Indie Rock and Indie Pop

My Bloody Valentine at Verizon Theatre: You Can Still Buy Tickets (For Now)

My Bloody Valentine will play Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie on August 17. This is a big deal: The Greatest Shoegaze Band Ever released its third album (and first since 1991's spectacular Loveless) earlier this year. When MBV reunited in 2009, they played only five U.S. shows, at Coachella and in ... More >>

Youth Lagoon at the Loft: Missed Opportunities with Drums at Dallas' Most Underused Venue

The criminally underused Loft, downtown in the Gilley's complex, is a wonderful venue which has big open spaces, a perfectly positioned bar, and a patio totally unmatched among Dallas gig venues. It's incredible that it's barely being used at all. Beyond the twists and turns of employee movement aro ... More >>

How Do We Convert From Christian Rock to Indie Rock?

Are you a musician? Is your group having issues? Ask Fan Landers! Critic Jessica Hopper has played in and managed bands, toured internationally, booked shows, produced records, worked as a publicist, and is the author of The Girls' Guide to Rocking, a how-to for teen ladies. She is here to help you ... More >>

Eleven of This Week's Top Show Announcements: Rihanna, GZA and More

Check out our shiny new concert calendar for more upcoming shows Rihanna Tuesday, April 16, at American Airlines Center, $39.50-$125Don't know what you'll be doing on April 16 yet? Get with it. Tickets are only $125, dude. Just grab a hammer and break the glass on your emergency Rihanna Concert F ... More >>

When Hipsters Procreate: Children's Music That Won't Make You Wish You Were Deaf

I don't know how my kid does it. He's heard "ABCs" a thousand times and it's still his number one request. If you have a little one, you know you're going to hear the same song hundreds - no, thousands - of times. If you're particular about the music you listen to, choosing good music to play for yo ... More >>

The Flaming Lips Cover The Beach Boys' "God Only Knows"

Have you ever wanted some of Ke$ha's blood, but you were afraid to ask? Fortunately, now you can purchase a "blood vinyl" edition of The Flaming Lips' Heady Fwends Record Store Day exclusive double LP. For the small sum of $2,500, you can own one of 10 copies that features the encased blood of Eryka ... More >>

Dawes, Blitzen Trapper

Thursday, October 13, at Dada

A Place to Bury Strangers: "Everything [We] Get Involved With Seems to be Related to Death."

New York's A Place to Bury Strangers has been around for nearly a decade, and, in that time, the band has garnered a solid fan base for its unrelentingly loud slabs of noise. The band's sophomore record, 2009's Exploding Head, which the band is still touring behind, found APTBS exploring interesti ... More >>

Three Solid Shows Worth Your Time Tonight

Indie folk, post-rock and hardcore honky-tonk are the order of this evening's musical offerings.

Over The Weekend: Arcade Fire and Okkervil River at Gexa Energy Pavilion

Arcade Fire, Okkervil RiverGexa Energy PavilionApril 30, 2011Better than: any other show you've seen in 2011.All photos by Sara KerensArcade Fire's Win Butler. For more photos, check out the slideshow.​More than five years have passed since Arcade Fire last played Dallas -- something of which the ... More >>

British SeaPower, A Classic Education, Colourmusic

Thursday, April 14, at The Loft

Q&A: Yan From British Sea Power Talks a New British Invasion, Aging and Forces of Nature

British Sea Power​Three years have passed since British Sea Power toured the states in support of their 2008 release, Do You Like Rock Music? That's longer than the life of a lot of bands. The time away wasn't for naught, though: The band regrouped and worked on the follow-up to the best album of ... More >>

Elephant Six Holiday Surprise Tour

Tuesday, March 1, at The Loft

Show Announcements: Fleet Foxes, Decemberists, Beth Orton, Rusko, Ray Price, Adele, Maps & Atlases, Delorean, Dashboard Confessional, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Dokken, Wilco, Ricky Martin, Deftones, The Dillinger Escape Plan and More!

Fleet Foxes​Two years ago, Fleet Foxes blindsided indie-rock fans with a self-titled debut record full of four-part harmonies and folk songs that were both melancholy and triumphant. The self-made record, which was done on a shoe-string budget, went on to sell over 300,000 records worldwide.  ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: Escape the Fate at South Side Music Hall, Best Coast at the Granada and Against Me! at Trees

A solidly packed Monday evening of music awaits those who don't mind stepping out on a cold winter's night...

