville. 369-1969. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 11:30-7. MC, AE, DC. V.)
Chelsea Corner. Here you can get a mug of Heineken for $2 and a varied assortment of wild-sounding grogs that are likely to put you under the table. Normally a rather complacent place, things liven considerably when one of the numerous local bands takes to Chelsea’s small stage. The only problem with this establishment is parking. (4830 McKin-ney. 522-3501. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am, Sat & Sun noon-2 am. All credit cards.)
Comedy Corner. This isn’t such a bad place to catch semi-big-name comedy acts-if you don’t mind a lot of smoke, a $5 cover, a two-drink minimum and a waitress who automatically assumes that your change is her tip. Rows of comedians in their own rights fill the audience while comedy acts of varying quality take the stage tor short sets of stand-up humor. (8202 Park Lane. 361-7461. Sets begin Wed, Thur & Sun at 8:30 pm; Fri & Sat 8:30 & 10:30. Tue audition night 8:30. AE, MC, V.)
Confetti. One man’s clutter is another man’s eclectic, and this is possibly the most eclectic bar in Dallas. Dangling bicycles, zigzag neon and poster-plastered walls expose a theme bar that couldn’t decide upon a theme. But it you can dig your way through the crowd, you’ll discover two flashy dance floors, several well-manned bars-maybe even Mr. or Ms. Right. Music varies here from Fifties doo-wa to Eighties do-whatever. Be prepared for a waiting line out the door on Friday and Saturday nights. (5201 Matilda off Lovers Lane. 369-6969. Mon-Thur 4:30 pm-2 am, Fri 4:30 pm-4 am, Sat 8 pm-4 am, Sun 8 pm-2 am. Weekend cover $2. All credit cards.)
The Den. Located in the Stoneleigh Hotel, this is the essence of what a bar is expected to be: very small, very dark and very red, with very strong drinks. (2927 Maple Ave. 742-7111. Mon-Fri 11 am-midnight. Happy hour all day Mon-Fri. All credit cards)
Diamond Jim’s. What a great place to get picked up! It’s not too pretentious, it’s not overdone, and it has the essential c/w elements to offer its patrons: pseudo-Western surroundings, lots of floor space to two-step or swing dance on and oodles of available singles. We especially like the windowsills that line one wall; they re perfect perches for people-watching, which can be quite entertaining (5601 Greenville. 691-2411. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 5-8 pm. MC. V. AE.)
East Side. This place has all the New Wave elements: black and white tile, gladiolas, avant-garde art on the walls. But somehow, East Side seems passé. Even after savoring several of East Side’s strong drinks, it’s difficult to loosen up and feel at ease here. Part of the problem seems to be that there is just too much space. Perhaps if the tables were closer together, patrons wouldn’t feel so isolated. The drinks are good, the fried zucchini is top-notch and the jukebox is truly eclectic: Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walking, ” Sam the Sham’s “Little Red Riding Hood ’ and selections from Devo and Gary Numan. (7035 Greenville. 987-0559. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 6 pm-2 am. MC. V. CB, AE.)
Eight-O. It’s amazing what a little honest promotion can do for a place. When the Eight-O first opened, it was plugged as the “in” place for struggling artists, bohemians, punk rockers and any other social misfits who happened to stumble in. lt was a great place for people-watching, listening to one of the best jukeboxes in Dallas and discussing the meaning of life and other such esoteric trivialities. Then an entire army of preppies decided that Eight-O was The Ultimate, and things went downhill from there, Now the preppies have migrated elsewhere, and the Eight-0 is back to abnormal (The Quadrangle. 2800 Routh, suite 125. 7410817. Daily 11:30 am-2 am Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7 MC, AE, V.)
Encore. A loose devil-may-care attitude of the Fifties dominates this Oak Lawn club The jukebox is stocked with greats of the Fifties and earlier The furnishings, too, are straight from the Fifties: lots of neon, glass bricks and white tile. The menu is lim-ited, but everything is fresh and interesting: Greek delicacies such as cheese fritters combined with American standbys such as hamburgers and apple cobbler. (3520 Oak Lawn. 526-9055. Mon-Thur 11:30 am midnight. Fri 11:30 am-2 am, Sat 6:30 pm-2 am. AE, V, MC.)
