When Arlington hip-hop artist Krum goes looking for a sound, he often seeks guidance from Rob Viktum. Last year, Krum hit Viktum up for something with a gospel vibe. As it turns out, Viktum had been waiting for him to ask. “He immediately sent me over a ridiculous track I fell in…
A Cuban sandwich has a very specific, wonderful flavor. Health-wise, eating a sandwich with pork and ham in it is crazy, but some people eat bacon every single day, so I frequently indulge in a Cuban. And if that statement seems logically suspect, then consider this: along with the slow-roasted…
From the streets to strip clubs, Trapboy Freddy has always been hustling. But now he sells music instead of drugs. A Texas hip-hop artist on the rise with a huge catalogue of music, he constantly performs in Dallas-Fort Worth. But Trapboy Freddy has followed the money into his own lane…
FOUND at Level Gallery After seeing pollution in the ocean and researching the effects, longtime underwater fashion photographer Jeremy McKane decided he wanted to do more than take pretty pictures. McKane uses his art to raise awareness of this urgent issue. FOUND is McKane’s latest ocean conservation exhibit featuring eleven…
Arthur Peña, founder and director of Vice Palace, will close out the roving venue’s second year with a two-day show at RBC in Deep Ellum featuring a lineup of local talent. The event is both a retrospective and a hint of what to expect from year three. Peña’s cassette label,…
Mercury Rev With Josh T. Pearson Dan’s Silverleaf, Denton Sunday, March 20, 2016 Mercury Rev played at Dan’s Silverleaf Sunday night and sounded better than ever. The orchestral indie rock band with cinematic melodies brought a surprising intensity to their 90-minute set. Prone to unpredictable performances and infighting between band…
Covered in tattoos and wearing a shirt with an image of an ice cream cone with a skull on top of it, Aaron Barker is not your average ice cream shop owner. He’s a former journalist, guitar player for a local rock band called Street Arabs, and he has strong…
Decadent Dub Team, an early hip-hop industrial group from Dallas, will reunite for a show at The Kessler Theater tonight, their first since 2009. Jeff Liles, artistic director for the Kessler, has been along for the band’s entire, 30-year ride. But there have been many notable members over the years…
Twenty-four years ago, Street Arabs guitarist and Carnival Barker’s Ice Creams owner Aaron Barker lost his grandfather, Hub Barker, to lung cancer. For all those years since, Aaron Barker had been without his grandfather’s most prized possessions: his guitars. Until last week. Hub Barker lived near Oklahoma City and…
Six Flags Over Texas may have found an answer for people who are afraid of roller coasters. The New Revolution Virtual Reality Coaster is 200 feet high and moves at high speed with twists and turns. But a smart phone strapped across your eyes will put you in a virtual…
For hungry people in a hurry, East African cuisine typically isn’t going to be the right decision — same goes if anyone planning to spend a meal on an iPhone. Ethiopian food is served communally, similar to the way all orders are typically combined at a sushi restaurant. But instead…
It had been almost a year since Natalie Johnson had lost her husband, DJ Whiz T, when she realized she was going to have to sell his beloved record and sports memorabilia collections. Whiz T, a beloved member of the hip-hop community and the official DJ of the Dallas Mavericks,…
Growing up in Oak Cliff, Lee Escobedo and Patrick Patterson-Carroll didn’t have many opportunities to be aware of cinema. They remember looking for movies at grocery stores and pawnshops. Sometimes they would leave the neighborhood and visit a Half Price Books. But now they are using What is Cinema?, a…
It doesn’t really feel like festival season in North Texas until 35 Denton rolls around. Sure, there was a year in there where they went on hiatus, and sure, Thin Line Fest already happened last month with its mix of film and live music. But when 35 Denton rolls out…
Mavis Staples With Nick Lowe Kessler Theater, Dallas Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, 2016 Mavis Staples is showing no signs of slowing down. With 66 years into a legendary career, the gospel and soul icon celebrated the release of her first-ever feature length documentary and 15th solo album…
Little did Jessie Frye know that when agreed to pose with some fellow musicians for a Frack Free Denton photo in 2014 that it would turn into an opportunity to get involved in presidential politics. David Sanchez, the Texas Deputy State Director of the Bernie Sanders campaign, just happens to…
Jimmy’s Food Store, Dallas’ beloved ma and pa grocer turned Italian specialty shop, is now 50-years-old. Their sausage and meatballs are the best in town—having them on the menu is a good get for virtually any restaurant. These folks have a complicated understanding of what Italians want. They have deep…
Taking cues from blues, folk and great songwriters, Luke McGlathery is making some new sounds in Fort Worth. A full-time musician for four years, he performs almost every night, often as background music. But his new album, Life Ain’t Hard, requires your full attention. McGlathery has learned how to speak…
After almost 10 years in downtown Dallas, the House of Blues’ Foundation Room is preparing for an overhaul. Opened in 2007, the chain establishment owned by LiveNation is undergoing a transformation into a themed lounge that will feature regular DJ appearances. Once a private room reserved for members and after-parties,…
Imagine Devo, sung in Spanish and played at 78 rpm, and you have a rough idea of what Seres sounds like. Waiting at Exposition Circle, the three men are standing between the columns of the memorial, which almost resembles Stonehenge. They are wearing different colored latex outfits that make them…
At first glance, Irving can look like Any Suburb, USA — but a surging Asian Indian population adds a plethora of Indian restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters and churches. North Texas has had a strong Asian Indian presence for several decades, but the population skyrocketed from 2000 to 2010. Since…
Media creates a spectacle and a dialogue. To compete with other spectacles, art may have to embrace the spectacular. And social practice is a great way to create a dialogue. Art tries to pursue things that are not yet fully understood, often pushing boundaries. It can certainly help to have…
