The 10 Best Concerts of the Week: Neon Indian, Lights All Night, Sonny Digital and More

There are several big New Year's Eve shows happening this week, so don't think you're limited to only what's listed in this roundup. But a couple of recommendations to help you ring in 2018 include locals Jonathan Tyler at Granada Theater and electronic dance quartet Ishi at Trees. Neon Indian, Lights All Night, Bowling for Soup and many others will help kick off the week.


Sonny Digital
8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 26, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $15

Sonny Digital is one of the most prominent hip-hop producers on the planet. Kanye West, 2 Chainz, ILoveMakonnen, Drake, Future, Gucci Mane, 21 Savage, Rae Sremmurd, Chief Keef — his instrumentals have graced the tracks of nearly every important rapper in the world. While still distinctly trap-like in makeup — skittering hi-hats, booming bass, atmospheric to a fault — Sonny Digital’s brighter aesthetic is something of a counterpoint to that of fellow Atlantan producer Metro Boomin, whose ominous and lean stylings have dominated contemporary trap music over the last few years. Bouncier, lighter moods are Sonny Digital’s trademark, but it’s the way he’s able to construct club-ready bangers out of comparatively softer source material that makes his approach so unique. Like most hip-hop of the moment, it’s empowering, euphoric and exhilarating, but Sonny Digital’s tracks are also lush and colorful. The effect is dazzling — and really, really fun. Jonathan Patrick


Neon Indian
With Deep Cuts, 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, Trees, 2709 Elm St., 214-741-1122 or treesdallas.com, $25

There’s a certain style of squelchy, hazy synth music that Neon Indian (aka Alan Palomo) calls his. It harkens back to German electronic music, the hypnagogic daydreams of Ariel Pink and the syrupy pop of a thousand forgotten ’80s bands. A local Denton boy made good, Palomo first made waves with 2009’s disorienting Psychic Chasms, which found a new kind of psychedelic pop music in abstracted, overly textured synthesizers. The album helped solidify an aesthetic movement focused on nostalgia and retro keyboards, which dominated underground electronic music in the late aughts. Each record since has clarified Palomo’s vision of feel-good moods and washed-out tones, the fidelity and songwriting growing sharper with each new release. Palomo hasn’t released much music since 2015, however, so what he sounds like now is anyone’s guess. All the more reason to show up and find out. Jonathan Patrick


Robert Earl Keen
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $45-$70

Texas icon Robert Earl Keen Jr., 61, has spent nearly half of his life as a musical ambassador of the Lone Star State, and in 2012, he was inducted to the Texas Heritage Songwriters Hall of Fame. He’s best known for his collaborations with George Strait and Lyle Lovett and the Highwaymen, but he really hit his stride in the mainstream country music scene during his tours with fellow singer-songwriters Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. His sixth annual Christmas tour, REK’s Fam-O-Lee Back to the Country Jamboree, will stop at House of Blues on Friday. It’s a classic country revue that nods to Keen’s cult Christmas anthem, “Merry Christmas from the Family.” Nicholas Bostick


Lights All Night
With Bassnectar, Marshmello, Porter Robinson, Ugly God and more, 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, and Saturday, Dec. 30, Market Hall, 2200 Stemmons Freeway, lightsallnight.com, $99 and up

Dallas’ Lights All Night Festival enters its eighth year as the largest end-of-the-year music event in Texas and throughout the southern United States. It offers the biggest EDM acts and a celebratory atmosphere in the heart of the city. The 2017 edition brings Bassnectar, Marshmello, Porter Robinson, Illenium and more than a dozen other A-list electronic acts to town, along with special guest hip-hop artists Ugly God, Smokepurpp and Maxo Kream. Lights All Night has tweaked its floor setup this year by adding a second stage meant to emulate European clubs. There should be more dancing, shorter vendor lines and a larger-than-ever LED screen at the Supernova Stage. Two-day general admission passes are sold out, and single day passes are going fast. Mikel Galicia


Bowling for Soup
With The Nixons, Slow Roosevelt, South FM, 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, Bomb Factory, 2713 Canton St., 214-932-6501 or thebombfactory.com, $18-$100

Just before year’s end, four local bands synonymous with ’90s Deep Ellum will play at the Bomb Factory. Bowling for Soup made an impact during that decade’s sugary pop-punk explosion; the Nixons had a monster hit with “Sister” in the post-grunge years; Slow Roosevelt’s loud, pummeling sound echoed Quicksand and Helmet; and South FM became infamous for stickers that said “Zac Crain’s Favorite Band.” The purpose of the bill is nostalgia, but not in a pathetic way. This concert will be a nice gathering of bands that helped make Deep Ellum a destination 20 years ago. Eric Grubbs


Harry Connick Jr.
8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, WinStar Casino. 777 Casino Ave., Thackerville, Oklahoma, winstarworldcasino.com, 800-622-6317, $75 and up

Nobody woos us quite like the dreamy, blue-eyed crooner Harry Connick Jr. Picking up where Sinatra left off, Connick mixes easy listening with the spunk of swing and big band to create something delightfully cheesy that warms our hearts and gets the butterflies fluttering. Aside from his successful acting career, he also just launched his own talk show, Harry. Diamond Victoria


Ten Hands
With Skinny Cooks, 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., dadadallas.com, $20

Ten Hands flourished in the glory days of Deep Ellum. And for the past 30 years, the band's seen a strong local following. It formally stopped playing in the mid-'90s but had a few reunion shows until the early aughts, when several members left town. Now they're back again for a night of nostalgia at Dada. DV


Jonathan Tyler
With The Texas Gentleman, Vandoliers, 9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., granadatheater.com, $24-$80

Dallas has given the world some pretty great music, from Tripping Daisy to Stevie Ray Vaughn to Leon Bridges. And part of the long list of famed Dallasites is Jonathan Tyler. The blues-playing darling is also a recipient of several Dallas Observer Music Awards, including Best Male Vocalist, Reader's Pick for Best Local CD Release and Best Blues Act. DV


Duke Dumont
10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Stereo Live Dallas, 2711 Storey Lane, 214-358-6511 or stereolivedallas.com, $35-$55

Stereo Live will be a happening place New Year’s Eve, when English songwriter, DJ and record producer Duke Dumont will serve as the master of ceremonies. Dumont built his career as a producer for Santigold, Lily Allen and Bonobo, but this year, he’s become a success with hits “I Got U” and “Ocean Drive.” He’s been touring heavily and proven that he’s just as comfortable onstage as in the studio. Expect crowd participation, flashing stage lights, thunderous bass lines, infectious singalongs and a midnight ball drop. Jeff Strowe


Ishi
With Broncho and Medicine Man Revival, 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, Trees, 2709 Elm St., treesdallas.com, $26

Electronic dance and funk outfit Ishi knows how to work the crowd. Formed in Dallas in 2006, the quartet brings a visually stunning performance every time it takes the stage. Perfect for (another) New Year's Eve show at Trees, the bill also includes Oklahoma-based Broncho and local favorite Medicine Man Revival. DV