The 10 Best Concerts of the Week: Lorelei K, Mitchell Ferguson, BLACK TAFFY and More

We hope you're not suffering from too bad of a food coma after Thanksgiving because some shows you won't want to miss are coming on the tail of the holiday. Le Cure, the Dallas-based Cure tribute band, is taking over the stage at The Foundry Bar in Dallas on Friday. That same night, 2019 Dallas Observer Music Award nominees for Best Electronic Act, BLACK TAFFY, will be jammin' out with the folks over at Ruins. Also in Deep Ellum this Friday will be Best Folk Act nominee Loyal Sally at The Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge. If you're not in Deep Ellum, you can hop over to The Rustic in Dallas to catch a free set by singer-songwriter Mitchell Ferguson and his band. On Saturday, you can see another DOMA nominee, Lorelei K, at Top Ten Records. There are plenty of other shows to attend this week. These are just a few to get you started.


The Funky Knuckles Album Release
9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, at Three Links, 2704 Elm St., free

The jazz-funk-fusion band The Funky Knuckles have been killing it in North Texas for about the last seven years. The band's 2014 album Meta-Musica reached No. 1 on iTunes'  jazz charts the day it was released. Two years later, The Funky Knuckles put out their 11-song, hard-not-to-dance-to, full-length New Birth. The band has been on the bill every Monday night at Three Links for some time now. The show this Monday at the venue is in celebration of the release of the band's fourth album, Delicious. The band is also up for Best Jazz Act this year in the Dallas Observer Music Awards, so you won't want to miss them. Jacob Vaughn

BLACK TAFFY
7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at Ruins, 2653 Commerce St., $10 at eventbrite.com

BLACK TAFFY, one of the 2019 Dallas Observer Music Award nominees for Best Electronic Act, will take over the Limbo Room at Ruins on Friday night with support from fellow Dallas House act Raimi. BLACK TAFFY's Donovan Jones has been quite prolific since winning the DOMA for Best Experimental/Noise Act at the end of 2018. After the release of the Elder Mantis album in February, BLACK TAFFY went on a nationwide tour this past summer before returning home and releasing Half Light, a themed beat tape utilizing scores from original Twilight Zone episodes, earlier in November. Born into a family of Pentecostal music ministers, Jones grew up with a deep understanding of music's ability to entrance audiences and enliven their spirits. Composed with a vibraphone, cassette decks and other outmoded mediums, BLACK TAFFY's music occupies the space between peace and paranoia — a space where you'd like to sit down and chill, but there's just something calling you to get up and move. David Fletcher

Le Cure
8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at The Foundry Bar, 2303 Pittman St., free

The news hit a few months ago that legendary post-punk band The Cure is finishing recording their first album in 10 years. To get acquainted with or refresh your memory of the band's extensive musical catalog before the album's release (which has so far been reported as "soon"), check out Le Cure, the Dallas-based Cure tribute band that's, like, really, really good. They're playing at The Foundry Bar in Dallas, so if you throw back a couple of beers, it's sort of impossible not to assume it's the real Robert Smith and the gang. Diamond Rodrigue

Loyal Sally
10 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at The Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge, 2626-2630 Commerce St., free

The Dallas native folk-rock outfit Loyal Sally is set to headline at Three Links at this year's Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase Dec. 7. The band is up for Best Folk Act. If you haven't seen Loyal Sally live before, and you want to familiarize yourself ahead of the DOMAs, you can catch the band's 10 p.m. set at The Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge this Friday. In March, the band released the music video for their song "Postcards." The band told the Observer the track was produced by Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup and recorded at the Dallas studio Valley of the Kings Music with help from owner Billy Syn. The music video was later filmed and produced by Dallas-based production company Ludisian Legion Entertainment. Jacob Vaughn

Mitchell Ferguson Band
9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, at The Rustic, 3656 Howell St., free

With a full head of hair, a rich beard and a whole lot of swagger, singer-songwriter Mitchell Ferguson certainly has the troubadour look down. He's a Dallas native, you might have encountered him around town as both the former frontman of The Louisiana Purchase and as a solo act who has consistently logged close to 200 shows a year. Discerning eyes also may have noticed his auditions for The Voice a few years ago. Friday night, he'll take the comfortable stage of The Rustic, where his spooky blues tunes and creaky confessionals should sound right at home in the venue's dark, cozy environment. Jeff Strowe

Larry g(EE)
10:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at Twilite Lounge, 2640 Elm St., free

Back in 2010, the Observer reported on the demise of Odis, a local pop-rock band that seemed to be somewhat of a cult favorite in town but didn’t quite live up to the potential they’d once shown. For the band’s frontman, Larry Gayao, aka Larry g(EE), the loss of one project simply became the compost he’d need to see his true dream grow into a reality. Eschewing the firm (but not quite hard) rock elements of his former group, g(EE) has made a full 90 degree turn into being the soul-funk singer he was truly born to be. His latest track, “Sleeping in my Car,” was recently showcased on Mark Schectman’s ALT 103.7 radio show Locals Only and will possibly be soon followed up on with a new EP tentatively titled First Love. If nothing else, g(EE) is a slice of nostalgia for fans of local music but with a whole new coat of paint to match these ever-changing times. Nicholas Bostick

Dallas Ambient Music Nights XXXVI
9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at Texas Theatre, 231 W. Jefferson Blvd., $10 at prekindle.com

Saturday night's 36th installment of Dallas Ambient Music Nights is not limited to the hyper-focused Dallas efforts of DAMN’s past. Instead, it's offering attendees of the monthly gathering of curated experimental forays into sound and vision a cool, remarkable lineup that’s a full-on Texas affair with noteworthy audio and visual performers from Austin, Houston and Dallas. Dallas’ own internationally renowned electro producer Gerard Hanson, Convextion aka E.R.P.  and Holodeck Records’ Dylan Cameron (from Austin) are headliners. Cameron is Holodeck’s longtime in-house producer and engineer, and his contribution to Austin's electronic and experimental scene is both highly regarded and far-reaching. Folks won’t want to miss the rare out-of-Houston performance and visual wizardry from Neil Ebblfo, or the now Austin-based James Washington (a former Dentonite) on the big screen at the Texas Theatre. DAMN XXXVI also includes other performances by Heavy Stars, Glymmur and Kalpa4.32, and other visuals by Evan Henry, Sean Miller, Kent Evans and Brian Tomerlin. Daniel Rodrigue

A Hard Night's Day
8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave., $15-$24 at prekindle.com

Almost exactly 50 years to the day since the Beatles' iconic Abbey Road was released, