John Iskander

The Overserved Looks Back at Dallas After Dark in 2012

I used to have a neighbor who would refer to me as Night Queen. Sitting outside on a shared porch area, he'd see me arrive home after work, settle into my place for dinner or some such activity, and emerge hours later to go see what everyone was up to. He'd remark on my consistency. I took offense a ... More >>

Scenes From Our 2012 DOMA Nominee Photo Shoot

In late October, we had a party for our 2012 Dallas Observer Music Awards nominees, in which we loosened them up with free drinks and made them take photos. Here are a few of our favorites. See more of this craziness on Saturday, as we take over Deep Ellum with our big-ass showcase. See also: - Ou ... More >>

Rigor Mortis Printing Co. Screenprint Till They Drop

Rigor Mortis Printing Co. Screenprint Till They Drop

Four box fans buzz away inside Napkin Art Studios as Jonathon Kimbrell screenprints a batch of business cards for Rigor Mortis Printing Co., a new venture he launched with Richard Reed in May. The motto etched into the card's skull logo ("Print to the death!") seems fitting for a company operating o ... More >>

House of Plates' Endless Summer Puts a Ringer On It

See also: Photos from House of Plates' Endless Summer In Texas, hibernation season has arrived. Our cold tombs of constantly running A/C evolve into sacred spaces during this third act of summer. We need a safe place to toss up the blackout curtains, draw the shades and hideout from the increasing ... More >>

John Iskander: The Grand Marshal

In this week's Dallas Observer we profile 30 of the metro area's most interesting characters, with new portraits of each from local photographer Mark Graham. See the entire Dallas Observer People Issue here.John Iskander is probably in the best mood he's been in for months. He sits down for lunch a ... More >>

Can Homegrown Festival Thrive On An All-Texas Lineup?

Frankie Rose - Dada - 4/13/12

Frankie Rose Dada Friday, April 13 Just before Frankie Rose took the stage on Friday, openers Dive delivered an atmospheric set that was a talking point for the rest of the evening. Add Dive to the list of side projects associated with Brooklyn four-piece Beach Fossils, a fairly buzzed about club t ... More >>

John Iskander's Got Big Ideas For Parade of Flesh

Welcome to Local Music 'Mericans, where we get to know the people behind the scenes in Dallas/Fort Worth music. John Iskander was "at dinner with a priest" when he came up with the name Parade of Flesh, his one-man live music "boutique." But it would be rather antiseptic to label what he does as si ... More >>

Deuces, D

After almost four years on the job, an outgoing music editor takes one last stab at making sense of it all.

Get To Know Your DOMAXXIII Nominees: Best Experimental/Avant Garde Act, Best Talent Buyer, Best Local Music Advocate

​Welcome to our 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards breakdown, wherein we'll use the weeks leading up to the DOMA showcases on Saturday, October 15 (which is also when voting ends), to explain the nominees in each category Today, we look at the nominees in the Best Experimental/Avant G ... More >>

Good Friday: Labor Day Edition

Flickr user d double uA previous Double Wide pool party​In the past, Labor Day has unofficially marked the end of the hot summer. But, this year, the heat will continue. There are some Labor Day parties this weekend, though, that will offer a chance to cool down and catch some good bands. The Doub ... More >>

The Conversation: How Do Newcomers To The Region View The Music Scene in North Texas?

George SteinmetzShow us to the music!​We here at DC9 are deeply entrenched in the local music scene. Among the in-house writers alone, we've got at least a collective 60 years of experience in North Texas music.It's also safe to assume that a good portion of our readers have been going to shows si ... More >>

Good Friday: Wilco Performs in Denton, and the Rest of This Weekend's Shows

Autumn de WildeWilco​As we enter a pretty solid weekend of shows, we can't help but look to Saturday night as the best of them all. That's when Wilco performs at the University of North Texas. The tickets for the show have been sold out for weeks. But, starting tomorrow at noon, according to the b ... More >>

Leg Sweeper Passes Along New Video, Finally Tells Us About Getting Arrested While On Tour.

