Local Music ‘Mericans: Cindy Chaffin

Welcome to Local Music’Mericans, where we’ll be meeting some people behind the local music scene who aren’t musicians, but more behind-the-scenes folk. Once upon a time, Cindy Chaffin was the mastermind behind Texas Gigs, a blog and database that was eventually acquired by Pegasus News. Later, she launched FineLineLive, a…

Local Music ‘Mericans: Scott Beggs

Welcome to Local Music’Mericans, where we’ll be meeting some people behind the local music scene who aren’t musicians, but more behind-the-scenes folk. Scott Beggs, once one of the kids in the punk rock crowds back in the day, has been assembling live concerts in DFW since the mid-’90s at various…

Local Music ‘Mericans : “Sean Wayne” Leseman, aka The Door Guy

Welcome to Local Music’Mericans, where we’ll be meeting some people behind the local music scene who aren’t musicians, but more behind-the-scenes folk. If you’ve ever gone to see a rock band in Deep Ellum, he was likely your maitre’ d, of sorts. He’s one of those guys that often finds…

Local Music ‘Mericans: Kim Keebler

Welcome to Local Music’Mericans, where we’ll be meeting some people behind the local music scene who aren’t musicians, but more behind-the-scenes folk. Kim Keebler was raised in Deep Ellum as a young pup. Her first concert was there: The Dead Kennedys, back in the mid ’80s.She bought her first car…

Saintkarla

Musically, Saintkarla are spirited, enterprising, and all over the map—hence, presumably, the hummingbird used as this album’s cover art. Theirs, indeed, is a melting pot brand of rock. And while that doesn’t work for everyone, if you’ve the attention span, there’s a lot to draw from Elephant in the Room…

Marquis of Vaudeville

Marquis of Vaudeville’s self-titled debut, which actually quietly dropped last year, is a shrewd fusing of twinkly pop, gaze-at-the-stars vocals and melancholy melody outlined with edgy, trenchant guitars. On tracks like “An Ordinary Day,” you get an almost theatrical opening, with mischievous, alley-cat piano plunkings as the curtain falls away…

Last Night: Psychedelic Furs and She Wants Revenge at the Granada Theater

Psychedelic Furs, She Wants RevengeGranada TheaterJuly 1, 2010Better than: staying home to watch a brat pack movie on Insta-Netlfix. The Psychedelic Furs’ Richard Butler had the time of his life last night. He was twirling, bunny-hopping, and unconsciously conducting his band with his grandiose, animated, almost theatrical gestures and finger-snaps…

Andrew Delaney & The Horse You Rode In On

He sings like it’s been days since he’s slept, even more time since he’s eaten, and weeks since he’s had a break from working in the coal mines. Andrew Delaney is a storyteller, sure, but you sense he’s seen genuine hard times. Still, Delaney doesn’t spin his own personal T.M.I…

King of the Rabbit Trail

King of the Rabbit Trail is a unique band—especially when it comes to style and genre fusion. They’re like post-punks in cowboy boots and fronted by Julian Casablancas. For the most part, it’s simple, rough-hewn, alt-country-tinged hard rock, rife with throaty, bitter vocals and loud, dry, dusty guitars. “I Still…

Q&A: Giggle Party Tells Us Why It’s Bailing On Dallas.

Bad news, fans of things that are fun: Giggle Party is bailing on Dallas-Fort Worth for the greener pastures of San Francisco. Right after this weekend, in fact. Turns out bassist Jason Reichl is headed that way for real-life, not-at-all-music-related career reasons–and GP keyboardist Kat Michie (aka Mrs. Jason Reichl)…

Paco Estrada and One Love

Once upon a time, Paco Estrada fronted the now-defunct, fairly successful Dallas rock band South FM. These days, though, he’s working on his solo material. And, as always, his writing serves as a confessional for what was obviously a lot of painful experiences. Among them? South FM. In retrospect, it…

Last Night: The Deftones’ “Secret” CD Release Performance at Trees

The DeftonesTreesMay 4, 2010Better than:  ..any abbreviated, afternoon mini-set at a festival concert, for damn sure. The Deftones took to Trees last night for an eleventh-hour-announced, quickly-sold-out concert, and delivered a boastful, deafening, 21-song set to an expanse of shoulder-to-shoulder bodies.They were pressed against every wall, and lined along every…

Yesterday at NX35: Giggle Party at The Boiler Room

Band: Giggle PartyVenue: Boiler RoomTime: 1145 p.m.Dallas’ frenetic, mad-genius punk act Giggle Party started setting up onstage at The Boiler Room by not only plugging in, but by blowing up balloons.As such, its show started with cheers–plus drunken catcalls and pre-recorded instructions on how the audience could participate, go figure…

Bonus MP3: D. Anson Brody — “Start Again”

D. Anson Brody beats the living shit out of his guitar. It’s not out of anger, nor is it simply histrionics. It’s just his style, and it’s genuine. Sure, lots of guys play “slap”, but Brody goes much further, and lets percussion come out of his insides with the same…

THE CRAZY IVANS

While The Crazy Ivans seem to have the pieces in place to be an entertaining live rock band—aggressive raw guitar riffs, a capable vocalist, etc.—the challenges presented in a recording studio can be a whole other ugly animal. The problem here? This band has trouble writing good songs. It’s easy…

THE FIEROS

Whatever happened to the Pontiac Fiero? Remember? Little sporty car, driven mostly by divorcées? And whatever happened to The Valentines? In ’06 and ’07, that band was a Dallas Observer Music Award-winning act in the indie rock category. The car disappeared from garages—much like the band did, actually. After a…