Thursday, March 28, 2024 Mar 28, 2024
73° F Dallas, TX
Advertisement
Publications

January Events OPENERS

By D Magazine |

PUMPED-UP MUSICAL

The new Majestic Broadway Series (presented by the Dallas Theater Center and PACE Theatrical Group) officially begins its season this month with the Broadway hit Pump Boys and Dinettes, a self-proclaimed “high-octane” musical with pickup, if not much under the hood. Last month’s MBS production of Greater Tuna set the tone for the season’s lineup: big-time, slick entertainment with substance. Pump Boys lacks substance, but in a benign way.

In Frog Level, North Carolina, the four pump boys at the gas station and the two Cupp sisters at the Double Cupp diner are serving up and cranking out country music, gospel, ballads and blues in celebration of the simple things in life. The show is tuneful, and some songs-such as one young man’s sorrowful wail, The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine-are infectious. Still, for all the fun, it’s hard to believe that Pump Boys received a Tony nomination for best musical in 1982.

Jan. 3-8 at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tue-Fri at 8 p.m., Sat at 5 & 9 p.m., Sun at 2:30 & 7 p.m. Tickets $20 & $14, available at Ticketron outlets or at the Dallas Theater Center box office. 526-8857.

-Tim Allis



WINE, WOMEN AND SONG

The Dallas Chamber Orchestra has built its reputation on interpretations of serious European music. This month, the 15-member, conductorless string ensemble moves in a slightly different direction, offering contemporary American and lighthearted European music in a program entitled Wine, Women and Song.

The champagne of Johann Strauss’ waltzes will provide the evening’s wine. Leonard Bernstein’s Serenade for solo violin and orchestra (a work inspired by Plato’s dialogue of erotic love, the Symposium) will presumably represent the second item on the list. Although no one will actually sing, Samuel Barber’s intensely lyrical Adagio for strings will stand for song. The orchestra’s director and concertmaster, Ronald Neal, is scheduled to perform as soloist for the Bernstein Serenade.

Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. at Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $8. 826-6974.

-Wayne Lee Gay



AMERICAN ORIGINALS



The most important event in the history of American art was probably the 1913 Armory Show in New York City. Before that show, this country had practiced a kind of cultural isolationism for more than a century. Then suddenly the gates opened, and the Matisses and Duchamps and Picassos came flooding into the United States. It was a cultural jolt, and several decades passed before native artists fully absorbed it.

The Lane Collection of 20th-century paintings, selections of which are on display at the Amon Carter Museum, documents this upheaval, tracking its effects through the works of a number of artists just as a seismograph charts a geological fault. Eight canvases by Georgia O’Keeffe alone cover a period from 1916 to 1955. Arthur G. Dove is represented by no less than 23 paintings from 1911 to 1944; Charles Sheeler by 15 (1912 to 1955); Stuart Davis by 12 (1911 to 1962).

These were the decades during which American art came of age and American artists developed a truly indigenous style. This exhibit culminates, appropriately, with the paintings of Arshile Gorky-works that point the way to the post-World War II triumph of abstract expressionism. Yet this exhibit, organized by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, is not merely an exercise in artistic genealogy. Artists Max Weber, John Marin, Lyonel Feininger and Charles Demuth were more than pioneers and precursors; they were American originals, and their works remain full of vibrant life.



The Lane Collection: Twentieth-Century Paintings in the American Tradition. Jan. 7-March 4 at the Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5:30.(817)738-1933.

-Ken Barrow



D’s Openers include this month’s theater, music, film, sports, art, dance, enlightenment and recreation events, as well as a list of the top nightlife establishments in Dallas. These listings are updated and supplemented each month. They have nothing whatsoever to do with paid advertising.

All events listings should be addressed to the Openers editor. They must be received at least seven weeks before publication.

Credit card notations: MC/MasterCard, V/Visa, AE/American Express, DC/Diners Club, CB/Carte Blanche. “All credit cards” indicates that all five cards are accepted.



ART



Bill Kane. By combining blown-up black-and-white photographs of urban graffiti with flashing neon tubes, Kane reinforces and energizes spontaneous gestures of protest with his own elegant calligraphy. Foster Goldstrom, 2722 Fairmount. Jan 21-Feb 29. Tue-Sat 10:30-5:30.744-0711.