At least one good thing came out of Dallas garage punk duo Leg Sweeper's appearance at Good Records' Record Store Day party a few weekends back -- the fact that Parade of Flesh's John Iskander was able to use the performance for the bulk of the above live performance music video he just released fo ... More >>

Bro Fest Offers Its Strongest Bill To Date

Small Black, deafheaven and Native Join Bro Fest 2011 Bill, Which Now Counts 21 Performers

The unfinished poster for this year's ordeal​It appears as if Parade of Flesh's John Iskander has finished the lineup for his annual, formerly called South by South Flesh, post-SXSW bash, Bro Fest. Indeed: After starting to leak performer names as early as late December, Iskander earlier this week ... More >>

Parade of Flesh Announces Beefed-Up Initial Lineup For Annual Post-SXSW Bro Fest Bash

Last year's Bro Fest poster.​Speaking of festivals that aim to squeeze a little North Texas shine out of SXSW's excess, Parade of Flesh has announced today another round of acts booked to play his annual post-SXSW bash, Bro Fest, which will take place this year on Sunday March, 20, on both the ind ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: Sorta Reunion at AllGood Cafe, Chrismukkah at The Cavern and Josh Weathers at Lochrann's

A surprising amount off good-looking shows are taking place tonight -- so check out our Chrismukkah wish list of shows for you to attend tonight after the jump.

Parade of Flesh Announces First Band For Bro Fest 2011: Carrie Brownstein's Wild Flag

Recognize any of these ladies?​Last year saw the formal-ish debut of Parade of Flesh's post-SXSW bash, Bro Fest, which, after a few years of existing as South by South Flesh, proved quite the good, if somewhat under-attended, time at the Double Wide.And while this year's version is still some thre ... More >>

After Five Short Months, The Nightmare in Deep Ellum is Closing

​The Nightmare (on Elm Street) in Deep Ellum wasn't open long enough for most people to get the joke. Five months after opening, owner Victor Villalobos is shutting the short-lived venue's doors for the last time. According to website of John Iskander, the promoter who operates The Nightmare's boo ... More >>

Poster of the Week: Torche, The House Harkonnen and White Mountain at The Nightmare Tonight

​Is it Raiden from Mortal Kombat? Darkwing Duck? Hell if we know. But, hey, whoever this character is, look at that, he's carrying a torch! Which is kind of like Torche!

Giveaway: A Free Ticket to Every Parade of Flesh Show Through The End of September

We've extolled the virtues of John Iskander and his Parade of Flesh booking company more than a few times in our pages, and deservedly so. Just take a gander at the calendar of shows he's bringing to town in the next few months--impressive stuff, featuring performances from the likes of Harlem, Film ... More >>

Giveaway: Two Pairs Of Tickets And Four Posters For Friday AND Saturday Parade of Flesh Shows At The Nightmare

​John Iskander, aka Parade of Flesh, is celebrating his birthday this weekend with two great lineups featuring some hilariously violent band names and a hilariously violent poster at the fittingly named Nightmare (2810 Elm St., known until recently as the Lounge on Elm).  Friday night feature ... More >>

Pastime Rising? Darktown Strutters' Kara Howell Explains Her Plans For Pastime Tavern.

Pastime Tavern​If you didn't already know by now, Kara Howell of Darktown Strutters has become quite the local booking maven. But, in case you haven't heard about the recent kefuffle, Howell's no longer booking for Tradewinds Social Club. Many of the bands Howell had booked for the Oak Cliff dive ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: The Coathangers with Giggle Party & Leg Sweeper Tonight at The Cavern

​Feast your eyes, flesh and teeth on this week's gig poster selection. Submitted by John Iskander over at Parade of Flesh, this poster was beautifully created by Sam Heimer of Philadelphia (where it's always sunny, or so I've heard, contrary to the look of his posters).After the jump, my reasoning ... More >>

Parade of Flesh Preps a Bro Down

Parade Of Flesh Completes Its Impressive Bro Fest Lineup With The Soft Pack, Others

I​t was just over a month ago now that John Iskander  of Parade of Flesh announced the initial lineup for his booking company's 2010 version of his Bro Fest (formerly South by South Flesh). Well, this week, Iskander passes along word of the now-completed lineup, which has balooned out to beco ... More >>

Jay Reatard Is Pronounced Dead at 29--And His Second-To-Last Show Was In Dallas.

Bill EllisonThis December 10, 2009, performance at the Granada Theater was Jay Reatard's second-to-last.​The details behind it, at this point, are pretty vague but, after spreading like wildfire throughout the Internet this afternoon, it's been confirmed: Fast-rising indie garage rock hero Jay Rea ... More >>

Parade Of Flesh Announces Initial Bro Fest 2010 Lineup

​We're big fans of what John Iskander is doing around town with the shows that he's booking under his Parade of Flesh moniker. But you already knew that.What you might not have known, however, is that Iskander's been planning another post-SXSW bash--as he's been known to do in the past. Won't be c ... More >>

The School Teacher Who Keeps The Rock Scene Moving

Giveaway: A Pair of Tickets To Tomorrow's Dax Riggs Show at The Cavern

​Austin-based solo blues-rock performer Dax Riggs has quite the musical past, having fronted various sludge, metal and indie bands in the '90s and '00s before debuting his own material as a solo artist in 2007. The interesting this is that he manages to incorporate various elements of those past i ... More >>

With Local Radio Sucking, What Does KXT's Launch Mean?

