I was having a hard time figuring out what this column would be about this week. Resolutions? Hot new bands? The fact that three East Dallas liquor stores sold out of Ciroc? All my ideas were falling with a thud. And then, on New Year’s Day, my heart did too…
Hey, Austin. Where’s Willie Nelson’s statue, huh? Oh, it’s coming in early 2012? Fine, this performance at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth will have to tide you over, lest you forget where country music got its big, bronze balls. Between landmark 1978 LP Stardust to last year’s cover-heavy Country Music,…
Yes, it’s a slow week. It’s also the birthday week of Elvis Presley and David Bowie, who probably could have knocked out a pretty sweet collabo if the King had stuck around. Texas Theatre’s hosting a birthday celebration in their honor, as well as a karaoke event in which you…
2011 was a year that got Denton talking about the cyclical nature of a college town, but it’s become clear each passing year is now framed by an increasingly important event: 35 Denton. Every March, hundreds of bands pour into town, swelling it with money and buzz and getting people…
As Deep Ellum regains its footing, one of the bands that gave the district its funky vibe in the ’90s is doing the same. Fever in the Funkhouse brought an eclectic sonic mix and legions of fans to each gig back in those golden days. Now, they’re hoping to bring…
Denton’s musical dry spell has been a topic of conversation as of late, but it hasn’t affected the five members of Sundress. Since the release of their self-titled EP back in September, the band has been caught up in a deluge of deals from management and publicity companies, and even…
I was having a hard time figuring out what this column would be about this week. Resolutions? Hot new bands? The fact that three East Dallas liquor stores sold out of Ciroc? All my ideas were falling with a thud. And then, on New Year’s Day, my heart did too…
The last time we heard from Lenny Kravitz, he was creating his own home video of an impromptu performance with a youth band from First Baptist Church of Lewisville on the streets of New Orleans. The people loved it, which is more than can be said of his 2011 funk…
Lower Greenville’s papa bear, The Granada Theater, is getting another feather in its cap tonight with the soft opening of Sundown at Granada, the venue’s new bar and restaurant in the space where M Street Bar used to be. I asked Gavin Mulloy, Granada’s promotions manager, what this means for…
The party video’s been done to death, yes? Don’t even get me started on this phenomenon. Finally, a band has made a video depicting what it’s like to be at a real party. “Moody Photos,” a single from Dallas synth group Nervous Curtains’ upcoming sophomore album, Fake Infinity, paints that…
Between her worldwide Speak Now Tour and controlling her possible mania, pop-country star Taylor Swift had quite a 2011. If Swift’s latest single is any indication, we might see another side of her in 2012. A dark, apocalyptic side straight out of an early Stephen King novel. “Safe & Sound”…
Beth Hart understands the hand she’s currently playing consists of the cards she’s dealt to herself. After winning some cash on a latter-day version of Star Search in the ’90s, the Los Angeles resident tasted fame after her 2000 hit, “L.A. Song (Out of This Town),” found its way onto…
Fort Worth’s The Vatican Press has been kicking around for the past few years, sprung from a lineage of classic post-hardcore and emo. Frontman Eddie Hennessy even grew up with the guys in Jimmy Eat World, and recently reunited with his old band Haskel to open for them. The band…
The last time Frisco’s Crushed Stars released a record, 2010’s Convalescing in Braille, singer Todd Gautreau — the man behind the moniker — only played one show. It happened on a Thursday night at La Grange and that was it.Now, fans can expect the same as Crushed Stars announces plans…
So, let’s see … we’ve got Bro Fest, 35 Denton and actual SXSW all rallying around March. What’s that? Another festival? OK! South by So What?!, that annual gathering of hardcore, punk and hardcore-punk bands has been scheduled for Saturday, March 17 at QuikTrip Park in Grand Prairie…
The new year gives us much to squeal about — hell, even the first three months are looking pretty good — but Mind Spiders’ new LP, Meltdown, out February 21, has been on repeat for at least three weeks. It follows up 2011’s debut self-titled debut on Dirtnap, and has…
I was thinking about unique ways to bridge the gaps between Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton music this past weekend, but The Kessler apparently beat me to it. Friday, January 13, the Oak Cliff theater, in conjunction with KXT 91.7, presents Triple Play, showcasing acts from each corner of the…
Lights All Night Dallas Convention Center Friday, December 30 & Saturday, December 31 Getting ready for Lights All Night, I couldn’t help but get nostalgic for my teenage days. Lights All Night was reportedly not a rave, but how about this poorly-kept secret? It was a rave. Those mid-’90s warehouse…
Quintron & Miss Pussycat Zubar Saturday, December 31 Better than: Puking behind a Walgreen’s dumpster at 2pm the day after Lights All Night. Sound issues and a general weird vibe prevented Quintron & Miss Pussycat from reaching their full potential Saturday night. Sure, it was New Year’s Eve — strange…
Update January 1: Photos from night two are up. Right here. Man, seems like just a few minutes ago that we were telling you about the Spin Off at Artopia for Lights All Night, which would turn the Dallas Convention Center into a buffet of spinning DJs. Well, here we…
Before we all go running blindly into 2012, I’d like to leave you with a few odds and ends that didn’t fit into a year-end list, or that I plain forgot, or that I hope will happen in the new year. Loving:Violitionist Sessions The folks at Gutterth have found a…
Of all the events taking place this weekend, Lights All Night, which goes down tonight (Friday) and Saturday at the Dallas Convention Center, seems to be dominating the sphere with an astounding 35 electronic music acts. Last year’s inaugural Lights All Night took place at the Plaza of the Americas…
