A Perpetual Party

Ultra Suede keeps the music going two decades after forming

Halloween never fails to be a big deal for Ultra Suede. It gave the party rock group, already famous for dressing up and having a good time, an excuse to go further. And it did -- over the years, the Fayetteville-based band donned "Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Austin Powers" and "Brady Bunch" themed costumes on that day.

But it matters for another reason, too. The band's first performance took place on Oct. 31, 1994, which means this year's Halloween concert from 6-8 p.m. today also serves as a 20th anniversary party.

FAQ

Ultra Suede

20th Anniversary Celebration

WHEN — 6-8 p.m. today

WHERE — George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville

COST — $5

INFO — georgesmajesticloun…

The first Ultra Suede concert took place at Chester's Place in Fayetteville in a supporting role for Punkinhead. Ultra Suede was the brainchild of three women -- Rhonda Dillard, Chaddie Platt and Susie Q Winn. The first gig was put together as an excuse to party.

"We knew three or four songs. And we repeated a couple of them," Dillard recalls.

But the band's unique composition helped set it apart, Platt says. No band featured four women at the time, Platt says. And the set lists gained them traction, too. The group played a few originals along the way, and an original song or two made that first set list. But the audience always responded best to the covers, so that's what the band stuck with, Platt says. In the group's early days, more than a thousand fans would come see them perform at at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, with the line to enter snaking around the corner of the venue.

"We pissed off all the bands with originals," Platt says.

As the band has matured, so has the group's set list and the fans who attend.

"It's much more of a professional show now," Platt says. "But we act like we don't take it seriously."

Ultra Suede gigs now often take place at corporate events or quarterly at George's for happy hour. Gone, mostly, are the days of touring the region and opening for acts such as The Pointer Sisters, The Gap Band and The B52s.

For tonight's Halloween/anniversary gig, the band promises to revisit old songs -- like a certain "South Park" song they haven't played in about 15 years -- and old friends. Several former members have been rehearsing with the band for the past few months and will join the party on stage -- because that was the plan for the band all along.

"We just wanted to have fun on the weekends. It's a labor of love," Dillard says.

-- Kevin Kinder

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NAN What's Up on 10/31/2014

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