Arts & Entertainment

Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley may not be household names, but this filmmaking duo is making serious waves in the industry. Kwedar is originally from Fort Worth, while Bentley is a transplant from Florida who now calls Dallas home. Last year, the pair co-wrote the Oscar-nominated film Sing Sing, which Kwedar directed. The film explores the role theater plays in the lives of inmates in the titular New York prison. They are following that film’s success with Train Dreams, adapted from a Denis Johnson novella, with Bentley directing. Already acquired by Netflix and with positive reviews from the Sundance Film Festival, Train Dreams is as one to watch when awards season rolls around.

Though just 19, Mckenna Grace is becoming a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. The Grapevine native has had roles in the two most recent Ghostbusters movies and is in a prime position to ascend to movie stardom. Over the next 12 months, Grace is set to appear in the Bob Odenkirk action flick Nobody 2, the Colleen Hoover adaptation Regretting You, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 and Scream 7. If all that was not enough, she has also been cast in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Sunrise on the Reaping.  

Any film that gets audiences excited about giving up an organ deserves to be recognized. Donald Griswold’s documentary Abundant captures kidney donors telling their stories on stage at the Majestic Theater, while also cutting to interviews with donors, recipients and experts who have witnessed this act of extreme altruism. It’s a feel-good story about people giving up their kidneys for strangers, and it explores what prompts individuals to make this choice. The film’s website includes a link for anyone interested in becoming a donor after seeing it.

The hosts of There Are Too Many Movies have carved a space for themselves in the crowded landscape of movie podcasting. Chris Collins, Josh Rodriguez and Alex Wilshin are North Texans who became friends in high school and share a love of discussing films. Bracingly irreverent, refreshingly casual and legitimately funny, each week they take turns discussing what they have been watching before diving into a longer discussion about a specific film. They avoid being just another “film bro” podcast by delivering insightful critiques and analysis to their reviews, all without ever taking themselves too seriously. They are also active in the local film community, doing their part to keep North Texas filmmaking humming.

You’ve likely seen muralist and illustrator Stephanie Sanz’s colorful visions around North Texas. From Fort Worth to Oak Cliff and all the way up in Grapevine for the immersive art experience of Meow Wolf, her vibrant, feminist works, inspired by her Panamanian upbringing, have illuminated the urban grayscale in DFW. Sanz continues to make us proud from afar, too. She’s in demand across the state, as her brush has been commissioned to stroke the walls of Beaumont, Corpus Christi and Austin. 

The Shed Show started as a passion project for curator Jillian Wendel when she was an art student at the University of North Texas. In August 2024, she transformed her backyard shed in Denton into a miniature gallery, hosting pop-up art exhibitions showcasing local artists. The rotational space is a testament to “tiny but mighty.” Passion meets purpose at The Shed Show, proving good art doesn’t have to hang on the walls of the Dallas Contemporary. Keep an eye on The Shed Show‘s Instagram page for the next exhibit. 

Tessa Granowski opened her new gallery space, Nature of Things, inside a small home on an Oak Lawn side street, with a debut show doubling as a tribute to Texan writer Dave Hickey. Because of zoning laws, Granowski was forced to shutter her art house for the foreseeable future. But the longtime curator wouldn’t let the concept die. In July, she debuted the second Nature of Things gallery inside the upstairs loft at the Texas Theatre, featuring art relating to the Texas blues and Lightnin’ Hopkins. It appears that for the time being, Nature of Things will remain a free-flowing, nomadic concept that could take over any Dallas space at any moment.

Kay Poyer has a pistol for a tongue, and she fires fast. The TikTok comedian perfectly balances humor with pointed, poignant criticisms of modern society in punchlines delivered so swiftly you don’t realize they’ve hit until the next one is coming at you. If we had a dollar for every lifestyle influencer calling Big D home, we’d be the city’s sixth billionaire. But if we had a dollar for every Dallas influencer making us giggle just as much as they made us think, well, we’d have one dollar, because there’s only one Poyer. 

A glance at a concert photo from Vicious Velma Hernandez is like stepping inside a memory. It doesn’t matter how beautiful the composition is or how nice the lens she used to shoot a photo, an eye for the moment is the single best skill a photographer can have. Whenever Hernandez is behind the camera, those moments come to life as if you were right in the thick of it yourself.