élan. In case you didn’t know (and are therefore extremely bourgeois) that is a little e, l-a-n. Ay-Ion, for all you native Texans This is the spot in Dallas to drink, dance, mingle, play backgammon or just generally stand around looking beautiful, exotic, vogue and. yes. rich This is probably as close to Hollywood as Dallas will ever get-at least, we certainly hope it is. (5111 Greenville 692-9855. Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2 am. Sat 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7, Sun brunch 11-2. All credit cards )
Fender’s Bar and Grill. Jazz is the main entrée at Fenders, and apparently the owners are talking about real jazz, not the cocktail-pianist variety The menu here is basic burgers/nachos/potato skins, but it does offer some steaks and more ambitious entrees, such as moussaka And the drinks are substantial Fender’s is a spacious place with excellent acoustics, but there are a tew smaller enclaves for those more interested in talking than listening. (2828 W Northwest Hwy. 350-4240. Mon-Thur 11-11, Fri & Sat 11 till midnight, Sun 5:30-11. AE, MC, V.)
Four Seasons Ballroom. Big-band music for ballroom dancing. A strict dress code is enforced- dresses for the ladies, and coats and ties for the gentlemen Only setups, beer and soft drinks are served, except on Fridays, when food is available. Cover varies Free dance lessons are offered. (4930 Military Pkwy. 349-0390 or 381 9072 Wed 8 45 pm-12:15 am, Fri 9 pm-12:30 am & first Sat of each month 9 pm-1 am. No credit cards.)
Gordo’s. This is categorically, unequivocally and completely the best bar in Dallas lor watching the Cowboys games For some reason, no one has discovered that Gordo’s offers a perfect Sunday afternoon combo: cold beer, hot pizza and a great television set Doubtless now that we’ve told the world about it, Gordo’s won’t be the best bar for television watching anymore, because there will be a crowd in front of the tube. So don’t go there. (4528 Cole. 521-3813. Mon-Thur 11-10:30, Fri & Sat till mid-night. Sun noon-10 pm. All credit cards )
Greenville Avenue Country Club. Oh. what warm and wonderful memories we associate with the GACC. When it first opened several summers ago, we loved lounging beside the backyard swimming pool on sunny Sunday afternoons, sipping beer and scanning the most recent copy of The New York Times. But GACC’s well-publicized success has caused us to love the country club life a little less; the clientele seems to have turned from low-key to luridly uptown (3619 Greenville. 826-5650. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun noon 2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4 7 AE, MC, V.)
Greenville Bar & Grill. Closet claustrophobics take heed: This place is always packed It’s billed as Dallas’ oldest bar, and from the size of the crowds, everybody’s been here since the place opened Although you may feel sort of like an outsider at first, it’s only a matter of time before you’re old hat But if you have a particular aversion to standing elbow to elbow in a crowded room for hours, this probably isn’t the place for you (2821 Greenville 823 6691. Mon-Sat 11 30 am 2 am. Sun noon-2 am Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7. AE. )
Hippopotamus. Far from the bright lights of Greenville Avenue, tucked quietly in the beautifully reno-vated Bradford Hotel. Hippopotamus offers dark soothing atmosphere and a New York-style piano bar The large picture window looks out on the shim-mering Hyatt Regency and the occasional passing strollers who-by Hippopotamus standards-are moving too fast (302 S Houston, 761 9090 Mon-Sat 11:30 am 2 am. Sun 4 pm-midnight. Pianist Mon-Fri 5-8. Happy hour Mon- Fri 4-7. AE, MC, V, CB.)The Hop. The Hop. a longtime Fort Worth institution, has pizza, spaghetti and all kinds of music, ranging from a new rock group that sounds promising (the Blue Cats) to country-folk songwriters such as B. W. Stevenson and Steve Fromholz The atmosphere is low-key and comfortable (2905 W Berry. Fort Worth. (817) 923-7281. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun 4 pm-1 am Happy hour daily 2 7. all day Wed. Sun 4-7. All credit cards.)
Hot Klub. Dallas’ premier punk showplace is frequented by a mean bunch whose idea of a good time is slam dancing,” a rough-and-tumble exercise based on two moves push and shove A trip to the bathroom is an adventure in itself And whatever you do here, don’t touch the floors (4350 Maple 526-9432.)
Joe Miller’s. If your criterion for judging the worth of a bar is determined by the strength of its drinks, Joe Miller’s will be your choice lor the best bar in Dallas Drinking one of Joe’s vodka tonics is like getting shot with a sedative gun used to drop elephants in the wilds of Africa Three drinks and you qualify as legally dead. Joe’s is an insider s bar. for years it has been the favorite media hangout (3531 McKinney. 521 2261 Mon-Fri noon-2 am. AE, MC, V.)
