Tag Archives: dance party

GIVEAWAY: Global Groove: Dance 5 download

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Gay record label Centaur Entertainment just announced its new dance compilation Global Groove: Dance 5. DJ Escape mixed this album featuring artists Pepper Mashay, Stephan Grondin, Ceevox and many more heavy underground dance music players.From Centaur president Nick De Biase.

“DJ Escape was our first DJ when Centaur Entertainment launched the Global Groove: Dance series and we are very excited to have him return to this successful series and its latest volume.”  De Biase said. “Escape brings a level of energy to the dance floor like no other DJ.  His production on this CD brings that same level of energy.  You’re going to love this non-stop dance party!”

The label has offered 10 digital copies to give to Dallas Voice readers. Load it into your music library, drop it in your smartphone or add it to you mp3 player, but you’ll need the code first. Tell us your favorite dance song that gets you on the dance floor no matter what. Email title and artist to us here with “Groove me” in the subject and include your name in with your song. Winners will be notified by email and sent a download code to get your free album.

Good luck!

 

—  Rich Lopez

Relive DJ Blaine Soileau’s New Year’s Eve

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In case you were a little to buzzed to remember how New Year’s Eve went down (and who wasn’t?), DJ Blaine Soileau can help with that. He spun the night away Saturday at the Dallas Eagle for his Release version of NYE, but then he did one better. He recorded his set list and promptly posted it online. With three-plus hours of club faves, now you can relive New Year’s Eve all over again.

It’s a crowd pleasing track list of hit makers like Gaga, Adele and Britney among others, making it a sweet dance party without any droning techno beats sans vocals. Those are best reserved for a 3 a.m. dance floor in an altered state. Hey, just saying. The best part is now you have your workout music for that likely New Year’s res to exercise more. Double score!

See how the track listing plays out here and click after the jump to give it a listen.

Continue reading “Relive DJ Blaine Soileau’s New Year’s Eve” »

—  Rich Lopez

In the Butte

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Remote and charming, Crested Butte, Colo., spreads warmth even in the winter months

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FLY THAT FLAG | Quaint Crested Butte went all out to welcome the gays for Shoot the Butte gay ski week in March, with many local businesses proudly displaying gay-friendly banners and residents abuzz about the event. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES  | Life+Style Editor
jones@dallasvoice.com

You can imagine that when locals in small towns hear that “the gays” are on their way — for a Pride parade, or a dance party or a protest — some will react with a disdainful shiver. But when Crested Butte, Colo., hosted its first-ever gay ski week earlier this year, the news didn’t even warrant a shrug. Indeed, the entire town seemed to get its Pride on.

The local gays there — and there are a few, a very few — were of course happy to be with family, as were the resorts glad to host a late-season influx; so were the businesses in the very walkable downtown area. But the people were just as excited — stores proudly flew rainbow flags for the first time, and diners at restaurants chirped with delight that the gays were coming. Good for business, of course, but also good for the Butte. (Unfortunately, there are no current plans to hold another gay ski week there.)

Crested Butte, after all, isn’t located along I-70 and the string of famed ski resorts; don’t like Vail? Drive another hour and settle in Beaver Creek. Wanna resort hop? Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and Keystone are in the same county 90 minutes from Denver. No, if you wanna go to Crested Butte, you gotta really wanna go.

There are two different kinds of ski-resort towns in Colorado: The rich man’s playgrounds and those with a roughing-it, low-stress country ruggedness, where the Doobie Brothers are still considered pop music. Crested Butte is the latter — unfussy and without the pretensions of a Vail or Aspen, but with just the right amount of sophistication to make it a savvy destination for those who like to stumble off the beaten path but still appreciate a few creature comforts.

That’s certainly the case at the Elevation Hotel and Spa, a large, comfortable resort standing at nearly 9,400 feet above sea-level. (The friendly café at the lift base, 9480 Prime, is named for the elevation.) Clean, warm and well-appointed, with an excellent spa and salon, the hotel provides super-convenient access to the slopes and its 16 lifts. (The summit is at an ear-popping 12,162 feet.)

