Music festivals are a tough racket, and as conventional wisdom has it, they must incur serious financial losses before they reach a plane of success and longevity. As such, it should go without saying that when festivals don’t rake in the ideal numbers, many organizers and/or their financial backers get…
Do you have your calendar ready? A new year means a new slate of shows, and thanks to some local favorites and exciting returners, the new decade will get off to a promising start. As expected, a succession of stadium headliners will roll through town for big ticket shows at…
Many have tried, but few have succeeded in bringing a truly successful, long-reigning music festival to Dallas. Thanks to the rich DFW electronic scene, Lights All Night has been able to sustain a decade-long perennial party, celebrating a 10-year anniversary this past weekend. In true trap-style fashion, it exceeded all…
If you’re looking for a night out on New Year’s Eve, one where you can be around people, but don’t necessarily need to talk to them, this is the list for you. Skip the small talk at that house party — about how 2019 treated everyone — and instead enjoy each…
We’re just mere days from bidding this year and decade adieu. It’s tempting to prematurely publish a “Best Albums of 2019” list at the end of November or beginning of December, but every once in a while, some quality releases are missed because they are released right at the cusp…
2019 was a great year in local music; it was a time when many of our favorite North Texas artists made national headlines — albeit some for better reasons than others. At the Observer, we tried to keep our eyes and ears at every local stage this year, but it…
Before you get started on your resolutions, ring in the new year with these 10 shows. Kick off the week with local favorites Toadies at Billy Bob’s Texas this Monday. Then, you can listen to either Rosegarden Funeral Party, The Roomsounds and Atlantis Aquarius or Lynyrd Skynyrd as the ball drops and brings…
It’s common for electronic music fans to experience heightened inspiration after a festival. Some leave Lollapalooza Chicago and imagine themselves a world famous DJ like those they saw on the main stage. Others may pull out of Bonnaroo in Tennessee and think, “I’d like to create something like this.” That…
With a slow vacation weekend before New Year’s, the concert announcements are slower than usual this week. However, as you’re getting ready to toast in 2020, set aside some time to get tickets for three colossal music stars. Carrie Underwood is hitting the road for a pretty intensive North American…
Earlier this year, the a cappella sextet Pentatonix announced a Christmas tour. Covering Christmas classics is one of the group’s hallmarks, and fittingly, this tour concluded with two shows in Grand Prairie, a short drive from the band’s hometown of Arlington. Since my wife, a high school choir alum and…
From jazz to rock to Latin, you can pretty much hear it all in North Texas, especially if you’re going out this week. Kick off your week with some jazz provided to you by The Funky Knuckles at Three Links. You can continue this kick with Snarky Puppy’s Shaun Martin…
2019 was a particularly great year for the Dallas music scene. While the movers and shakers were making their mark on North Texas, these artists were laying the groundwork to make 2020 their year. As side projects come to life, new projects from old favorites emerge, and artists turn street…
You may ask yourself: What does Cher have left to prove? The answer, of course, is nothing. With an Emmy, an Oscar, a Grammy, a three-year Las Vegas residency, 100 million records sold around the world and an enduring status as an icon for the LGBTQ community to her credit,…
As the final weeks of the year wind down, a couple of interesting new concert announcements have floated in. This upcoming spring and summer will be an opportunity to catch some cutting-edge innovators, old masters of the craft, and up-and-coming risers. The details are below. Good Vibes Summer Tour 2020…
The next year promises to continue to be big for Dallas hip-hop, especially with women rappers. Combining angelic vocals and killer streetwear is local R&B singer Kaash Paige. At the young age of 18, Paige’s résumé boasts many enviable feats, including a deal with a major label and co-signs from…
On Dec. 12, Megan Thee Stallion was given a Powerhouse Award at the 2019 Billboard Women in Music event at Los Angeles’s Hollywood Palladium. As Billboard reports, she arrived late because she had a final exam due. The next day, she flew to Dallas to headline the sold-out My Mixtapez…
This weekend is jam-packed with good shows. [DARYL] will help you kick off your weekend at Double Wide this Friday. The heavy hitters Unfaded Brass Band, Le Cure, DaBaby and Cameron Matthew Ray will keep you up all night Saturday. Then you can cap your weekend off with some Rosegarden Funeral Party at Three…
Hopefully, folks around town are tired and recovering from the epic wonder that were the DOMAs. With a star-studded plethora of live music and awards festivities scattered throughout Deep Ellum, it was a time to celebrate and discover. As the year winds down, it’s also fun to dig through the…
Mike Brooks is a longtime Observer concert photographer who has shot seemingly every type of artist at every type of local venue. Here he breaks down 10 ways for artists to get better photos. Every year I photograph a couple of hundred bands playing live shows, and every time I…
The Dallas Observer Music Awards showcase took place this Saturday night in Deep Ellum and even though we nominated the acts, they exceeded even our own expectations. Over 40 nominated bands played in various locations. The streets were already exciting. Present were the usual weekend crowds, but members of the…
There are plenty of great acts to see this week, but let’s start with the free ones. You can catch The Funky Knuckles at Three Links or the Revelers Hall Band at Revelers Hall this week at no cost if you’re looking for something light. But if you’re looking to…
We are proud as new parents this week as we prepare to roll out the red carpet — with the same comedic and cinematic Life is Beautiful-like effect — to award the city’s best at the Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony happening on Tuesday, Dec. 10. After all, while this…
