Let's raise a toast to 2002, a very good year for nightlife

Toasts abound this time of year, little notes of cheer oozing with sentimentality thick as Southern eggnog. And why not, I say? This has been quite a year for Seattle's revelers and artistic visionaries large and small.

Which is to say, boy, was 2002 a good year to get out and party down.

So before you go getting hung up on stuff like the dim state of our world affairs or decry Trent Lott's racist idiocy, try considering the good stuff right in front of you. It's not hard to do, there's certainly a lot of it. The Fizz invites you to pick up a glass of the nog, preferably spiked with something strong, and ruminate on accomplishments past, celebrate the glories present and ... OK, don't worry, we won't recklessly speculate on the future.

A toast to all the hard workers who finally got the Teen Dance Ordinance repealed, thereby paving the way for all-ages shows like the ones regularly happening at the new, improved Vera Project space at 1916 Fourth Ave.

The young and the young at heart cannot thank you enough for giving teenagers the opportunity to engage in what is, for most urban youngsters, a rite of passage: the chance to see their favorite bands, local and national, live in a club. Clink, clink.

Along those lines, cheers to the banishment of the postering ban, even if the original ruling has been appealed and postering folks may have to trade in their staple guns for push pins and tape. Though the city's not enforcing the poster ban as it once stood, and a successful appeal could end up being a pain in the neck for everyone involved ... well, let's not think about that right now. Refills, anyone?

Now, let us raise our glasses to artistic ingenuity, specifically that of all the musicians who have pooled their resources to create variety shows — some with shopping. Who can beat that?

Wait a minute, is it just me, or is the room spinning? Anyway, two we covered are The Hypnotic, mesmerizing tonight and every second and fourth Monday of the month, at the Bada Lounge, 2230 First Ave., and the Broadville Carnival, spinning through Cafe Venus, 609 Eastlake Ave. E., every Wednesday.

The former offers lovely treats at the door with your $8 admission, so you may want to start Christmas early with a visit. Happily, reports are that the Broadville has picked up steam after a shaky start — nice going, guys! Here's to ya!

Somebody top me off here. Ahh!

Understandably — urp, 'scuse me — the Broadville seems to be taking Christmas night off. Be that as it may, not everyone will. No really. In fact, if you get a treasure trove of trash under the tree Wednesday morning, you might want to compose some silly verse to try out at the Hopvine Pub, 507 15th Ave. E., where Yule translates into an open-mike night. Sign-up begins at 8 p.m., so get there early. I will be there early and get a good seat so I can laugh. Oh, I kid because I love.

No, no, I really shouldn't ... well, 'tis Christmas. And then ... there's the Ragamuffin used-toy drive. No, wait, I mean Ragamuffin is playing at the Central Saloon, 207 First Ave. S., as part of the bar's Anti-X-Mas Party on Christmas night because, really, what else will you be doing besides sitting around and petting your new socks anyway?

Like I said, we have a lot to be ... celebrate ... you know! Although I got a bone to pick here. Whas with those commando elves rappelling down the side of the downtown Bon? Are they naughty or nice? Is it jes me, or do those little minions of Santa strike you as a teeny bit scary? Are they AWOL from the North Pole or what?

Speaking of that, I have a little holiday tale to share, if you wanna sit down here and listen. I promise you, it's a doozy. (Editor's note: A portion of Pop Fizz has been cut out at this point. It seems the columnist got a little carried away with the office-party eggnog, which, though nonalcoholic, was discovered to have expired in 1982. We apologize for the tone this column degenerated into this week and assure you that, now that her stomach has been pumped, it won't happen again.) And then he responded, "That's why they call me Blitzen, baby!" So you keep that story in mind when you think about where our city's nightlife can take you.

In any case, it's been a good year, folks. Can't wait to see what develops in 2003. Fizzzzzz OUT!

E-mail Pop Fizz at mmcfarland@seattletimes.com.