Zach Fox uses an antique photography technique to create metal portraits that will last hundreds of years. You know those big old funky cameras with the photographer under the sheet? Yeah, he does that. The images create the rustic Old West feeling that only technology from that era can replicate. Fox does studio sessions and pop-ups for events. The tintypes take a few days to arrive, but you get a metal copy to keep as an heirloom and a digital version for the feed.

The name is self-explanatory. Every second Saturday of each month, a local celebrity in the Dallas DJ scene, DJ Sober, plays whatever he feels like at LadyLove. Known for his keen perception of vibes and general good times, DJ Sober has been spinning tracks for the better part of 20 years in Dallas. His residency at LadyLove usually draws a crowd, so it’s a good idea to arrive before the line wraps around the block. Though the DJ is notoriously sober, his parties are not.  

This skate park is part half-pipe, part community action group. Built by professional skaters, the organization creates a safe space for beginner and experienced skaters to practice their skills. But it’s also a food rescue hub. Fresh, healthy food is diverted from landfills and handed out for free each week. 4DWN does not distribute processed foods, maintaining its mission statement of providing healthy food to underserved communities. If you’re not ready to cruise down the ramps with the pros, maybe stay off wheels and volunteer. Either way, 4DWN is the best skate park in town.

Crestpatrick De Los Reyes, the designer behind Crescente Patricio, fuses traditional Filipino tailoring with the utilitarian cuts typical of modern American fashions. The designer, creating the highest of enduring quality products, repurposes and revitalizes denim scraps from old textile factories, giving them new life and keeping a couple of hundred yards of material from the landfill. His perfectly prim pleats make the Canadian tuxedo almost wedding-appropriate, at least in Dallas.

Walking a straight line through the front doors of the Joule on Main Street and exiting through the back lobby door to Commerce Street takes only a few moments. But what an eventful few moments they are, if you’re strong enough to simply keep moving. The art collection demands you stop and stare, the Taschen book store increases that demand with its impeccable display of of vibrant coffee-table books. The hotel’s coffee shop is a bright, welcoming space with equally welcoming baristas. And, perhaps most notably, the place smells amazing. It’s worth the trip for the sniff alone.

He actually isn’t a new artist, but Mitchell Ferguson has been getting some long-overdue attention as a country artist in a somewhat new way. The veteran Dallas songwriter went viral in 2024 for “Drink a Beer,” a social media joke song accurately poking fun at the bland brainlessness of most modern pop country music. Now, live audiences across the country are getting a taste of his soulful voice and skillful writing and learning that his viral fame is a gateway to greater substance.

It’s a common understanding that Thursday nights are proper party nights. We all agree. But not all party nights need to be head-banging, rave-raging affairs. Some weeknight parties can be plenty jubilant and jazzy without the long lines, bouncers and subsequent hangovers. Start by hitting up Babou’s at the Swexan (2598 N. Harwood St.) for Thursday night jazz at 5:30 p.m., then swing over to either Triumph’s Espresso and Whiskey in the Design District (141 Manufacturing St., No. 110) for its always stellar jazz shows, or head into downtown for jazz night at Bourbon & Banter inside the Statler Hotel, (1914 Commerce St.) beginning at 9 p.m.

A good cigar lounge offers something more community-minded than a quick swing in for a stogie. Ele Jefe Cigars in Old East Dallas has a large, walk-in humidor with a vast selection, and this BYOB membership club hosts events with cigar makers, distillers and intimate live music events that fit the vibe of a discerning cigar aficionado perfectly.

Last year, Isaiah O’Keefe’s grunge revival trio, Death By Monkey, took home an award for best student band. Now a graduate of Booker T. Washington, the guitarist and songwriter has also graduated from the ’90s-inspired rock into a softer Midwest emo sound. His new project, ilearnedtotalkinspring, is quickly making waves around the Dallas music scene, combining screaming vocals with melancholy guitar riffs.

Dirty Laundry lived up to the hype. The long-awaited debut album from Dezi 5, the self-appointed king of Dallas pop culture, delivered a thoughtful fusion of funk and soul, even with a hint of vulnerability from the typically brash frontman. “Key At The Door,” “Alone” and the album’s title track seem primed to be Dallas music mainstays for years to come.

