Barry Kooda

11 Shows To See This Weekend: Death Cab For Cutie, Justin Townes Earle and More

Death Cab For Cutie, Youth LagoonThursday, May 3, at McFarlin AuditoriumDeath Cab For Cutie has been passing through Dallas for over a decade. This show promises to be different from any previous tours because the group will be joined onstage by the Magik*Magik* Orchestra, which will add rich sympho ... More >>

For Your Weekend Listening Pleasure: The New York Dolls Trash Gertie's in September 1973

​Long ago, in 1978, this was released as a vinyl boot, Dolls Live: Dallas '74. Over the years the original has become a pricey, much-sought-after artifact -- this, despite the fact it's said to be of "very poor" sound quality. (This attendee didn't even dig it live: "not that great.") Then, in '06 ... More >>

You've No Doubt Seen "Crazy Picture Guy" At Area Shows. Now Learn His Backstory.

Welcome to Local Music 'Mericans, where we meet the people in the local music scene that you don't see on stages. Scotty Mankoff, aka "Crazy Picture Guy."​Scotty Mankoff can be a bit menacing to witness at a live music show, with his hulking frame draped in black clothing, a flowing, curly ma ... More >>

For Your Weekend Listening Pleasure: God Save the Longhorn Ballroom From the Sex Pistols

Via.​Seeing as how C.J. Ramone's in town tonight, I'd hoped this recording of the Ramones at the Fair Park Band Shell from July 26, 1990 (password's "gle-gle.blogspot.com," if you're so inclined), would be at the very least listenable. Only, it sounds like it was recorded from someone standing in ... More >>

On July 1, See RoboCop In Front of Omni Consumer Products HQ, Dallas City Hall

Poster by Alexander Flores​Finally, a dream comes true.For far too long now we've talked about screening RoboCop somewhere in downtown, preferably outside, definitely near one of the myriad landmarks featured in the film set in "Detroit" but shot entirely in Dallas in the summer and early fall of ... More >>

Why, After All This Time, Has L.A.-Based Owner of Old Dallas High School Decided To Sell?

Photo by Barry Kooda​While writing all those items about the old Dallas High School (or Crozier Tech) at the beginning of 2010, and long after, I heard, time and again, the same thing: The owner will never, ever sell. Those with whom I spoke -- city officials, preservationists, even those who work ... More >>

This Week in Oak Cliff News: Trees Along Davis, and Jason Reimer Talks Texas Theatre

Barry Kooda​As I was otherwise occupied yesterday, my wife and the 7-year-old who lives in our house made it over to Oak Cliff for the Blues, Bandits and Barbeque wingding, from which our own Kevin Todora returned with this slide show. But the weekend's event also marked the return of the Better B ... More >>

News & Notes: "Please Keep Oak Cliff Dry," A Blockbuster Battle and ... Moody Flashback!

​A few very random notes while trying to wash the Magic Time Machine out of my clothes after last night ...Saw first thing this morning that Barry Kooda is admin-ing a brand-new Facebook page: "Please Keep Oak Cliff Dry." Left and sent the Nervebreaker a few messages to discuss and will follow wit ... More >>

Good Friday: Brent Best, Telegraph Canyon, Greg Schroeder, Bob Log III, Brave Combo, The Hold Steady, The Whigs, True Widow, Dove Hunter, The O's, Rodeo Ruby Love, Mini Kiss, Second Saturdays and Others!

Larry Brown​American writer Larry Brown was born and grew up in Oxford, Mississippi. His works caught the eye of Alejandro Escovedo, who often played back-up for Brown during his public readings. Brown passed away in 2004, but Brent Best, Chris Welch, and Isaac Hoskins will celebrate his birthday ... More >>

Good Friday: RTB2, Fair to Midland, Robert Gomez, Guy Forsyth, The Bravery, Green River Ordinance and Spindrift.

​First off: Let's all say a prayer for Bret Michaels.Now let's take a gander at what's in store for this weekend. First, the shows we've already discussed.Saturday sees our poster-winning show from The Slider Pines, Kirby Brown and Glen Farris coming to life at the Double Wide. But, for the most p ... More >>

Broker Repping Owner of Old Dallas High School: "Why Hasn't Whole Foods Called?"

Barry Kooda​And so we return to the sad story of the old Dallas High School downtown, a historic landmark bought for $6.1 million by California real estate investor Robert Yu in 1998 and vacant ever since. The timing's right. I've just spoken with people close to the owner. I've gotten my hands on ... More >>

"How We Value our Art and History is a Glimpse Into the Soul of Our Community."

