Odds & Ends

Coolest primaries ever: The Dallas Observer Music Awards are coming in May, which means we need to get started with the nominations...uh...right now. Just like last year, you guys get to tell us who you think deserves to make the final DOMA ballot. Go to this link www.dallasobserver.com/musicawards/nom2006 right now to fill out the nomination sheet, and bands, spread the word. You’ve only got two weeks to nominate, so don’t dilly-dally on the promotional side. Keep checking the music section for updates; in about a month, we’ll announce the final nominees, culled from your nominations along with those of an industry panel.

---

How darling: We know you’ve been clamoring for more information about Christy Darlington. After Sarah Hepola’s cover story about the local pop-punk weirdo (“Refuse to Lose,” November 18, 2004), we received all kinds of letters...well, actually, just one, from Christy himself accusing Hepola of trying “to make me look as bad as you could.” Thing is, Christy, she actually made you look as good as she could, which was impressive in itself.

The hard-workin’ chord slinger hasn’t let up since then, and his latest 18-song album, Sex, saw independent release a month ago. The CD slipped past our radar, but e-mails pimping his new Web site didn’t—darlingtonsex.com is, without a doubt, the most self-indulgent tripe we’ve seen from local music in some time. (And for Dallas, that’s saying something!) Check out this unedited site intro, conveniently stuck below a photo of the man pouting like he’s about to cry:

“I am a solo artist. i do anything i want to, live how i want to, and i make my own rules. i make my own traditions and march to my own beat.” A few lines later: “i am living, breathing art and expression. i am unique. i’m a contradiction in terms. i break down all social barriers and walls.”

We must’ve missed the social commentary of Sex’s “Girls + Summer = Fun!” Still, that posturing alone isn’t what makes Darlington’s new site such a head-scratcher; after all, we’ve seen local artists bitch on MySpace plenty. No, it’s the “couture” section that cracks us up the most: A series of teenage girls show off panties with phrases like “PROPERTY OF DARLINGTON” and “SEX” written right on their butts. Not gross enough for ya? Visit the “used T-shirts” section where you can buy shirts that “were thrashed and worn by me on tour and thru life.” Only $6 each, tax and sweat not included.

On the bright side, Darlington has free MP3s on the site to quell your pop-punk jones—in case your copy of Green Day’s Kerplunk got scratched, anyway.

---

Spin me right ’round: After holding a month-long open call for DJ mixes, we at AAT HQ have lived life at 120 BPM for the past few days while digging through dozens of dance-packed CD-Rs. Rather than suffer glowstick contamination, though, we have since emerged with six finalists for this weekend’s Dallas Observer DJ Spin Off. The local wax-taculars competing Saturday night at the Lizard Lounge are as follows: DJ Inzo, Shagnasty, Sess, Bazar, DJ Familiar and Kelsey FX. Each DJ gets 20 minutes to impress our panel of judges, and the contestant who wins in all three categories (creativity, technical ability, crowd response) wins a spot at March’s 2006 Ultra Music Festival in Miami to compete against other regional Spin Off winners. Good luck.

---

Handstamps: Get off ya feet—Final Friday is rocking the Gypsy Tea Room on Friday with yet another badass local hip-hop lineup. This iteration is spearheaded by Waco’s wildly impressive Strange Fruit Project, so get on it...If you didn’t get tickets for Fiona Apple’s gig at the American Airlines Center on Sunday opening for the most boring band ever, it’s not too late to get some cheap seats. Can’t say the same for Sigur Ros’ Monday stop at Bass Performance Hall, which sold out weeks ago, but die-hards can probably still scalp their way in...The Happy Bullets and the Tah-Dahs are the first bands to play Tower Records’ new monthly in-store series. Teens who can’t normally get into age-restricted venues should really check this out after school on Thursday at 7 p.m...Pleasant Grove and Knife in the Water provide a tasteful one-two sample of Southern gothic sounds at the Cavern on Saturday.