Pete Freedman

The Observer Has a New Music Editor. You Should Say Hello.

We were, for reasons obvious to readers of this blog, a bit depressed when music editor Audra Schroeder announced recently that she would retire as a music journalist and pursue writing about Things That Aren't Music. Today, though, a little shot of human-resources Prozac: We have a new music editor ... More >>

So, Erykah Badu DJed The Double Wide For Our Dallas Observer Music Awards After-Party?

Pete Freedman's cell phone.Badu, DJing on a whim.​ We won't blame you if you didn't make it out to the Double Wide last night to check out the official after-party for our Dallas Observer Music Awards Ceremony, held earlier in the night at the House of Blues. It's been a long week of partying and ... More >>

La Grange Has A New Taco Menu, For Now

​Deep Ellum has always been a music hub; what's been missing is good food. Lemongrass and Local have been producing decent eats for some time, and Uncle Uber's Sammich Shop is a welcome addition to the 'hood, but for the most part Elm, Commerce and Main streets have catered to folks who put th ... More >>

20 Years Later: The 15 Best Albums of 1991

​In last week's edition of our regular feature, The Conversation, Pete Freedman and Daniel Hopkins debated on whether 1991 or 1994 was the greatest music year of the '90s. It was an interesting read for sure. And, since this week marks the 20th anniversary of the release of both Nevermind and The ... More >>

No, Kanye West Wasn't Joking When He Eulogized The Black Eyed Peas at ACL.

Pete FreedmanKanye West at his ACL '11 performance. Swag?​ Gotta admit it: We just thought he was being confident and awesome when he said it. Turns out, though, there may have been something of merit behind Kanye West's out-of-nowhere banter about the Black Eyed Peas from Friday night at the ... More >>

Austin City Limits Music Festival: A First-Timer's Recap

Pete FreedmanThe sweet, sweet ACL crowd.​Before this weekend, I'd never been to Austin City Limits Music Festival. Actually, I'd never been to any outdoor music festivals the scale of ACL. I've probably been to eight or nine South By Southwests, and, before heading down to Austin this weekend, I h ... More >>

Picture Show: True Widow and Dunes Play an Early Evening Garage Show in Lakewood

All photos by Pete Freedman​ Good times last night in Lakewood, as Dallas rockers True Widow, fresh off their tour of the West Coast, were joined by their sorta labelmates in Dunes (Dunes' Mexican Summer label is an imprint on Kemado Records, to which True Widow is signed) for an early evening gar ... More >>

Last Night: Fair to Midland and The House Harkonnen at Curtain Club

Fair to Midland, The House HarkonnenCurtain ClubJuly 12, 2011Better than: your average Curtain Club show.Pete FreedmanFair to Midland convincingly made their case for being local demigods last night.​Lest anyone was concerned that Deep Ellum has softened in recent years, that it has turned its bac ... More >>

Last Night: Fitz & The Tantrums at the House of Blues' Cambridge Room

Fitz & The TantrumsHouse of Blues' Cambridge RoomApril 20, 2011Better than: a child throwing a tantrum in a public place.Pete FreedmanFitz & The Tantrums​As if the band's name alone didn't already imply it, Los Angeles' buzzing rock 'n' soul outfit, Fitz & The Tantrums, still riding hi ... More >>

Last Night: A-Trak, Kid Sister and The Gaslamp Killer at Trees

A-Trak, Kid Sister, The Gaslamp KillerTreesApril 19, 2011Better than: a rousing game of DJ Hero.Pete FreedmanA-Trak at Trees last night.​ There weren't any grand entrances at Trees last night. Mostly, there were just transitions.And, in many regards, that was fitting. This show, after all, was cur ... More >>

Last Night: The Raveonettes, Tamaryn at the Granada Theater

The Raveonettes, TamarynGranada TheaterApril 11, 2011Better than: quoting the raven nevermore.Pete FreedmanThe Raveonettes​ After a hazy, ethereal opening set from the San Francisco-by-way-of-New York-based, Mexican Summer-signed Tamaryn, who provided a fine example of how to best use the Granada' ... More >>

Jason Lytle, Midlake, Sarah Jaffe and True Widow Among Acts Playing Good Records' National Record Store Day Party on April 16

Sara KerensA scene from last year's affair. Get nostalgic and check out our slideshow of the event.​Maybe the best free event you'll attend all year, the annual joint celebration that Good Records throws for both Record Store Day and the store's birthday always makes for quite the happening shindi ... More >>

Mark Donald Resigns as Observer Editor

​As I write this my farewell post, I keep hearing in my head the lyrics to a song from the Marx Brothers classic film Animal Crackers: "Hello, I must be going/ I cannot stay, I came to say/I must be going." Similar to Groucho's character, Captain Spaulding, it seems as though I just said hello, ju ... More >>

140-Character SXSW 2011 Show Reviews: Fergus & Geronimo, Memoryhouse, Obits, Menomena, MellowHype (Odd Future), Wild Flag, Trouble Andrew, Rocky Business, Trae The Truth, Fisbone and Wu-Tang Clan.