Knox Street Pub. A Dallas bar tradition, this is where we were taken by our hosts when we first ar-rived in Dallas several years ago We liked it then and we still like it It’s a no-pretense establishment with an old-wood and fern atmosphere and help who immediately make you feel at home (3230 Knox 526-9476. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7. Closed Sun No credit cards )
La Cave. Ah. a place tor lovers For discussion and good wine This small, chic wine shop/bar has a deceptive front. The next-door greenhouse makes the place look as though you re entering a rain forest. We felt initial disappointment upon discovering that all the greenery was one door down, but our spirits quickly rose upon seeing La Cave’s walk-in wine cellar with an incredible collection of foreign and domestic wines. A few entrées are offered, but we suggest sticking to the cheese, and nut and fruit trays. (2926 N Henderson. 826-2190. Wine shop: Mon-Sat 10 am-11:30 pm. Bistro: Mon-Fri, lunch 11:30-2; dinner, 5.30-11:30 pm. All credit cards. $$)
Lakewood Yacht Club. Every neighborhood has one. A hang-out, it you will, that has become a local institution. It’s the place to grab a cold beer and a good sandwich with friends. It’s the place to celebrate after a Softball victory, or drown your sorrows after a defeat. Lakewood Yacht Club is such an institution-a laid-back, comfortable place where probably half the people there at a given time know each other, and the other half feel as if they did. The beer is always icy cold, the atmosphere is homey. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by. II you’re not, make a special trip; it’s worth it. (2009 Abrams. 824 1390. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat & Sun noon-2 am. AE, MC, V.)
Les Saisons. A captivating cityscape of downtown Dallas makes this bar special You can gather around the cozy fireplace, sip an icy drink and still have enough quiet to carry on a conversation. Cheery, classy decor-like a French garden room. (165 Turtle Creek Village. 528-1102. Daily 11:30 am-11:30 pm. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7. All credit cards.)
Longhorn Ballroom. So what if it’s crowded and smoky, the cover’s too high, the tourists are too many: This is Bob Wills’ Longhorn Ballroom, the place for kicker dancin’. beer drinkin’ and hell raisin’ You’ll fit in whether you can dance or not, and you might as well plan on coming home with bruised toenails (those rhinestone cowboys can be real oafs). No one should live in Dallas and not go to the Longhorn at least once It’s a Texas tradition. (216 Corinth at Industrial. 428-3128. Wed & Thur 7 pm-1 am, Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am, Sun 5 pm-midnight. All credit cards.)
Nick’s Uptown. Nick’s is the ideal place to cut loose and have a wild time. The club is reminiscent of a huge rec room (it used to be a grocery store) with a stage tucked in one corner and a bar running along the opposite wall. And if you feel the need to get up and move, there’s plenty of room to dance. (3606 Greenville. 827-4802. Mon-Sun 8 pm-2 am. AE, MC. V.)
Nostromo. As close as you’ll come to capital-D decadence in Dallas. The atmosphere is a combination of Art Deco and Mondo Mean. The drinks are substantial, the crowds are eclectic and large, the menu offerings are adventuresome and the entry policy is arbitrary and seemingly capricious. (4519 Travis. 528-8880. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun 6 pm-2 am. AE, MC, V.)
The Palm Bar. A beautiful place to have an extended series of drinks after work if your job is downtown. As hotel bars go. it is the most upscale around Dallas. The walk through the redecorated Adolphus is worth the excursion, and if you prefer open spaces, you can have a drink served right in the lobby. (Adolphus Hotel. 1321 Commerce. 742-8200. Mon-Fri 11-8. All credit cards )
Peabody’s. An oasis in the jungle that the Oak Lawn area has become. Peabody’s is a cozy bar, especially popular with the on-the-way-up Volvo-driving crowd Lots of plants, overstuffed furniture and spirited drinks make for an easy, neighborhood atmosphere. And the nachos aren’t bad either. (4216 Oak Lawn. 559-3160. Mon-Thur 11 am 1 am. Fri 11 am-2 am, Sat 11:30-2, Sun noon-midnight. Happy hour daily 5-8. AE, V, MC.)
Piaf’s. This place is simply dripping in mood, from the gentle music playing over the sound system to the dimmed lights overhead to the fluffy chairs scattered around the courtyard. But the effect can be spoiled if the kitchen gets too busy, hectic waiters and noisy bartenders just don’t figure into the picture. (4527 Travis at Knox. 526-3730. Mon-Sat 11:30 am -2 am. Sun 11:30 am-midnight. Happy hour daily 4-7 pm & 11 pm-closing. Kitchen open till 1 30 am Thur-Sat, Sun-Wed till midnight. All credit cards.)
