Fresno Famous

Remember when Fierce Creatures held its album release at Frank's Place?

Or its tour kick-off at Fulton 55?

Was it any surprise that the Catacomb Party was a huge and smashing success? 

It should not have been.

We know that free events on the Fulton Mall have draw. Ask the thousands of people who come to the Mexican Independence celebrations every year. Ask Club One after the Summer Splash it held last year. People are eager for this kind of stuff. Combine that with the new Fresno Downtown Partnership, which is fully supportive and willing to take chances, a group of musicians and a promoter who understand what makes good product and what an audience wants and expects and you get what you had Saturday evening. 

Some thoughts:

1. The quality of the bands was high.

2. The crowd was large and diverse.

3. The sense of community and collaboration was powerful.

Some other thoughts:

1. While I wouldn't classify the city's plan for the Fulton Mall a "weird hunch," Saturday's event was a clear glimpse at a possible alternative for those who want to see the Mall road free. 

2. It easy to get caught up in the excitment of the night. The question is whether the momentum of  the event has the lasting power to propell us (those who want to see a revitalized downtown) forward.

3. As someone who helped create and maintain a downtown event, I will say that the bar has just been raised.