The 1997 Dallas Observer Music Awards

--Tim Schuller

Elizabeth Wills
Nominated for: Folk/Acoustic
The concept of hierarchy seems particularly entrenched in the acoustic-folk realm. Because the artists are generally solo performers, their identities are carved slowly and indelibly. As such, the fact that relative newcomer Elizabeth Wills has already made significant waves in an arena where Sara Hickman, Josh Alan, Meredith Louise Miller, and Colin Boyd have long held court is impressive indeed. Then again, so is her debut CD for Crystal Clear Sound, Rivers, a thoughtful, literate work which is at once melancholic and spirited, and which non-folkies can absorb pleasantly without necessarily rallying around a farm workers' strike or fearing an immediate pledge-drive solicitation.

--Rick Koster

Live Music Venue

Club Dada
2720 Elm
Club Dada, located in the heart of Deep Ellum, is an institution, a friendly and comfortable venue that celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Dada has consistently showcased live, mostly local music seven days a week, as well as other art forms like theater and film. Dada grew symbiotically with young bands like the New Bohemians, Fever in the Funkhouse, Ten Hands, and countless others. It now is more than three times its original size and houses two stages, three bars, and an art gallery.

Dada no longer charges a cover and rarely books more than one band per night Sunday through Wednesday. The free admission is a boon for patrons, but not for struggling new acts. While Dada has been criticized for its conservatism, its ability to read and adapt to hard realities has allowed it to survive, and it remains an intimate environment where regulars gather to enjoy quality live music. The sound system is great, and Dada's back courtyard--under illuminated trees--is one of the more magical places in town to see a show.

--Alex Magocsi

Deep Ellum Live
2727 Canton
They never have limes at the bar, and most of the big shows in the past two years--Oasis, Bjsrk, Social Distortion, Chemical Brothers--sold out, leaving lines of people begging for tickets outside. Still, Deep Ellum Live is the best mid-size venue we have. A no-nonsense rectangular room where you can see well from the floor, the acoustics at D.E.L. are always superb. It is as serious about live shows--and the frills many expect--as its laconic and fully descriptive name implies. It's the kind of place where you go to see a show when you don't care about distractions like pool tables, pinball machines, or annoying scenesters.

From bands like Danzig, GWAR, or Soundgarden to Everything But The Girl, the Pixies, or the Psychedelic Furs, the hall on Canton is the venue where music comes first.

Now, what about those limes?
--Philip Chrissopoulos

Naomi's
3001 Canton
Walk into Naomi's, and it's like stepping into another place and time. Naomi's has the ambiance of a saloon, complete with "dogs playing poker" on velvet and dozens of cowboy hats stapled to the ceiling. (It's also one of the few places in town where not only Shiner Bock, but Lone Star and Pearl beers are readily available.) "Dallas is about partying," owner-manager Carroll Collyer says, "and Naomi's is the headquarters." As a live music venue, Naomi's is a study in the acoustics of intimacy. The smallish, square room's capacity is a fraction of that of Deep Ellum Live, so even the smallest amplifier makes it to the back, and the crowd is often plentiful. Unlike most clubs, Naomi's never has a cover charge. "It's Robert Tilton time," Collyer reminds the crowd as they pass the bucket to pay the band. And the bands keep coming back to the only boots-and-blue jeans joint in Deep Ellum. Naomi's is a terrific hole in the wall with lots of cheap beer, good bands, and a clientele that knows what to expect. It's unlike anything else in Deep Ellum--for one thing, it's been around so long that, thanks to a grandfather clause, it's the only bar in Dallas where you can buy a six pack to go (shades of Hank Thompson!)--as such, it should be considered an essential Dallas experience.

--Arnold Wayne Jones

Sons of Hermann Hall
3414 Elm
Many venues in Dallas have personality, but few have the warmth, charm, and sheer humanity of the Sons of Hermann Hall. You can boot-scoot to Junior Brown, waltz to Cafe Noir, and sit and watch Sara Hickman. You can twirl your poodle skirt with Ronnie Dawson, jam to Son Volt, and get snot-drunk with the Old 97's, then spend a few dollars on a hamburger, fried up just the way God intended, by a woman with too-tall hair. You can drink Shiner Bock or plain old Coors, drop by once in a blue moon or be as regular as rain. Whatever the case, you'll feel like you're home when you step into this old German fraternal hall.

--Scott Kelton Jones

Trees
2709 Elm
While it's true that longtime Trees booking shaman Doug Simmons recently relinquished his duties at the venerable Elm Street showcase, there's really no reason to expect anything particularly different--why argue with success?

After all, this youngest of a neighborhood live music triumvirate (which also includes Club Clearview and Club Dada) has a peculiar, homey feel, rather like an Elks lodge if it had been taken over by Owsley, Kerouac, and Gibby Haynes. The entertainment is as consistently top-notch as it is diverse, and has proven fairly open-minded toward struggling local acts. Now, if they'd just add a second bartender upstairs for the SRO shows, it might be possible to get a beer without missing 40 minutes of the headliner's set.

--Rick Koster