On July 17, 2001 my mom took me to see Depeche Mode. I had just turned 12 years old, and it was my first concert. By the time we walked up First Avenue to what was then called the Smirnoff Music Center, my palms were already sweaty and my feet…
Tyler’s finest family band, Eisley, played at this year’s Dia De Los Toadies. The band took some time before their set to play a couple songs for our ongoing Busking series with Globe Trek Productions. Up first is “Mr. Moon.”…
Also known by his stage name, Honus Honus, Ryan Kattner has been leading the odd band Man Man for a decade. Speaking from his home in Philadelphia and in anticipation of tonight’s show at Dada, Kattner was equal parts affable and quick-witted. On the heels of Man, Man’s find new…
Depeche Mode plays Gexa Energy Pavilion tonight and we thought it’d be fun to dig through our heaping, and incredibly disorganized, collection of “vintage” press photos. Last time we rummaged through these stacks we found some sweet Jesus and Mary Chain pics (score!). So for our entertainment, and hopefully yours,…
Fun Fun Fun Fest has been known to be a good time in the past, and it is shaping up to be an even better one this year. You could go and buy passes. But you know what is even more fun than buying things? Winning them in preposterous fashion,…
The grand opening of the Steven Alan store on Knox Street last night featured, among other things, an appearance by Austin weirdos White Denim. They were scheduled to perform outside, but of course Mother Nature had other plans. Namely the first big rain storm we’ve had in what feels like…
Matt & Kim will play at 6 p.m. this Saturday at the Breakaway Music Festival. They will burn more calories during their set than the entire roster of the Wu-Tang Clan a couple hours later. That has become the band’s calling card — a live show that needs a descriptor…
Of all North Texas’ music festivals, 35 Denton is unique. The magnitude alone is singular — this year’s installment featured several hundred bands. And when the festival’s creative director (Kyle LaValley), talent buyer (Natalie Davila) and primary financial backer (Little Guys Movers) left their posts this spring, it appeared to…
Kylie Rae Harris, a native of Wylie, has chosen a deliberate path to this week’s release for her new EP, the country-folk-pop gem Taking it Back. For those who frequent shows at Love and War in Texas, The Capital Bar, Hat Tricks, and venues like them, the supremely gifted Harris…
Last night Mumford and Sons played their make-up date at Gexa Energy Pavilion. Good times were had. And I don’t mean to pile onto the chorus of indignation aimed at a band whose biggest sin is getting famous. If vests and repetitive song construction really offends your sensibility so much,…
Here is the situation with Breakaway Music Festival, which will happen this Saturday at FC Dallas stadium: The lineup is excellent. It includes the surprisingly resilient Empire of the Sun, our Young Money hometown representative in Lil Twist and the highly majestic Explosions in the Sky, who you maybe remember…
Good god, Dallas. It’s going to be a cheap Monday. This weekend you’ve got live music in the city, in the suburbs, Fort Worth, and everywhere else in between. Unfortunately it’s not a matter of who you’re going to see, it’s who you’re going to have to miss. It’s 2013,…
Black Milk Friday, September 20, at Dada Black Milk (aka Curtis Cross) is one of underground hip-hop’s most respected and established figures. With a trademark sound that pulls from the jazzy styles of giants like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and J Dilla, Cross has made a name…
Dallas based Sam Lao continues to build her own momentum after the recent release of her debut EP, West Pantego. For those who already have it on repeat, Haze has was certainly a standout track. Not quite the stoner love letter you may expect based on those warped beats and…
This week brought us another local festival announcement when Prekindle went live for Oaktopia tickets. The brainchild of old friends Matt Battaglia and Corey Claytor, the fest is $10 and will take place on Saturday, November 16 across Denton’s town square: Andy’s, Hailey’s, Banter, J&J’s Pizza and Williams’ Square (the…
Every week more and more shows are added to the Dallas Observer live music calendar — here’s how to make sure your show is included. And you can always peruse every upcoming concert on our calendar. Below are this month’s additions, the newest are in bold…
Electronic festival Lights All Night will return to Dallas’ Convention Center on December 27 and 28 this year, and they’ve just announced the headliners: Deadmau5 and Kaskade. This year, Lights All Night will also host a New Year’s Eve show in Mexico City. Tickets for the Dallas shows are $79…
Let’s not bury the lede here: John Densmore played drums for one of the ten most famous rock bands ever, and he’s coming to hang out with you at Good Records tomorrow, September 18, at 7:30 p.m. The occasion is a signing for his new book Unhinged: Jim Morrison’s Legacy…
When things go horribly wrong and then keep going that way, there’s no better strategy to maintain your sanity than to think about the story you’ll have. Music writer Jon Niccum has collected a bunch of those stories from musicians and published them in a book called The Worst Gig:…
On Friday (the 13th) I went to see David Cronenberg’s The Brood at Texas Theatre. Arriving thirty minutes early seems like an unnecessary precaution. The place was sparsely populated save for a few regulars, some employees, and two DJs — Gabe and Gavin G — set up in a corner…
This week, our series of busking videos with Globe Trek Productions features Whiskey Folk outside Oak Cliff fever dream chicken coop The Foundry, and they actually busked! Like, put out a sign and a container and everything. Not a lot of foot traffic pre-show outside a restaurant in a part…
Gavin Cleaver: Who wants to pay twice for a thing? No one, that’s who. So when Deep Ellum venues come together for a night like this weekend’s Sailor Jerry/Oliver Peck/Reverend Horton Heat Elm Street Tattoo and Music Festival, and you can see several bands by simply walking around Elm Street…