Dan Allison. Quirky and bizarre yet highly skillful, the aquatint etchings of this Houston artist have earned him a national reputation as one of the most talented young printmakers in the country. Gallery One, 4935 Byers, Fort Worth. Through Jan 28. Tue-Fri 10-5, Sat 10-2. (817)737-9566.

Hot off the Press. Readers and writers aren’t the only ones to benefit from the invention of printing; this show presents lithographs, etchings and even whole books printed by and under the direction of visual artists. Mat-tingly Baker Gallery, 3000 McKinney. Through Jan 5. Tue-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5. 526-0031.

James Surls. Texas’ Old Man of the Woods is still at it: carving, sawing, hacking and shaping sculptures that have the air of forest spirits brought to life, of tree and tendril striding purposefully across the gallery floor. Delahunty Gallery, 2701 Canton. Jan 21-Feb 29. Tue-Sat 10-5. 744-1346.

Joyce Tenneson. The artist prints her negatives on hand-sensitized paper and restricts tones to the lightest grays, producing photographic prints with all the delicacy of pencil drawings. Afterimage, 2800 Routh in the Quadrangle, Suite 151. Jan 10-Mar 3. Mon-Sat 10-5:30. 748-2521.

Judy Rhymes. Rhymes, who hails from Santa Fe, works in watercolor and gouache, inventing her own strange world populated by unusual creatures that can evoke some ancient ritual or perhaps just conjure up a chuckle. Nimbus, 1135 Dragon St. Through Jan 15. Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 11-4. 742-1348.

Presenting Nine. Supported by funds from the Mc-Murray Foundation, art consultant Murray Smither, curator Sue Graze and D-Art director Patricia Meadows chose this show of works by nine outstanding Dallas women artists. D-Art Visual Art Center, 2917 Swiss Ave. Jan 5-29. Mon, Fri & Sat 9-5, Sun 1 -5, Tue-Thur 9 am-9:45 pm. 821-2522.

Roberto Munguia. In a show entitled “Conversions,” this Dallas artist displays his latest paper constructions, exotic works saturated with tropical color and extravagant forms. Also on display are Stephen Shore’s color photographs of Monet’s garden at Giverny. Mat-tingly Baker, 3000 McKinney. Jan 7-Feb 2 Tue-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5. 526-0031.

Sid Richardson Collection. Here’s a prime collection of Remingtons and Russells full of rip-roaring action in a prime location: amid the restored 19th-century splendor of Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth. Sid Richardson Collection, 309 Main, Fort Worth. Continuing show. Tue-Fri 10-5, Sat 11-6, Sun 1-5. (817) 332-6554.

Thomas Gainsborough. The 18th-century English portraitist escapes his formality a bit in an enchanting show of drawings chosen by the director of London’s National Portrait Gallery and supplemented by a selection of the master’s paintings from the Kimbell’s own collection. Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Through Feb 19. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (817) 332-8451.

20th-century Drawings. Selected from private collections and the museum’s own holdings, this exhibit completes a cycle of drawing exhibits at the Amon Carter and Kimbell museums. Fort Worth Art Museum, 1309 Montgomery. Through Jan 15. Tue 10-9, Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (817)738-9215.



Sculpture Garden

The new Dallas Museum of Art doesn’t open its doors until Jan. 29, but the sculpture garden that surrounds the museum has been welcoming visitors since October. Ellsworth Kelly’s specially commissioned untitled stainless steel sculpture stands in one of the alcoves like a big silver tent. Scott Burton’s pink granite settee, convenient for sitting and handsome for viewing, has been acquired for the collection, as has Robert Graham’s bronze nude, Cherie. Other sculptures have been moved from the old Fair Park location, and they’ve never looked so good. The DMA’s garden walls are washed by cascading water; 60 live oak trees soften the crisp contours of Edward Barnes’ design, and the city’s burgeoning skyline provides a dramatic backdrop. Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood. Continuing exhibit. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 922-0220.

Victor Mira. The simple, linear figures in Mira’s canvases can be traced back 14,000 years to the famous cave paintings of his native Spain, but the raw energy and dark poetry are strictly Mira’s own. Meadows Gallery, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Through Jan 22. Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 692-2516.

Yoshiko Schranil. Porcelain, that most aristocratic of ceramic materials, and celadon, the most elegant of glazes, are combined into vases of subtle form by this Japanese-born artist, a ceramics instructor at SMU. Also on display are bright, lively paintings and drawings by Gail Norfleet, which are based on folk art from the artist’s own collection. DW Gallery, 3200 Main. Through Jan 14. Tue-Sat 11-5. 939-0045.



