Interestingly enough, the press releases list "music journalists" among the types of people invited to the event. Who knows? Maybe DMP can hook up the poor folks at And Another Thing with that kidney we've always wanted.
Not yet converted: In case you missed it, we aren't huge fans of the new Rhett Miller album (Playlist, March 2). Miller himself didn't miss it--in fact, he wrote us a letter shortly after Noah W. Bailey's review hit the streets. He says he tries to avoid reading reviews, adding, "But if the maitre d' sits you across from a mirror, you're going to make sure you don't have anything in your teeth."
After recognizing Bailey's disapproval of The Believer ("I respect Noah's opinion and his right to said opinion. Hell, I've endured the opinions of more Observer writers than I can remember"), he goes on to...pimp his upcoming tour stop in Dallas this weekend. It's a very kind letter, really, and self-mocking to boot--"Heck, I get sick of myself sometimes, especially during label-orchestrated media blitzes such as the one I'm currently spearheading." But the letter basically says, "You guys reviewed my record. Not the best review. Come see me!"
We were gonna plug the show anyway, Rhett. After all, the second of two shows (both are with his solo band the Believers, not with the Old 97's) at Sons of Hermann Hall on Friday and Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the first club show Miller ever played, "alongside Peter Schmidt's awesome band Three on a Hill and my fellow 97 Murry Hammond's Peyote Cowboys," so the letter wasn't exactly necessary. But it's nice to get a few quotes--and a "no hard feelings" sentiment--in addition. Just warn us when you're about to play "Question" so we can excuse ourselves, please.
Another brick in the Wall: We have a boatload to say about the Ridglea Theatre's Wall of Sound Festival next week--so much, in fact, that we've started a daily update at the Dallas Observer's blog, Unfair Park, to preview a few of the 88 bands every day until the fest begins on April 8. And if you haven't gotten a ticket yet, you may as well log onto frontgatetickets.com right now; prerelease tickets are $10 less for two-day passes than at the door.
Handstamps: Four out of five doctors agree that you need more jazz in your life. (What, you want names? Fine: Dr. Dre, Dr. J., Dr. Seuss and...er...Dr. Feelgood.) Get your FDA-approved dosage of solid jazz (lots of hard-bop and fusion, not too much smooth crap) at the North Texas Jazz Festival Friday through Sunday at the Hotel InterContinental in Addison. Yellowjackets, Roy Hargrove and the UNT One O'Clock Lab Band headline...The Barley House turns 13 on Friday, which means it only has five years to go before it's as old as most of its newfound SMU clientele. Zing! Catch Barley faves the Drams and Slider Pines headlining that evening... Undeniable Records has its first birthday on Saturday; celebrate that night at the Double Wide...What's with all the anniversaries this week? Final Friday turns six at the Gypsy Tea Room this week, so don't be an April Fool--see PPT (Pikahsso, Picnictyme and Tahiti), Rakoo Nation and plenty more throw down for Dallas hip-hop.