For skiers or snowboarders, the snow provides a great powder, though even diners can appreciate the mountain: The ski-in, ski-out restaurant Uley’s Cabin is accessible by lift and short slalom to mid-mountain, or if available, a “ski taxi” can take you here like a passenger on the Iditerod. It’s worth a visit, too, with excellent haute cuisine and a cozy, rustic atmosphere.

Indeed, the dining in Crested Butte is remarkably diverse and satisfying. It may seem counter-intuitive, but some of the best seafood dishes I ate this year were in Colorado. (The landlocked types know how to cook a scallop.) But the range of choices for Crested Butte is as good as any 10-block stretch of a major city.

Stay on the mountain to indulge your tastebuds at Django’s. This high-end, intimate resto, draped in sheer curtains and with a wide, open kitchen, serves gourmet tapas just steps from the slopes. “Date with a pig” isn’t as dirty as it sounds — Medjool dates wrapped in Serrano ham — but it is  decadently enjoyable, as are the crispy Brussels sprouts and braised spiced boar belly.

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CUISINE ART | Dining in the Butte, including mountainside dining at Uley’s Cabin, is diverse and delicious. (Arnold Wayne Jones/Dallas Voice)

Off the mountain, in downtown Crested Butte, the not-to-miss steakhouse is Maxwell’s. Warmed by a beautiful fireplace and welcoming décor, it serves some unmatched dishes. Of course, you have to try the rack of (Colorado) lamb, crusted in pistachios and drizzled with a blueberry demi that makes it both sweet and savory, as well as the smoky wagyu tartare. The wine list offers some bold, interesting choices as well.

Over at the West End Pub, enjoy high-end bar food with a sense of humor. The “ubiquitous fish and chips” may sound tired, but it’s well prepared, as are the oysters on the hall shell and clam chowder. (I told you about the seafood.)

For something even more casual but also extraordinary, The Secret Stash is a must-do. It’s no accident that the name sounds like a head shop — the place, opened in 2002, has the hippie-dippie vibe of a stoner hangout. It also serves some of the most inventive pizzas you’ll ever encounter, like the Mac Daddy, their lettuce-covered take on the Big Mac that will wow you. (Just a slice is huge.)
You can grab a brew at Dogwood, a hole-in-the-wall bar with pool tables and sports on the TVs that’s cool, friendly and hip, and LoBar, which serves sushi. (Fish! Again!)

For an exquisite brunch, East Side Bistro is a sure-bet. Looking out on the mountain, it has the feel of an Old West saloon but the cuisine of a sly master, including the deconstructed doughnuts and coffee, and the chilaquiles, a tortilla-chip-and-egg dish with poblano molé that will spoil you for all Mexican-themed brunches for all time.

Crested Butte may not be the first resort to occur to you when you think of ski destinations, but as most everyone from Colorado will confess to you, it’s one of the best.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 23, 2011.

—  Kevin Thomas

Best Bets • 11.04.11

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Friday 11.04

TonyMoran

Tony Moran

Coma tones
Our favorite San Antonio lesbi-centric rock trio is back. Girl in a Coma are on the road supporting their fourth album, Exits and All the Rest. Fusing rock,

punk and Tejano, GIAC has stayed true to its brand while still showing growth each
time out. As always, watch out for
singer Nina Diaz’s vocal
onslaught. It’s glorious.

DEETS: Prophet
Bar, 2548 Elm
St. 8 p.m. $15.
ProphetBar.com.

…………………….

Friday 11.04

And the beat goes on
We all know Tony Moran is one heck of a DJ, but he proves it in heaps as he headlines the music for the Troy Sands Remembrance Dance Party, in honor of the late DJ who made quite the impact on both the local and national dance music scenes. Donations are suggested to benefit Sands’ favorite charity, the Parkland Foundation.

DEETS: Dallas Eagle.
5740 Maple Ave.
10 p.m. $10.
DallasEagle.com

…………………….

Thursday 11.10

Deck the halls with some ‘Tuna’
The people of Tuna, Texas suffer through yard-decorating contests and a theater production gone awry in A Tuna Christmas. Is it bad to laugh through it all to forget our own holiday trauma?

