Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2010 > March > 28 > Entry
Long Center Anniversary Party
I’m tempted to call it the Gala of the Season.
At least production-wise. Granting that the traditional social season is far from over.
Five words for fun: Bobbi Topfer and Patty Huffines. Together, these event chairwomen put together a purple-themed party that will be remembered years from now.
Judy Arnold and …
I shivered a bit when I saw the purple canopies leading guests up the center’s staircase and across the plaza to the VIP tent. Not just because the effect was so operatic, but also because the wind was blustering the human-held streams of purple fabric here and there.
Once snug inside the tent, the genius — I will use the word — of Topfer and Huffines was revealed. Deep purple carpets. Mod conversation nooks. Circulating servers. Glittering centerpieces and the pièce de résistance: Four gaudy purple chandeliers.
Lidia Agraz and …
You can’t do gaudy often in Austin, but this time it worked. Especially with the novel spatial arrangement in the tent: Only a few round tables gathered in two clusters, leaving most of the remaining expanses for social mingling and dancing to Ray Benson’s band (not many did during the early party, just warming up). Also for noshing on the substantial finger food.
I can’t overstate how liberating it was to abandon enforced seating. That way top connectors — and the place was saturated with them — could slip easily from one conversation to another. [At this point, I had planned to name the folks entertainment editor Sharon Chapman and I encountered Saturday evening, but the list would take up pages …]
Purple, purple, everywhere …
Outside, the plaza was mobbed with a younger generation desperate to see the once-again-cool Hall & Oates. They were not disappointed, but first, Long Center director Cliff Redd welcomed the newly conjoined crowds and recognized major supporters of the event (people actually applauded lustily for each — not a common practice, but people were in such a upbeat mood).
Then a coup de théâtre: The curtain slowly rose to reveal Austin soul singer Judy Arnold dressed in an enormous purple costume. As she sang “Purple Rain,” aerial dancers slipped up and down fabric fronds, then Arnold herself rose on wires and her dress was extended by long, deep purple fringe. Those humans who had hoisted the purple canopies outside now entered down the aisles to turn the fabric into giant purple waves.
Patty and Jim Huffines
Somebody has an eye.
Then Hall & Oates. My first impression was astonishment at the sheer number of their hits R&B-influenced songs, dating back to the early 1970s, that I’d forgotten were theirs that others covered, or songs they had covered (“She’s Gone,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” etc.) and their subtle progression into a pop corollary to New Wave (“Maneater,” “One on One,” etc.) Then I was a bit nervous as the volume rose and various young people around the auditorium rose to dance, but the VIPs in the orchestra seating merely swayed.
Eventually, however, everybody danced to the monster hits: “Private Eyes,” “Kiss on My List,” “Rich Girl” and, especially, “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do).” Smartly, Daryl Hall and John Oates expanded on their “rock and soul” roots by giving ample time to additional bluesy guitar and jazzy saxophone solos. They just about levitated the roof off Dell Hall.
Bobbi and Mort Topfer
The party was far from over. Everyone, not just VIPs, were invited to spread into all the center’s outer spaces, lounges, terraces and tents for comfort food, provided by food trailers (very Austin!), drinks and a half dozen local musical acts.
OK, I’m going to say this: Part of the rationale behind a gala is to go a bit gaga. To abandon care. To walk away from the world for a few moments. Huffines and Topfer achieved this as few other party organizers have in Austin.
Karen Landa and Dale Dewey
Sure, if you don’t like Hall & Oates, you were out of luck there, but surely the rest of the Purple Party made up for it.
Photos by Chuck Fazio Media
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Comments
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By chuck Fazio
April 2, 2010 9:13 AM | Link to this
If you would like to see more pictures of this event, www.chuckfazio.com/austin
By patty hoffpauir
March 31, 2010 4:49 PM | Link to this
Let us give credit to Creative Consultants, Victoria Hentrich, as well.
She was responsible for $75,000 in kind donations for the event
and for tapping into the talent of Austin to create such an event.
By Cliff
March 29, 2010 12:55 PM | Link to this
Hey Michael, couldn't agree more. How lucky are we to live in Austin, Texas with Bobbi Topfer, Patty Huffines and the Long Center? The evening was classy, funky, opulent and down-home -- all at the same time. A perfect reflection of our town. A great celebration of what the Long Center was meant to be -- the center of the performing arts scene in downtown Austin. And most of all -- great fun. After sampling all of the venues for the after parties, we ended the evening dancing to WC Clark on the open air balcony between trips to the cupcake bar. In front of us was the Long Center Ring bathed in purple lights. And beyond the twinkling new Austin skyline reflected in Lady Bird Lake. It could not have been a more perfect. Again, Kudos and thanks to Bobbi, Patty and the LC staff.
By Lynne
March 28, 2010 5:46 PM | Link to this
Saw you there having a great time in the audience, Michael. And you certainly nailed your description of that great party (in my favorite color!). But one thing: "She's Gone," the greatest of their many hits, was definitely not a cover. From "Abandoned Luncheonette," it didn't take off when it was first released, but became huge upon its re-release.
They had a great band last night. Wish they'd had a little bit of interaction; even a shared bow would have been nice. I think it's been a long time since they could actually stand each other ...