THEATER



Charlotte Sweet. This light and lively musical story set in darkest Victorian England is about an innocent soprano who is bartered to a troupe of strolling players with freak voices. This musical was recently nominated for two Drama Desk awards in New York. Jan 3-Feb 5 at Theatre Three, 2800 Routh in the Quadrangle. Tue-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7 pm. Tickets $13.50 Fri & Sat; $11 Tue-Thur & Sun. 871-3300.

The Dining Room. Playwright A.R. Gurney sees the American dining room as the first and last bastion of a dying breed: the upper-middle class family. In this hilarious play about changing times, three men and three women switch roles – from father to son, daughter to dinner guest and so on – in dining rooms everywhere. Jan 25-Feb 26 at the Plaza Theatre, 6719 Snider Plaza. Tue-Sun at 8:15 pm, Sun matinee at 2:30 pm. Tickets $16-$14 Fri & Sat; $13-$11 Tue-Thur & Sun; $10 & $9 Sun matinee. 363-7000.

Galileo. Under the direction of new artistic director Adrian Hall, the Dallas Theater Center opens its season with this provocative play by German playwright Ber-tolt Brecht, translated by Charles Laughton. In the new age of reason, Galileo is condemned by the church for his heretical teaching that the earth revolves around the sun, instead of the other way around. Brought before the Inquisition, he addresses the subject of reason with much to say to people of all times. Jan 17-Feb 19 at Dallas Theater Center, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri at 8:30 pm, Sat at 4 & 8:30 pm. Sun at 2:30 pm. Tickets $14.50 & $13 Fri & Sat evening; $12.50 & $11 Tue-Thur, Sat matinee & Sun. 526-8857.

Mass Appeal. Stage #1’s artistic director, Jack Clay, directs this sharp, funny two-man play about a sly old priest who wants only to please his congregation, and his pupil, an incisive young seminarian who calls the good father’s bluff. A delightful battle of wits. Jan 18-Feb 26 at Stage #1, Greenville Avenue Theatre, 2914 Greenville. Wed-Fri at 8:15 pm, Sat at 5:30 & 9 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Tickets $10 Fri & Sat; $8.50 Wed, Thur & Sun. 824-2552.

Offsides. The subject of this farce by hometown playwrights Barry Chambers and John Addington is football fans (as in fanatics) and the breadth of their zeal. Two very different couples – one from Texas, the other from California – meet repeatedly in a downtown Dallas hotel room for a football triathlon (Texas/OU weekend, the Cotton Bowl and the Super Bowl), and their encounters prove more entertaining than anything on the gridiron. Through Jan 28 at Calm Eddy’s, 2612 Commerce at Good-Latimer. Fri & Sat at 8 pm. The Pezz comedy troupe performs at 10 pm. Tickets $5. 747-1131.

Quilters. The life of an American frontier woman was Spartan and diligent, but it certainly wasn’t one-dimensional. Quilting was a chore, a record of history and an art. In this innovative musical by Molly Newman and Barbara Damashek, quilting is also the poetic device that lends color, form and voice to these women’s hopes and sorrows. The adroit Jenna Worthen directs. Through Jan 8 at Stage #1, Greenville Avenue Theatre, 2914 Greenville. Wed-Fri at 8:15 pm. Sat at 5:30 & 9 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Tickets $10 Fri & Sat; $8.50 Wed, Thur & Sun. 824-2552.

The Sorrows of Stephen. Poor Stephen Hurt is a hopeless romantic, and he knows it. So do the many women whom he drives crazy. A comedy of New York pace with a New York mentality and lots of laughs. Jan 12-Feb 18 at New Arts Theatre, 702 Ross at Market. Wed & Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $10.50 Fri & Sat; $7.50 Wed, Thur &Sun. 761-9064.



MUSIC



American Guild of Organists. The Dallas chapter of the guild presents guest organist Calvin Hampton performing his own transcription of Grieg’s “Peer Gynt” Suite and works by J.S. Bach, Franck and Hampton. Jan 20 at 8:15 pm at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, 9200 Inwood, Tickets $6. 821-3450.

BL Lacerta. Dallas’ improvisatory chamber ensemble joins the poets-actors-musicians-philosophers of Victor Dada for a performance titled “1984. It’s HERE.” Jan 6 & 7 at 8 pm at the Bath House Cultural Center, 521 East Lawther. Tickets $6.50. 328-8427.