Our Critics' Year-End Top Tens: Daniel Hopkins Hails The Walkmen's "Less Is More" Approach on the John Congleton-Produced Lisbon

In this week's paper, you may notice a piece including some of our DC9 writers' choices for best albums of the year. But, space being limited, we couldn't run all of our writers' lists. So, thanks to the power of the Internet, we're doing just that, right here.​Clubs ed ... More >>

Our Critics' Year-End Top Tens: Music Editor Pete Freedman Finds Plenty Beautiful About Kanye West's Dark Twisted Family

In this week's paper, you may notice a piece including some of our DC9 writers' choices for best albums of the year. But, space being limited, we couldn't run all of our writers' lists. So, thanks to the power of the Internet, we're doing just that, right here.​Music ed ... More >>

Q&A: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin on Being the Rudy of Indie Rock

Is Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin going to make Rock Notre Dame?​Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin is just like any other touring indie band trying to make a name for itself in the current American musical landscape. They are not very well known, nor do they have the drawing power ... More >>

Over The Weekend: Deerhunter, Best Coast at the Granada Theater

Deerhunter, Best CoastGranada TheaterNovember 5, 2010 Better than: forgetting that Deerhunter are shoegazers at heartDylan HollingsworthDeerhunter's Bradford Cox​ "You win some and you lose some" said Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox as he ended an impromptu solo jam taken when his bandmates an ... More >>

The Descendents Ascend And Polvo Pulverize To Cap The Festival Weekend

Jesse HugheyPolvo Sunday, November 7, at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin.​I kept repeatedly asking myself the same question on Sunday: "Why can't Dallas do something like this?" Seriously: It's high time Dallas music fans let their Austin friends couch-surf for a change -- we certainly owe them for all ... More >>

Deerhunter's more than just another Bradford Cox outlet.

Last Night: Blitzen Trapper with Fruit Bats, Pearly Gate Music at the House of Blues

Blitzen Trapper with Fruit Bats, Pearly Gate Music House of Blues October 14, 2010 Better Than: The Houston show, it appears. All photos by Kiernan MaletskyBlitzen Trapper's Eric Earley​Blitzen Trapper opened with "Wild Mountain Nation," which is about as good a show opener as it is possible to ... More >>

Today In Music News: Carlos D Hates Playing Bass, Kanye Working With Bon Iver? And Arcade Fire Show Indie Bands Can Make It

Your daily dose of national music news for Friday, August 13, 2010...Carlos D quit Interpol because he hated playing bass.  Bad choice of instrument to hate for a bands bass player.Are Kanye West and Bon Iver collaborating?Apparently Arcade Fire show us why you can still make it as an indie ba ... More >>

Last Night: Built to Spill, Finn Riggins and Telegraph Canyon at the Granada Theater

Built to Spill, Finn Riggins, Telegraph CanyonGranada TheaterAugust 11, 2010Better than: your nephew's second birthday.Mattie StaffordSee the rest of Mattie's shots from last night's show here.​Last night's showcase at the Granada Theater, which featured performances from Boise's Built to Spill an ... More >>

Built to Spill Comes to Terms With Its Sound

Staff Trax: The Apples in Stereo, Arcade Fire, Paul Brill, Built to Spill, Twin Sister and The Futureheads.

Welcome to Staff Trax, the weekly feature here on DC9 where we shed some light on the music we've been enjoying of late, regardless of the touring or album release schedules that tend to bear the focus of most of our coverage. Consider it a chance for you readers to get some more insight into ou ... More >>

Last Night: MGMT, Tame Impala at the House of Blues

MGMT, Tame Impala House of BluesJune 8, 2010 Better than: Hearing these songs yet again in a movie trailer, commercial or clothing store.Roger CaldwellFor more shots of last night's show, check the slideshow.​​For anyone keeping track of MGMT these days, this most likely won't come as a shock ... More >>

MGMT, Tame Impala

Tuesday, June 8, at House of Blues

Austin City Limits Announces 2010 Lineup...