Poor David’s Pub. It’s easy to bypass this Sixties holdover on your way to somewhere else, but if you’re looking for decent live music, that may be a mistake. Sure. Poor David’s is tiny and dark and has absolutely no stage. All the better to concentrate on the music, which, more often than not. is worth hearing. (2900 McKinney. 821-9891. Mon, Wed-Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour 4-8 pm weekdays. Closed Sun and Tue. No credit cards.)
Popsicle Toes. This place has just enough sleaze to be taken seriously as a jazz bar, but not so much that one must shower after leaving it. House bands include Buster Brown, a fusion unit. and Phyrework, which can do credible knock-offs of everyone from Boz Scaggs to George Benson (5627 Dyer. 368-9706. Tue-Sun 8 pm-2 am. Closed Mon. TGIF Fri 4-7 pm. MC, V, AE.)
The Quiet Man. A great little unobtrusive neighborhood bar, the Quiet Man is especially popular with the blue leans and work shirt set It’s about the size of the men’s rooms at D/FW and is dimly lit, but the crowd is friendly The Quiet Man is an ideal place to talk (except outdoors during rush hour) and nurse a cheap drink (3120 Knox. 526-6180. Tue-Sat noon-2 am. Sun & Mon 4 pm-midnight. No credit cards.)
The Railhead. From the size of the crowds, you would think this was the only bar in Dallas to offer live entertainment without a cover charge The place begins to fill up by 8 p.m., sometimes earlier (depending on who’s playing), and is almost always standing room only The Railhead usually features good local talent, primarily comedians and popular music copy artists But no cover also means expensive drinks and mediocre service. (6919 Twin Hills. 369-8700. Sun & Mon 5:30 pm-1 am. Tue-Sat 5:30 pm-2 am Happy hour Mon-Fri 5-7. All credit cards.)
San Francisco Rose. A bright, laid-back place. adorned with greenery, a few couches and wing-back chairs. Salads, sandwiches and soups are pretty ordinary. (3024 Greenville. 826-2020. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am. Happy hour Mon-Fri 5-7. AE, MC, V, CB.)
6051 Club. This is still the place in Dallas for jazz, from the real thing to the fusion efforts of some of the younger groups The drinks are substantial, the atmosphere is cozy (if a bit too Formica-Fifties), and the music is generally exciting. (6051 Forest Lane. 661-3393. Thur-Sat 9 pm-2 am. MC, V)
The Sock Hop. This place obviously originated as a Fifties nostalgia bar in which the girls wore poodle skirts and white bobby socks and the guys had greasy hair and wore black leather |ackets What it has turned out to be is a pleasant, blue-collar singles bar with music provided by the likes of the Neon Glowboys, a rhythm and blues band with a Boz Scaggs-style sound. (2946 W Northwest Hwy. 352-6856 Tue-Sun 4 pm-2 am. Closed Mon.)
St. Martin’s. We’ve yet to find a more romantic bar than St Martin’s, it’s small, dark. candle-lit and cozy Music is frequently provided by a three- or four-piece chamber music ensemble And even if you don’t have a main squeeze, St. Martin’s is worth a visit for the food alone. (3020 Greenville. 826-0940. Mon-Fri 11 am-3 pm; Mon-Thur 5 pm-11 pm; Fri 5 pm-1 am: Sat 11 am-1 am, Sun noon-3 pm, 5-11 pm. All credit cards.)
Stoneleigh P. What can be said about the Stone-leigh P. that hasn’t been uttered already9 Suffice it to say that more advertising campaigns, radio jingles, magazine articles, films, poems and paintings have been planned in this L-shaped room than in any other public or private Dallas chamber The P breaks all the rules-the beer is sometimes less than teeth-cracking cold, the drinks are too small-and yet people continue to be seduced by the low-key intelligence of the place. (2926 Maple. 741-0824. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun noon-midnight. Happy hour Mon-Fri 4-7. AE.)
Strictly Ta-Bu. The Ta-Bu has an easy, no-problem intimacy that can only happen with time and the right crowd (the kind of atmosphere that new bars spend big bucks trying to buy, only to discover that they’ve wasted their money). You’ll find great pizza here, although the other food entries are only occasionally noteworthy and the drinks are average. Sometimes the music (jazz) gets a bit loud, depending on who is playing. (4111 Lomo Alto. 522-8101. Food served Mon-Thur 11 am-2:30 pm & 5 pm-mid-night, Fri 11 am-2:30 pm & 5 pm-1 am, Sat & Sun 6 pm-midnight. Bar open until 2 am Mon-Sat. MC, V, AE.)