Cliburn Foundation. Flutist Carol Wincenc and harpsichordist Kenneth Cooper perform music by J.C. Bach, J.S. Bach, C.F. Abel, Giardini, Jackson, Fischer, Scarlatti, Debussy and Paget. Jan 24 at 8 pm at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tickets $10. (817)738-6509.

Dallas Bach Orchestra. The annual New Year’s Eve Concert includes Bach’s Cantata 51 with soprano Ruth Sieber, the Fourth Brandenburg Concerto and other works by Bach and Handel. Dec 31 at 10 pm at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 6306 Kenwood. Tickets $7.50-$5. 821-3086.



Solo by Stern



Renowned violinist Isaac Stern’s numerous Dallas appearances have won him tremendous admiration from local music lovers. Stern, who by any standard is one of the most important musicians of our time, returns to Dallas this month for a special solo recital benefiting the B’nai B’rith SMU Music Scholarship fund. Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. at McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. Tickets $250-$12. 692-2643 or 691-6190.

Dallas Chamber Music Society. The Bartok Quartet will present Haydn’s Quartet, Op. 64, No. 5; Bartok’s Second Quartet; and Beethoven’s Quartet, Op. 131. Jan 23 at 8:15 pm at Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $6. 526-7301 or 324-1359.

Dallas Civic Music Association. Violinist Pierre Amoyal appears in recital Jan 16 at 8:15 pm at McFarlin Auditorium. SMU. Tickets $25-$4. 526-6870.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Eduardo Mala conducts all concerts this month, beginning with a program including J.C. Bach’s Sinfonia in B-flat, Op. 18, No. 2; Ginastera’s Violin Concerto with soloist Ruggiero Ricci; Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra; and Richard Strauss’ “Til Eulenspiegel,” Jan 5 & 7 at 8:15 pm. A matinee will feature the same program with Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, substituting for the Ginastera and Schubert’s “Unfinished” Symphony in place of the Schoenberg, Jan 8 at 2:30 pm. The next week brings Barber’s Overture to “The School for Scandal,” Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D with soloist Ida Hanedal, Brahms’ Variations on a Theme of Haydn and Liszt’s “Mephisto Waltz,” Jan 12 and 14 at 8:15 pm. Yefim Bronfman performs Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, and mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos sings Ravel’s “Sheherazade Songs” in a concert also including Beethoven’s “Egmont” Overture and Ravel’s “Rapsodie espagnole,” Jan 20 & 21 at 8:15 pm. Pianist Peter Serkin performs J.S. Bach’s Concerto in F minor and Stravinsky’s Capriccio for piano and orchestra in a program also featuring Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 in D minor and J.S. Bach’s Third Brandenburg Concerto, Jan 26 & 28 at 8:15 pm. All concerts at the Music Hall, Fair Park. Tickets $15-$6. 692-0203.

Dallas Symphony SuperPops. Ben Vereen opens the 1984 SuperPops on Jan 13, followed by Red Skelton on Jan 27. Both concerts at 8 pm at Fair Park Music Hall. Tickets $18-$8. 692-0203.

Fort Worth Opera. Soprano Diana Soviero joins tenor John Fowler and baritone Timothy Noble under stage director Bernard Uzan and conductor Angelo Campon for Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly.” Jan 13 at 8 pm and Jan 15 at 2:30 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theater. 1111 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $30-$10. (817) 731-0833.

Fort Worth Symphony. Doc Severinsen appears in a Pops concert Jan 6 & 7 at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theater, 1111 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $18-$10. Philippe Entremont appears as pianist and conductor with the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra in an all-Mozart concert (featuring the Divertimento, the Piano Concerto No. 21 in C and the Posthorn Serenade), Jan 16 at 8 pm at Irons Recital Hall, UTA, Cooper at Second, Arlington, and Jan 17 at 8 pm at Ed Landreth Auditorium, TCU, University at Cantey, Fort Worth. Tickets $7.50 for Arlington; $12-$8 for Fort Worth. John Giordano conducts the Fort Worth Symphony with guest soloist Janos Starker performing Lalo’s Cello Concerto in D minor in a concert also featuring Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Jan 28 at 8 pm and Jan 29 at 3 pm, also at Tarrant County Convention Center Theater. Tickets $15-$5. (817) 926-8831.

