Disco never died. Oh, it might have gone into hibernation for a while, but it’s very much alive.

I offer as evidence the Saturday night scene in Westlake where platform shoes, afros and shiny, polyester shirts were populating the Bear Creek Art Gala, held at First American Banquet Center. The disco group Le Freak, with its covers of the Bee Gees and KC and the Sunshine Band, headlined the party benefiting Young Artists of Texas, but the band’s giant afros weren’t enough to steal the spotlight.

The outfits pulled out of some back closet by the party-goers provided a good amount of entertainment. Halter tops, gold lame and a lot of shiny stuff became very popular. Dan Holmes, who proved he was loud enough to not need a microphone, topped his outfit with a particularly bad blonde wig, and I spotted at least one John Travolta-esque white suit in the crowd. A few of the ladies got their ’70s disco styles mixed up with their ’60s go-go ensembles. And some of them were short enough that one guy in attendance swears he can tell you what color one woman’s underwear was. Yikes. Or as John Denver would have said, “Far out, man.

As I averted my eyes from that Studio 54 replay so I could still gather my thoughts to write, I must say the night that slipped into the time warp provided more than one evening’s entertainment. The disco dancing, the local fare, the live auction, plus the bad hair and shiny outfits all were for a good cause–promoting the Lone Star State’s emerging artists.

To promote young, Texas artists, Jenny Tilbury founded YAT (www.yatgallery.org) five years ago, opening the YAT gallery in 2006. Plans include a gallery night from 6 to 9 p.m. June 9 at the gallery, 246 S. Main St., Keller. And for that, with our disco inspiration, shall we all Hustle on that Saturday Night for a Funkytown Celebration? Of course, I know there’ll be some Hot Stuff  there, and Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough art created by the young artists.

Maybe my disco headband is squeezing my brain, and I should stop now. I know I Will Survive because That’s the Way I Like It.

Le Freak will entertain at the upcoming Bear Creek Art Gala.

With entertainment by Le Freak, party-goers are invited to wear “cocktail disco” to Young Artists of Texas’ 3^rdAnnual Bear Creek Art Gala  April 17 at the First American Banquet Center at Solana in Westlake.

From 7 to 11 p.m., guests will boogie to a disco beat and feast on food while surrounded by artists and their work. The Bear Creek Art Gala’s annual celebration benefiting Young Artists of Texas serves as a fundraiser for the non-profit organization dedicated to educating and promoting artists, aged 18 to 25.

The evening’s festivities will include a live auction with offerings such as a 10-day African safari for two, a trip to New York City including dinner at Sardi’s and the purchaser’s own caricature created by Sardi’s artist Richard Baratz, a Caribbean cruise, a day on set and in role as an extra in the upcoming movie “One Heart”  and home dinner for eight created by chef Kevin Rodewald from Brio Tuscan Grille. 

In addition to the gala, YAT artists will exhibit work during the year at four gallery nights to be held at the YAT Gallery, as well as at 12 off-site art shows. YAT will be awarding scholarships to college-bound art students in May and hosting summer art camps for several local non-profits in June, such as H.O.P.E. Farm.

Tickets cost $50 per person. Visit the Bear Creek Art Gala website at www.bearcreekartgala.com for additional information.

Whoever does his hair? And are the dark glasses for protection?

Excuse me while I jump out of my platform sandals after a night of doin’ The Hustle…or was it The Bump?

Long story short…I ended up at The Glass Cactus at The Gaylord Texan Saturday night. Le Freak (www.lefreakband.com), which bills itself as “the greatest disco band in the world,” was booked, and I took a little trip down memory lane. The cotton-candy size of the Afros combined with the oh-no-he’s-not-wearing-that polyester pants are a sight to behold. Or maybe to remember. And the very official, not-so-nice woman at the door did a very good impression of snotty people at Studio 54. She was supposed to be funny, wasn’t she, when she asked me all those questions?

I went up to one of the guys during a break and asked if we’d gone to college together. He didn’t think so.

Anyway, Sometimes I couldn’t see the stage, but it didn’t really matter since the nightclub was made for people-watching. The place was packed with disco dancers, Gen X-ers and some pretty scary cougars. Some of their outfits weren’t meant to be comical, but …too bad they don’t own a mirror, as Larre likes to say.

We got to dance to the Village People, some Earth, Wind and Fire, and, of course, “I Will Survive.”
I had so much fun flashing back to the ’70s–bell bottoms, pet rocks and Watergate–I want to do it again. Any of you up for it? I’ll do better on my outfit…I know I have some shiny polyester somewhere in my closet.
Le Freak plays at June 19 at Fort Worth’s 8.0 Bar and June 20 at The Glass Cactus, and then for the Fourth of July at The Glass Cactus again and July 17 (someone’s birthday, I’m told) at 8.0 Bar again.

Get down with your bad self.