DEETS:  Casa Manana,
3101 West Lancaster Ave.
Fort Worth.
Through Nov. 20. $50–$70.
CasaManana.org.

—  Kevin Thomas

Spin streams CSS’ new album ‘La Liberacion’

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Back in April, CSS co-headlined a show at the Granada with Sleigh Bells and pretty much all I remember hearing about the show was that it was loud. At the time, I wasn’t sure why CSS was on tour. Their last release was in 2008, but perhaps La Liberacion is the reason.

Their third album isn’t officially available until Aug. 23, but give the Brazilian party pop band an early listen. SPIN is streaming the entire album now and it could be the perfect thing to pump up any droll afternoon. The caffeine in my iced tea is clearly not doing the trick. Starting off with some strong dance beats, the queer-centric band continues in successfully delivering a a dance party sound but with subtle complex touches that keep it a step above simple disco.

—  Rich Lopez

Memorial Weekend dance party at old Club One

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So you think you can dance?
You’ll have the opportunity to show off those dance moves at the star-studded Memorial Weekend party with DJs Seth Cooper, pictured, and Roland Belmares spinning out the night at the old Club One spot. It’ll be just like old times. The two will deliver the beats, while you boogie on down.

DEETS: 3025 Main St. 10 p.m. PaulKraftProductions.com

—  Rich Lopez

OutMusic Awards countdown: Single of the Year

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The OutMusic Awards are a week out and this week we continue our mini-series with the nominees for the OutStanding Single of the Year. A couple of them you’ve likely heard of because we’ve featured them here before. The rest — well, you’re about to be introduced.

See the nominees after the jump.

Continue reading “OutMusic Awards countdown: Single of the Year” »

—  Rich Lopez

Must see: Marina & the Diamonds, ISHI tonight at Granada Theater

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Hump day dance party

We love us some Granada Theater, but even more so when they put a show like tonight’s. Billed as Girl’s Night Out, avant-popster (and cute as a button) Marina and the Diamonds (Marina Diamandis) might be one of the best acts you’ve never heard of. Before you dismiss her as the next pop star wannabe, give her debut CD The Family Jewels a special listen. Her voice isn’t your thin, overproduced product, but instead is rich and deep. Almost husky. Her videos, so far, have been these glorious visual explosions that Miss Britney should take a lesson from. Now let’s see what she can do live.

Local band ISHI is no small deal. The band has been one of Dallas’ biggest draws due to the right combination of an amazing live show and simple but nicely construction dance confections. It only gets better when they turn on the folk switch and deliver an entirely different, scaled back sound as displayed on their debut CD Through The Trees.

Dare we say it — this might even be the best thing you go to all week.

DEETS: Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. Doors at 7 p.m. $12–$17. GranadaTheater.com

—  Rich Lopez

Razzle Dazzle a done deal for 2011

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Pub crawls, a street festival, an AIDS fundraiser, party buses, more will be part of weeklong party

DAVID TAFFET  |  taffet@dallasvoice.com

Razzle-DazzleThe return of Razzle Dazzle Dallas means North Texas will have a June Pride celebration. The five-day event begins June 1.
Scott Whittall, president of the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, said the June 1-5 dates were chosen, in part, to not conflict with Pride weekends in Austin and Houston.

The event begins on a Wednesday with a special edition of the Cedar Springs Wine Walk.

Thursday, June 2, will feature a pub-crawl. Shuttles and party buses will leave from Cedar Springs Road to visit different bars off the strip. The Brick and BJ’s have already committed to participate. Other bars are expected to join as planning continues through the spring.

Each stop will be about 45 minutes and feature specials and a VIP area for those who purchase special tickets for the week.

“The purpose is to introduce people to the bars off the Cedar Springs strip,” Whittall said.

The fifth annual Metro Ball held at S4 will become part of Razzle Dazzle Dallas as the Friday event. The fundraiser is staged by and benefits the Greg Dollgener Memorial AIDS Fund, which works with nine area agencies as a funding source of last resort to help individuals with emergency situations.