Pete FreedmanHodgy Beats getting ridiculous with the Odd Future crew.​ Our second night at SXSW was pretty crazy -- although pretty much nothing we saw compared to the greatness/madness that was Hodgy Beats and Left Brains of MellowHype from the Odd Future crew's show at the Brooklyn Vegan party y ... More >>

On Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. (Or: Believe The Seemingly Outlandish Hype.)

​ Oftentimes, the hype an act has built up heading into South by Southwest can be so overwhelming that it creates an insurmountable hurdle for an otherwise pleasing, if hardly life-changing, outfit (see: Vampire Weekend, circa 2008). And no doubt this was the theoretical case heading into this yea ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: The Local Hang With Playlister P and Ryan Thomas Becker, Children of Spy at The Moon

Still nursing a New Year's hangover? Well, have some of the hair of the dog that bit you and head out to one of these Monday night options after the jump.

Video: Watch the YouPlusDallas.com Take On The Dallas Observer Music Awards

Screen shot of YouPlusDallas.com's DOMA video​Over in Unfair Park a few weeks ago, Robert briefly introduced everyone to Dallas' newest media company (one that I've done some work for), Youplusdallas.com.Well, while we were probably having a little too much fun at the Dallas Observer Music Awards ... More >>

Staff Trax: Happy Birthday, The Walkmen, Stars, Sarah Jaffe, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and, uh, Rammstein?

​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 dominate our coverage. Consider this a chance to get some more insight into our personal tastes. And a chan ... More >>

Staff Trax: Oberhofer, The Henry Clay People, Chin Up Chin Up, Blockhead, Jamey Johnson, Beastie Boys and Crowded House

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 ... More >>

The Belmont and La Grange Promise To Rock This Town With A Late-June Music Fest

​If there was a contest to find the most tricked-up music festival in Dallas this summer, the winner, even on the season's cluttered calender, might be the Rock This Town Music Festival, June 23 through June 27, at La Grange and The Belmont Hotel. Really: The whole thing sounds more like a grown-u ... More >>

Staff Trax: Bear in Heaven; Does It Offend You, Yeah?; The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy; The Swell Season; The Go! Team

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 ... More >>

Picture Show: Norah Jones and Sarah Jaffe at Fair Park Music Hall

Sara Kerens"Freebird!" Seriously?​Dallas-born Norah Jones played with a little electric fury (no "Freebird" cover, though) to balance the piano, as Pete Freedman pointed out in his review. And folk favorite Sarah Jaffe opened the night of local-acts-turned big at Fair Park Music Hall Tuesday night ... More >>

Good Friday: Slow Roosevelt at Trees, Slayer and Marilyn Manson, Los Campesinos!, Heartstring Stranglers

It's been fun, and yet... we are so done with this week.​OK everybody. Show me some grace here, because this Good Friday you're reading marks the first time Mr. Pete Freedman has trusted your mostly-friendly neighborhood Denton correspondent to offer up the show-going options for the weekend. Ther ... More >>

Rockin' in the Suburbs | Buzz | Sand? What Sand

Taking it to the Streets | Classic Schlock | Roadkill

Short Orders: May Dragon

May Dragon4848 Belt Line, Addison972-392-9998According to my fortune, there's an "interesting musical opportunity" in my very near future. This could, of course, mean only one thing: the Sex Pistols are back together and in need of a Sid Vicious stand in. Either that or Pete Freedman wants me to pos ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: Eastwood, Elkhart and The Atoms Friday at Club Dada

Kiran Koshy designed this week's featured poster. A Google search of the artist's name tuns up advertising Koshy has worked on for the Richards Group, including this great ad series for Asel Art Supply. The poster, on the same brown-paper background as that Asel campaign, advertises Friday night's E ... More >>

Last Night: Metallica's "Secret" Show at Stubb's BBQ

MetallicaSXSW's Guitar Hero: Metallica PartyStubb's BBQ in Austin, TXFriday, March 20, 2009 Better than: anything else you could've seen at SXSW last night--and maybe all week. People might try to disagree on that. But don't buy into it. This was the show by which SXSW 2009 will be remembe ... More >>

What It Was Like: These United States, Phosphorescent, BLK JKS, Foreign Born, Akron/Family, Dinosaur Jr