Meadows School of the Arts. Violinist Isaac Stern performs a recital for the benefit of the SMU B’nai B’rith Scholarship Fund, Jan 25 at 8:15 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $250-$12. 484-4000 or 692-2643. Pianist Charles Joseph appears with the Meadows School’s new music ensemble, Perspectives, in a concert featuring music by Berg, Copland, Kurtz, Erb and Varese, Jan 31 at 8:15 pm at Caruth Auditorium. Owen Arts Center, SMU Free. 692-2628.

Walden Chamber Music Series. Members of the Dallas Symphony perform chamber music Jan 29 at 7:30 pm at First Unitarian Church, 4015 Normandy. Tickets $6. 528-3990.



FILM



Granada Theatre. Jan 1-5: “Nudo di Donna” at 7:15 & 9:30 daily (Fri-Sun matinees at 2:45 & 5 pm). Premiere. Jan 6 & 7: “Naughty Network’ at 7:30 pm (Sat matinees at 1 & 4:15 pm) and “Café Flesh” at 9 pm (Sat matinees at 2:30 & 5:45 pm). Jan 8 & 9: “Conduct Unbecoming” at 7:30 pm (Sun matinee at 3:15 pm) and “Gallipoli” at 9:30 pm (Sun matinees at 1 & 5:15 pm). Jan 10 & 11: “Alsino and the Condor” at 7:15 & 9 pm. Premiere. Jan 12: “Wasn’t That a Time!” at 7:15 pm and “Say Amen Somebody” at 9 pm. Jan 13 & 14: “Harold and Maude” at 7:15 pm (Sat matinee at 3:30 pm) and “King of Hearts” at 9 pm (Sat matinees at 1:30 & 5:15 pm). Jan 15 &16: “Seven Brides tor Seven Brothers” at 7:15 pm (Sun matinee at 3:15 pm) and “Singin’ in the Rain” at 9:15 pm (Sun matinees at 1:15 & 5:15 pm). Jan 17 & 18: ean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless” (1959) at 7:15 pm and Jim McBride’s “Breathless” (1983) at 9 pm. Jan 19: “Desperate Living” at 7:15 pm and “Polyester” at 9 pm. Jan 20 & 21: “Atlantic City” at 7:15 pm (Sat matinee at 3 pm) and “My Dinner With Andre” at 9:15 pm (Sat matinee at 5 pm). Jan 22 & 23: “Gone With the Wind” at 7:15 pm (Sun matinee at 3 pm). Jan 24-26: “The White Rose” at 7:15 & 9:30 pm. Premiere. Jan 27-Feb 2: “Heads or Tails” at 7:15 & 9:15 pm daily (Sat & Sun matinees at 1:15. 3:15 & 5:15 pm). Premiere. Granada Theatre, 3524 Greenville, Tickets $3.50; $2 for persons under 12 or 65 and older; $4 for premieres and special showings. 823-9610.

Omni Theater. The Great Barrier Reef,” a stunning underwater documentary, is making its Southwest premiere at Fort Worth’s unique Omni Theater, which has a huge concave screen, tilted seats and the unusual Omnimax proiection system, permitting the viewer to be surrounded by sound and visual images. Through Jan 31 at Omni Theater, Fort Worth Museum of Science and Natural History, 1501 Montgomery, Fort Worth. Showings Tue-Thur at 1, 2, 7 & 8 pm; Fri at 1, 2, 7, 8 & 9 pm; Sat at 11 am, noon, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 & 9 pm; Sun at 2.3,4, 7 & 8 pm. Tickets $4 for adults, $2.50 for senior citizens and children 12 and under; available at Ticketron outlets and the museum box office. (817) 732-1631 for information; metro 265-0789 for reservations.



ENLIGHTENMENT



Dallas Public Library. “The 1984 Exhibit.” a display showing ways in which George Orwell’s book, “1984,” was both prophetic and incorrect, is on view Jan 15-March 25 in the Central Dallas Public Library’s plaza level Community Showcase. Free. Mon-Thur 9-9, Fri & Sat 9-5. Sun 1-5. 749-4361 or 749-4100.

Isthmus Institute. Albert C. Outler, Ph.D., research professor of religion at Texas Wesleyan, presents “Power and Grace,” a discussion aimed at the analysis of the forces of power and grace that influence human self-understanding and fulfillment. Jan 21 at 9 am at Gooch Auditorium, UT Health Science Center, 5323 Harry Hines. Tickets $50. 698-8824.

