Another weekend come and another weekend gone. Hopefully we all spent some quality time with our beloved mothers yesterday, having most likely spent all day Saturday doing some quality day drinking. (Or maybe we were just day drinking with our mothers.) It was perfect weather for both, in fact.
Naturally, the weather seems poised to return to it's schizophrenic tendencies for the foreseeable future . But that's no matter. After all, just look at the concerts coming up this week in Dallas -- including a French pop star, a Daft Punk BFF, and some bona-fide jukebox heroes -- for proof that sometimes schizophrenia is the spice of life.
Ingrid Michaelson With Sugar & the Hi Lows and Storyman, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, at the House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas Indie piano-pop artist Ingrid Michaelson is viewed by some as the Queen of DIY music, and for good reason. Her songs have been featured on TV shows, commercials and films scores of times, so she has been everywhere. Her 2006 breakout hit "The Way I Am" introduced us to someone who could take rich if sometimes muted vocals, subtle percussion, and simple lines about offering her lover a sweater, and somehow make the whole thing seem sexy as hell. She's also given us "Be OK," which makes use of ukulele, jazzy upright bass, percussion, snapping, and clapping to augment her lyrics about never wanting to be fixed. She never sounds maudlin about her plight and never sugar-coats the effects that such a fix might have on her. Michaelson's music drifts into your consciousness without you knowing it, and this is a big reason why she is so damn likeable. Brian Palmer
Band of Skulls With Sacco, 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 14, at the Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., 214-824-9933 or granadatheater.com With a name reminiscent of an '80s American hardcore band, Band of Skulls is actually an English power trio that has been making mostly impressive indie rock for just about a decade. Decidedly stylish, Band of Skulls have, for better or worse, been consistently compared to the Black Keys and White Stripes. While such comparisons have not proven especially apt, Russell Marsden and his two other playmates do mine some similar influences that manage to peek their way out of the garage rock roar. Himalayan, the band's newest effort, is a rather slickly recorded affair that neither hinders nor advances the band's stylistic credibility. But it is loud and the band looks absolutely fabulous. That counts for something, right? Darryl Smyers
Johnny Hallyday 9 p.m., Thursday, May 15, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $45-$78. Serge Gainsbourg may have been the "Dirtiest Man in Pop Music," but when it comes to pop longevity, Johnny Hallyday has always held a special place in the hearts of the French people. Known as the "French Elvis" to his fans -- and there are many, as he's sold millions of records over a career that spans a half-century -- Hallyday had all the right pop star moves, including high-profile romances with movie stars, a taste for fast cars, and an inimitable knack for fashion. Sure, he copied folks like the King and Jerry Lee Lewis, even singing their songs in his native tongue, which likely explains his lack of international fame. But now that he's returned from a brief retirement, catching Hallyday means experiencing an authentic piece of '60s pop culture that's lasted a lifetime. Jeff Gage
Somebody's Darling With the Days, 5:30 p.m., Thursday, May 15, at Sammons Park, 2403 Flora St., 214-880-0202 or attpac.org, Free By the end of last year, Somebody's Darling was looking like a band to watch. The Dallasites' time on the road over the past few years has seemed to pay off with better and better performances every time they come back home. Now with their full-length, the follow-up to forceful sophomore effort Jank City Shakedown, on the way, that buzz has hit fevered anticipation. The band has already busted out new gems like therousing "Set it Up," which push singer Amber Farris, guitarist David Ponder and the gang into a more rock-focused direction. These days, there isn't really anything to call Somebody's Darling other than a rock band - except for tonight, when they'll strips things down for an acoustic performance. No doubt the ballads and southern-fried flavor should be out in full force. Kelly Dearmore
Fort Worth Music Festival With Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Eat World, and more, 3:30 p.m., Friday, May 16, and 1 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at Panther Island Pavilion, 395 Purcey St., Ft. Worth, fwfest.com, $25-100 What once began as a jazz-centric music festival in a completely different part of town seems to have grown nicely into its niche. Recent appearance by the likes of Dr. Dog, Kevin Eubanks, Galactic and The Walkmen have helped turn Ft. Worth Fest into a bona fide destination event, and this year's headliners -- alt-country queen Lucinda Williams, post-hardcore emo heroes Jimmy Eat World, and legendary beard of ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons -- suggest another stellar installment. Local studs such as Ronnie Fauss, Oil Boom and Air Review certainly give the event a local feel without staying too small. What's more, it's tough to imagine a better spot for an outdoor, urban-placed festival in the Metroplex: Ft. Worth has figured out how to make the banks of the Trinity River an insanely appealing location, unlike a certain city we all are familiar with. KD
