Supposing a man tells you he loves to make people laugh, you could probably guess what careers he’d go about pursuing. Comedian would top the list, followed closely by clown or cartoonist. Comedic pianist probably wouldn’t be near the top of that list, but then again, who even knew that…
To this day, John Lennon’s 1971 song “Imagine” remains an anthem for peace that’s revered around the world. The song, which became the best-selling single of Lennon’s solo career, was composed as a political rallying cry, a call for a world without hatred or divisions of any kind. Decades after…
Ilknur Ozgur has boundless energy. She talks quickly and effusively, often digressing into detailed, rambling stories that somehow, someway, make their way back to a larger point. When you ask her about any of her passions (art, performance or her performance art company, Artstillery, to name a few) she lights…
The first thing Chris Savage saw when he walked onto the empty Kessler stage was his friend’s drum set. A stage light beamed down on the kit, illuminating the instrument and forming a single ray of light in an ocean of blackness. Graham “Rooftop” Brotherton would be a part of…
Marc Rebillet laughed when he heard about this story. The experimental DJ and musician has an unmistakable laugh, one of those booming, dad-like chortles that fills a room. His pencil mustache frames a wide, toothy grin, his bespectacled eyes grow wide and his face briefly contorts into one of the…
When David Ramirez calls you at 3 a.m., you pick up. Veteran producer and Medicine Man Revival artist Jason Burt had recently sent a song to Ramirez, his favorite songwriter. But two days had passed, and he had yet to hear back from the Americana artist. Then, while Burt was…
Last fall, hundreds of Dallas denizens flocked to the Crescent shopping complex to immerse themselves in a unique art experience. Curated by Bivins Gallery, the show Psychedelic Robot took the city and social media by storm. Visitors shared photo after photo of rooms covered with graffiti, paint and neon lights…
Beau Bedford remembers what it feels like to be trapped by the music machine. The music producer and Texas Gentlemen ringleader was only 19 when it happened to him. His band, Envoy, caught the eye of a producer at SXSW, who promptly signed the band to a production deal. “We…
Homegrown Festival almost didn’t make it to its 10th birthday. Last April, just weeks before the ninth festival was set to take place in Main Street Garden Park, the leaders faced a moment of reckoning. They needed as many as 5,000 ticket buyers, and they needed them fast. “We were…
Poppy Xander had $100 in her bank account when she quit her job as a music teacher. Armed with a dream and all the neon she could find from her neighborhood Michael’s, Xander, a pianist, locked herself in her closet and made her first transmission from the moon. “It was a…
Linda Septien knows a thing or two about talent. As the founder of Septien Entertainment Group, Septien has coached and developed Texas superstars Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato and many more. She’s earned her title as the Kingpin of Pop Talent, yet she shows no signs of slowing down. SEG boasts a loaded…
Hannah Witkowski has nightmares. They’re vivid, and soon after she awakes, the electro-pop singer writes what happened. She analyzes how these vivid dreams looked, and sometimes the dreams create the foundation for her songs. That’s the case for her new single, “Senses,” and its accompanying music video. The 22-year-old, who…
Seconds after her relationship imploded, singer-songwriter Becky Middleton escaped to the top of the nearest building. The guy she was dating — a long-term boyfriend she thought she would ultimately marry — was also dating someone else, and Middleton was devastated. But out of that devastation and heartbreak came something…
Theo Ponchaveli is the man behind that mural you’ve probably taken a photo in front of. An acclaimed artist and longtime Dallas resident, Ponchaveli has painted murals of Selena, Michael Jackson, Muhammad Ali and both JFK and Lee Harvey Oswald — the last of which earned him ire and applause…
After nearly 50 years, 25 albums, 10 Grammys and countless miles on the road, you could forgive a man for wanting to call it a day. But that’s not Ray Benson’s style. The lead guitarist and vocalist of Asleep at the Wheel is keeping the pedal to the floor with a new album.
Ish D was raised on Fruity Loops. Not the cereal with the toucan mascot — the music-making software. Born Ishmael Davison, the San Angelo native-born music producer cut his teeth making beats with the family computer and with the PlayStation 2 game “MTV Music Generator.” MIDI controllers and other tech…
After more than a decade of grinding away in various production roles in Hollywood, Dallas-area native Tim Newfang is bringing his first feature documentary film home. His award-winning Sons of St. Clair follows Bone Thugs-n-Harmony members Krayzie Bone and Bizzy Bone as they create their latest album, New Waves. The…
The Dallas Mavericks have a new star, but not on the court. DJ Poizon Ivy, the artist behind every song and sound that rings through the rafters during Mavs games at American Airlines Center, has been nominated for a Global Spin Award for Best Female DJ of the Year. It’s…
In a world gone digital, a Denver-based record-a-month club called Vinyl Me, Please is keeping the analog party rockin’, one record at a time. The 5-year-old company has been making a name for itself locally with events and local artist spotlights at Dallas bars such as Shoals Sound & Service…
The Trinity River Distillery is about to host a rather spirited art contest. The downtown Fort Worth distillery is calling upon local artists to submit their work for a chance to become the distillery’s official muralist. While creativity is encouraged, each contestant must create and submit a design that will…
While Denton music fans mourn Oaktopia’s move to Deep Ellum, a group of local musicians and music lovers is preparing to bring a new festival to town. Backyard Block Party is set for Nov. 17-18 at popular bar and music venue Backyard on Bell. “The Denton scene is banding together…
Ten years ago, voters in Irving agreed to finance a 16-acre, mixed-use entertainment complex off State Highway 114. It would have more than two dozen restaurants, an Alamo Drafthouse, and indoor and outdoor concert venues, along with retail and office space. That complex, originally called the Irving Music Factory, was…
