The Best Concerts In Dallas This Week: Best Coast, Vans Warped Tour and More

Two festivals this week. Really, two that take place in the same location but couldn't be for more vastly different crowds. But, that's the beauty of music. There's something for everybody. Kings of Mic, the old school hip hop fest with the likes of LL Cool J, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, hits Gexa Energy Pavilion on Friday, and then Vans Warped tour comes through on Saturday. Best Coast plays the Granada on Wednesday. Aerosmith does the lucrative casino gig, and there's plenty more. Our picks: 



The Memphis Dawls
With Hares on the Mountain, 8 p.m., Monday, June 22, at Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St., Denton, 940-320-2000, $7
As you might have guessed, the Memphis Dawls are from a Tennessee town called Memphis. You may have heard of it. They’re a trio of women who’ve got a knack for harmonies and melodies. The Memphis Dawls’ brand of indie-folk takes turns between being quite sweet and serene and having driving and upbeat songs slathered in Southern soul. This trio has all of the makings to bring you back to a bygone era and it’s about as solid as can be. HDB


The Free Loaders
7 p.m., Tuesday, June 23, at The Free Man, 2626 Commerce St., 214-377-9893, Free
The Free Loaders have earned their praise in this city. They haven’t been sitting around on their asses all these years. It was show after show, no matter if it was in a club, at a party or at some boogie event where the music isn’t meant to be appreciated, yet it is there for the ambiance like flowers in a vase. This band of blues, jazz and swing musicians can range anywhere from three to eight members depending on the situation. Expect a great show packed with fun from experts at their craft. HDB


Best Coast
With Bully, 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 24, at The Granada, 3524 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, $24
There's an oft-used analogy in sports about how a team functions best when its “glue guys” are performing at a high level. What's a “glue guy?” He's someone who keeps the team focused when there's a bevy of distractions from the team focusing on its goal , like, say, if your lead player is dating someone famous or if the hype is getting to be too much. You need a “glue guy” in music, too, especially when you're getting a ton of hype, and your lead player dates the dude from Wavves. That's why many consider Best Coast's Bobb Bruno the ultimate music “glue guy,” including his longtime band mate and musical collaborator, Bethany Cosentino. That's cool because he's an integral part of the band, but he doesn't get any of the press because of music journalism's obsession with lead singers, especially female ones. So it's nice to see that Bruno's band mate, who's frequently the focal point of the group's press, believes he's so integral. Partnerships lead to great work, and if the critics are to be believed, the partnership that's Best Coast has done just that. Jaime-Paul Falcon


The Avett Brothers Band 
With Old Crow Medicine Show, 7 p.m., Thursday, June 25, at Verizon Theatre ,  1001 Performance Place, Grand Prairie, 972-854-5050, $25-64
The Avett Brothers Band are a high-energy folk group from a small North Carolina town. They're known for their having legions of fans join along in song. The Avett Brothers Band has released eight albums in their decade-and-a-half career. They've even got Rick Rubin, perhaps the greatest living record producer, in their corner — not only as a producer but also as a part of his record label. They play with Old Crow Medicine Show, the OG of high-energy folk. HDB


Boom 94.5 Festival
With LL Cool J, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Whodini, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Sugarhill Gang and The Furious 5, 5 p.m., Friday, June 26, at Gexa Energy Pavilion, 3839 South Fitzhugh Ave., 214-421-1111, $20-110
LL Cool J is taking a break from being the Kangol-wearing, lip-licking, permanent host of the Grammy awards to headline this festival of old-school hip hop. You can catch him and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Whodini, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Sugarhill Gang and the Furious 5. Hopefully, LL Cool J doesn't play "Accidental Racist," which is easily one of the worst songs ever made in the history of recorded music. (This is not an overstatement.) HDB


Vans Warped Tour
11 a.m, Saturday, June 27,  at Gexa Energy Pavilion, 3839 South Fitzhugh Ave., 214-421-1111, $39
Every year the Scene Teens have a rip-roaring good time at their roving Woodstock, the Vans Warped Tour. Over the years, some of the most prominent hardcore and punk bands have played a set at a Vans Warped Tour somewhere. Pierce the Veil, Baby Baby, RiFF RaFF, Never Say Never, Silverstein, Senses Fail and seemingly hundreds of other bands perform at this year's festival. Relive the angst of your past or dive right into your current feelings. HDB


Aerosmith
7 p.m.,  Saturday, June 26, at Choctaw Casino, 4216 S. Hwy 69/75 Durant, Oklahoma, $150
Arena rock in its truest and purest form is a rare creature in 2015. You'll have to turn to the creators and masters of the genre to get a taste. Enter Aerosmith, the only band you'll want to hear if a meteor is making its way to Earth to kill us all. Even after being together for nearly half a century, Aerosmith is still going strong, having released their latest album in 2012, Music from Another Dimension! And unlike so many other arena bands of their era, they're touring with their original lineup. Any fan of Aerosmith won't wanna miss this. HDB


The Appleseed Cast
With Coaster, Adjy, 8 p.m., Friday June 26, Dan's Silver Leaf,  Dan's Silver Leaf, 103 Industrial St. Denton, $13
The Appleseed Cast are pioneers in the emo and post-rock genre. Lead singer Christopher Crisci's lyrics are packed with emotional yearnings, the drumming is quick and nifty and the guitar licks alternate between arpeggio flurries or being downright loud and searing. Many of the foundations of the genre are found in the Appleseed Cast's music. They're touring in honor of the 15th anniversary of their acclaimed album Mare Vitalis. HDB



Seryn
With Gollay, 7:39 p.m., Friday, June 26, Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., http://thekessler.org, $26
Denton has more than a few bands to be proud of: the Baptist Generals, Brave Combo, Midlake and ,if you're into nationwide appeal and a wide following, Norah Jones, Bowling For Soup and Don Henley. Those are a few storied acts that have bustled through Denton's vibrant square playing a show here and there. Today, Seryn is Denton's must-see band, even thought their home is now Nashville. They're known for their lush harmonies and full musical arrangements, even garnering the attention of Paste magazine, being named one of the best live acts of SXSW. HDB

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