“In Bed With” is a Dallas Observer series in which we delve into the homes and personal lives of Dallas music industry professionals. “I have a theory that all of our neighbors are swingers,“ says musician Jacob Metcalf as he walks up the stairs to the apartment he shares with…
“This is a David Lowery production,” says a 7-year-old Lowery at the end of Poltergeist, his short film shot with a home camera. It starred his little brother in a sheet and showed promise even then. Now 38, Lowery is still proud of that first cinematic attempt and posted it…
The Oscars ceremony was fairly unpredictable this year: Singer Mary J. Blige was nominated for best supporting actress, athlete Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for Best Documentary, actor Gael Garcia Bernal performed a song, and Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead was nominated as a composer. Most importantly, Eva-Marie Saint and Christopher…
“In Bed With” is a Dallas Observer series in which we delve into the homes and personal lives of Dallas music industry professionals. Sammy “Rat” Rios and Rob Martinez are two of Dallas’ most promising artists. Rios is a singer and stage actress, and Martinez is a videographer. They’re both…
Two-and-a-half percent of American men ages 15-44 who identify as straight have had same-sex relations. That’s according to a December study published in the journal Sociological Perspectives by Tony Silva and Rachel Bridges Whaley, which examined “the relationship between straight identification and nonsexual social factors among men who are attracted to…
This week the Observer visited the home of Dallas DJ, producer and frequent Erykah Badu collaborator Richard “Picnic” Escobedo. In between all the serious questions about his start in music, relationship with Badu and the origin of his nickname, we found time to ask him a few fun ones. Once…
“In Bed With” is a new Dallas Observer series in which we delve into the homes and personal lives of Dallas music industry professionals. Richard “Picnic” Escobedo’s various jobs allow him to claim more titles than Daenerys Targaryen: He’s a producer, percussionist, musical director, DJ, photographer and videographer, to name…
Photographer Will von Bolton was born Will Bolton in Belton. His “stage name,” as he calls it, is a remembrance from his earlier marriage to model Veda von Bergen, as friends referred to the couple as “the Von Boltons.” He sold all his possessions four months ago and is without…
“In Bed With” is a new Dallas Observer series where we delve into the homes and personal lives of Dallas music industry professionals. The door mat outside photographers Cal Quinn and Aly Fae’s place announces “This must be the place.” It’s a necessary hint for visitors. The apartment numbers in…
Comedian Dave Chappelle stopped by the Free Man Cajun Cafe early Friday morning, in between his Thursday and Friday performances at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving. Free Man’s owner, John Jay Myers, says Chapelle jumped onstage for an impromptu hip-hop jam. The Deep Ellum venue, which hosts…
Jordan Kahn had played more intimidating venues than Dallas’ House of Blues. But this was an introduction to his new band, the Jordan Kahn Orchestra. It was 2014. He was in the midst of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit, and his career was hanging on this performance. He had rented the entire…
John Mayer with Night Game American Airlines Center, Dallas Saturday, Aug. 5, 2017 It was toward the end of the set when the show’s opener, Night Game, expressed warm gratitude toward John Mayer who, the members said, discovered the Boston band through Spotify and invited it along on this tour…
Veteran Dallas musician and producer Salim Nourallah walks around his sleek, three-story modern house in a placid street off Knox-Henderson. He moved in only a few days ago, but it may be the tidiest house any single man has ever owned. He says there’s only only one thing he ever…
It was only a year ago that DefDisco, an independent recording label based in Sheffield, England loudly announced its entrance into the Dallas market. The hype continued to grow in the months that followed as it built a roster of electrifying local talent. But ultimately, the artists were taking the bigger gamble…
Dan Savage will speak tonight, Thursday, May 11, at The Kessler Theater Longtime sex-columnist and LGTBQ activist Dan Savage is this generation’s Dear Prudence, his sage advice delivered with the confident bluntness of Judge Judy. Through his podcast Savage Love, which is in its 11th year, Savage has literally redefined…
Dallas musician Daniel Hart seems to attract successful projects. The Dark Rooms frontman is a film composer whose body of work includes the scores for Disney’s Pete’s Dragon and upcoming A Ghost Story, starring Casey Affleck. Hart recently debuted the soundtrack he composed for S-Town, a podcast created by the…
In less than a year, Northern National have amassed a considerable online following and received the support of major media companies. It seems that the alternative pop-rock band have picked up their audience almost everywhere — except their hometown, Dallas. While Northern National are a regular act at music festivals…
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs play the Bomb Factory on Tuesday, March 28 Los Fabulosos Cadillacs hail from Buenos Aires, a land of explosive political turmoil and choice beef. The rock/ska band has become as intrinsic to the South American musical fabric as the tango. Next week, they’ll bring a taste of…
Photographer duo Sarah Reyes and Daniel Driensky, known as Exploredinary, were commissioned to shoot the photos for this week’s cover story by me, an autobiographical account of my adventures with my boyfriend at Dallas’ crappiest motels. It was decided said boyfriend, Stephen, and I would be on the cover. The…
It was during an uneventful drive, a few months back, when my boyfriend and I first fixated on the obscenely tacky sign belonging to the Anchor Motel. Its neon lights flash from blue to green to red, as the innocent maritime image etches into our eyes. Across from the Anchor…
For the past 15 years, RC Williams has been a musical director, producer and keyboardist for Erykah Badu. He’s also become an avatar for music scene in Dallas. In November he released his sophomore record, called The Feel, with his band the Gritz. With the album, Williams meant to capsulize…
Visual artist Arthur Peña became king of the DIY music scene with his roving venue, Vice Palace. Like a punk vaudeville show, Vice Palace featured mixed bills of unconventional talent, and popped up in dark warehouses in all corners of the city. Peña and some of his favored artists held a…