Texas Tea House. The Tea House is a friendly, trendless c/w spot to drink beer and enjoy the harmony-lacking but good-natured Will Barnes Band. The beer is cold, the crowd is always rowdy and the bleachers (this is strictly a beer garden) aren’t too bad, unless the night is chilly. (3400 Kings Road 526-9171. Tue-Sat 8 pm-2 am. No credit cards.)
Vlckery Feed Store. The black-and-white tile and wood, and the spare use of old-time decorations and photos in this converted feed-and-seed store make for a nice, down-home atmosphere The imported beer selection is extensive, and there’s a deli counter in the back. (6918 Greenville. 363-9198. Daily 11 am-2 am, MC, V, AE.)
The White Elephant Saloon. In 1887, Luke Short, then the owner of the White Elephant, shot it out with a former U.S. marshal. Now the Elephant has c/w music six nights a week and a lot of tourists trying desperately to learn to two-step on a. small dance floor (106 E Exchange, Fort Worth. (817) 624-1887. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Closed Sun. MC, AE, V.)
The Wine Press. Obviously, The Wine Press is a great place to sample wine (the wine list consists of page after page of California. French. Italian and German wines). But unlike many other wine bars, The Wine Press also serves a full range of cocktails There’s also a great secluded, second-story loft.
(4217 Oak Lawn. 522-8720. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am. Sun noon-2 am. No reservations. MC, V, AE.)
FILM
Granada Theater. This month the Granada will feature several area premieres as part of its Cinema Brazil extravaganza Sept 15: “Joanna Francesa” with Jeanne Moreau and “Bye, Bye, Brazil ” Sept 22: Two sexual satires. “All Nudity Shall Be Punished” and “Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands.” Sept 29: Love and laughter with “A Lesson In Love” and “Bahia.” Granada Theater. 3524 Greenville. 823-9610.
Meadows School of the Arts. Sept 10: “Get Out Your Handkerchiefs” and “The 400 Blows ” Sept 11: “Get Out Your Handkerchiefs” and “Breathless.” Sept 12: “Get Out Your Handkerchiefs” and “Rules of the Game.” Sept 17: “A Touch of Class” and “My Man Godfrey” Sept 18: “A Touch of Class” and “His Girl Friday.” Sept 19: “A Touch of Class” and “Nothing Sacred.” Sept 24: “Seduction of Mimi” and “Bicycle Thief ” Sept 25: “Seduction of Mimi” and “Seduced and Abandoned.” Sept 26: “Seduction of Mimi” and “Battle of Algiers.” Showings are at 7 & 9 pm in the Bob Hope Theatre. Owen Arts Center. SMU campus. Tickets $2. 692-3090
University of Dallas. Sept 7: “Gigi” Sept 14: “Khartoum.” Sept 21: “Rebel Without a Cause ” Sept 28: “Farenheit 451 ” Showings are at 7:30 pm in Lynch Auditorium. UD campus, Irving. Tickets $1. 721-5225.
University of Texas at Dallas. Sept 1:“A Slave of Love ” Sept 3: “Small Change.” Sept 8: “Equus.” Sept 10: “Dear Inspector ” Sept 15: “Duck, You Sucker” Sept 17: “Lord of the Rings ” Sept 22: “Lacombe, Lucien. ” Sept 24: “The Devil’s Eye ” Sept 29: “Asphalt Jungle.” Showings are in the Founders North Auditorium, UTD campus. Richardson Tickets $2 general. $1 for over 65 and under 16, 50? for students with UTD ID. 690-2945.
THEATER
Bus Stop. William Inge’s 1955 comedy chronicles a fateful night spent by a busload of blizzard-stranded travelers in a Kansas highway café. The going gets pretty cozy in this fine piece of middle-American theatrical nostalgia Sept 15-Oct 17 at the Dallas Repertory Theatre, NorthPark Auditorium, North-Park. Wed-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Tickets $9, $7 50 students & over 65 Wed & Thur. 369-8966.
Frankenstein. Mary Shelley’s classic horror tale in an original adaptation by James Maynard, the puppet master whose giant creations have added wit and scale to his Hip Pocket versions of “King Kong’’ and “War of the Worlds.” The novel’s gothic excesses should be prime meat for this rambunctious and tirelessly original theater company Sept 24 through Halloween night at the Hip Pocket Theatre. 1620 Las Vegas Trail at Loop 820, Fort Worth Fri-Sun at 9 pm. General admission. $5; students and over 65. $4. under 12. $3. half-price Sun (817) 246-9928
The Miracle Worker. The material is heroic, but the treatment is TV slick in this 1959 drama by William Gibson about Anne Sullivan and her extraordinary pupil, Helen Keller. This is a Theater Center touring show from last season brought to town as a preseason hors d’oeuvre. Sept 9-25 at the Kalita Humphreys Theater, Dallas Theater Center. 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30; student matinee Sept 15. 20. 21 & 22 at 10:30 am Tickets, $8. $5 students 526-8857.