SMU. In the second of SMU’s four-part Distinguished Lecture Series, former under-Secretary of State George Ball, a specialist in international law, will lecture on U.S.-world relations Jan 24 at 8 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. 692-3329.

University of Dallas. In conjunction with the opening of the new Dallas Museum of Art, the University of Dallas’ 1984 Eugene McDermott lecture will present Seymour Slive, Gleason Professor of Fine Arts and director emeritus of Harvard University’s Fogg Art Museum. Slive, a leading authority on 17th-century Dutch art, will lecture on “Rembrandt’s Self Portraits.” Jan 31 at 8 pm in the new Dallas Museum of Art auditorium, 1717 N Harwood. Free; reservations required. 721-5225.



SPORTS



Dallas Mavericks. Reunion Arena. Home game tickets $8, $6 & $4; available at Rainbow-Ticketmaster outlets, Sears stores or Reunion Arena box office. Games start at 7:35 pm unless otherwise noted. 988-0117.

Jan 4 vs Seattle

11 vs Utah

13 vs Portland

15 vs Denver (2:35 pm)

20 vs Utah

25 vs Golden State



NIGHTLIFE

ENTERTAINMENT/DANCING



Boardwalk Beach Club. This place is a pleasant, if fast-paced, mixture of opposites. The club’s drawing card is Fifties and Sixties music, but patrons here are mostly under-30 singles. Next to the South Seas mural on one wall, space has been cleared for a dance floor. but strangely enough, hardly anyone dances. (We say “strangely enough” because the club’s sound system is so loud that either speaking or listening appears to be impossible.) Drinks are pretty solid here, but the snail-like service may hamper your enjoyment of them. (6332 La Vista. 823-5340. Daily 10 am-2 am. MC, V, AE.)

Confetti. One man’s eclecticism is another man’s clutter, and this may be the most eclectic bar in Dallas. Dangling bicycles, zigzag neon and poster-plastered walls reveal a theme bar that couldn’t decide on a theme. If 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 ranges from Fifties doo-wah to Eighties do-whatever. (5201 Matilda off Lovers Lane. 369-6969 or 369-697?’. Mon-Thur 4:30 pm-2 am, Fri 4:30 pm-4 am, Sat 7 pm-4 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. Weekend cover $3. All credit cards.)

Longhorn Ballroom. So what if it’s crowded and smoky, the cover’s too high and 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, but you might as well plan on coming home with bruised toenails (those cowboys can be real oafs). (216 Corinth at Industrial. 428-3128. Wed-Sun 7 pm-2 am. All credit cards.)

Poor David’s Pub. After considerable deliberation, Poor David moved his hole-in-the-wall folk music establishment from its longtime McKinney Avenue location to the lights of Lower Greenville. But he didn’t leave behind his commitment to solid live music. Kerrville Folk Festival regulars, including legendary folk singers Odetta and Tom Paxton, appear often, as do Steve Fromholz, Shake Russell and John Vandiver. We miss the coffeehouse look of mismatched tables and dinette chairs, but the new version still retains much of Poor David’s old flair. (1924 Greenville. 821-9891. Mon & Wed-Sat 4 pm-2 am, Tue & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Cover varies. No credit cards.)

Ravel’s. This cavernous singles bar may remind you of a bad 1967 sci-fi movie version of “The Future.” Track lights cut through the smoky blackness, beaming down like searchlights from a spaceship. Music video screens are everywhere. The well drinks are expensive, and the service can be slow, even when the room is mostly empty. But if you dance up an appetite, you can satisfy it under the same roof (Ravel’s is also part restaurant, offering a limited but pricey menu). (Registry Hotel, 1520 Dallas Pkwy. 991-6923. Mon-Fri 5 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun 6 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 5-8 pm. All credit cards.)

Studebaker’s. This latest offering in nostalgic dance bars with car themes gets its name from the bright red Studebaker at one end of the dance floor. Studebaker’s disc jockey favors hits from the fabulous Fifties and Sixties (the club doesn’t play any music recorded after 1969), and the waitresses wear poodle skirts and saddle oxfords. It all makes for a boppin’ good time. (8788 N Central Expwy in NorthPark East. 696-2475. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 4 pm-2 am. Dress code after 4 pm. MC, V, AE.)

