Hit Records proprietor Ron Ross is fond of repeating one phrase as he leads customers through his store: “Most of this stuff you can’t find at Wal-Mart.” And it’s true. The Ferguson Road shop, which oddly enough carries CDs and DVDs, not records, is as much a small museum as a…
The stage at a sold-out Trees on Sunday night proved to be the perfect fit for Thundercat to perform: large enough to accommodate the big sounds from the stage but intimate enough for the more informal, modern lyrics. This weekend’s Dallas show was Stephen Bruner and company’s final one of…
We all know people who make a big deal about leaving Dallas, with dreams of a better life in a more glamorous town. We’ve also seen a lot of those people come back within a year. Andrew Combs is not one of those. Combs spent the first 18 years of…
Welcome to the Monday morning after Daylight Savings Time. We may have lost an hour of sleep, which can somehow feel more like losing several hours of sleep, but a great concert lineup gives us all a reason to skip the snooze button and tackle the week. Minus the Bear…
Bruce Corbitt sits in his “Bat Cave” in the heart of Irving, discussing the cardiac calcium screening that may have prolonged his life. He’s spent most of his life on stage as the frontman for Texas thrash metal bands Rigor Mortis and Warbeast. But the 54-year-old metal singer no longer…
Brian Jonestown Massacre With Monoculture Trees, Dallas Thursday, March 9, 2017 Anton Newcombe doesn’t care what you think about him. The Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman just wants to play music. Before the Brian Jonestown Massacre took the stage Thursday night at Trees in Deep Ellum, Olan Mijana, the lead singer…
The Thin Line Fest has brought an eclectic mix of musical acts and documentaries to downtown Denton for the last nine years. This year, they plan to celebrate their 10th by giving a gift to their fans that’s more than just a lineup of music and movies. The 10th annual…
A couple touring stalwarts with full portfolios of hit songs are planning summer visits, while several eclectic talents will greet their respective audiences from indoor club stages. And one of the biggest Top 40 hit-makers around has set a date for an appearance at the American Airlines Center. Worldwide pop…
For the last few years, we have put out a list of up-and-coming rap/hip-hop artists who we think warrant your attention. This year we’ve returned with seven more artists from DFW who bring the fire. Give them a listen and keep your eyes on them, too. Trust us, these folks…
Hip-hop’s pulse is strong in Dallas and Deejay Mike B wears his love of the genre on his sleeve, although like any hard working DJ, he plays a little bit of everything. Although Mike B has deep roots in the crate digging world of vinyl, he’s also interested in what…
Without going into unnecessary detail, foreplay is generally considered a good idea. Sometimes it’s even better than the main event. Jeffrey Brown decided to host a festival, now in its fourth year, called Foreplay Fest to showcase bands heading to South by Southwest. It seems like a fairly simple idea, but…
For decades The House That Jock Built has been more than just a club; it has been a second home to many in South Dallas. By day it’s a youth hangout spot, and by night it’s a dance club/pool hall for adults. But after surviving 45 years in business, Dallas…
Most of Dylan Bishop’s classmates from Keller High School are either wrapping up their freshman year in college, waiting on college acceptance letters and gearing up for prom. But the young blues guitarist is preparing for a 2018 tour of South America and to record his second album. He graduated…
Daniel Rush Folmer has been all over the country, but somehow continues to find himself in Denton, Texas. In his latest record as Danny Diamonds — Fruitvale Fire, released March 2 on I Love Math Records — Folmer scrutinizes his accumulated experiences from years of touring. “I don’t write about…
The month of March heralds the start of music festival season as bands from all over the state, country, and world head to Austin for SXSW. And a few smart promoters in Dallas are taking the opportunity to catch acts on their way south. Victor “Chino” Rimach, owner-operator of Chasquis…
Jimmy Eat World play the Dallas Observer St. Patrick’s Day Concert this weekend. In navigating their career, the less Jimmy Eat World have relied on a label or manager, the better off they’ve been. “There’s a lot that is out of your control in this whole endeavor,” says frontman Jim Adkins…
Untapped Festival, the 5-year-old Texas beer and music festival, announced last week that it is rebranding as Index Fest. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Spune Productions, which founded and then sold Untapped, also founded a music festival called Index Festival in 2012. It made waves during…
R. Kelly Gas Monkey Live, Dallas Sunday, March 5, 2017 Last night when the curtain dropped and the spotlight hit R&B icon R. Kelly, he was wearing sunglasses and a Chicago Bulls hat, and holding a cigar. He was surrounded by a DJ; security guards; members of the opening act,…
It’s that time of year again when Americans take to badly decorated Irish pubs to celebrate Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland. But, it’s safe to say nine times out of 10, it’s just an excuse to take advantage of dirt cheap cocktails clouded in green mystery juice…
Green Day With Against Me! American Airlines Center, Dallas Saturday, March 4, 2017 Billie Joe Armstrong didn’t waste much time getting the crowd involved on Green Day’s visit to American Airlines Center on Saturday night. During the very first song of the nearly 30-song set, “Know Your Enemy,” Armstrong brought…
Late last year, the Fort Worth venue 1919 Hemphill closed due to issues with its certificate of occupancy. Their CO used to allow for community gatherings, but that is no longer the case, so they have to file for a change of use certificate. It now looks like it may be another month…
One of the vendor’s at Lula B’s in Oak Cliff is a vintage clothing store called Space 137. When you enter the booth, you’ll see the slogan “Cool Stuff for Cool People” and racks filled with fur-trimmed leisure suits and letterman jackets. On the wall overheard are framed photos of…
