Before the pandemic shut down North Texas nightlife in mid-March, it would’ve been a tough task to name a local band enjoying more forward momentum than Bastards of Soul. In the first several weeks of 2020, the group released its stellar debut LP, Spinnin’, which flew off the shelves of…
There’s no denying that spending extra time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic has led many folks to see things in a new, unexpected light. That’s certainly the case for Wade Bowen, one of the biggest stars of the Texas country circuit. The Waco native is deriving unexpected pleasure from…
Perhaps you’ve settled comfortably into “the new normal” stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, or perhaps you’re still coming to grips with the daily news developments. Either way, it’s safe to assume you have some extra time on your hands. Simply working from home instead of your usual workplace likely means…
The term “side project” is inherently a tad belittling, really. It’s especially so when discussing a musician’s hard work, determination and artistic expression. Sure, if the artist is the one deeming their efforts outside of their primary gig a side project then it’s cool, but who are the rest of…
Here’s something few, and more likely, absolutely zero, North Texas craft beer lovers thought they would either utter themselves or read about only a few years ago: Not all spicy pickle beers are created the same. Now, for those who have been paying close attention to what’s going on west…
There’s a legitimate reason that ZZ Top: That Little Ol’ Band From Texas, the documentary that premiered on Netflix last week, currently boasts a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score: It’s simply fantastic. There’s also a major reason the iconic trio with over 50 years under its belt has long been worthy…
If it’s not entirely impossible to keep from using the word “soul” when describing Zac Wilkerson’s music, it is certainly ill-advised. For starters, the Dallas resident’s excellent 2016 album is titled Dustbowl Soul, and plenty of the songs on his new record, Evergreen, feature R&B-powered full-band arrangements, which lend themselves…
Many fans of Texas country and red dirt music will recognize some key figures who give life to the music they love so dearly. The unmistakable voices of Jack Ingram, Robert Earl Keen and Randy Rogers are universally revered, and they’ve soundtracked our lives for over two decades now. But…
Last month Community Beer Company in Dallas celebrated its seventh anniversary with a major shindig inside its Design District taproom. Although it’s hard to believe now, given that craft breweries and brewpubs have enveloped North Texas, a seventh birthday means Community is among the new-era pioneers of the local beer…
Although there’s certainly more to the story of how Chadwick Murray became the lead singer for local soul band Bastards of Soul, the Dallas music veteran sums up the essence of his journey and current status rather succinctly. “So, yeah, after 30 years of being involved in music as a…
For the last four years, Levi Weaver has been a name that fans of the Texas Rangers have become keenly familiar with. As the Rangers beat writer for The Athletic, the 40-year-old Weaver has been praised for his ability to offer insightful columns on even the most mundane games over…
It would seem as though a devoted college student with a full load of intense classes would be as certain in what his future held for him as just about anyone in the undergrad phase of their life can be. Just a few years ago, Novel Coffee Roasters co-owner Kevin…
For a couple of decades now, Eleven Hundred Springs has been one of greatest country bands in North Texas, if not the absolute best, that is. Winners of a fair share of Dallas Observer Music Awards through the years, the Matt Hillyer-led honky-tonk crew has yet another album, its ninth…
Open since September 2019, Westlake Brewing Company joins Deep Ellum Brewing Company and BrainDead Brewing in making the ever-evolving entertainment district of Deep Ellum as much of a top-tier craft beer destination as it has ever been. Unlike the larger Deep Ellum Brewing and the more food-focused Braindead, Westlake is…
Counting from 2012, you’d be very hard-pressed to locate a more artistically ambitious project in the North Texas music sphere than These Machines Are Winning. Led by veteran Dallas rockers Dylan Silvers, Ryan Hartsell and Blake McWhorter, the group is really hard to define, at least in typically simplistic music…
For the last five years, Josey Records in Farmers Branch has steadily expanded from a spot for intensive crate-digging into a one-stop shop for music, books, DVDs, T-shirts, novelties and even beer-related glassware. There are now Josey Records locations in Tulsa, Kansas City and a Josey Books and Records in…
Before Brutal Beerworks in North Richland Hills held its grand opening in June, co-owner Eric Johnson was direct and plainspoken when it came to how his operation would find its own niche in the Mid-Cities. “I think we’ll stand out because we have no need, nor want, to grow beyond…
If you take a look around, pretty much anywhere music lovers find themselves, you’ll likely see that classic rock is in the air. No, we’re not talking about the gentle tones of REO Speedwagon wafting overhead while you shop at Nordstrom Rack. We’re talking about the old-school rockers still out…
Many of the stories behind folks opening North Texas’ newest craft breweries and brewpubs have a few common strains. It’s not uncommon to see a brewery owner with a kegerator full of medals from homebrewing competitions, for example. There’s usually some sort of business or executive professional background, of course,…
Between a new school year starting for the kiddos and the addition of pumpkin spice into everything, autumn is an active, bustling season. And for each of the past several years, few — if any— sports broadcasters anywhere have been as busy as Dallas’ Mark Followill. Best known as the…
It wasn’t that long ago when trying a local craft beer most likely meant having to personally visit a local brewery. As recently as 2012, beer coolers in North Texas grocery stores might’ve had some Rahr & Sons choices available, but that was about it, really. And even more to…
Receiving a tremendous amount of energetic encouragement from those closest to you is always a positive (unless they’re cheering on your plans to commit suicide, maybe, or invade Poland, or your friend’s name is Giuliani, but broadly speaking, yeah). For a budding brewery owner hoping to turn a longtime hobby…
