This year’s Dally in the Alley was blessed with impeccable weather, providing an excellent draw to the popular annual street fair, celebrating its astounding 35th year. The all-day-into-night event features a variety of local vendors, culinary wonders/street food nightmares, the timeless practice of debauchery in the street and, most importantly, a wide, free assembly of the local musical fauna.

Local screen-printer InkInBloom, a member of the up-and-coming Ocelot Print Shop collective.

Nearly a week later, I am still contemplating this homemade potato chip concoction, which represents either civilization’s greatest achievement, or its downfall.

Impromptu breakdancing at the techno stage.

Debauchery not quite yet in practice, but rest assured that no Dally is complete without one or many street beers consumed by eager participants.

Bands of all stripes hit the fair’s three stages, with live music acts performing throughout the day and running the gamut from zydeco, to techno, to good old-fashioned rock and roll. Falling somewhere between the latter and bizarre psyche-rock with a twist, the highlight of the day’s offerings for this blogger was certainly Pink Lightning, who took the stage on Forest St. just as the sun was going down.

Truly, no still image can capture Pink Lightning’s onstage presence and energy.

Chris Butterfield is the band’s frontman and a highly animated ringleader indeed, sporting white gloves and a carnival moustache that strongly argues for Pink Lightning’s collective Halloween appearance as Queen at the Crofoot this year. Onstage, Butterfield is frenetic and unpredictable — half-musician, half Batman villain — fluctuating between emphatic vocals and spastic, engaging dancing. The band also features Neal Parks (Drums), Everette Rinehart (Bass Guitar), Tom Eahorski (Guitar), and Leo McWilliams (Accordion), and collectively, Pink Lightning puts on a dynamic, high-energy show. But you don’t have to take my word for it; you can check out their debut album, Happy to be Here, or better yet, catch the unparalleled live show tomorrow night (Friday the 14th) during Scrummage Fest 2012 at PJ’s Lager House. Seeya there!