I like this. I like this new development. Every autumn, I get a little nostalgic. The slant of the sun as it bathes very institutional-looking buildings in hazy yellow. The anticipation of donning flannel over- and undergarments. The smell of glue, library books, and lead-based paint. Football! Pumpkin pie! The only thing that could make this time of year even better is a series of kickass concerts at Lola’s Saloon which people born on or after 1995 would not understand. Well, buckling up the ol’ chinstrap and slappin’ on the ol’ shoulder pads would make September through November hella kickass, but let’s be reasonable. My belly’s not gonna fill itself with beer.
The throwback fun starts on Saturday, Sept. 26. A celebration of the ’90s, because those were organizer Marcial Martinez’ wonder years, the 2nd Annual Panther City Pep Rally gathers 13 local bands to pay tribute to the biggest artists of the era, most notably Oasis (Definitely Mabe), Nirvana (The Negative Creeps), Stone Temple Pilots (Banned), Tool (Undertow), Radiohead (Kicking Squealing Gucci Little Piggies), Garth Brooks (The Wind Ropers), Pantera (Panthera), and –– wait for it –– Limp Bizkit! (Southern Train Gypsy, of course. Them’s some professional wiseasses.) Not sure what cover is yet.
The nostalgia trip continues in November. From Friday the 6th through Sunday the 8th is the 4th Annual Fort Worth Rock Assembly, in which dozens of North Texas original rockers will get together to pay tribute to the likes of Zappa, Dylan, Bowie, The Doors, Ray Charles, Zeppelin, KISS, The Police, The Cars, Jefferson Airplane, The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, the Beasties, and more. No word on cover for that either.
In the middle, from Friday, Oct. 16, to Sunday, Oct. 18, is Lolaspalooza VI: Wreck Room Wrevival. A slew of mostly local bands that lit up the dearly departed Wreck Room back in the day –– Slow Roosevelt, Mark Growden (from San Fran), Pablo & The Hemphill 7, Goodwin, Jump Rope Girls (!), The Gideons (!!), Garuda (!!!), Leroy The Prophet, The Me-Thinks, Sally Majestic, Exit 380, RTB2, Impulse of Will, and Addnerim –– have already signed on, with more to come. The venue won’t just sound like the dearly departed Wreck Room. It will look Wreck-ish as well, said Tony Diaz, Goodwin frontman and co-founder of Panther City Exchange, the events company that’s putting together the shindig.
“It’s not just the bands that are a part of this,” he said. “It’s sponsor banners everywhere with photos of The Wreck Room’s past patrons, art, [and] performances … donated by so many,” including Kat Shimamoto, whose photos illustrate husband Ken Shimamoto’s 2007 book Wreck Room Stories.
Diaz added that, along with guest MCs and poets, decorative touches will be applied to Lola’s to give it “a Wreck Room feel.”
Though I didn’t ask him, because I’m too gentlemanly, I wanted to say, “Oh, so that also means a urine/puke/beer-saturated floor, rails of handicap-stall coke, and strippers?” But, as I’ve said, I’m too gentlemanly.
Of course, I kid. I probably spent a cool 20 large at the Wreck during my early days in yon Fort, certainly not because I hated the place and didn’t feel completely at home there. Ah, home. I guess at Lola’s, a pumpkin ale will do for me. Memorieeeees …
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