​It's that time of year, again. The Austin City Limits Festival line-up was unveiled early this morning via the fest's official website. There isn't any question: This year's docket will have people gabbing--whether it's vitriolic hate or nostalgic, warm-fuzzies. Sure, for many, bashing on the cho ... More >>

Last Night: Vampire Weekend and Abe Vigoda at the House of Blues

Vampire Weekend, Abe VigodaHouse of BluesApril 11, 2010Better than: That stomach virus that's going around, that's for sure.Andrew ShepherdVampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig basks in the House of Blues glow.​ The curtain was already drawn and the floor already packed by the time the four members of Vam ... More >>

Over The Weekend: Alkaline Trio, Cursive and The Dear & Departed at the Palladium

Alkaline Trio, Cursive, The Dear and DepartedPalladium BallroomMarch 27, 2010Better than: Paying good money in hopes of seeing Georges St. Pierre knock out Dan Hardy in the first round of UFC 111.Eric GrubbsMatt Skiba and Co. at the Palladium on Saturday night.​At this point in its career, Alkalin ... More >>

Q&A: Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba Talks The Misfits, The Cure and Mullets.

The trio behind Alkaline Trio? Well, that's just Matt Skiba, Dan Adriano, and Derek Grant. And their latest, This Addiction, is their first for Epitaph Records--quite the change, after putting out records on Asian Man, Vagrant, and Epic prior. With a sound that mixes the best of The Misfits, The Dam ... More >>

10 Must-See Acts To Catch at NX35

Tegan & Sara, Steel Train, Holly Miranda

Thursday, February 25, Palladium Ballroom

Over the Weekend: Yo La Tengo, Times New Viking at the Granada Theater

Yo La Tengo, Times New VikingGranada TheaterJanuary 30, 2010Much better than: staying home watching the Mavericks lose to the Blazers.Will Von BoltonClick here for a slideshow from Saturday night's show.​A sold-out crowd got out of the cold weather and into the warm confines of The Granada Theater ... More >>

Our Critics List Their Fave Discs of '09

It's Official: The Flaming Lips Are Playing NX35

The Flaming Lips are excited, too.​This morning, after late-breaking news from Denton last night that The Flaming Lips would be headlining this year's NX35 Festival, we've received confirmation from both the folks at NX35 and with The Flaming Lips: It's on.In fact, in an email just sent our way, N ... More >>

Giveaway: Two Pairs of Tickets to Tomorrow Night's Rural Alberta Advantage Show at The Cavern

In this week's paper, Annie Zaleski extols the virtues of the Toronto-based Rural Alberta Advantage, comparing the three-piece to everyone from Yo La Tengo to The Mountain Goats and Arcade Fire to Neutral Milk Hotel. Heady company indeed. Continues my esteemed colleague from St. Louis:As might be e ... More >>

The Rural Alberta Advantage

Saturday, December 12, at The Cavern

Today In Music News: MGMT Says No To Jay-Z, Amazon.com Is In A Year-End Rush And Aerosmith Considers Replacing Steven Tyler

Your daily dose of national music news for Friday, November 6, 2009...Even Jay-Z isn't cool enough for indie bands: MGMT said thanks, but no-thanks to a collaboration. At least he still has 30-something white dudes to lean on.Even though it's not even December yet, Amazon.com has named Neko Case's M ... More >>

Last Night: Built to Spill and Dinosaur Jr. at the Granada Theater

Built to Spill, Dinosaur Jr., Lou Barlow & The Missing Men, Disco DoomGranada TheaterOctober 22, 2009 Better Than: a Thursday evening at home in your rocking chair.​ At his Good Records performance held earlier last night, Lou Barlow expressed his love for playing in the endangered venue of ... More >>

Built to Spill

There Is No Enemy (Warner Bros.)

Built To Spill, Dinosaur Jr.,Lou Barlow & the Missing Men

Thursday, October 22, at the Granada Theater

Last Night: Vivian Girls, True Widow and The Uptown Bums at The Cavern

Vivian Girls, True Widow, The Uptown BumsThe CavernOctober 15, 2009 Better Than: flying around in my mom and dad's homemade hot air balloon...Vivian Girls​ Vivian Girls started its first ever Dallas set Thursday night at the Cavern with a song consisting of four words: "Sound check one two." A ... More >>

Does ACL Actually Hurt Dallas?

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart Learn The Other Side Of Rock

Ra Ra Riot, Maps & Atlases, Princeton

Wednesday, September 23, at the Granada Theater

Gig Alert: Fruit Bats' Free In-Store Performance At Good Records

​In this week's dead tree version of DC9, Darryl Smyers checked in with Fruit Bats leader Eric Johnson about a number of things, but mostly about how his own band differs from the other bands he plays in, a list that includes Vetiver and The Shins. And Johnson's thoughts on the matter?"What I do i ... More >>

Fruit Bats Frontman Eric Johnson Is Clear: His Band Is No Shins Side Project.

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