The 30th annual Dallas Observer Music Awards marks three decades of celebrating incredible local music. Some hometown heroes have gone on to play arena shows, some pack up their bags and head to Nashville or L.A. or New York, and some find that DFW is the perfect home for creating…
There are a variety of holiday gifts that are generally considered colossal disappointments. At the top of that list are socks. Interestingly enough, when singer-songwriter JD McPherson was deciding on a title for his new Christmas-themed album, socks came to mind. “I’ve had people tell me it’s both the best and the…
An unlikely tribute to classic metal cover songs from artists such as Metallica, Slayer and Ozzy Osbourne will be played with traditional mariachi instruments. Metalachi, the first and only heavy metal mariachi band, are set to perform Friday, Dec. 7, at Lola’s Saloon and Sunday, Dec. 9, at Trees. Metalachi…
Whether you like or hate Christmas songs, they’re vital in getting into the holiday spirit. Their simple and traditional melodies capture the warm feelings of wearing fuzzy sweaters, drinking hot cocoa, seeing colorful lights, bonding with family and, of course, presents. What makes Christmas music in Texas unique, though, is…
On the same night Emma Ruth Rundle and Jaye Jayle were scheduled to play Double Wide, Drab Majesty had a day off in the middle of their tour with Smashing Pumpkins and booked a headline gig at Club Dada. Naturally, combing the two shows only seemed practical. After all, Rundle…
Wow, last night was something. Something. We assume. We’re writing this at 12:47 p.m. Tuesday, just hours before the Dallas Observer Music Awards ceremony at Canton Hall, but we’re going to go ahead and assume it was something. Good or bad. Hopefully good and a lot of fun. (Editor’s note:…
Joshua Ray Walker pulled the brim of his hat down and braved the cold winds of Dallas as he performed two of his songs, “Working Girl” and “Canyon,” at an otherwise silent strip mall. Browning leaves swirled around his feet as they found a new place to gather, before Walker…
As he did in his Dallas performance last year, Kurt Vile is likely to peer between the curtains of his long, wavy, brown hair out into a sea of dedicated fans on Friday night. With his band, the Violators, behind him, Vile will hit Canton Hall’s stage in support of…
In 1978, Madonna dropped out of college and moved to New York with little money in her name to pursue a career in music. It goes without saying that her tireless pursuit of success in the music industry paid off, but instances like that are rare. Thousands of aspiring artists…
Lights All Night, the seminal North Texas music festival, released its full lineup this week. This year will be the ninth edition of LAN, which has become an institution within the EDM community that attracts artists and fans from all over the world. Headliners will include Diplo, Excision, Gucci Mane,…
Catch Kurt Vile and the Violators, Metalachi and Devil Wears Prada and others this week. Plus, Chris Isaak and Clint Black give us some holiday cheer with concerts Monday night. Chris Isaak 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3 at House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St., $35-$99.50 Chris Isaak was the…
Album anniversary tours are becoming more and more popular, and we’re not mad about it. It’s no secret that the rise of streaming has changed the way we listen to music. You can skip around from song to song and artist to artist at will, which has its advantages, but…
As you continue your holiday shopping lists, keep considering tickets to a show for the music fans in your social circles. A singer-songwriter favorite, a rapper recently back out on the scene, and a U.K. rock band reunion highlight this week’s batch of concert announcements and potential gifts. Jeff Tweedy will…
Emo’s staying power was reaffirmed as The Front Bottoms and Manchester Orchestra played a co-headlining bill at The Bomb Factory on Wednesday night. To understand why, consider the time and place of both bands. Manchester Orchestra formed during emo’s commercial peak in 2004, now a distant memory. In the 2010s,…
Denton-based singer-songwriter Doug Burr has been a regular performer around these parts for quite some time now. As a multiple Dallas Observer Music Award winner, and with an output that stretches back over a decade, he’s become a fixture on the local scene and a revered mentor to those just…
Back in July, Minus the Bear announced they were ending their time together as a band. Instead of playing a handful of final shows near their hometown of Seattle, the band decided to do one more extensive tour across the country and then call it quits. “There hasn’t been a…
NF was in a cage. Bebe Rexha’s top fell off. Calvin Harris was nowhere to be seen. This was Tuesday night’s iHeart Radio Jingle Ball 2018 in a nutshell as the nationwide star-studded tour kicked off with a bang in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. Some of the best…
In a world as material as the one we live in, it is important to know that if you’re likely to end up penniless, you might as well put your money into as many experiences as possible. Perishable items spoil, clothes go out of style, technology becomes outdated and/or breaks,…
Silverstein has never really stopped as a band. Playing across the globe since 2004, including well over a dozen times in Dallas, the band performs two sets per night. One is to celebrate their debut album, When Broken is Easily Fixed, as well as a set devoted to greatest hits/fan…
In 1982, a South Texas artist pulled up to Billy Bob’s in his truck, unloaded his gear from the attached trailer and loaded in for a gig at which he opened for Billy Joe Shaver. This artist’s name was George Strait, and that was the last time he’d played Panther…
Manchester Orchestra doesn’t normally tour the country this late in the year, but they’ve squeezed in one more run before taking 2019 off to work on new material. Still promoting 2017’s A Black Mile to the Surface, along with a Black Friday exclusive vinyl consisting of demos from the album,…
For those not familiar with Stone Mecca, here’s a brief introduction: He’s a veteran guitarist, vocalist and producer/engineer based in Dallas by way of Southern California. His music career began in the latter role, working with such hip-hop luminaries as Ice Cube, Snoop Dog and Organized Noize. On Nov. 9,…
