When Observer web editor Nick Rallo and I shuffled down to South by Southwest last week, we both noticed the same thing: the somewhat icky marketing that seems to have inundated the Austin music festival, to the point where even the fans themselves were part of the brand. Here’s an…
The third installment of KXT’s Triple Play series tops itself with this DFW uppercut. People on Vacation, the Dallas duo of Bowling For Soup’s Jaret Reddick and Smile Smile’s Ryan Hamilton, take to the Kessler stage for their own version of VH1’s Storytellers. The two have a natural knack for…
If you’re looking to get into the creepier side of DFW Saturday, Lola’s is the place to lurk. Three local acts with an affinity for dark corners converge: Fort Worth’s Pinkish Black and Dallas’ Nervous Curtains should probably just do a split 7-inch, since their synth-driven theatrics lie on two…
Baltimore duo Ed Schrader’s Music Beat just released Jazz Mind on Rhode Island’s always dependable scuzz bucket Load Records, and their drum and bass setup sort of recalls No Age’s stripped-down anthems. That might actually be because No Age guitarist Randy Randall guests on the track “When I’m In a…
You only have a few weeks left before you succumb to the inevitable spring fever brought on by longer daylight hours and patio invitations. If you are looking for the perfect soundtrack to contemplate a Texas sunset while you ponder coming out of hibernation, look no further than Seattle singer-songwriter…
If I were in a more adventurous, cool-hunter mood, I’d bemoan British singer Estelle’s latest album, All of Me, for being too conventional, and say it would get crowded out by the likes of fellow British singers Adele and Emeli Sandé. However, I’ve recently found a role for Estelle’s music…
Summer is upon us (kind of has been since January), and that means it’s time to get your butts wet on the Gexa Energy Pavilion lawn. Unless, of course, you’re rich enough to have “reserved seating money.” You kind of have to for the just announced Drake show on Wednesday,…
Ah, yes. So much synergy happens during SXSW. If you’ve been on the Austin festival circuit in the last six months or so, you may have noticed Christian Bale at Austin City Limits, where he played bongos with Fleet Foxes, or Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara at Fun Fun Fun…
For those fortunate enough to have witnessed a Cadillac Sky performance before the genre-blurring bluegrass outfit’s January 2011 break-up, many things were apparent after the show. The group’s expert craftsmanship would likely be the main memory, but not too far behind would be the energetic showmanship of a band that…
Sara Radle once fronted the San Antonio power pop trio Lucy Loves Schroeder and started her own Dallas label, Jeez Louise Records. These days, the Los Angeles transplant is on tour, promoting her fourth solo LP, Same Sun Shines, out on Jeez Louise. As a preview of her show at…
I used to like Dustin Cavazos. Then I didn’t. But, now I think I’m starting to like him again. Too confusing? Take a look at this simple time line.2010The Oak Cliff rapper’s first album, I Think In the Shower, I Dream On My Bike, proved him as a major player…
Chuck Ragan returns to Dallas tonight with the fifth annual Revival Tour, and the co-frontman of Hot Water Music will share the stage with Dan Andriano from Alkaline Trio and Tom Gabel from Against Me!, as well as Mississippi songwriter Cory Branan. In the midst of remodeling the bathroom in…
Small Spaces, the new EP from Ryan Wasterlain’s solo project, Summer of Glaciers, is mood music of the dreamy variety, but the video for “Elevators” gets downright nightmarish. Shot as one continuous take by Christopher Bryan, and featuring extras from Denton bands, “Elevators” unsettles with just some paint and some…
Although they may look like rejects from the casting call for a sequel to The Craft, Nashville’s The Black Belles are actually more original than their look suggests. The band was “discovered” by Jack White, but the four Belles see him more as mentor than Svengali. Speaking from Laredo and…
As Rio Room’s ’83 Series comes to a close, you may have thought Thursday night would free up. Sorry, shaking your groove thing is just going to become a year-round habit, but at least you know there are international and regional tastemakers set to underscore your weekly dance party. We…
When Observer Web Editor Nick Rallo and I shuffled down to SXSW last week, we both noticed the same thing: The somewhat icky marketing that seems to have inundated the Austin music festival, to the point where even the fans themselves were part of the brand. Here’s an excerpt of…
Bro Fest 2012 Club Dada Sunday, March 18 Five years in the making, Parade of Flesh’s Bro Fest doesn’t seem to show any signs of wear. Sunday’s overcast morning only helped set the stage for a full day of growling, screaming and headbanging spread across three stages and 12 hours…
Dallas own’ A.Dd+ had quite the spin during SXSW 2012, playing roughly half a dozen showcases and day parties before getting right back on tour with Black Milk on Saturday. And with each show, they seemed to gather more fans. At their Thursday Audible Treats showcase, they ended the set…
The last few days, our indefatigable music critic staff has been regaling you with stories of the best from SXSW 2012. In the midst of these discoveries, we’ve been culling another list: the worst shit. The acts that ranged from huge bore-fests to downright lame. Below, you’ll find their submissions…
From the looks of it, the St. Patrick’s Day Concert with Ryan Bingham was not for the weary kind (see what I did there?). Somewhere in between the SXSW chaos and the Mark Cuban-Saved-Parade, we got a batch set of photos from the scene from photographer Jay Barker. The scene,…
So, we come to it: the end of all things. Four days of madness, Doritos, Skrillex and finally, St. Patrick’s Day. Before we bid SXSW 2012 farewell, allow us to share our favorite moments from SXSW day four. Later, we’ll let you know which shows weren’t so hot. Find our…
Flatstock is a dangerous place to be with a credit card. This year, Flatstock 33 (presented by the American Poster Institute) featured over 100 artists with enough completely badass concert posters to drain your checking account dry. No, seriously: five minutes of walking around the Convention Center, and you’ll start…