The 1940s Radio Hour. You might have thought that nostalgia seekers would have had their fill of dubiously “golden” ages this summer with Vietnam on one stage (“Hair”)and World War I (“Billy Bishop Goes to War”) on another. Here’s a chance to relive the good or times of World War II. This musical revue features such classic hits as “Blue Moon,” “That Old Black Magic” and “Chattanooga Choo-Choo. “Through Sept 4 at the Esquire Theatre, 3419 Oak Lawn Mon-Fri at 8:15 pm, Sat at 6 pm & 10 pm. Tickets $13 & $10 522-0551.
Nuts. In this year of the Hinckley verdict, this recent courtroom comedy-thriller by Tom Toper on the legal status of insane defendants acquires a certain piquancy. Stage No 1 begins its season true to its aim of bringing new and often controversial works to town. Sept 15-Oct 23 at Stage No 1, Greenville Avenue Theatre. 2914 Greenville. Wed-Fri at 8:15 pm,Sat at 5:30 pm & 9 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Tickets $10, Fri & Sat. $8 50. Wed. Thur & Sun 760-9542.
Rejoice, Dang It, Rejoice. Jerry Haynes repeats his celebrated impersonation of beloved Morning News columnist Paul Crume in this one-man show of his own devising Through Sept 11 at Theatre Three. The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30, Sun at 2 30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets $12 Fri & Sat. $9.50 Wed. Thur & Sun matinee; $8.50, Tue & Sun. 748-5191
The Sea Horse. Scene. A rundown waterfront bar. Time: after closing Characters: Gertrude, the tough-talking yet vulnerable, overweight owner, and Harry, a free spirit in sailor’s guise. Object: romance This piece of soft-edged naturalism won its author. Edward J. Moore, the Vernon Rice Drama Desk Award for Best New Playwright of 1974. Sept 3-Oct 23 at the New Arts Theatre. 702 Ross Ave at Market. Tue-Thur at 8. Fri & Sat at 8 30. Sun at 2:30. 761-9064.
Sex Kittens Go to College. Only the title remains from the Fifties Hollywood cheapie that inspired this collaboration of Johnny Simons (book and direction) and Douglas Balentine (music). This time, Academe is the target of the theatrical anarchists of the Hip Pocket Theatre, who have brought genuine off-off-Broadway lunacy to North Texas. Watch out: Segments of the outdoor performance will be in 3-D! (Glasses provided by the management). Through Sept 19 at the Hip Pocket Theatre. 1620 Las Vegas Trail at Loop 820. Fort Worth Fri-Sun at 9 pm. General admission $5: students and over 65 $4. children under 12 $3; half-price Sun. (817) 246-9928.
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Gorgeous, crushingly powerful music by Stephen Sondheim makes this 1979 Broadway version of a notorious 18th century melodrama the Mount Everest of musical comedy. The trick here is to strike a balance between the merry bloodletting and the deeply felt social criticism that runs through it all Jack Eddleman, who gave “The Gondoliers” its steely control and playful fussmess here last season, seems a good choice as director. Previews Sept 24. 25 & 26. Fri & Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm & 7 pm. Preview tickets, $8 Fri & Sat: $7 Sun. Sept 28-Nov 6 at Theatre Three, The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm & 7 pm. Tickets $12 Fri & Sat, $9.50 Wed. Thur & Sun matinee; $8.50 Tue & Sun. 748-5191
Whose Life Is It Anyway? Superior melodrama by Brian Clark about a young sculptor, paralyzed from the neck down in an auto accident, ironically fighting for his death in a London hospital. The theatrical fireworks display justifies the somewhat simple-minded debate on medical ethics. Sept 9-Oct 9 at Stage West. 821 W Vickery, Fort Worth Thur-Sat at 8:30 pm. Tickets $7.50 Sat. $7 Fri, $6 Thur. Dinner available Thur-Sat from 7 pm. (817) 332-6238.
MUSIC
Dallas Chamber Orchestra. Violist Ellen Rose appears as guest artist on the opening program of the 1982-83 season, performing Vivaldi’s Concerto lor Viola da Gamba. J.S. Bach’s Third Brandenburg Concerto, Vivaldi’s Concerto tor Three Violins and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. IX for Strings will round out the evening. Sept 26 at 7 pm at Caruth Auditorium, SMU campus. Tickets $7.50 826-6974 or 526-7380.