There are great punk venues all around the country, the kinds where you love thy neighbor by slamming your body into them. In sensibility, White Settlement DIY venue The One-Eyed Kat is no different. But in execution, it’s an elevation of the musical violence craft. Owner Jon McCloskey keeps moshing “weapons” in stock for rowdier shows, and by “weapons” we mean foam swords and shields and plastic skeleton bones that transform his hellish dungeon of a DIY space into a postmodern moshing fantasy.

Elliot Hazel’s hand-drawn and hand-folded zine is a sort of classical revival of true DIY subculture. A trans man, Hazel writes openly in comic-essay format about his perspective in the North Texas arts and music scene while including advice and positive affirmations for the reader. Toad Zine is only available on an “if you know you know” basis. Luckily, Hazel’s DMs remain open, and his merch booths at local markets and concerts remain stocked. Grab one while you can.

You’ll hear them before you see them. At least, that’s how we found TALJAMUZO. Their energy and funky beats drifting down Bishop Avenue were the only thing that could keep us out in the summer evening heat, and, man, are we glad we stayed out. This four-piece outfit plays across the Dallas area, often on actual stages, but if you can catch them on a night they’re set up outside of Otaru’s Sushi Bar in Bishop Arts you’ll really hear the magic this band brings. You’ll be dancing along with the rest of the crowd before you know it.  

Hosted by brothers Doug and Grant Klembara, Hidden City digs into the history, people and pulse of Oak Cliff through conversations with local leaders and influencers. Whether it’s a men’s boutique owner who is shaping the neighborhood’s style, or a restaurant owner who is redefining what it means to be a community space, the show brings in the voices shaping Dallas’ “hidden city” in real time.  

Oak Cliff’s Da’Raja Superstar has been making a name for herself on TikTok, dropping freestyles over classic Dallas hip-hop instrumentals like “Not a Stain on Me” and “My Dougie.” She’s branded herself as a professional shit-talker who can out rap your brethren, even dropping bars in a British accent. Her Behind the Bars freestyle has impressed many curious to know more about her, with clever lines like her “money is long as Belt Line.” She keeps it all the way Dallas, as seen in her recent single “Putting On for My City,” where she’s reppin’ Big D and throwing her hood up in front of Big T Plaza.

From a visual standpoint alone, Avon Nguyen stands out in the influencing landscape. Her hot pink hair and equally eye-popping wardrobe make her instantly recognizable both on your feed and at Dallas’ most sought-after experiences. Her coverage of hidden-gem restaurants, must-see events and her personal collection of “unhinged” shirts is a refreshingly fun and personable addition to an increasingly cynical and homogenous influencing landscape.

“Personal style” is a buzzy phrase in fashion, and there’s nothing quite as personal as dedicating your wardrobe to your favorite niche historical era. Denison-based content creator, fashion historian and hat designer Erin Patterson specializes in early 1940s clothing, with many of her dresses, hats, shoes and gloves being authentic to the era. Her Instagram and TikTok feature the expected content like outfits of the day and vlogs of local events and landmarks such as the state fair and the Frontiers of Flight Museum, all with a vintage-themed twist. Her YouTube channel has more in-depth content like thrifting tips, pin-curl tutorials and a breakdown of her personal style journey. Patterson’s content is highly informative and entertaining, even if you’re not committed to a vintage lifestyle.

As the frontman of Cure For Paranoia, Cameron McCloud’s dynamic personality is always on full display. The group’s Tiny Desk submission from earlier this year is the perfect introduction to McCloud’s swagger and style. Donning a brown letterman and cheetah print pants, the Dallas rapper sits back and performs “The Artshow,” a braggadocios song centered on earned self confidence. The lyrics are catchy, his delivery bleeds authenticity and the man has a nasty flow with impressive range. With Tomahawk Jonez and JayAnalog cooking up tracks, there’s no stopping Cure for Paranoia.

Earlier this year, Shaboozey presented BigXThaPlug with the Country Innovator of the Year award in Nashville. While honoring him, he spoke about BigX not only breaking the mold, but “melting it down and making his own.” BigX, who was anointed Best Rapper by us in 2023, has gone from the Dallas hip-hop underground to walking the red carpet at award shows as a Best New Artist nominee. He’s done every major music festival a breakthrough artist can dream of and made his late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing “Mmhmm” and “The Largest.” We’re still running back his Take Care album, where he’s rapping from start to finish, casually firing off heartbreaking lines on the inevitable atrocities of street life within a therapy session with himself.

