Another weekend is upon us in Dallas, which means more shows to partake in to take your mind off of the utter terror that is Ebola, but mostly because you love music. Ringo Starr, who used to be in this little band called The Beatles (is that spelled correctly? are you sure?) is in town. The indie hip-hop stylings of Busdriver and clipping. invade Club Dada and Gas Monkey Live throws a party with Social Distortion and the Stone Foxes to break the place in. Here are your picks to get away from it all:
Busdriver With clipping., Milo and Kenny Segal, 8 p.m., Friday, October 10 at Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., dadadallas.com, $12 Fun fact about Busdriver: The L.A.-based rapper was introduced to hip-hop at age 7, because his dad wrote the screenplay to 1985's Krush Groove, a film inspired by the early years of up-and-coming rap producer Russell Simmons, who actually co-produced and appeared in the movie. Doesn't that strike you as something Kanye would do, co-producing a movie with a main character based on himself? In any case, Busdriver has more or less been rapping his entire life, having been a fixture in L.A.'s underground scene since he was a teenager. His latest record, Perfect Hair, features cameos from the likes of Aesop Rock and Danny Brown, but it's really more interesting in how it more or less blows up genre expectations. It's a weird record, and stuffy purists will probably have a lot to find fault with it--in a lot of ways, it comes across like someone rapping over the soundtrack to some weird Xbox 360 game you downloaded at 3 a.m. Or, like, if Stereolab were actually a bunch of black dudes. If any of that makes sense, then you'll want to catch Busdriver when he visits Club Dada. Steve Steward
Radioactivity With Street Arabs and Codetalkers, 8 p.m., Friday, October 10 at Three Links, 2704 Elm St. Dallas, TX, threelinksdeepellum.com, http://www.threelinksdeepellum.com/, $8-$10 A great punk song doesn't have to be long at all. Actually, the sweet spot tends to be two and a half minutes, or even less than that if you really know what you're doing. (It's punk, after all.) The longest song on Radioactivity's self-titled album from last year clocks in at three minutes and 17 seconds. This ain't your Pink Floyd and it sure as hell ain't a jazz standard. Denton's Radioactivity is fast and quick and efficient, a dream for any punk fan who's more into the Ramones than the pop-punk that the genre eventually gave life to. H. Drew Blackburn
Live Jazz featuring Vic Juris, Jerry Bergonzi and Adam Nussbaum 8:00, Friday, October 10, Dan's Silverleaf, www.danssilverleaf.com, 103 Industrial St, Denton, TX 76201, $10 There's not nearly enough jazz selections on these lists and jazz is generally the kale of music; it is good for you. We often suggest things that are like inhaling a cigar; you may enjoy it but it is ultimately bad for you. So, go catch jazz guitarist Vic Juris, tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi and drummer Adam Nussbaum at Dan's. Have your kale, with some syncopation. HDB
Tory Lanez 7 p.m., Friday, October 10, Trees, 2709 Elm St., treesdallas.com, $15 Is there something in the water in Toronto? Perhaps there is, but meet another rapper who blurs the lines between being a rapper and a singer, who is more of a slash than Kordell Stewart himself: Tory Lanez. The rapper/singer was born in the Great White North before eventually moving to the southern Unites States to grow up. Throughout his career he's made some thoroughly catchy songs with amiable hooks with the likes of Kirko Bangs, Souilja Boy, Bun B and more. Keep your eye on this guy; he could be one of rap's next superstars.HDB
