There are few things trendier than embracing styles and sounds of the past. Sampled choruses from classic songs and tracks from artists of a different era are nothing new; this year has seen a heavy increase in appreciation for the early years of the new millennium. What is it that…
We’re not going to mince words here: We’re all in hell right now, and 2020 is a year that seems never-ending. No amount of tragedy fatigue will ever make the deaths of local musicians such as Riley Gale and Trini Lopez less devastating. No matter how turbulent this election cycle…
Danni James and Kris Williams grew up in the same Fort Worth neighborhood and never knew it. When the musicians finally met 10 years ago in their 20s, they had a lot of play time to make up for. Like most meaningful modern relationships whether romantic or professional, the pair…
In case you missed it: Indie darling Sarah Jaffe and multi-instrumentalist/producer Roberto Sanchez teamed up earlier this year in support of Jaffe’s latest EP Smut. Since then, they formed Golden Aquarians and released the debut single “High Enough” on Sept. 4. A gem in local music, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and educator…
“My name is Liv.e, and you’re under quarantine with me,” the artist says from a tweed armchair in a living room before starting her livestream. Praise be. If there’s anything we all need right now, it’s Liv.e (pronounced “Liv”… the E is silent). The 22-year-old Dallas-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter is…
During the Age of Enlightenment, philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Georg Wilhelm Hegel laid the ideological foundation for the Declaration of Independence’s bold creed that “all men are … endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.” To put that expression in laymen’s terms: Human beings have…
When Oak Cliff rapper C. Struggs died of esophageal cancer two years ago, he left behind a wealth of music to be released posthumously. One of those mixtapes was finally released last month and offers a side of Struggs many had not seen musically. “He really wasn’t in a good…
On her upcoming album Holy Wars, LO creates a dark and dreamy pop landscape, evoking a whirlwind of emotions, not unlike what the year 2020 has felt like. The work will be a two-part album expressing the 25-year-old singer-songwriter’s duality. Holy Wars was preceded by the lead single “Lost in Translation,”…
At the beginning of 2020, artists and entertainers planned their gigging calendar for the year. We know what happened next. The pandemic-sized cancellations and venue shutdowns left artists who rely solely on performing for income wondering where their next meal would come from. In the early stages of COVID, Federal…
When COVID-19 hit, music venues were forced to shut down, leaving artists without tour dates and patrons without the joy of music. As restaurants reopened with new guidelines in place, many bars and music venues remain closed. Not all can afford to build kitchens to function as a restaurant — one…
Catch a tribute show, three Denton acts and two new music series this week. If you’re itching to get out but still feel unsure about crowds indoors, Klyde Warren Park hosts a new weekly concert. The Ranch at Las Colinas and Haywire both start a weekly country music concert series,…
Dallas’ live music neighborhood is quieter these days. Communal gatherings are in Deep Ellum’s blood. This district’s history is founded on live music, industry and togetherness; its historic plaques commemorate blues musicians, and its performance venues number in the dozens. From the beginning, this has been a neighborhood where outsiders…
Thousands of monthly Spotify listeners tune in to listen to Kyoto Lo-Fi’s previously released singles and 2016 EP Black Rainbow. Their single “Flowering Boulder,” which earned the group 130,000 streams, was only released in 2019, the year they also received a Dallas Observer Music Award for “Best Rock Act.” Despite all…
Watching the NBA game, Saint Xeno raps under his breath about having a jaw ache. “Slept all wrong, feelin’ like Kanye after crashin’,” he harmonizes, rubbing his jaw that he slept on wrong. It’s only days after the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman and hours after the release of Saint…
It was a typical Friday for Cody Hand, co-owner of Ferris Wheelers, the barbecue joint and music venue in the Design District. He just happened to partake in a simple high-speed chase and rescue a kidnapped 2-year-old. Hand posted a video, which has nearly a million views on TikTok, explaining his…
When news broke last week that Power Trip vocalist Riley Gale’s had died at age 34, many high-profile names expressed grief and paid tribute the singer, including Greg Gutfeld, co-host of FOX News Channel’s The Five. “I’m going to miss him,” Gutfeld said on The Five’s Aug. 26 episode. “Riley Gale:…
Power Trip vocalist Riley Gale, who died Aug. 25 at the age of 34, was an unmistakable pillar of North Texas’ music scene. For many of us, he was the dude we aspired to be, in one way or another, for as long as we could remember. His words of wisdom…
Lately, Duche$$ has felt like she’s being followed by a cloud. It’s not normal for the 24-year-old rapper to be gloomy. While her songs are often suffused with somber storytelling, the musician herself is typically upbeat. Whether in the studio, at a friend’s place or at work at the Boys…
We’ve got tribute acts in spades this week. Catch Forgotten Space play the best of Grateful Dead; Running Haggard play Merle Haggard hits; and ’64 play the best of the Fab Four. Deep Ellum Art Company celebrates three years as a fixture in the Deep Ellum live music scene and…
Hear us out: As much as we engage in good old-fashioned music criticism, we recognize how tough and unforgiving the world of music is. Every musician who isn’t an R. Kelly or Varg Vikernes deserves at least an iota of baseline respect for baring their soul to the public and…
It’s a strange world for all of us. The pandemic has completely changed the way we consume music and the way that music is being made. For musicians like John Pedigo, the world of music seems even stranger. “My whole life, I basically have thought of music as just an…
As the Texas heat reaches its peak, the effects of the pandemic continue to levy a heavy toll on local musicians. Traditional gigging opportunities are returning at a slow drip, but they remain far below sustainable levels for most. Despite that, DFW musicians are proving their resilience. Here are things…