We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Scuttino perform several times. Once at the Downtown Dallas Arts & Music Festival at Main Street Garden, an intimate performance took place outside with a small gathering. The others were opening for touring acts Dave East and Akeem Ali. The Oak Cliff rapper earns this recognition for consistently putting his all into his music despite the challenges of balancing life as a parent and working in a family business. He’s rising as one of Dallas hip-hop’s exciting new voices.

Dallas Global (@dallasglobaltv) is a YouTube and Instagram platform focused on covering hip-hop artists and the culture that surrounds the genre. What makes it different than a DJ Akademiks’ page or RapTV is that it focuses on Dallas-Fort Worth artists and the industry figures in its content mix. Here, you’ll find everything from viral rappers, unknown names, hip-hop news clips, gossip and questions pertaining to the careers of local rappers. It’s a platform that puts Dallas-Fort Worth hip-hop on the map, making it part of the larger conversation instead of being a scene of less importance. If you need a brand that’s extremely tapped into DFW, this is the page to like and subscribe to.

After producing for Top Dawg Entertainment and grinding it out in New York, DJ Brandon Blue returned to Dallas last year and saw an interest in building a new kind of community through his DJ workshop, Stick Talk. When he’s not demonstrating how to DJ and getting inspired by eager learners, he’s posting about his DJ gigs on TikTok, which are a highlight reel of FOMO. He’s at Double Ds every Sunday, spinning hip-hop, R&B, dance, unexpected mashups and remixed songs. When you see Blue, the energy is always good, and his sets bring a different experience.

A two-time winner for Best Podcast at the Dallas Entertainment Awards, Andrew Sherman’s Dallas Famous takes listeners through his discovery of the movers and shakers of Dallas’ artistic community. Since 2022, Sherman, a photographer and writer who frequently contributes to the Dallas Observer, has sat down with the likes of Jeffery Liles, Maureen Womack, Remy Reilly, Dana Harper, Jeff “Skin” Wade and more. The people he interviews are musicians, writers, comedians and other creative types who open up about their stories and how they became a name to know in Dallas.

For the club-goers who want to dance past midnight, Portal After Hours is your weekend dose every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night from 1:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. The party, held at Club De Dior, includes house and techno DJs who align with the club’s mission of supporting local talent and creating a welcoming atmosphere to party safely and responsibly. Jenna Shaw, Karma, Swavé and Shay De Castro are just some of the names that bring out the real ones built for living the late night.

Earlier this year, Club Dada held the Dallas Music Office’s inaugural Dallas Sounds Amplified Artist Showcase, which included 17 emerging artists performing 15-minute sets. It was a chance for music fans who back local artists to discover someone new and amplify them. Many who resonated with the audience, such as The Blue Line, Katherine Paterson or Alexandria, walked away being more comfortable performing for a room of this size. Since 1986, Club Dada’s DIY ethos has made it an essential part of Deep Ellum’s vibrancy, reflecting the diverse and dynamic neighborhood by featuring local and national acts.

Billy Bob’s Texas continues to be one of the premier country venues in Texas. With events every weekend, there’s something for everyone to enjoy at this honky tonk heaven. As for dancing, whether it be two-steppin’, boot scootin’ or shit kickin’, there’s a dance floor waiting for you. Billy Bob’s has appeared in movies like Baja Oklahoma and Necessary Roughness, and the country group Midland used the hardwood dance floor as the set for the music video for their hit song “Burn Out.”

Line dancing can be an intimidating act. When an entire mosh of people on a dance floor knows every step to a song you’ve never heard and you’re out there making Bambi look like a figure skater, you start to feel the pressure. Cowboys Red River offers free line-dancing lessons. It’s a great way to go out, be active and learn something new. You’ll look like a pro in no time. Times and days vary, so keep an eye on its website for deals and line-dancing lessons.

Technically, Dallas is home to one of the last designated lesbian bars. But by most measures, LadyLove is a lesbian bar; just look at the name, the several pride flags hanging throughout the space or the girls probably kissing by the DJ booth. This welcoming bar happily serves people of all genders, ages and sexualities. Every night has a theme, complete with a live DJ spinning the perfect records.  