Heavenly Beat With Axxa/Abraxas, Tidals, Friday, October 10, 9 pm, Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St., www.double-wide.com, $10 In 2011, Beach Fossils bassist John Peña left the band to create his own project, Heavenly Beat. The project is in contrast from the tattered, lo-fi surf rock vibes found in Beach Fossils' tracks. Heavenly Beat is pretty much what it sounds like. On his album Prominence, which was released last year and recorded in his Greenpoint, Brooklyn bedroom, he utilizes guitars and steel drums to create a lush and atmospheric sound. Catch the former Austinite at your favorite honkey tonk, Double Wide, this weekend for some beautiful sounds. HDB Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band 7 p.m., Saturday, October 11, at the Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 972-854-5111 or verizontheatre.com $29.50-$129.50 Beginning in 1989 and done off and on ever since, Ringo Starr has collected a group of relatively well-known sidemen and proceeded to serve as master of ceremonies over a jukebox of hits from the '70s and '80s. This time around, it's (among others) Steve Lukather of Toto, Greg Rolie of Journey and Todd Rundgren who will be backing up the former drummer of the Beatles. Sadly, many in attendance would rather hear Starr sing such solo chestnuts as "Photograph," "It Don't Come Easy" and Beatles' songs than anything from Toto or Journey. Granted, Rundgren's "I Saw The Light" is just the kind of pop-friendly fare that Paul McCartney and John Lennon used to write for Starr in the first place. Of course, Macca himself will be passing through Dallas just a couple days after Starr, but don't count on an onstage reunion. (He'll be in New Orleans that night.) DS
Jon Bellion 9 p.m., Saturday, October 11, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $16.33 Jon Bellion cites Kanye West as an influence, he even went as far as dropping out of college to take on music as a career. Just like Yeezus himself, it seems like his determination's paid off. Bellion wrote the hook to the Eminem and Rihanna single, "The Monster," and ever since then Bellion's been slowly garnering more and more attention. As a pop artist, Bellion has let the rap influence change up the usual pop artist plan of action by releasing a slew of mixtapes before a proper release. The latest is The Definition which opens on probably the most recognizable thing Kanye West has ever said (well, on an actual song), "Wait 'till I get my money right," and filled to the brim with grandiose pop ballads. HBD
Bethan Album Release Show With Dark Rooms, Home By Hovercraft, and Calvin Chynoweth, 9 p.m., Saturday, October 11 at Three Links, 2704 Elm St. Dallas, TX, http://www.threelinksdeepellum.com/, $7-$10 It's safe to say that on an individual front the members of Bethan are quite prolific. The members -- Jessi Hall and Daniel T. Hall, Becki and Kevin Howard, and Jesse Hopkins--have played in bands like Radiant, the Crash That Took Me, Novaak and Fox and the Bird. After four years of EPs and a Christmas record, Bethan has finally released a full-length of their own, Time Gone By, which polishes the band's take on noirish and gloomy folk. The record was recorded in Denton at Redwood Studios with Midlake's McKenzie Smith. Head out to Three Links for the record release show that's been four year in the making. HDB
Social Distortion With The Stone Foxes and Jonny Two Bags at 8 p.m., Saturday, October 11 at Gas Monkey Live, 10110 Technology Blvd., $30/$35 at the door Gas Monkey Bar and Grill only planned on putting on a few shows a month when it opened up last year and now, whaddaya know, they're opening up a venue with a 2,500-person capacity across the street called Gas Monkey Live. To break in the place, which is in the same space previously occupied by the under-loved Toby Keith's I Love This Bar, the tenured punk band Social Distortion will headline the grand opening and the Stone Foxes and will open along with Jonny Two Bags. This is the first of many, many loud and sweaty evenings to come at 10110 Technology Blvd. HDB
Wo Fat With the Great Electric Quest, Red Wizard, Crypt Trip, FOGG, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, October 11, at Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., dadadallas.com, $10 Wo Fat is fuzzy, fuzzier than a sweet Georgia peach. The Dallas band has made a name for itself with some delightfully heavy psychedelic stoner rock. The riffs are huge and come down like thunder. Though they have their moments at creating an environment that may make you feel like you're in the midst of impending doom, the band is at their best when they hit long stretches of a jam or groove. Nothing wrong with a little sunshine amongst the thunder. HDB
