Strange Games & Funky Thangs.

Tony Schwa’s Cool Out Party Made A Triumphant Return On Friday Night, And It’s Coming Back For Good In February.

All photos by Karlo X. Ramos.

As far as great Dallas parties go, there are only a handful that can really even compare to Cool Out, Tony Schwa’s long-running disco bash, which straight dominated Mondays in the late ’00s from its home on the second floor of the venue then known as The Cavern and now known as The Crown & Harp.

In its original incarnation, Cool Out achieved the supremely difficult, somehow managing to become a draw within the dance-ready true music head and chic scenester sets alike. It was always a great time, and no doubt the real reason why so many twentysomethings called in “sick” to work on the Tuesdays of that time.

But by 2011, the fire started to fizzle. Construction along Lower Greenville forced The Cavern to undergo a re-branding, and Cool Out moved for a stretch to Bar Celine in the back of Henderson Avenue spot The Gin Mill, only to watch its crowds start to dwindle. A later attempt at re-capturing the magic by moving back to The Crown & Harp was also fairly short-lived.

There was palpable excitement, though, when Club Dada announced that, for one night only, Tony Schwa would be bringing Cool Out out of retirement once again on Friday, December 30. It proved worthwhile on the night itself, too, as familiar from faces from Cool Out’s first run and new party people both showed up to join in on the fun. Amidst a set filled with songs that would be later sampled by modern hip-hop stars, the dancing never really stopped on this night. At one point, a soul train even formed, with crowds egged on to form one by rapper 88 Killa, who rather spontaneously took it upon himself to serve as the night’s master of ceremonies. Schwa, meanwhile, was in absurdly good spirits himself, wearing a smile all night long, his return to the decks clearly sitting well with him. More than just a blast of nostalgia, the night was just a wholly entertaining one, as the above photo set from Karlo X. Ramos shows.

And that makes this good news indeed: Dada general manager Moody Fuqua and Schwa himself both confirm to Central Track that Cool Out will return as a monthly bash for good come February, when it becomes a one-Saturday-per-month affair next door at Dada sister spot Off The Record. Expect more information on which Saturday as it comes, but for now, just take comfort in the fact that Dallas’ leader in strange games and funky thangs is back from the dead once again.

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