A couple touring stalwarts with full portfolios of hit songs are planning summer visits, while several eclectic talents will greet their respective audiences from indoor club stages. And one of the biggest Top 40 hit-makers around has set a date for an appearance at the American Airlines Center. Worldwide pop…
The arrival of a new calendar month brings with it another exciting round of concert announcements for the DFW region. Quite a few industry legends will make their way to area stages, while a lively tribute gathering will honor the 40th anniversary of a rock ‘n’ roll signature event. And,…
Dallas is a vinyl town. Sales are continuing to surge, and Dallas’ numerous record shops, local printing plants and venue choices have made it a major market for those interested in both dealing and spinning wax. The latest evidence: the online music trading post and database Discogs chose Dallas as a…
As a member of pioneering hip-hop group Salt-n-Pepa, DJ Spinderella sold over 15 million albums and singles, and toured the world. In recent years she has thrown herself into the Spinderella DJ Academy, encouraging and promoting female artists and producers. Last Saturday, at the ceremony honoring her as the first female recipient of…
On the surface, Pearl Earl and Siamese, two of North Texas’ most innovative rock bands, appear to sail different musical waters. The women of Pearl Earl traffic in psych-rock with heavy grooves and charging guitars that at times hearken back to late ’60s San Francisco. Siamese make noisey rock, too, but…
North Texas is fertile music ground. While we may not have the reputation of Portland, Minneapolis or our neighbors to the south in Austin, a quick jaunt through Deep Ellum, the downtown area of Denton or the riverfront in Fort Worth proves that a great number of talented musicians developed their…
Artists and musicians are in a constant battle to stay in touch with the muse. When momentum lulls or ideas become exhausted, a change in scenery can often be the best remedy. Such was the case for singer-songwriter Dan Layus, who will perform at Club Dada on Jan. 14. He…
An at-capacity crowd greeted Peter Hook’s visit to the Granada Theater on Friday night. Accompanied by his backing band, the Light, with Hook’s son Jack Bates on bass and harmony vocals, the show rolled into town almost a year to the day of his previous visit to the same venue…
Live music at beer and food festivals is always a risky proposition because the primary focus is on sampling stations. Attendees are often overwhelmed with options, so the performances can easily be relegated to background music that plays out over snack breaks. When the five-city Untapped Festival took over Fair…
North Texans really like beer. A short drive around these parts will reveal a plethora of independent breweries, craft beer stores and bottle shops featuring the best and latest creations being developed and issued. The only thing close to edging out our love of beer is our love of live…
Kris Kristofferson With the Texas Gentlemen Annette Strauss Square, Dallas Friday, Oct. 14, 2016 Kris Kristofferson embodies the term “living legend.” Over the course of a six-decade career, the singer-songwriter, actor, poet, Rhodes Scholar and all-around renaissance man has left an indelible mark on the popular culture. Though the various…
It’s been said before but it bears repeating. The first rule of a traveling musician is, you go where the crowds are. For local country singer-songwriter, Zane Williams, those audiences can be found in some pretty remote locations. “I’m living the honky-tonk dream,” he says, using his bass player’s phone to…
Conor Oberst With Pearl Charles Granada Theater, Dallas Friday, Oct. 7, 2016 As Conor Oberst walked back to the stage to begin Friday night’s encore at a packed Granada Theater, he carried with him armfuls of brightly colored beads. “Here, take some! It’s Mardi Gras, bitches!” he yelled as he…
Coldplay With Alessia Cara AT&T Stadium, Arlington Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016 Minutes into Coldplay’s set Saturday night at a sold-out AT&T Stadium, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin looked like a man who had already put in a hard night’s work. Drenched in sweat and adorned with a few strands of the…
Culture Club With Grove Verizon Theatre, Grand Prairie Friday, August 5, 2016 Around the midway point of Culture Club’s 90-minute set at a raucous Verizon Theatre on Friday night, Boy George turned reflective. “Well, 30-some years have passed since we started this thing. Remember, you were going to be a…
Steven Tyler Music Hall at Fair Park, Dallas Monday, August 1, 2016 “This ain’t American Idol!” Steven Tyler shouted near the start of his near-sellout show Monday night at the Music Hall at Fair Park. No, Tyler wasn’t here as an occasionally snarky, yet profound television talent judge. Nor was…
Roky Erickson means many different things to many different people. To most, he’s a torchbearer of psychedelic rock and beloved Texas institution. To informed music connoisseurs, he’s the wailing voice behind such cult masterpieces as “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” “Starry Eyes” and “Two Headed Dog.” To those that dig a little…
Once dubbed the “Queens of Grunge,” Los Angeles rockers L7 are back out on tour, following a brief hiatus that interrupted last year’s long-awaited reunion. Filled with snarling punk attitude and buoyed by scorching metal tendencies, the band — guitarists/vocalists Donita Sparks and Suzi Gardner, bassist Jennifer Finch, and drummer…
Parquet Courts frontman Andrew Savage is a man who stays true to Texas. While the band relocated from Denton to Brooklyn and has since gone on to such acclaim as being dubbed “The Last Rock Band,” Savage carries a bit of the Lone Star State wherever he goes. Whether it’s the…
Smashing Pumpkins With Liz Phair Majestic Theatre, Dallas Monday, April 18, 2016 Heading into The Majestic Theatre for Monday night’s Smashing Pumpkins show, it would’ve seemed unlikely that a pair of cover songs would steal the show. With songs like “1979” and “Tonight, Tonight” to draw on, Billy Corgan and…
M83 With Yacht The Bomb Factory, Dallas Friday, April 8, 2016 Concerts don’t come with much higher feel-good levels than M83’s visit to The Bomb Factory did on Friday night. The French synthpop powerhouse rolled into town for the second stop on their Junk Tour on the exact day that…
Barry Manilow With Michael Lington American Airlines Center, Dallas Thursday, February 18, 2016 Despite health issues, generational shifts in taste, and the unavoidable passage of time, Barry Manilow is still bringing the goods. The pop legend rolled into the American Airlines Center Thursday night, just less than a week removed…
