Christmas lights may be a holiday tradition, but they are kind of a mystery. Sure they can brighten up the darkest corner of the world just by draping them over a house but why are we so enamored by them? The technology that goes into making them hasn’t advanced that…
Let’s say you’ve got a massive, 1.5 mile oval just sitting out north of Fort Worth … sad and lonely. During the warmer months, flocks of folks in sleeveless shirts, camo shorts and giant RVs jockey to spend time there, enjoying the stench of burned rubber and the thrill of…
Last year’s Sparkle event at the Hilton Anatole was a beautiful affair, all ice skating rinks, Christmas lights and time-consuming attractions for the youngsters. But there was one problem. What was generally sparkling was not so much the lights as the ice crystals forming on your eyeballs. Thanks to last…
Growing up in Texas, my visions of what Christmas should look like were always thwarted. In the movies and the songs there was all this talk of snow, but we were lucky if there was a nip in the air. Perhaps that’s why the idea of an outdoor ice rink…
Shop Small Saturday is the one day each year that Americans stick a large middle finger in the faces of places like Wal-Mart, Macy’s and Starbucks — just to name a few. The Saturday after Thanksgiving is all about those little local gems. It’s the boutiques run by your best…
BY INKOO KANG Bill Cosby’s present is secure. Despite the 17 women (so far) who have publicly come forward with notably similar allegations of drug-enabled sexual assault, the comedian received standing ovations for his stand-up performances in the Bahamas and in Florida recently. His comeback tour will likely continue over…
Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. When Karen Weiner opened the Reading Room in Dallas, she turned a new page for the gallery scene, creating a project space unlike anything else that exists here. Her snug little spot in Exposition Park…
The premiere of Telltale Games’ and Dalla-based Gearbox Software’s Tales from the Borderlands showcased something unique, even in this modern age of lifelike graphics, complex gameplay and being called a “fag noob” by a 11-year-old New Zealander who just fragged your virtual ass. The new graphic adventure showcased Tuesday night…
The Zombies are back. The back-alley-crawling, crack house-dwelling immersive theater company currently inhabits an abandoned ice house, and they’ve redecorated it to look like a motel designed by Norman Bates – basement and all. Karaoke Motel is creepy choose-your-own adventure theater with a disjointed narrative about what it means to…
It can be hard to get that holiday feeling. Once you’ve switched your radio to KLUV, and you’ve tried gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, stringing lights, and braving the malls, you might want to lace up those ice skates from your childhood. There aren’t many places to skate this holiday season,…
At 1 p.m. last Friday, I arrived at CentralTrak in Exposition Park for a next level sleepover. I would spend 24 hours at the artists’ residency of The University of Texas at Dallas, and get to know its eight current residents. How do they live? How do they work? What…
The Thanksgiving holiday is rapidly approaching, and most of us are still trying to figure out exactly what we’re going to put on the table for the big meal. Sure, the food is going to be awesome, but there’s much more to this holiday than just sitting around a table…
If we’ve been cynical, forgive us. We love Dallas. In this season of gratitude, let us pause and be thankful for a few things in Dallas culture. Ahem, here goes. The Texas Theatre…
Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. Earlier this year, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra unveiled its secret weapon. While Jaap van Zweden builds a top level orchestra, his daughter has been at work behind the scenes helping him strategize how to bring…
Video games are so powerful these days that they are practically on par with movies in terms of story, graphics and production. That might sound like a step forward until you realize that means that Adam Sandler may one day get to make his own game. There’s actually been a…
A car shop that only builds screen-accurate reproductions of famous cars like The A-Team van and Doc Brown’s DeLorean from Back to the Future sounds like a much more interesting target for a reality show than a group of white trash, beauty pageant freaks without a moral compass. Apparently executives…
Brian Brooks. Maybe you’ve heard of him; maybe you haven’t. Don’t be surprised if you find your self in the latter category. Even the dance world is still getting acquainted with the choreographer coming to the Dallas City Performance Hall this week as part of TITAS’ 2014-2015 dance season. Though…
Last week I found myself in a debate with an artist about the annual fundraiser Art Con. This artist has decidedly never participated in the construction of an art piece to be auctioned off in the name of charity because in his words, “the art is inconsistent.” In my words,…
Photo: Murray CloseJennifer Lawrence in MockingjayCan The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 keep up with the first two films? Why was the final book split into two movies? Does Katniss even want to be part of this revolution? On this week’s Voice Film Club podcast, we discuss all things Hunger…
Mixmaster presents “100 Creatives,” in which we feature cultural entrepreneurs of Dallas in random order. “I tend to play wacked-out characters, but there’s no reason I couldn’t play doctors and lawyers.” Actor Van Quattro, a favorite among DFW theater directors and critics, is frustrated. He’s been auditioning for a lot…
When I announced in the Dallas Observer staff meeting on Monday morning that the Dead White Zombies had a show opening this week, my boss paused, looked around the room, and asked, “Are we in it right now?” This is exactly the question Dallas’ weirdest theater mind, Thomas Riccio, wants…
The new Elevator Series in the sixth-floor performance space at the Wyly Theatre allows plenty of space for the dancers to run in NICE, the fascinating new piece by Dallas choreographer Danielle Georgiou and her company, DGDG. “It’s nice to be nice,” croons singer-pianist Paul Slavens, who composed the score…