TJ Novak’s Live in Deep Ellum records are filled with cover songs that extend with improvisation, taking what we know about our favorites and turning them into something that we would kill to see in person. Novak, a Florida-born, McKinney-raised musician, and his band did a seven-minute take on Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone.” Novak’s version is much grittier than Badu’s softer original, but the message stays the same: Tyrone needs to get up outta here because we’re setting healthy boundaries in 2025. The highlights include keyboardist Randy McGill and Alec Zieff going back and forth with their instruments.

At the beginning of 2025, GamechangHERS founder D’Ebony Cotton posted on her Threads about working on organizing a watch party in Dallas for Unrivaled Basketball, a three-on-three league co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart. Through monthly watch parties and community building, GamechangHERS has become a group where fans of women’s sports support their favorite teams with a like-minded community. Tired of calling bars to put on women’s sports, this businesswoman is shooting her shot.

Kendrick Lamar hasn’t bitten his tongue for Drake, so we didn’t expect him to hold back when Luka DonÄić was traded from the Mavericks to the Lakers. When the “Fire Nico” chants were at a high, Lamar name-drop him on Playboi Carti’s “Good Credit,” rapping a line about his rumored weight and conditioning issues: “The numbers is nothing, the money is nothing, I’ve really been him I promise, see Kenny been heavy out west and I carry the weight, I’m Luka DonÄić .” The mention hurts because our franchise player is no longer with us, and Lamar, a Lakers fan, already sees him as the new face.

If we could, we would recognize KNON 89.3 FM as the best radio station every year. The listener-supported community radio station consistently holds its title as “The Voice of the People,” driven by volunteer DJs and diverse programming that represents North Texas. Its array of genres means you’ll never have to change the dial cause they’ll change it for you. We’ve also been tuning into KNON Now, the streaming arm of KNON 89.3 FM, checking out radio shows like Nothin’ But North Texas, dedicated to spotlighting the region’s rich musical tradition.

Dallas has many options for sports bars, but Underdog is our favorite because it is the only bar we know of that plays women’s sports with the sound on. The bar offers ample bar seating, a lounge area, a dining room and a second bar with open-air access to the wide patio. The food is trendy bar bites mixed in with main courses such as mushroom meat loaf. It’s one of those places where we gather on a quiet afternoon or evening, watch some women’s sports and enjoy the company.

One-night stands are a game of chance, and what better odds are there for a hookup than in a bar full of people with mommy and daddy issues? If you still listen to the exclusively emo music played at Shot Topic, it’s likely there’s some baggage attached. That’s OK, though, because the place has plenty of room to trauma-dump your way into someone’s pants after knocking back a Fat Lip or five. And if you get shot down, they’ll be playing the perfect songs to get you through it.

In 2025, longstanding Dallas institution Good Records celebrated 25 years. The label and record store, which often hosts listening parties tied to vinyl releases, also lost a giant in the Dallas music community, its co-owner Chris Penn, who passed in April at the age of 54. He was a champion of local music, serving as band manager for North Texas rock legends Polyphonic Spree and Tripping Daisy. During his memorial in May, his wife, Jennifer Penn, left us with a message that still resonates: “Keep buying vinyl because, as he warned us, you can’t roll a joint on digital download. Say yes to going to the show, even if it’s a school night. Stand in the long line for merch. Chris would have. He did. I promise you, you won’t regret it.”

Mike’s Gemini Twin Lounge is so swanky you may not even notice the stripper pole in the middle of the dive until your second or third trip. That’s partly because there’s a red rope around the pole keeping visitors off. Don’t touch, or you will be kicked out, and fast. But the stripper pole isn’t what makes Mike’s special; it’s the low-key vibe, high-quality martinis and hot dog rotator that draws the coolest crowd in Dallas. 

In late 2024, Breakway announced it was expanding its touring electronic music festival to six new markets. One of them was Dallas, making its debut at Fair Park in April and bringing a stacked lineup of global artists, local talent and an immersive festival experience. The lineup had Zedd, Gryffin, Afrojack, Slander and Louis the Child and more delivering high energy to a crowd of more than 20,000 fans for both days. From big-stage blowouts to local DJ gems, it was intimate, sweaty and electric, the kind of vibe you want when a premium EDM fest takes its underground dance floor to our city. We showed Breakaway that it needs to continue returning to Dallas, giving a dance and pop-driven experience worth doing over again.