Tim Ballard’s. North Dallasites are missing out on a good thing if they pass up this jazz bar on the Lemmon Avenue strip. It’s perfect for a late-afternoon chat over drinks. Perfect, that is, until the band heats up around 9 o’clock. Then it’s time to sit back, cut the chatter and enjoy the jazz that is the club’s drawing card. On the minus side, service is haphazard, and the drinks are expensive for what you get. (3524 Inwood at Lemmon. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am, Sat & Sun 6 pm-2 am. 559-3050. MC. V, AE.)



NIGHTLIFE

DRINKING



Elght-O. This still gets our vote for the most original bar in town. The sanitarium-green walls don’t seem quite as shocking now as when the Eight-0 first opened its New Wave doors more than two years ago, but the atmosphere is still spirited; the clientele, fascinating; and the jukebox, bitchin’. (2800 Routh in the Quadrangle, Suite 125. 871-1180. Mon-Sat 11:30 am-2 am, Sun 6 pm-2 am. Live jazz at lunch Wed-Sat. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-7 pm. MC, V.AE.)

Joe Miller’s. This is a perfect late-afternoon bar for friendly conversation: It’s easy on the background music, soft on the lights and hard on the sledgehammer drinks that, along with the media crowd, have helped build Joe’s substantial reputation. But watch that third drink. (3531 McKinney. 521-2261 Mon-Fri noon-2 am, Sat 6 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.)

Mariano’s. If nachos and frozen margaritas are your passion, this is the place for you. Mariano’s remodeled bar is a bright, airy place to enjoy some of the best Tex-Mex munchies in town. The margaritas are so good that the mix is available for sale. Need we say more? (5500 Greenville. 691-3888. Mon-Thur 11:30 am-midmght, Fri & Sat 11:30 am-2 am. Sun 11 am-midnight. Happy hour: Mon-Sat 11:30 am-7 pm, Sun noon-7 pm. MC, V.AE.)

St. Martin’s. St. Martin’s has been among our favorite romantic nightspots for a long time. We don’t know of another place in town with such unassuming class, good service, pleasant classical music and such an intelligent selection of wines. (3020 Greenville. 826-0940. L unch: Mon-Fri 11 -3, Sat 11 -5, dinner: Mon-Thur 5-11, Fri & Sat 5 pm-1 am, Sun 5-11 pm. All credit cards.)

The Wine Press. This is the perfect place to go on a chilly, damp winter night – or any time when you’re looking for romance, intimacy and spirits. The Wine Press is decorated with wine bottles from floor to ceiling on almost every wall. The atmosphere is low-key and elegantly casual; the service, friendly but not hovering; the wine selection, extensive – to say the least. (4217 Oak Lawn. 522-8720. Mon-Sat 11 am-2 am, Sun 11:30 am-2 am. All credit cards.)



FORT WORTH NIGHTLIFE



Cheers. Don’t expect Ted Danson or Shelley Long to be in this club’s crowd: This Confettilike dancery is a far cry from the sophisticated wit of TV’s Boston bar. Female bartenders wear flesh-colored Danskin tights, skimpy leotards and baseball hats, and there’s enough paper confetti around to make you want to save a tree. By the looks of the crowd on the Tuesday night we visited, this is a good place for single women: The ratio of guys to gals was about 10 to 1. (6773 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. (817) 735-8814. Mon-Fri 11 am-2 am. Sat & Sun 4 pm-2 am. All credit cards.)

Spencer’s Beverly Hills. If you’ve been nostalgic for disco, don’t worry: Saturday night fever is alive and well and living in Fort Worth. The disco-crazed crowd gathers here almost every night to shake their booties and to watch widescreen movies such as “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” The drinks are heavy-handed-as are some of the regulars -but most patrons don’t seem to mind. (1724South University. (817)332-5651. Daily 4 pm-2 am. MC, V. AE. CB.)

Related Articles

Image
Arts & Entertainment

Arlington Museum of Art Debuts Two Must-see Nature-Inspired Additions

The chill of the Arctic Circle and a futuristic digital archive mark the grand opening of the Arlington Museum of Art’s new location.
By Brett Grega
Image
Arts & Entertainment

An Award-Winning SXSW Short Gave a Dallas Filmmaker an Outlet for Her Grief

Sara Nimeh balances humor and poignancy in a coming-of-age drama inspired by her childhood memories.
By Todd Jorgenson
Image
Football

Joel Klatt Is Pumped for the UFL

The league's first-ever game goes down Saturday at Choctaw Stadium.
Advertisement