Tickets are expected to be $25 on line and $35 at the door. Crystal Waters headlined last year’s ball that raised $37,000. In 2011, the evening will include a silent auction and dance party.

Representatives of GDMAF, Inc., which stages Metro Ball, attended the first Razzle Dazzle organizational meeting to make sure there were no conflicts in dates.

“I expressed my concern to the committee,” said GDMAF President John Cooper-Lara. “But it made more sense to focus Metro Ball as the primary fundraiser for the weekend.”

By the end of the meeting, not only had Metro Ball become one of week’s signature events, but also Cooper-Lara signed on as co-chair of Razzle Dazzle Dallas.

“We’re excited to be part of a week-long celebration,” he said, hoping the community-wide effort will raise even more money for GDMAF this year.

When Metro Ball ends at 10 p.m., an after-party will be held at a different venue.

Saturday begins with a street festival — from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — that will highlight the Cedar Springs merchants.

whittall.scott
Scott Whittall

Participating stores will have sale tents. Booths for artists and non-profits will be part of the day’s activities.

The main event will be Saturday night from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cedar Springs will close from Reagan to Knight streets. Whittall said they were exploring closing even more of the street.

A main stage near Reagan Street will feature a national headliner and a variety of bands and entertainment. A stage near ilume will present a national DJ. A third stage in the middle of the block will also have a DJ keeping the party lively.

A sponsored VIP tent near Hunky’s will include a free cocktail of the evening and food provided by two area restaurants.

Sunday ends the five-day festival with a mini pub-crawl, afternoon t-dance and check presentations.

Whittall said the group plans to work with the Dallas Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and promote Razzle Dazzle nationally.

When Razzle Dazzle Dallas last took place in 2003, it was billed as the 26th annual event. That dates the first one to 1978.

Don Maison, who served on the board from about 1985-90, said he remembered it beginning as fundraiser for the Dallas Museum of Art. At the time, the museum was located in Fair Park and had just announced a new building downtown.

As AIDS took hold in Dallas in the early 1980s, Razzle Dazzle quickly changed its focus to raising funds for the first North Texas AIDS organizations, such as Oak Lawn Community Services that closed in 2000, and the AIDS Resource Center, now known as Resource Center Dallas.  One year in the 1980s Razzle Dazzle was held at the old Dallas auto pound on Inwood Road where a UT Southwestern building now stands. Searchlights directed people to the abandoned facility.

Maison recalled having to repair the roof of the shed and call Dallas Power & Light to run more electricity into the site.

Fair Park was a frequent site of the event. In different years it was held in the Hall of State, Tower Building and Centennial Building.

Maison said the year Razzle Dazzle was held downtown in the Convention Center was costly. Market Center Hall and an abandoned building in the West End and the Bomb Factory in Deep Ellum were other venues before Razzle Dazzle moved to Cedar Springs Road in the 1990s.

In its last year, Razzle Dazzle featured the Village People who performed on an outdoor stage in Caven’s paid parking lot. Although the street was blocked off, many people entered without paying. The event lost money and Razzle Dazzle Dallas disbanded.

This year’s event should be well funded as it combines resources from a number of groups. Whittall said Ben E. Keith has already signed to be the presenting sponsor and other businesses including ilume and the Melrose Hotel have already agreed to be sponsors.

The new website will be live in January.

This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition December 24, 2010.

—  Kevin Thomas

This Deerhunter remix video for ‘Helicopter’ should get you in the mood for their Nov. show.

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Perhaps this will get you revved for Deerhunter’s upcoming show in November. The band, fronted by the out Bradford Cox (AKA Atlas Sound), brings their tour to the Granada Theater in exactly two weeks.

Remixed by Diplo and Lunice, this “Helicopter” video is a lot of back and forth imagery, but somehow it fits right into Deerhunter’s m.o. of dreamy indie rock. Just because it’s a remix, don’t expect a dance party. Diplo and Lunice keep it chill and relaxed. I’d have posted here but Vimeo is busting my balls about embedding for whatever reason. So check it here.

—  Rich Lopez