Did you happen to see the fireworks shooting out of the big Reunion Tower ball Friday night?
If you watched from afar, you didn't get the full experience. In the shadow of the tower, there was a grand party going on, for which the fireworks served as just one of many highlights.
They were the razzle-dazzle apex of an inaugural music festival dubbed The Reunion, intended to be an annual gathering the night before the University of Oklahoma-University of Texas football game.
As first-edition festivals go, Friday's event seemed to be a hit. (Full disclosure: The fest was being presented by CrowdSource, the events company of The Dallas Morning News, as well as the Ray Hunt family of companies.) Several thousand people showed up to Reunion Park, the large swath of grass where Reunion Arena once stood.
Although there were only three musical acts and a DJ collective on the bill, other attractions kept the laid-back, all-ages crowd buzzing even when the stage was empty.
With a cool breeze creating comfortable conditions and the Dallas skyline providing a selfie-ready backdrop, folks chucked around footballs and lined up for fairly reasonably priced food and drinks.
Beverage lines got to be a little snaky after dark, but people didn't seem too bothered. Most just turned to face the stage and noshed while they waited for cold ones.
Regarding the evening's musical menu, organizers smartly pulled in upbeat acts. Headliner Weezer topped off the evening with fuzz-rock classics such as "Hash Pipe," but the beloved band couldn't quite match the dynamism of its openers.
Los Angeles' rock 'n' soul outfit Fitz and the Tantrums had the crowd dancing and pumping fists to its original tunes ("Moneygrabber") and a few well-chosen covers (Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams" was reworked into a Stax-style soul number).
The finest act of the fest was the first to play. New Orleans six-piece Trombone Shorty mastered a variety of festival-ready styles, including funk, soul, Latin and ska. There wasn't much those guys couldn't handle during their 80-minute set.
Before the fireworks and Weezer's performance, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings encouraged Dallasites in the crowd to be cordial to out-of-towners: "Every year we want to make this happen," he said. "Your assignment is to welcome someone and make sure they come back next year."
It didn't need to be explicitly stated, though; the vibe of the Reunion was relaxed, celebratory and inviting.
The organization and presentation of the thing worked seamlessly, but we do have a suggestion for next year: Bring in at least one local act. We have a rich talent pool in Dallas, and some of our best performers certainly could benefit from the open arms and musical minds of a crowd like Friday's.
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