The pissers at Three Links are exactly what you’d expect from a punk venue, and about as clean as you could ask for, too. The stalls are fairly basic, but the walls are littered with graffiti and countless band stickers to stare at while taking an inebriated dump (and while washing your hands, hopefully). They’re single-stall too, which increases the likelihood of having to wait in line, but sometimes that kind of privacy is invaluable when you’re out and about. Just like anywhere else in Deep Ellum, the cleanliness is heavily dependent on the night you show up and the assholes who got there before you, but we’ve never had any issues.

A show at a DIY venue in Dallas usually involves cramming a bunch of loud, 20-year-olds into a dingy two-bedroom with dying AC from the ’80s. There’s literally and figuratively a low ceiling on how good of a time can be had in a converted living room that reeks of boy sweat and American Spirits, which is why Bruised House blows every other “dm for the address” venue out of the water. The place operates as a music school during the day, so there’s plenty of space to thrash around in the showroom and ample couches for relaxing in between sets. Everything is clean, the bathrooms are huge, and there’s an outside area with chairs for smoking. The only thing to complain about would be the scarcity of the shows, but they do have a business to run, after all.

California native Marissa Nieto has called Dallas home for over a decade and is an indomitable force in the local standup scene. A great comedian says what we’re all thinking, but funnier. Nieto’s rants on true crime, marital sex and how lesser-known Supreme Court justices can raise their profiles by dating Kardashians do just that. Her work is both side-splitting and deeply validating. She’s performed across the country and is a regular at the Dallas Comedy Club. She was also named one of our 10 DFW Comics to Keep on Your Radar in 2024.

Picking just one record store was tough, but in the end, Josey Records pulled away by an inch, plus 25,000 square feet of affordable records. You can spend hours riffling through bins of records that won’t cost you more than a buck or two each, or you can go in with a clear mission and almost definitely find what you’re looking for. The collection is vast, the staff is friendly, and the prices will make you smile in disbelief. Don’t second-guess it; just buy.

As her name suggests, this bombshell is a striking Dallas blonde known for turning the party out. It also might imply that she’s so naughty it will take literal bleach to get fully clean after seeing her in action, and we love that. You’ve likely caught her aesthetically versatile magic, inspired by 2000s icons like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, around town on stages like the Rose Room at S4 or JR’s Bar & Grill. Or maybe you’ve seen her officiating vibrator races at Double Wide’s Pride celebration. Wherever it was, a good time probably followed.

Drag isn’t just for queens, and Dallas’ Buck Wylde is leading the charge for representation, not only in North Texas but nationally. Earlier this year, the multi-hyphenate performer landed among the cast of King of Drag, a first-of-its-kind reality competition putting the long overdue stage spotlight on drag kings. As Wylde told us earlier this year, “People will be able to see somebody on their screen that they can relate to, and know that not everyone is trying to get rid of us.” That mission alone is enough for us to crown Wylde as Dallas royalty.

Delilah Dubois, also known as “The Double-D Debutante of Burlesque,” “The Duchess of Debauchery” and “The Ambassador of Extra,” is the kind of living embodiment of old-school, ostentatious showgirl glamour that the world needs more of. Dubois’ shows are a flurry of feathers, sequins, strategically placed props and, above all else, indulgent fantasy. She’s a one-woman must-see attraction.

Bone-rattling metal shows are the standard for this venue that’s become a local favorite in a short amount of time. Five years ago, this record store was still trying to figure out what it wanted to be. Now, it regularly punches above its weight when it comes to securing great shows. Bands like Tactosa and Implosive Disgorgence have played here, often alongside local acts like Casual Relapse. Growl also hosts a mini-festival called Sweat Fest TX, which, true to its name, promises plenty of sweat-soaked moshing. The space is small, the sound is loud, and the fans show up ready. Growl is gritty and consistent, as any metal venue should be.

It can’t all be candlelit dinners and picnics at the lake. Sometimes, a high-energy LED game show is the perfect place to take your special someone, and to destroy them at the dozen or so party games that Activate has to offer. You can love someone, but have you ever raced through a laser maze with them? Or shot basketballs between five different hoops in a blackout room?

