21 December 11 -17, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Classified | MusiC | dish | Culture | unfair Park | Contents Concert Jams Dos Equis Pavilion’s new parking policy hits a sour note, will require parking passes. BY PRESTON BARTA T here are certain truths we have long held dear in Dallas: the Cowboys will break our hearts, traffic on Central Expressway is a nightmare and parking at Dos Equis Pavilion is a chaotic free-for-all. Well, you can now scratch that last one off the list. In a move that is likely to have concertgoers collectively groaning, the venerable Fair Park venue announced that starting in 2026, the era of “free” parking is officially over. Last week, the venue posted on its social media channels that “anyone who parks at the venue will need to purchase a parking pass in advance or on the day of the show.” These passes will be sold separately from concert tickets, ending a long-standing tra- dition that made Dos Equis one of the few major local venues where you didn’t have to sell a kidney to park your car. For those of us who have braved the laby- rinthine asphalt expanse of the venue’s lots, this news is a mixed bag of dread and mor- bid curiosity. Let’s be honest, the parking ex- perience has always been part of the adventure. If you attended the sold-out Pierce the Veil show this past year, you know the drill: arrive hours early to snake through a seemingly endless queue and then prepare for an equally epic exodus after the encore. It’s a rite of passage, a test of patience fueled by the anticipation of live music. Now, imag- ine adding the delightful step of swiping a card or fumbling for a digital pass at the gate. The public reaction was swift and, shall we say, less than enthusiastic. Social media lit up with the kind of sarcastic wit that only a new, inconvenient fee can inspire. One user lamented, “cool, so now nobody will ever want to come to shows ,” while another pointedly remarked, “Because concert tick- ets aren’t expensive enough.” Our personal favorite? “Lol this was one of the only things y’all had going for this place.” Ouch. To its credit, the venue’s social media team waded into the comment section to do some damage control. In response to one In- stagram user, the official Dos Equis Pavilion account explained the logic: “GA parking was included on tickets with a fee. It’s now a separate transaction. ... Our goal is letting fans choose which parking they desire, without already paying for GA via the con- cert ticket.” The idea is that fans using ride- share services won’t have to subsidize parking for those who drive. It’s a fair point. But it also raises ques- tions. Will this new system lead to a miracu- lously efficient parking system with streamlined entry and exit? Will we see clearly marked lanes, cheerful attendants and maybe even a tram to whisk us away from the far-flung corners of the lot? Or is this just another way to squeeze a few more dollars out of an already increasingly expen- sive entertainment industry? Only time will tell. For now, we have a lit- tle more time to enjoy the beautiful anarchy of “free” parking at Dos Equis Pavilion. So, go ahead and get stuck in traffic one last time for old times’ sake. Starting in 2026, you’ll be paying for the privilege. ▼ STREAMING TUNING OUT THE SPOTIFY UNWRAPPED MOVEMENT TAKES AIM AT THE STREAMER’S ICE ADS. BY KENA SOSA I f Spotify is on Santa’s radar, it’s likely to be fighting its way off the naughty list. With long-running disputes over min- imal artist pay, the music streaming giant has already lost its position as the favorite platform of musicians. Now, the Spotify Un- wrapped movement is fueling that fight even further. On Dec. 3, Spotify released its annual Wrapped list of listeners’ favorite songs, pod- casts and audiobooks. Wrapped provides an AI-generated list of stats in the form of a post- able, personal virtual trading card. However, recently, a blizzard of com- plaints fell on the streamer and across social media when ads by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aired on the platform. Yet, when faced with demands to remove the ads, leaders from the stream- ing app stood frozen in place, peeping out from behind the shadow of its advertising policies. Spotify is not the only platform that has aired these ads, but it does starkly stand out for its defense in the ad’s continuation. The Observer was unable to reach Spotify for comment, but a U.S. spokesperson for the streamer told The Guardian recently that the ads do not violate the company’s advertising policies. Publicly, Spotify’s only suggestion for avoiding these ads is to recommend that listeners use the thumbs-down feature. A grassroots organization called Indivisi- ble, along with other organizations such as Working Families Party and 50501 Move- ment, banded together to reinforce the un- spoken theme that music is supposed to inspire without borders and entertain in meaningful and enriching ways that connect people. Many feel that the airing of these ads directly contradicts these ideas. Ezra Levin, co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, said in a statement, “Spotify only works because of us. Now it’s on all of us to force accountability.” Spotify’s outgoing CEO, Daniel Ek, has not escaped backlash due to his controversial comments about the “net-zero cost” of con- tent creation and his ties to defense compa- nies. Ek will transition out of the position Jan. 1 to become the executive chairman of Hels- ing, a European-based AI military defense company. He will be replaced by co-CEOs Gustav Soderstrom and Alex Nordstrom. The rebuttal to Spotify’s stance against the chorus of the public outcry is Spotify Un- wrapped, a movement that calls for users to ditch the service. Some artists have shown support by pulling their music off the stream- ing app altogether, including Massive Attack and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. While there is power in taking away, there is also power in giving, as far as Spotify Un- wrapped sees things. The movement is mak- ing GIFs available to users to post instead of their Spotify stats. A recap featuring Tyler, The Creator, for example, reads “You tapped into Tyler’s genius as your most-streamed artist. Spotify tapped into I.C.E. propaganda. One of these is art. One is harmful.” “Spotify Wrapped is supposed to cele- brate community, culture, and creativity,” said Nelini Stamp, director of strategy for the Working Families Party, in a statement. “Art should liberate, not legitimize harm. I want people to be able to enjoy what makes their hearts happy. ICE ads don’t do that.” The WFP does not support censorship, however, these ads are paid for by American tax dollars, in other words, it is government- sponsored propaganda targeting specific communities. She added, “Music should be for all, not just for the few.” | B-SIDES | ▼ Music Preston Barta For a crowd this size, expect a long wait to get out of the parking lot no matter what you pay. Hand built not bougHt. Franklins TaTToo and supply 469-904-2665 • 4910 Columbia ave, dallas, TX 75214 proFessional TaTToo supply For pros only Call for your appointment or design commissions today!