Pete Freedman Phosphorescent captivates the crowd at Mohawk's Patio.Night two at SXSW 2009 very much encapsulated everything I love about SXSW: Writing down a schedule of shows to see, throwing it out the window and catching a whole different lineup of acts that were probably better than any ... More >>

What It Was Like: Pete Tong, Late of the Pier, Peter Bjorn & John, Angus & Julia Stone, School of Seven Bells, Zee Avi

Pete Freedman School of Seven Bells' Benjamin Curtis at Buffalo Billiards.The first night of SXSW saw four pretty major draws around town--Echo and the Bunnymen at Emo's; The Decembrists at Stubbs; St. Vincent, Department of Eagles and M. Ward at the Central Presbyterian Church; Peter Bjorn & ... More >>

What It Was Like: The Wheel, The Donkeys, Bishop Allen, Hymns, Daniel Johnston, The Wrens, Avett Brothers, Passion Pit

Pete Freedman Passion Pit takes to the tent at the Radio Room's patio.Spent the whole day camped out at the Radio Room for the great lineup booked to play the Brooklyn Vegan/Paste party there. Well worth it, too.  Act: The Wheel, a bare-bones folk duo from Denver.Where: Radio RoomWhat ... More >>

Good Friday: Devin The Dude, Jack With One Eye, The Game And A Bunch of NX35 And St. Patrick's Day Stuff We've Already Told You About

Devin The Dude, I'm sorry Good Friday is late, but looking at your watch isn't going to get it up any faster. Obviously, we're really excited about NX35 this weekend, in case you couldn't tell. But there are other shows going on too. First, there are the shows we've already mentioned. On Saturday, c ... More >>

Good Friday: Caleb Jones, Dan Dyer, Dallas' Hidden Talents, The Demigs, Titus Andronicus, Dove Hunter, Mount Righteous, King Bucks and More

So you already know about tonight's shows, which include Tapes 'n Tapes at Dada and Nervous Curtains and Dust Congress opening for Daniel Folmer's CD release at 7 p.m. at Good Records. And Saturday night, Los Campesinos and Titus Andronicus play at Club Dada, Somebody's Darling celebrates a CD relea ... More >>

The Best Albums In Dallas Music, 2008: So Who Comes In At No. 1?

Assuming you've been keeping up with this blog, then, yep, you've seen me counting down my favorite local record releases of 2008, one record a day, for the past week and a half or so. Well, it all comes to an end right here, right now. Below, a recount of records No. 20 through No. 2. Then, after t ... More >>

"Drank" Drink Drunk

For those wondering why things got quiet over on Unfair Park for a couple hours Friday afternoon, you can blame a City Of Ate taste test gone horribly wrong. The self-proclaimed World's First Extreme Relaxation Beverage, Drank is marketed as an "anti-energy drink," with the tagline "Slow your ro ... More >>

Poster Of The Week: Eugene Chadbourne

Dennis Gonzalez of Yells At Eels put together this week's winner. This was a controversial winner, by the way. Music editor Pete Freedman much preferred Nevada Hill's poster for the same event, saying the Saharan scene Gonzalez used reminded him of the vaguely Middle Eastern artwork hanging at his H ... More >>

This or That: Maroon 5? Or Just Another Crappy Local Band?

Welcome to This or That, a new weekly segment here on DC9 where we'll stream an unmarked song and ask, simply enough, "Is this [POP BAND X] or just another crappy local band?" Why? Because we don't think you'll be able to tell the difference between the real thing and the crappy, cheap knockoff.Los ... More >>

Good Friday: Starhead, Lucky Tubb, Mustache Pageant And Not Much Else

If you can overcome the dreary weather, Black Friday shopping exhaustion and post-Thanksgiving hangover, there are a few noteworthy shows to choose from this weekend. First, a reminder of what we've already mentioned. Tonight, you can catch Gojira, 36 Crazyfists, In Flames and All That Remains at ... More >>

At Least the Ross Ave. Renaming Thing Gives Folks Something To Do

Badu Just Performed With MMJ...

Crazy, But That's How It Goes

Or: how I learned to stop worrying and love Ozzfest

Boston Phoenix Names Greatest Bands, Solo Artists and Current Acts For All 50 States

Talking Dallas Music With Texas Music Matters on KUT in Austin

Hard-Hearted AG|Sober Judgment

The Right Stuff|The Other Evolution

What It Was Like: Monotonix, The Breeders, Ra Ra Riot (again), Kid Sister, Chromeo

Dave Chappelle on Being in Dallas: "This is Like a Bigfoot Sighting."

Macavity Reunion Show

Badu Knows All the Coolest People

Advice for the New Observer Music Editor

A lot of music editors enter the Thunderdome. None gets out alive.