Sweden

The Ten Douchiest Guitar Players of All Time

Hey, we can all appreciate a quality guitar god. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of music knows the joy of watching their favorite axeman/woman go on a tear and destroy the crowd with their fast-fingered prowess, signature style and lush mane of flowing hair. It's the textbook rock & roll sexy ... More >>

Craft Brewers Say People Really Like Craft Brews. Especially Canadian People.

Beer-drinkers across the globe are growing ever more thirsty for American craft brews, and more craft breweries are opening as a result, according to two not-remotely-unbiased reports from a craft-brew trade group. On Monday, the Brewers Association, which represents small and independent crafter b ... More >>

Bob & Carol & Franny & Zooey

Lyric reality illuminates The Playroom.

Jens Lekman On Why He Doesn't Sing in Swedish, and Why He Loves Standup Comedy

It's not even November and Jens Lekman is enduring the "shittiest snowfall ever," which is blanketing his hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. Proclaiming it "completely useless," Lekman knows it's a short-term nuisance. In days, he'll be in Dallas promoting I Know What Love Isn't, his first full-length ... More >>

10 of This Week's Top Show Announcements: Justice, Rufus Wainwright, Zammuto and More

JusticeWednesday, October 31, at Palladium Ballroom, $40Justice is sort of a gateway band for many younger electronic music fans. Their concise jams (I'm partial to their high-profile remix of Simian's "We Are Your Friends") make it easy to get on the dancefloor, which is essentially what is expecte ... More >>

A Trinity Forest Park Could Be Wonderful If We Talk to the Right People

I have a column in tomorrow's paper wailing about the city's failure ever to generate a true high-concept vision for the park we're supposed to be building on the Trinity River. We've seen bits and pieces of ideas come and go -- good, bad and ugly. Audubon Center, good. Horse Park, iffy. Amusement ... More >>

The Problems with Smithfield Pork and the Way to Guilt-Free-ish Bacon

Be nice to her before you fry her delicious parts.​McDonald's is closing out its second week of McRib season, giving the Atlantic a hook to ponder the evils of its pork supplier, Smithfield Foods. The article points out that in the midst of Smithfield's increased welfare practices intended to ... More >>

Legendary Sexpot Ann-Margret Preps New Disc With Preston Hollow Church Choir? Um, OK!

Hey, now.​As you'll see and hear after the jump (courtesy of a video of the legendary sex symbol accepting the Star Award at the 2011 Dallas International Film Festival), Ann-Margret "loves Texas." "Loves Dallas," too. She's even named one of her sons Dallas, go figure. Makes sense, maybe. For a t ... More >>

Jennie Kelley's Different Kind of Spree

FoxPolyphonic Spree member Jennie Kelley competes on MasterChef.​Jennie Kelley may possess no more or less an unusual background as preparation for being one of the latest contestants to face the kitchen fire of notable British hothead, Gordon Ramsay on his second season of the MasterChef seri ... More >>

Take Your Pick: Dance, Drink or Mosh At Tonight's Solid Show Options

Everybody's going to be doing a brand new dance at one of tonight's shows...

Play-N-Skillz's New Collaboration With David Guetta Has Already Charted In 18 Countries

Steve VisneauCollaboration swag.​Late last week, we passed along word that the latest single from French house producer David Guetta (the man behind, among other songs, the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling") to blow up the Internet was actually a Play-N-Skillz co-production -- and the first of a ... More >>

Seven Shows Worth Seeing Tonight in Dallas

Quite a diverse collection of musical acts we have in our area tonight. Hell, there's even a Swedish hip-hop group. No joke.

Q&A: Leon Oziel of The Dallas-Based House Music Label and Blog French Express Talks His Latest Release and Label's History, Shares MP3

For about a year now, Leon Oziel's house music blog, French Express, has been the best-kept secret in the local blogosphere -- partially because he's not from town (he moved here in 2010 from Toronto) and partially because he writes about so specific a niche in music that there's little room for cr ... More >>

Q&A: Through "Operation Every Band," Denton Resident Kevin McStravick Has Listened To Most Every Act Playing SXSW '11 -- And He Has Some Band Recommendations For You.

​Over the past three months, Denton resident Kevin McStravick has taken on a rather daunting project -- finding and reviewing every single band that is playing at SXSW this year, which counts almost 2,000 acts, and ranking them on his website.For the project, which is called Operation Every Band a ... More >>

Tonight, Tonight: Anders Osborne at the Granada, Foe Destroyer at Hailey's and Cuckoo Birds at Rubber Gloves

Not a bad mix of local and national talent performing around our area this hump day evening.