Good Friday: Butthole Surfers, Peaches, MEN, Digital Leather, King Bucks, Ghoultown, John David Kent, Horrorble Party, Play-N-Skillz Halloween Bash, House Harkonnen and More

Don't forget your costume. Here's one idea.​Love it when Halloween falls on a weekend, as is the case this year. What that means for music fans is lots of costume contests and tribute nights, and bands and fans will likely be even more intoxicated than usual--so be careful out there. Recently some ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: Intelligence, PVC Street Gang, Fungi Girls and Video Saturday At Handsome Kitten

​ This week's featured poster is for Saturday's Handsome Kitten show with Intelligence, PVC Street Gang, Fungi Girls and Video. It's a Parade of Flesh show, yes, but this isn't as grim or frightening as the usual Von Dada and Heimer Brothers pieces. For some reason, I like how the light reflects o ... More >>

Parade Of Flesh Offers Multi-Show Passes; Also, Relocates Upcoming Pastime Tavern Shows

Despite what the flyer says, this show is actually going to be at Good Records. Act fast and you can include it in your 20-something show Parade of Flesh pass.​John Iskander, grand marshal of Parade of Flesh, is offering passes good for all of his upcoming shows through the end of the year--an esp ... More >>

Giveaway: Two Pairs Of Tickets To Tonight's Little Joy Show At Club Dada

In this week's print edition, Observer contributor Elliott Johnston faced the not-so-big task of making tonight's Little Joy show at Club Dada seem like it's worth your time. Again, not exactly the toughest feat in the world. Writes Johnston:"Rock critics are seduced by the tendency to call out an ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: Zoroaster, Mouth Of The Architect, H...N

Von Dada designed this poster for Sunday night's Club Dada bill of riff-metal masters Zoroaster, the sludgy build-up stoner rock of Mouth of the Architect and local twin-guitar experimental act H...N. I like how the poster mixes creative and original psychedelic touches (like the black splotches in ... More >>

Booking Agenty John Iskander Boils Down the Post-SXSW Bounty

Show Announcement/Giveaway: A Pair Of Tickets To See Man Man On April 24

Here's a little show announcement you won't see elsewhere (not even in our show announcement post from earlier today): Philadelphia's always buzzing experimental gypsy rock act, Man Man, is coming to The Lounge on April 24, just a day before the band heads to Oklahoma for the Norman Music Festival. ... More >>

Video: Los Campesinos! Performing "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed" Live At Club Dada

Yeah, we covered Los Campesinos! plenty last week, interviewing the band, reviewing the concert, posting a slideshow of the concert, and even ambushing your ears with, well, the same track you'll hear in the video above, "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed". But John Iskander of Parade of Flesh passe ... More >>

Last Night: Los Campesinos! and Titus Andronicus at Club Dada

Los Campesinos!, Titus AndronicusClub DadaSaturday, January 31, 2009 Better than: Staying home with eager anticipation for this weekend's fairly bland Super Bowl lineup (Bruce Springsteen's halftime performance notwithstanding). Download: Photographer Mattie Stafford trolled the grounds of Dada to b ... More >>

White Denim Realizes Labor Day Has Long Come And Gone, Backs Out Of Gig At The Lounge

Seeing as how I spent the day yesterday apparently dressed as a fisherman from Maine, I'm hardly one to talk about fashion. But Diddy has taught us all well about the appropriateness of wearing white after Labor Day, so this bit of bad news shouldn't come as a total shocker: John Iskander of Parade ... More >>

Giveaway: A Pair Of Tickets To See Monotonix Tomorrow Night At The Lounge

Poster Of The Week: Parade of Flesh Shows at The Lounge On Elm Street

You Might Want To Pre-Buy Your Tickets To Tonight's Valient Thorr and Early Man Show...

Line 'Em Up

The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club vrooms into Deep Ellum, sparking hope in a new venue's owners

News Of Jay Reatard's Cancellation's Making The Rounds Today

A New No Age Interview From...Oh, Four Months Ago