Unless there’s a day off from work, most don’t give a damn about historical anniversaries. Nov. 9, 1989, saw the fall of the Berlin Wall. That date, exactly 30 years ago this month, spurred the reunification of East and West Germany and East and West Berlin. Born Matthias Paul, the…
Look, we are nothing if not objective. While the Dallas Observer Music Awards showcase on Dec. 7 offers a lineup of more than 40 local bands in one night, we can still recognize that another Dallas show happening in the same month might be the greatest local show of the…
Although they may be more “pop” than “punk,” the Simple Plan members are undeniably sweethearts. Fans haven’t been able to get enough of these guyliner-wearing Canadians since we first heard their debut album No Pads, No Helmets … Just Balls in 2002, with megahits like “I’m Just a Kid” and…
It’s going to be a busy week for North Texas concertgoers. Miami-based garage rockers (with psych, punk and surf influences) Jacuzzi Boys are taking over Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios in Denton with some local favorites on the bill. The same night in Dallas, Matt and Kim will take the stage at…
Embarking on arena tours and playing to thousands of adoring fans every night might seem glamorous and enticing on the surface, but the grating minutiae of this routine can take its toll on an artist. Meet-and-greets, for example, are unanimously considered a chore in the music industry, but just like…
Kenny Vasoli was only 14 when he formed The Starting Line back in 1999, but the Pennsylvania native’s drive to become a musician began even earlier. When he was just 9, his parents bought him a cheap bass guitar, and he started taking lessons. “I knew I wanted to start…
Good times ahead for 2020 as new concert dates roll in to our market. We’ve got some things lined up for The Granada, The Kessler and some of the bigger sheds, too. If you haven’t found your calendar filling up yet, this week might change that. Read on for the…
The Coathangers have a history with Dallas that is almost as old as the band itself. In March 2009, the Atlanta punk trio played South by Southwest, then made their way to Dallas to play a festival called “South by South Flesh” at the Lounge on Elm Street. From there,…
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, they have become precious lifetime pals with Tiffany Young, one of the brightest hopes among K-pop stars trying to bring more than bling to a solo pop act gaining universal appeal. With the stage name Tiffany identifying more with a certain jewelry company…
This past January marked 10 years since the release of indie rock duo Matt and Kim’s second album, Grand. While the two had been playing small gigs and releasing music through MySpace years before, they cite their sophomore release as the milestone that changed the course of their joined careers,…
If you take a look around, pretty much anywhere music lovers find themselves, you’ll likely see that classic rock is in the air. No, we’re not talking about the gentle tones of REO Speedwagon wafting overhead while you shop at Nordstrom Rack. We’re talking about the old-school rockers still out…
This week we let one major cat out of the DOMA bag: Our first lifetime achievement award recipient will be Erykah Badu, who will be attending the Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony on Dec. 10 and receiving the award from none other than hip-hop legend The D.O.C. But before we can…
Ray LaMontagne did a lot with a little Sunday night at the Music Hall at Fair Park, before an attentive, largely respectful room full of fans (itself a miracle; more on that momentarily). His Just Passing Through tour is a stripped-down affair. Apart from a guitar tech’s fleeting appearances to…
There are many shows to choose from this week, but here are a few to get the ball rolling if you’re not sure where to start. Singer-songwriter Angel Olsen will hit the stage for a magical night at Granada Theater on Friday. Also performing that night at House of Blues…
You’ll have another opportunity, if you missed the first one last year, to catch a rock legend in person on a farewell tour. The days of enjoying the intimacy of seeing a genre-bending firebrand in venues like Dada and The Bomb Factory have officially passed. You’ll now need to bring…
It’s almost noon on a Monday when John Calvin Abney wakes up from some much needed sleep. He’d played a show in Sheffield, Alabama, hours before and stayed at a buddy’s place for the night. “I slept in like crazy,” he says in a follow-up text ahead of our interview…
Craig Finn has had a busy year, with the April release of his fourth solo album, I Need a New War, and the release of The Hold Steady’s seventh album, Thrashing Thru the Passion, in August. After a brief run through Antwerp, Amsterdam and the U.K., Finn is bringing his…
Ask anyone who’s ever attended an Erykah Badu concert and, inevitably, the same topic comes up: “Why does she have to start so late?” It’s a fair question: In the handful of times I’ve seen the Dallas native perform, exactly one concert has begun even remotely close to its scheduled…
“That was an exaggeration in the Texan tall tale tradition,” guitarist Buck Meek says with a laugh. He’s referencing a statement made by his friend Mat Davidson in press notes stating that Meek is a 16th generation Texan. However, he soon confesses to being an 8th generation citizen of the…
In the wake of what can only be described as America’s mass shooting epidemic, some local folks use music to express sentiments of camaraderie over fear and intimidation. During a cool late-October dawn, dozens of free-spirited musicians congregated toward the middle of the Ronald Kirk Bridge, tuning their instruments on…
From R&B to doom metal, there is no shortage of variety in this week’s concerts. The Screaming Females kick off the week at Club Dada. The same night, Summer Walker will be giving Deep Ellum a dose of R&B at The Bomb Factory. On Thursday, you can choose between Melvins…
Tyler, the Creator is late. The clock turns to 9:06, past the five minute grace period, and the legions of fans, mostly young, begin to get anxious. This wait gives a pair of teenagers in front of me enough time to discuss the merits of Igor, Tyler’s latest album, versus…