Dallas Classical Guitar Society. Guitarist Manuel Barrueco appears in recital Sept 14 at 8:15 pm at Caruth Auditorium. SMU campus. Tickets $8.75. 343-3709.
Dallas Symphony Orchestra. This year’s season opener is an all-Russian program conducted by music director Eduardo Mata and featuring Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije Suite and Piano Concerto No. 2 (with soloist Horacio Gutierrez), and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony. Sept 2 & 4 at 8:15 pm. Violinist Dylana Jensen joins Mata and the orchestra one week later for an all-French program including Debussy’s Petite Suite, Saint-Saens’ Third Violin Concerto and Berlioz’s “Symphonie Fantastique.” Sept 10 & 11 at 8:15 pm. Mata conducts Chavez’s “Sinfonia de Antigona,” Ginastera’s “Variaciones Concertantes,” Copland’s “Billy the Kid,” and Falla’s “El Amor Brujo,” with soprano Nati Mistral. Sept 16 & 18 at 8:15 pm and Sept 19 at 2:30 pm. Violinist Shlomo Mintz highlights the last weekend of the month, performing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 2 on a program also featuring the American premiere of Richard Strauss’ Symphony in D Minor and selections from Wagners “Goetterdaemer-ung,” all conducted by Mata. Sept 23 & 25 at 8:15 pm Tickets $14 50-$5.50. Violinist Nathan Milstein appears in recital Sept 30 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $17 50-$6. All events at Fair Park Music Hall. 692-0203.
Fort Worth Opera. Soprano Leontyne Price appears in recital with pianist David Garvey. Sept 23 at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre, 1111 Houston St, Fort Worth. Tickets $25$4. 429-1181 or (817) 731-0833.
Fort Worth Symphony. Violinist Itzhak Perlman appears in recital with pianist Sam Sanders. Sept 8 at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre. 1111 Houston St, Fort Worth. Tickets $20-$8. (817) 921-2676.
Meadows School of the Arts. Larry Palmer presents a harpsichord recital Sept 13 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $3. 692-2628. Guest artist Peter LeHuray performs an organ recital Sept 19 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $6. 692-2643. Ross Powell, clarinetist, appears in recital Sept 20 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $3. 692-2628. Pianist William Blaine plays for the benefit of the Music Scholarship Fund Sept 21 at 8:15 pm. Tickets $50-$6. 692-2643. Two Rice University faculty members, violist Wayne Crouse and pianist John Schneider, present a guest recital Sept 27 at 8:15 pm. Free. 692-2643. Howard Dunn conducts a concert of the SMU Wind Ensemble Sept 30 at 8:15 pm. Free. 692-2628. All events are in Caruth Auditorium, SMU campus.
Paris Concerts. A new guest artist series will open this month, shared with four other Texas cities and featuring musicians based in Paris. The first recital on the series presents pianist Bruno Pietri playing Beethoven’s Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 (“Wald-stein”), Liszt’s “Vallee d’Oberman,” Three Pieces from Messiaen’s “Vingt Regards sur I’enfant Jesus” (“Twenty Meditations on the Christ-Child”), and Rachmaninoff’s Preludes, Op. 23, Nos. 2, 4, 5, 7 and 10. Sept 12 at 4 pm at Caruth Auditorium, SMU campus. Tickets $12. 265-0708 or (713) 531-0673.
Texas Christian University. Pianist Donna Edwards presents a faculty recital Sept 20 at 8 pm at Landreth Auditorium, University at W Cantey, Fort Worth. TCU’s Bach series begins its fourth year with the Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Harpsichord, Cantata 160, the Sonata in G Major tor Viola da Gamba, and the Trio Sonata for Flute, Violin and Basso Continuo in G Major. Sept 21 at 7:30 pm at the Kimbell Art Museum, 1101 Will Rogers Road West. Free. (817)921-2676.
ART
e.e. cummings. Remembered as the poet who banished upper-case letters from his name as well as his poetry, cummings was also an oil painter and watercolorist of great skill, as this exhibit of 35 of his paintings attests. McDermott Library, University of Texas at Dallas. 2601 N Floyd Road. Sept 8-Oct 12. Mon-Fri 9-noon, 1-5. 690-2293.
Rick Maxwell: Constructed Paintings. Lively pat-terns and vivid colors dominate these works by an artist who also employs aquarium paper, theatrical fabrics, prism tape and other materials to evoke the Chicano-Vietnamese ambiance of his East Dallas neighborhood. DW Gallery, 3305 McKinney. Sept 11-Oct 7. Tue-Sat 11-5. 526-3240.