Barry KoodaSome Nervebreaker: Our favorite local punk rock icon got in the building a few years ago. Here's his photo album, which includes this ancient graffiti beneath the front stairs.​One can't tell the story of the old Dallas High School, or Crozier Tech, without talking to Veletta Lill. Afte ... More >>

Echoes and Reverberations: Without You, I'm Nothing

"Well, I was passing by a pawn shop in an older part of town, something caught my eye and stop and turned around / I stepped inside and then I spied in the middle of it all, was a beat up old guitar hanging on the wall / 'What do want for that piece of junk?' I asked the old man / He just smiled and ... More >>

Echoes and Reverberations: At the Theatre Gallery, Capturing Lightning in a Beer Cup

Outside the Theatre Gallery in Deep Ellum a quarter-century ago.It was the summer of 1984 and the city of Dallas was in the midst of a serious makeover. The Republican National Convention was coming to town and Big D was trying to put a conservative foot forward as the media spotlight fixated on our ... More >>

Tomorrow Night in Deep Ellum, Kettle Art's Selling Local Pieces to the Highest Bidders

One of the Richard Ross pieces that will be up for auction tomorrow at The Whole Show in Deep Ellum​Those with blank walls and no Saturday night plans had best take note: Kettle Art down in Deep Ellum's the site of The Whole Show tomorrow, a silent auction during which ... lessee if I counted this ... More >>

Telefones Reunion Update: It's On--And It Looks Like a Hell of a Gig

Yesterday, Gerard Dirkx, leader of the legendary Dallas new wave band The Telefones, sounded a bit unsure if the rumored reunion of his band was going to take place.But today things seemed to have changed for the better. Turns out there's great news in my inbox this morning from Dirkx concerning the ... More >>

Download: Are We Too Late For The Trend? Compilation, 1979

Someone over at a music blog called Good bad Music for bad, bad Times, has done old Texas punk fans a real solid, posting the entirety of the 1979 Texas proto-punk compilation Are We Too Late For The Trend? compilation up for download.The compilation features some real gems, including tracks from Da ... More >>

Groundbreaking Developments at the Kessler

Barry KoodaMayor Tom Leppert, far left, and Edwin Cabaniss, in the white shirt fourth from left, put shovel to cement at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff.Family obligations kept me away from the official groundbreaking at the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff, about which we first told you in early May. ... More >>

Barry Kooda, Quiet Storm

Last night, as the storm was turning out lights across town, Jeff Liles and Barry Kooda went down to the Kessler Theater in Oak Cliff. Jeff brought his video camera; Barry, his acoustic guitar and Loco Gringos' "Texas Ranger Man." Not quite sure who brought the thunder.

Echoes and Reverberations: "Snapshots From The Spectacle of Sickness"

The original Nervebreakers lineup.Defining moment: For a suburban teenage kid from North Dallas in 1977, a delirious new underground movement called punk rock inspired a profound and urgent departure from the regular routine of cruising Forest Lane or hanging out at the Gemini Drive-In movie theate ... More >>

The Nervebreakers Prove Old Punks Never Die

They just re-form their legendary local acts to play around town every 15 years or so

Echoes and Reverberations: Loco Gringos Vivir Para Siempre en Nuestros Corazones

For more photos, album art and show posters, check out our slideshow here.Dallas bands are usually judged within the context of their efforts and accomplishments. Some spend stupid money on hair care products and aspire to a label deal; other bands actually rehearse and wanna make an important art ... More >>

Jeff Liles is Loco For Loco Gringos

Over on DC9, some required reading in advance of the Loco Gringos reunion Saturday night at the Lakewood Bar & Grill. Jeff Liles, whose weekly "Echoes & Reverberations" pieces are my favorite items on any Observer blog, has assembled quite the local all-star cast (Jim Heath, Mike Dillon, Tex ... More >>

Relive Christmas in Deep Noellum

I see over on DC9 Pete's linked to an old holiday fave, the Old 97's performing "Holly Jolly Christmas," taken from the 1995 Big Iron release Honkey-Tonk Holidays: Christmas in Deep Noellum. The disc -- which also features the likes of Cowboys and Indians, Liberty Valence, the Mutineers, the Sutclif ... More >>

Back in the Day, He Was Da Nu Man

From Funk to Punk, With a Side of Meat Loaf

Save Yourself

Separate the "crap" from the "gold" at the Rock 'n' Roll RedemptionSale

Bad Ideas, Inc.

The Bone rocks The Merge right off your FM dial

Scene, Heard

If it is a joke, the Reds are doing their best not to laugh.

Grave City

Bobby Soxx, local punk-rock legend, died last week. Finally.

Scene, heard

We'll try to write something good

Scene, Heard

The Toadies finish off Liberty; Deep Ellum Center for the Arts gets Musically Incorrect; Broose bows out

1999 Dallas Observer Music Awards

Letters

Every which way but loose

The Dallas scene flourishes beneath the chaos

The year's top albums by Texas artists

Yuletide resuscitation

Big Iron comes back for another round

Too cool for us

According to Spin, Columbus, Ohio, is more of a music town than Dallas-Fort Worth

Hassle class

Roadcrew tries to ease the rigors of playing live

Pilgrims at rest

Barry Kooda tries to mend a broken heart

Together again

Respected but short-lived country-rock outfit the Cartwrights are getting back together

No retreat

After the setback of the Cartwrights, Donny Ray Ford gets a taste of success

There's a tear in his beer

Carrol Collyer struggles to pay the tab at Naomi's Lounge

Shock rock

Hagfish tries to figure out if they're punk, pop, or just plain horny

End of an era

After seven years and hundreds of thousands of miles, Killbilly calls it quits