of Montreal, Janelle MonaeGranada TheaterNovember 2, 2010Better than: Glee on acid! All photos by Hal SamplesFor a full slideshow from last night’s concert, click here.Last night, the ascending funky soul diva Janelle Monae served as the opener for seasoned psych funk ravers of Montreal in one of the more compelling…
Massive Attack, Thievery CorporationPalladium BallroomMonday, November, 1 2010Better than: Seeing the Rangers lose in Arlington. A dense, late- to mid-20s crowd at the Palladium was treated to two sets of complementary ensemble groups on the Day of the Dead. As legends of the trip-hop world, Thievery Corporation and Massive Attack…
Certainly, Hector Trevino isn’t the only one who has used Facebook as a costume, but this version really has some class. If you look closely, you’ll notice Hector’s status update: “At the Halloween Block Party.” Brilliant.Of course, the Halloween Block Party on Cedar Springs (Taking it to the treats? Hey-o!)…
Bad Brains, Spector 45 and Here Holy SpainThe Granada TheaterFriday, October 29, 2010Better than: reliving my punk rock past at home listening to actual records Before a sizable, middle-aged horde, legendary Washington, D.C. punk act Bad Brains put on a formable display of full throttle hardcore while still managing to…
Bravo, Dallas, you had some amazing costumes this weekend. Not to sound like a pretentious dickhead, but going through the photos…we’re impressed. It’s no small feat to make a good costume for Halloween, and even more exciting when they’re great. Hell, we only saw a few Internet memes, and a…
Red Bull SoundClash with Ozomatli, Talib Kweli & The Rhythm Roots Allstars with Special Guest Bun BPalladium BallroomOctober 28, 2010Better Than: Anything else worth the $10 ticket price. The Palladium looked a little different last night.Instead of the conventional one stage people have become accustomed to, there were two stages…
Bone Thugs-N-HarmonyHouse of BluesOctober 27, 2010Better than: missing your Uncle George, y’all. The 15 years that have followed the release of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s seminal 1995 disc, E. 1999 Eternal, haven’t been all that great for the Cleveland rap collective. Egos blew up, personalities clashed, and arrests–as they so often tend…
Sigur Ros singer Jonsi is known for his solemn and somber stage demeanor, but the setlist for his solo show last night at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie offers a peak behind the curtain. It features a series of inside jokes aimed at his backing band and crew, and it’s…
JonsiVerizon Theatre, Grand PrairieOctober 25, 2010Better than: The last show I saw at Verizon Theatre–Brian Wilson. I don’t even think his keyboard was plugged in. Jonsi’s performance on Monday night at Verizon Theatre was like watching a man go free. No longer held up by the trappings of Sigur Ros,…
Kind of a crazy scene on Friday night in Carrollton. Even in the face of rain and the Texas Rangers clinching a trip to the World Series, a very respectable couple hundred folks turned up in Carrollton Square for the inaugural Festival at the Switchyard to watch a killer double-headlining…
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, GrassfightTreesOctober 24, 2010Better than: hanging onto what was left of my hearing. “Spread your love like a fever.” Black Rebel Motorcycle Club pretty much summed up their entire two hour and 15-minute-long set with those words. They were good. Great, even. Hell, they were amazing at times…
This was a nerd’s weekend: Between Rangers fans and blood-spattered zombies photos (I think there was some stormtroopers in there too?), our photographers Ray & Peter Lek and Roderick Pullum caught a wide spectrum of fandoms from the weekend’s events.Somewhere around the Trinity River, DJ Brett Johnson from Dallas was…
The Thermals, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The CoathangersGranada TheaterOctober 24, 2010Better than: sitting at home, drumming my fingers and waiting for the World Series to start. Considering that it was a Sunday night, last night’s vibe at the Granada Theater was surprising.Only some 250 people turned out to see Portland’s smart…
Free Energy, Foxy Shazam and HolleradoThe LoftOctober 22, 2010Better than: listening to politicians try to inspire hope with the upcoming elections. Philadelphia-based power-pop group Free Energy has been climbing very fast since their March 2010 debut album Stuck on Nothing, a critical success that’s seen the band scoring a Shawn…
Shiner Rising Star Competition FinalsLove & War in Texas, PlanoOctober 21, 2010After 14 weeks of competition between 24 bands that cover the entire, vast realm of country music, the Shiner Rising Star contest ended last night at Plano’s Love & War in Texas. And, many times throughout the evening, it…
Gorillaz, N.E.R.DVerizon Theatre, Grand PrairieOctober 20, 2010Better than: an evening spent watching the Cartoon Network. Roger CaldwellDamon Albarn, triumphant at last night’s Verizon Theatre show. For a full slideshow from last night, click here.Shame on anyone who expected a cartoonish display from Gorillaz last night. Sure, Damon Albarn and his…
Sufjan StevensMcFarlin AuditoriumOctober 21, 2010Better Than: The times my parents would drag me to McFarlin Auditorium to watch ballet. Sufjan Stevens had his work cut out for him on Wednesday night at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium: He had the daunting task of convincing everyone in the room–himself included–that he’s more than…
Frightened Rabbit, Plants & Animals, Bad VeinsThe LoftOctober 19, 2010Better Than: How most people spend random Tuesday nights. Frightened RabbitScott Hutchinson, the lead Scotsman for Glasgow-based indie band Frightened Rabbit, is one sensitive dude. Sure, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to detect a sensitive, aching soul when listening to…
Shiner Rising Star Semi-Final Round, Week 4 T-Bones Bar & Grill, Denison TX Perhaps the most intriguing element to the annual Shiner Rising Star competition is the length of the contest: In years past, the winners have been the acts that lit the stage on fire not once, but…
Blitzen Trapper with Fruit Bats, Pearly Gate Music House of Blues October 14, 2010 Better Than: The Houston show, it appears. All photos by Kiernan MaletskyBlitzen Trapper’s Eric EarleyBlitzen Trapper opened with “Wild Mountain Nation,” which is about as good a show opener as it is possible to have in…
Between the “Music and Media” and “Travel” sections at Borders’ Lovers Lane branch last night, the Old 97’s celebrated The Grand Theatre, Volume One’s official release date with a 45-minute set, followed by a signing session for anyone fan enough to buy the new album in the store. The band’s…
Carrie UnderwoodAmerican Airlines CenterOctober 9, 2010Better than: Austin City Limits. OK, not really. But at least she can sing. If you are looking for a concert where you could bring the whole family, including grandma, go to a Carrie Underwood Show. Because it’s more family friendly than Miley Cyrus. Nevertheless, her…
