At the Drive-In, Zechs Marquise Trees Tuesday, April 10 The last time At the Drive-In graced the stage at Trees, they looked like a band falling apart. Vocalist Cedric Bixler and guitarist Omar Rodriguez stayed on stage right, bouncing off each other while guitarist/vocalist Jim Ward, bassist Paul Hinojos and…
2 Chainz Main Event Center Friday, April 6 Friday night, precipitous persona 2 Chainz arrived in a white stretch Hummer limousine, packed full of women and choice entourage at the Main Event Center. With a wingspan rivaling most NBA power forwards, 2 Chainz’s menacing frame appeared not a moment too…
These three bands have been rolling around Texas on a mini-tour: They just got in from Beaumont, did last night’s show in Denton, spent a couple hours in their own beds, then off to Abilene. The Toadies/Phuss collaboration goes beyond this small tour, as Toadie Vaden Todd Lewis helped produce…
White Denim, Hundred Visions, Soviet The Granada Thursday, April 5 White Denim has a history of stealing the show for me. I first saw them what feels like one million years ago at Pastime Tavern. The Internet tells me this was actually 2009: I got there early to catch openers…
Tauheed Epps, otherwise known as 2 Chainz, came up in the independent hip-hop world before the days of Twitter feeds, Soundclouds and blog buzz. As one-half of late-’90s Atlanta duo Playaz Circle, 2 Chainz and pal Dolla Boy funded their own first release, United We Stand, United We Fall. Some…
The obsession with keeping it real and demonstrating player status overshadowed hip-hop’s early wit, but these two artists mark a return to the boasting that made Straight Outta Compton a classic. Childish Gambino, the project of Community star Donald Glover, is long on pop-culture references and swagger. Across his half-dozen…
If you missed The Relatives last month as part of Bridge-o-Rama, you’ve been granted another divine chance to see the light. The West Dallas gospel-funk group put on a marathon set that day, filled with songs from 2009’s Heavy Light Records retrospective, Don’t Let Me Fall, as well as a…
Drummer Alvin Fielder has one of those origin stories that makes your jaw drop, having played with the likes of Sun Ra and Kidd Jordan. His technique is something to behold as well, bobbing and weaving and defying gravity. Most recently, he collaborated with Oak Cliff free-jazz patriarch Dennis Gonzalez…
Although New Jersey’s Real Estate do not possess a great name, the four-piece makes up for it with rock and roll that’s engaging and reflective. The band’s 2011 sophomore effort, Days, refined their sound just enough to earn them critical acclaim and, like fellow New Jersey outfit The Feelies, Real…
Tatsuya Nakatani Smoke and Mirrors Art Gallery Tuesday, April 3 Drummer Stefan Gonzalez and saxophonist Mike Forbes opened last night’s intimate gig at Smoke and Mirrors, which I was bummed I missed, but Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani more than made up for it. He is a natural force, and it…
Four-piece Jonquil hails from Oxford, England, and while they’ve played the states before, they’ve never played Dallas.They land at The Prophet Bar on Monday, April 9, opening for Keep Shelly in Athens, and touring behind their debut LP, Point of Go. Drummer Dominic Hand took some time out to share…
The-Dream South Side Music Hall Friday, March 30 A lyric from one of Terius “The-Dream” Nash’s songs, “Form of Flattery,” came to mind during his Friday show: “If you’re surprised you’re here/ It means you shouldn’t be here.” Although I tend to feel out of place at pop shows, a…
The concept of Hotel Tesseract is spatial, with eight “rooms” filled with stories, just like any other brick-and-mortar hotel. Except this one also features visuals by VJ S(eye) and the musical accompaniment of Longear, with special guest Paul Quigg; Laura Harrell and Trey Pendergrass of Romp Almighty; pianist Adam Pickrell;…
The dominant theme in Terius “The-Dream” Nash’s library is love. His albums — Love Hate, Love vs. Money and Love King — declare his passion with raunchy, blithe bravado, but behind the persona, The-Dream is a prolific songwriter and producer, collaborating often with producer Christopher “Tricky” Stewart. His portfolio includes…
This inaugural Deep Ellum “folk-alternative event” promises to take an “under-appreciated genre” and showcase it in an “underrated, historic neighborhood.” I wasn’t aware folk was so misunderstood and in need of a makeover in Dallas, especially since there seem to be between 10 and 15 bands that could be categorized…
When did Eisley get so old? Just a couple minutes ago they weren’t even allowed in the clubs they were playing, and now the Tyler five-piece has more records and tours than musicians twice their age. Their most recent full-length, The Valley, came out in early 2011 on Equal Vision…
If you’ve been around Deep Ellum for the past six months, you’ve probably heard about Nicholas Altobelli. This weekend is no different, as he’s a part of the first annual Deep Ellum Big Folkin’ Festival, along with The O’s, Telegraph Canyon and Dovetail. Altobelli shared his first show experiences with…
Perfume Genius Dan’s Silverleaf Monday, March 26 “Thank you for being sad,” Mike Hadreas said last night. “Thank you for staying sad throughout the whole show.” Fine, you got me. I’ve been on a sad music kick lately, and seeing the Seattle singer and pianist at Dan’s was just the…
Todd Rundgren House of Blues Monday, March 26 Billed as a “greatest hits” tour, Todd Rundgren’s show last night at the House of Blues was a textbook presentation of his professionalism. Even dogged by a nasty cold and throat issues, Rundgren and his band delivered over two hours of classic…
Amanda Shires Dan’s Silverleaf Saturday, March 24 It’s a little surprising Amanda Shires isn’t a country supernova yet, and more surprising she has no representation, not even a tiny indie label from her native Texas or current home of Nashville. She started playing the violin at the age of 10,…
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…
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…
