Mark your calendar, we now have a grand opening date for downtown's newest nightspot, Thrive. Doors will open at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2 at the club inside the renovated Crowne Plaza Hotel at 1015 Elm St. Described as a Vegas-style haunt, Thrive will welcome Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones for a special performance, as well as several celebrities-in-their-mind from MTV and VH1 reality shows Paris Hilton's My BFF and Daisy of Love.
Future guest hosts include members of Rock of Love's "Blondetourage" Ashley and Farrah, and Daisy De La Hoya of Daisy of Love.
Sounds like there'll be a lot to see and hear at the upcoming lounge, according to a news release. Check it out after the jump ...
Continuing with my Abacus-raving (see below) ... I sampled the Spanish menu there last night. Fabulosity on a plate! And in a glass -- we had wine pairings. First we started off with the Big Daddy signature cocktail, which was a sweet, lemony delight! I was afraid of it being too puckery, but the sweet and sour balanced out the tartness. Next up was a plate of traditional Spanish bites: manchego croquettes, Serrano ham, pan con tomate, manchego chunks and olives and almonds. What's not to love?
Post-tapas, we had clams drowning in garlic, herbs and brothy deliciousness, with a butter-drenched side of thick toast. Just look at those succulent little morsels up there. The thought "taste explosion" kept running through my head -- I didn't want the dish to EVER end.
Also on the limited-time Spanish menu are foie gras (which I skipped), a soupy paella with mussels, shrimp and diced chorizo, and a star-anise-flavored Calatrava pudding. The five-course menu is $45 without the wine pairings, and you better hurry to Abacus to enjoy it -- the menu will only be offered until Sept. 30.
Before you get your undies in a bunch wondering how you can afford a fine-dining joint like Abacus in the middle of a recession, know that the Knox-Henderson-area restaurant is trying to help out. Not only do they have recession-beating deals all week, but on Wednesday nights, eats in the luxe bar are half off! And -- bonus -- if you stick around for the late happy hour from 9 p.m. to close, you can enjoy $2 off all beer, wines by the glass and cocktails! So treat yourself to a bev and a specialty sushi roll, recessionistas and recessionistos.
Been listening to Cocoon of Love, the album coming Sept. 29 from LA indie pop band Princeton. The foursome deftly incorporates Beach Boy harmonies, light African rhythms and '80s mope-vocals (see above video) into its tunes. It's a mix I find hard to resist.
The guys will stop at the Granada tonight to open for equally ear-pleasing band Ra Ra Riot. Princeton drummer David Kitz was nice enough to put together a little playlist to give us an idea of what inspires him and his bandmates. Read on:
1. Michael McDonald: "What a fool believes" -- This song never gets old for me. Although it's cheezy, it's a deceptively complex and well crafted pop song ... and I love Michael's smoky voice.
2. Gilberto Gil: "Marginalia II" -- This one is from his album, '1968.' The whole record is amazing but this one always stood out to me. It has incredible horn arrangements and cool rhythms.
3. Neu!: "After Eight" -- This is the last of the 6 tracks on 'Neu! '75.' It's a great example of what made them so great. It's minimal, energetic, and I always though it was a great closer for the record.
4. The Beach Boys: "Let Him Run Wild" -- This song is just really full of great hooks and harmonies. This is another track that never gets old for me.
5. Emitt Rhodes: "With my face on the floor" -- This one opens his self-titled record and is full of driving energy... definitely a feel-good song.
Blink-182 and Fall Out Boy couldn't have a better musical match than each other. Both have an infectious sense of fun in their music (and videos), with the reunited Blink's, humorous slice-of-life tunes ("What's My Age Again?") and Fall Out producing catchy melodies polished off with Patrick Stump's soulful singing ("Dance, Dance"). 6:30 p.m. Superpages.com Center, 1818 1st Ave. $25-$69.50. ticketmaster.com.
Pink's been through her ups and downs in the music biz, but she always seems to come out on top. Most of the time, it's with the power of a delectable pop song. Her latest hits include the sassy kiss-off number "So What" and the rousing love song "Please Don't Leave Me." 7:30 p.m. American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave. $39.50 and $49.50. ticketmaster.com.
Fans of arty avant-garde pop will like New York's Ra Ra Riot, which mixes violin and cello perfectly with its Morrissey-influenced vocals. With opening acts Maps & Atlases and Princeton. 8 p.m. Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. $14 and $18. 214-824-9933. granadatheater.com.
Helloooooo.com presents the Ish Wednesdays at Ghostbar. New York City DJ Tommie Sunshine headlines, and Dallas' HOYO TOHO opens. 9 p.m. 2440 Victory Park Lane. No cover. 214-720-9909. n9negroup.com.
Dru Kaba and Sam Sameni host Old School Wednesday at Glo. DJ Kurupt spins early '90s hip-hop. 10 p.m. 2323 N. Henderson. No cover. 214-824-2251. glo-lounge.com.
I Heart Wednesday at Plush. 12-Inch Pimp and resident DJ Willie Trimmer spins hip-hop, house, and Top 40. 9 p.m. 1400 Main St. No cover. 214-606-1203. plushdallas.com.
Resident DJ Francisco spins electro-house at Hotel Capri. $3 shot specials and $4 wells. Doors at 6 p.m. 2020 Greenville Ave. No cover. 214-370-9944. thehotelcapri.com.
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