Thursday, January 03, 2002

Flickering Power Can’t Black Out New Year’s Blow Out

Always chaotic, always unpredictable. This we know about New Year’s Eve. When the Edge NYE Bash lineup was announced, including Flickerstick, Chomsky, Lucy Loves Schroeder and Kissinger, expectations raised like eyebrows from Dallas music fans. But the over 1000 fans at Deep Ellum Live, never expected what would follow.

Kissinger opened the evening, rocking like it was 199... er you get it. A full out rock set featured an inspired Bike vs. Truck, a special New Year’s story about a mysterious magician’s assistant to lead off I Don’t Think You’re Sexy, I Know You Are and a special guest appearance of Chomsky’s Glenn Reynolds for the Rock and Roll Asshole finale. Glen, who entered the stage polishing off a banana, thoughtfully provided by the good people of Deep Ellum Live, donned a thick necklace of leis prompting Chopper to remark, "good to see you’ve already gotten laid tonight" before o3 kicked into high gear. Glen held true to form, adding a variety of pick slides and ornate backing vocals to the affair.

He would return to the stage after a rocking Lucy Loves Schroeder set as Chomsky took the stage and created some bona fide New Year’s magic. The capacity crowd danced, two steps away from midnight, but who could have guessed what would follow.

Flickerstick’s set opened dramatically, with lights and projections reminiscent of a peak Tripping Daisy concert. The light show dazzled the audience as the band, dressed in all white, lit up like colorful vessels of glass. The Band on the Run rang in the New Year with aplomb, toasting the crowd and thanking everyone who had worked so hard to put together the show. But, ten minutes later, when the lights flickered then failed, and the crowd found itself in silent darkness, the evening went from memorable to unforgettable.

"We blew out the power, how cool is that?" announced Flickerstick front man, Brandon before darkness settled in for good. In fact, it wasn’t the massive lights, as many might have guessed from inside the club, that took out the power, it was a drunk driver who crashed into a power source and knocked out the entire power grid that supports Deep Ellum. Outside the usual rich glow of bar and restaurant lights was eerily absent, and drunk revelers poured out from abbreviated celebrations throughout the area.

Flickerstick made the best of the situation, singing some acoustic songs with their fans, who knew every word to Beautiful. But soon it was time to call it a night, and while concert goers braced for the cold weather and crowded roads, Team Kissinger muddled through the dark to collect their guitars and find a way home. 2002, here we are. May the rock be with us, everyone.

Rock and roll in 2002,
Stu