Body Language: Figurative Aspects of Recent Art. epresentational painting and sculpture are “in” again; here is a survey of work by 20 of the energetic and occasionally angry young mavericks who have led the uprising against abstraction. Fort Worth Art Museum, 1309 Montgomery. Sept 11-Oct 24Tue 10-9, Wed-Sat 10-5,Sun 1-5.(817)738-9215.
Michael Lucero, James Surls, Italo Scanga. A sculptor who builds his works of clay shards and two who carve wood create sometimes wild, sometimes whimsical visions of the human figure. Delahunty Gallery, 2701 Canton St. Sept 11-Oct 27. Tue-Sat 10-5. 744-1346.
Mark Lavatelli: Mainstream Abstractions. Oil paint, laid on in thick, colorful patches, dominates and even dictates the shape of these canvases by a Dallas artist. Mattingly Baker Gallery, 3000 McKinney. Sept 11-Oct 7. Mon-Sat 10-6. 526-0031.
Between Friends: Selections from the Collections of the Amon Carter Museum and the Thomas Qllcrease Institute of American History and Art. For the first time ever. Tulsa’s Gilcrease Museum has loaned out a number of its marvelous collection of Remingtons, Russells and other masterpieces of the early West. Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Through Sept 12. Tue-Sat 10-5. Sun 1-5:30. (817) 738-1933.
Counterparts: Form and Emotion In Photographs. More than 100 master photographs from the collection of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art have been arranged by twos and threes to bring out surprising formal and emotional relationships. Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Fair Park. Through Sept 13. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 421-4188.
The Votive Tradition: Treasures of Buddhist Sculpture from Japan. This month, some 50 Japanese Buddhist devotional sculptures from the seventh to the 13th century will be on exhibit at the Kimbell Art Museum. Carved from wood and cast in bronze, seven of the works on display are classified by the Japanese government as national treasures. The exhibit marks the Kimbell’s 10th anniversary. It is the first international exhibition ever organized by the Kimbell and it will be seen in only one other U.S. museum, the Japan House Gallery in New York. Kimbell Art Museum, 1101 Will Rogers Road West, Fort Worth. Through Oct 31. Tue-Sat 10-5. Sun 1-5. (817)332-8451.
ENLIGHTENMENT
SEMINARS, EVENTS, ETC.
Book and Author Luncheon. New and current works will be featured at this luncheon sponsored by the Dallas Wellesley Club. Authors will include P.D. James, an English mystery writer: Howard Fast, author of “The Immigrants”; and G. Edward White, a law professor at the University of Virginia and author of the recent Earl Warren biography. A fourth author has not been decided upon. Sept 25 at noon in the Fairmont Hotel ballroom. Ross Avenue at Akard. Tickets $22.50. 368-7887.
Cystic Fibrosis Canoe Races. These 20-mile and 100-mile canoe races on the Trinity River will benefit the Northeast Texas Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Races will start at 10 am Sept 25 at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. Entry fee for 20-mile race: $10 in advance, $15 day of the race. Fee for 100-mile race: $25 in advance. $35 day of the race. 826-7800 or 263-7299.
Helen Corbitt Lecture on Excellence. Anthropologist Douglas Schwartz, president of the School of American Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico, will speak on “Excellence and Change in the Culture of China.” Sept 23 at 8 pm in Lynch Auditorium, UTD campus, Irving. Free. 721-5225.
Kappa Alpha Theta Designers Showcase. This year, the Neiman-Topletz home will be showcased. Once the home of Carrie Neiman, a founder of Neiman-Marcus, the house is presently owned by Jack Topletz, a well-known Dallas businessman. Sept 11 -19 at the Neiman-Topletz home. 5803 Swiss Ave. Tickets $5 in advance, $6 at the door. 369-6248.
Transit Through the Piney Woods. Ride a steam engine through the piney woods and East Texas towns of Palestine and Rusk. Sept 12 at 8:30 am, Braniff Tower. UD campus, Irving. Tickets $35. 721-5225.
Wild West Fest. The 500, Inc. will present Western-style family entertainment at the Big D Ranch.Festivities will include hot air balloons, a chili cook-off, stagecoach rides, gunfighters and a crafts demonstration. Proceeds will benefit the arts in Dallas.Sept 11 from 10 am-7 pm. Take I-45 south to MalloyBridge Road exit. Tickets $2.50 in advance: at thegate $3.50 adults, $2.50 children. 746-7200.