Joan Osborne With Seth Walker, 7 p.m., Friday, May 16, at Kessler Theater, 1230 W. Davis St., 214-272-8346 or thekessler.org $20-22.50 When Eric Bazilian wrote "One of Us," it was to impress a girl. What it ended up being was Joan Osborne's Grammy-nominated hit song. But unlike most pop songs about mushy gushy love, "One of Us" explores the idea that God could be walking among everyone. But recording mega pop hits isn't the only thing Osborne is capable of. She sings nearly all genres, everything from soul to blues to country, and turned a stint fronting the Grateful Dead after they'd morphed into the Dead, post-Jerry Garcia. Osborne even recorded an album full of blues and R&B covers, including songs originated by Ray Charles and Otis Redding. Now 20 years removed from her big hit, she's forged a career far more diverse than any one song might suggest. Paige Skinner
Foreigner With Styx and Don Felder, 7 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at Verizon Theatre, 1001 Performance Pl., Grand Prairie, 972-854-5050 or verizontheatre.com, $17.50-87.50 Don't you hate it when good tunes are ruined by some kid trying to play it on a video game like Guitar Hero? In the case of Foreigner, their songs somehow seem tailor-made for such vicarious experiences. Songs like "I Want To Know What Love Is" and, of course, "Juke Box Hero" were rooted in starry-eyed themes of fame and romance. Now, nearly 40 years after those songs made them famous, Mick Jones (not to be confused with Joe Strummer's old band mate) and his crew have managed to coast through the decades on a handful of bombastic hits that still enable them to fill arenas like the Verizon Theatre. Disdain it if you will, but it's hard to deny the widespread appeal of these would-be heroes especially when they're joined by fellow dad-rock celebs like Styx and the Eagles' Don Felder. PS
Moving Units With Mr. Kitty and NITE, 8 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at Club Dada, 2720 Elm St., dadadallas.com, $10-12 To say that Los Angeles indie-dance band Moving Units is aptly named is just too irresistible: the group has seen more changes in its line-up than Destiny's Child or Guns 'N Roses. Even Blake Miller, the lead singer and only remaining original member, had a hiatus from the group, during which time he focused on DJing and collaborated with Steve Aoki in Weird Science. Over its 12 year existence, the band has shifted styles with bipolar unpredictability, drawing comparisons to bands as disparate as the Pixies, Franz Ferdinand, and Pulp. The band's latest album, Neurotic Exotic, is a moody and enchanting work including the school-note confession "Kate Moss in '97." It's also the only record so far from the current lineup. We'll see what mood they're in when they hit Dada. Eva Raggio
Todd Edwards With DJ Red Eye, 10 p.m., Saturday, May 17, at It'll Do Club, 4322 Elm St.,214-827-7236, $15 When he plays It'll Do this Saturday, dance music legend and Daft Punk collaborator Todd Edwards will be making his first visit to Dallas. Far from a household name in America, Edwards, who has spent most of his career based in New Jersey, has been a mainstay of popular dance music since the mid-'90s throughout the rest of the world. Taking his inspiration from house trailblazers like Todd Terry, MK and Master at Work, Edwards channels a deep love for house music to create a signature sound of his own -- a sound that has had a huge influence on U.K. garage, house and even some of the more Eurocentric dubstep. In fact, amongst those scenes he is affectionately referred to as "Todd the God" for the enormous impact he has had on DJ culture over the past two decades. Wanz Dover
Mint Condition 8 p.m., Sunday, May 18, at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., 214-978-2583 or houseofblues.com/dallas, $39-61 This year, Mint Condition celebrate their 30th year together, but you wouldn't know it from their ageless appearances. As their name suggests, this band's smooth R&B is pristine, laying it on thick with sleek grooves and sultry vocals. The band writes and produces all of their own songs and that has stood out to fans and peers alike. Originating in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mint Condition's biggest fan might actually be Prince. But don't take our word for it; the Purple One actually invited the band on his two-year Welcome 2 America tour. Now the quintet is performing on its own and should be right at home in the snug environs of the House of Blues. PS