Dallas is a big city, so there’s no shortage of karaoke mics around here, but if you’ll notice, this category is for the best karaoke “spot,” not “night.” That’s because Round-Up offers free karaoke every night of the week. So, whenever you feel like making your attempt at Wicked’s “Defying Gravity” everyone else’s problem, you can drop in. If you need liquid courage, you don’t have to go far, as Round-Up dedicates an entire room with a full bar to its karaoke stage. And if the stage is good enough for impromptu performances by Grammy winners like Kacey Musgraves and Charli XCX, it’s more than deserving of our praise.

We won’t sugarcoat the fact that in recent years, dating in Dallas has been futile at best. But if you live by a commitment to delusion, your best chance at a tipsy meet-cute in 2025 is tucked into the cozy interior of Clifton Club. The Fitzhugh Avenue lounge boasts slick sophistication without the pretentiousness. If your next ex-partner (or even just ex-situationship), is a regular here, they’re probably not the type that will have you ducking into the comfy, cubby-like booths in order to avoid them from across the bar. In fact, an espresso martini in this chic, dimly lit bar might even tempt you to spin the block at the corner of lust and questionable decisions — we wouldn’t blame you.

When bars and clubs have a schtick, it’s rarely done well. Double D’s in the Design District, however, is the exception to that expected disappointment. If we’re three glasses of Bingo Bangos deep, it won’t take much at all to trick us into believing we’ve been transported back to the days dominated by disco and the debut of Star Wars. Old episodes of ’70s classics like Soul Train and Diff’rent Strokes playing on a TV are soundtracked by atmospheric spins from by DJ duo House of Freqs, turning Saturday nights at Double D’s into a fully immersive experience. Get there as early as you can, because once you see the entry line snaking around the building, you’ll understand exactly why we picked it.

The first Saturday of every month, wake up and head out to a local Dallas coffee shop to be a part of “>First Saturdays, a new movement that brings a DJ and good vibes to a laid-back cafe. These events happen early in the day for the morning crowd — or at least those who prefer to be in bed way before DJs show up at the clubs. There are drinks, music and dancing at these hangouts. Just keep an eye on the First Saturdays Instagram page for updates on time and location of the events.

Latin music brings an energy that can elevate a room to a peak that American club, rave and EDM music can’t reach. The best place to get that in Dallas is at Club Vivo in downtown. Club Vivo has special events and DJ appearances weekly. It has had a group of Latin DJs and events this summer alone, like DJ Orozco, Joe Parra and Colombian DJs OneSix and Avii Glow. Check Club Vivo’s website for tickets and sections, and their Instagram for performers and events.

Spinster Records sits in the heart of the Bishop Arts District amongst the shops, restaurants and hustle of Bishop Avenue. Spinsters is more than just a record store. It sells a tightly curated selection of new and vintage records, turntables, speakers and whatever else it fancies (jewelry and art mostly). The store also buys vinyl and hi-fi hardware and hosts community-focused events. The staff is always friendly and happy to talk about music or help you find your next favorite band.

Mondays are a drag, but weeknights can still be fun, at least wherever Dallas drag institution Cassie Nova can be found. On Mondays, that’s JR’s Bar & Grill on the Cedar Springs strip for her long-running, weekly Freakshow cabaret. The show stars a rotating cast of the city’s fiercest drag performers such as May May Graves, Mulan Alexander and Rocky Tacoma. You don’t have to fear a dreadful Tuesday morning, though – Nova’s Freakshow begins at “9:30ish” (you’d probably run late, too, if you had to duct tape a sky-high wig to your head) and wraps just before midnight.

Brook Mays/H&H Music is easily one of Dallas’ best places to buy a musical instrument. Need a new French horn? They got you. What sets it apart the most is variety. It covers bands, orchestras, guitars, pianos, you name it. It’s the perfect spot to shop if you’re an instrument junkie and love trying new things. It’s also great for the kiddos, as the shop prioritizes selling instruments to kids in band and orchestra. Oh, and on that note, they also repair instruments. They’re the all-around one shop for your instrumental needs.

It’s fantastic when you’re grocery shopping and one of your favorite deep cuts comes on the speaker system. It’s like your first sip of beer on a Friday evening. Central Market crafts playlists better than anyone else by finding local gems and rare B-sides, and it sometimes tweaks them to reflect in-store themes and promotions. It’s generally a mix of genres, speeds and eras to make sure they’re hitting every kind of vibe, whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or strolling the aisles for a full haul. One minute you’re hearing an old school funk groove, the next it’s indie rock or jazzy lo-fi. It’s not just background noise; it sets a mood.