Blonde Redhead change their stripes once again.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest: Back for One Final, Convoluted Installment.

The American Turns the Tried-And-True Thriller Inward.

Anton Corbijn turns the tried-and-true thriller inward.

A (Foot) Baller Pub Brunch at Uptown's Londoner

Photos by Andrea GrimesThe "Full Monty" -- baked beans and all.​Would we go south of the border, or would we sail 'cross the pond? You probably read the headline to this blog entry, so I won't pretend toward some surprise ending. The Man O' The Hour and I labored for several long minutes over the ... More >>

Patrick "Car-Free" Kennedy Talks to Texas Observer About His Idealized Dallas

Texas FreewayAsk Patrick how he feels about the highways around downtown, like the Mixmaster, seen here under construction in 1963​Texas Observer Forrest Wilder has been doing an occasional chat-with series featuring homegrowns "involved in issues of the environment and energy," and for his latest ... More >>

Tonight at Fest, a Film That Really Does Blend Dallas With "International"

Patrick MichelsJames Gillies and Sharon MacDonald of Scotland were among hundreds of fans who traveled to Southfork in November '08.​Back in November 2008 Patrick Michels and I schlepped out to Southfork Ranch for that clusterfudge of a Dallas reunion, for which thousands of people flew in from al ... More >>

Last Night: The Soundtrack of Our Lives at the Granada Theater

The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Nico Vega, SerynGranada TheaterFebruary 21, 1010Not better than: watching the US hockey team beat Canada... but still pretty good.​Last night at the Granada Theater, a small crowd was lucky enough to see Sweden's The Soundtrack Of Our Lives perform in an unusually inti ... More >>

Non-Gig Alert: Tonight's Theresa Andersson Show at AllGood Café Is Canceled

Theresa AnderssonIt's not often that a Swedish folk singer makes her way to our area. And, sadly, tonight is not going to be the exception. Violinist/singer-songwriter Theresa Andersson has canceled tonight's gig at AllGood Café--as well as her entire tour--due to a throat infection.And actually, a ... More >>

TV on the Radio, Little Dragon

Sunday, May 17, at House of Blues

Loney Dear, Matthew and the Arrogant Sea, Sunnybrook

Wednesday, February 11, at Hailey's, Denton

SXSW Announces First Round Of Scheduled Performers For '09 Fest

OK, so there's a clause at the bottom of the press release we just received--y'know "The list is subject to change" blah, blah blah--but lo and behold, here it is: The first round of announced performers for the 23rd SXSW festival, schedule to take place this year March 18-22. After the jump, the c ... More >>

Top Ten Americana Albums of 2008

In next week's paper, we'll unveil our national package on the best music of the year (the following week, we'll tackle the best in DFWd music). But, as a teaser, here's our paper's contribution to the national package: Noah W. Bailey's picks for the best Americana/folk releases of '08. Picking the ... More >>

Robyn

Robyn (Konichiwa/Cherrytree/Interscope)

Like a Bat Out of Hell, the USA Film Festival Schedule is Released

Over The Weekend: Spoonfed Tribe, Wakarusa, Gazelles, Bob Dylan, Darkest Hour

Say 'Screw It' to Smoke Breaks with Snus

Game, Set, Match

McEnroe and Co. take Frisco

The Office meets Deliverance

Satire and horror make for bad synergy in Severance

Swedish Claus

Celebrate Lucia Day in Dallas

Home Brew

Local dispatches from SXSW

Hamer Time

This unconventional comedic drama from Norway might be just the ticket

Advance Screening

Pssst, wanna see a movie that isn't out yet...legally?

Banned Books

SMU presents an exhibit to die for

Kidding Around

Mavs avoid the Nets gain

Decked Halls

Christmas is all about the historically decorated homes

Foreign Substances

What's the difference among vodka brands?

Pure and Simple

A virginal oaf seeks love Under the Sun

The Backstreet Boys

Black and Blue (Jive)

A Killer Abroad

In 1977, Tyler native Holly Maddux was murdered by Earth Day creator Ira Einhorn. More than two decades later, her family is still waiting for the fugitive to return.

Out Here

Amy Crenshaw and Crosstown Boys

Mass appeal

The Gospel Swingers take garage rock to church

Honed alone

A free-jazz disciple gets the last laugh

Events for the week

Feeling small

Pat Buchanan ponders his puny conscience

Joe Bob Briggs

Drive-In Movie Critic of Grapevine, TX