FKA Twigs
With Boots, 8 p.m., Friday, November 28, at Trees, 2709 Elm St., 214-741-1122 or treesdallas.com, Sold out.
Whether you think she's the next art-pop game-changer or simply a trip-hop vestige, FKA Twigs is one of the most-discussed artists of the year. Twigs followed 2013's breakout EP2 with the proper full-length LP1 earlier this year, and it's streaked with all the aesthetic indulgences and experimental prodding of a genuine auteur in the making. Her art sees future meet tradition as technology clashes with the warmth of organic song craft: One minute the music's reduced to rubbery threads and mechanical clicks, the next she slathers the mix with R&B rhythms and soaring vocal melodies. There's a pungent waft of theater to the way Twigs moves through her music, her soul-on-the-sleeve compulsions slyly hidden beneath a spectrum of shuffling masks. The rangy, acrobatic maneuvering of her voice adds additional layers to this sense of drama. As accessible as it is subtly dark, Twigs' music is among the finest of the year, as are her gracefully surreal stage productions. --Jonathan Patrick
106.1 Kiss FM's Jingle Ball
With Jason Derulo, Fall Out Boy, MAGIC!, Jeremih, Echosmith, Nick Jonas, Meghan Trainor and Jake Miller, 4 p.m. Sunday, November 30, at Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 972-854-5111 or verizontheatre.com, $27.50-$157.50
Jay Z once immortally declared, "Got beef with radio if I don't play the show/They don't play my hits, well I don't give a shit, so." Unlike the Jigga Man, all the artists appearing at the Verizon Theatre for Kiss FM's Jingle Ball give a shit if radio plays their hits, because they desperately need radio to make their hackneyed careers a thing. The radio waves are populated with pop trash that exists solely because some executive at Warner Bros. went over a chart of what sounds work and assigned them to whatever music bot was readily available. "Let's do Rilo Kiley and Metric, but like 500 times worse!" says the person who came up with Echosmith. "311, but without the weed references and like 10 percent more HPV!" says the person who came up with MAGIC! "A really untalented version of Usher!" says Jason Derulo's mom. "Amy Winehouse's production, but with a worse voice!" says Meghan Trainor's manager. And the all time best: "Blink 182's darker songs, but without any wit or musical talent," says Pete Wentz. And they repeat ad-nauseam every few years so that the pop-music money train never stops, and it will never stop, because there's always a new face to push. Oh, and where the fuck does Nick Jonas get off thinking he's Justin Timberlake? --Jaime-Paul Falcon
Common
With Jay Electronica, 8 p.m. Monday, December 1, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $35-$65
Since his debut in 1992, "Chi-Town God" Common has been one of the most prominent voices in conscious hip-hop. Nobody's Smiling, his 10th studio album, which dropped this summer, continues the legacy with a heavy focus on the violence and crime in Chicago. The No I.D.-produced album also includes features from Big Sean, Vince Staples and more. Offering more than just thoughtful lyrics, Common knows how to spit, and the 40-something vet still brings a youthful energy. But the rapper and actor isn't the only one performing: The famously mysterious Jay Electronica will be opening the show. Signed to Jay Z's Roc Nation, Jay Electronica has a Dallas connection as well, through the child he has with Erykah Badu. It's not often that you can see two of hip-hop's best lyricists at the same show, which makes this concert a must-see for any true hip-hop heads. --Mac McCann
Centro-matic
8 p.m. Tuesday, December 2, at the Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., 214-272-8346 or thekessler.org, $16
Say it ain't so, Centro-matic! After recording and touring at a ferocious pace for two decades, one of the best and most prolific bands in Texas will call it quits before the end of the year. The final shows will naturally be in Denton at Dan's Silverleaf later in December, but this is Centro-matic's last Dallas show. At least we can take comfort in knowing that frontman Will Johnson will surely continue with other endeavors. Lest we forget, Johnson is a world-class songwriter obsessed by his craft. Over the years, he has more than held his own working on various projects with the likes of Vic Chesnutt, Mark Eitzel, Jason Molina, Conor Oberst, M. Ward and David Bazan. Centro-matic will bow out long after earning the respect of their peers and will be sorely missed. The Kessler Theater is, of course, gorgeous and the sound is near-perfect so this is about as good as a fond farewell gets. -- Jeremy Hallock
Justin Timberlake
8 p.m. Wednesday, December 3, at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave., 214-222-3687 or americanairlinescenter.com, $69-$198
Is there any debate about who the reigning king of pop is? After conquering pop music (and really pop culture at large) in 2006 with his breakthrough album FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake has entered a rare stratosphere that artists would kill to be in. He is at the level where the only complaint from fans is, "When will they release new music?" After FutureSex, Timberlake took a hiatus from music for seven years to pursue other endeavors. In 2013, he flattened the musical landscape with the release of two albums, The 20/20 Experience and, later in the year, The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2. Those albums reaffirmed to the world that the New King of Pop was back and stronger than ever. --James Khubiar
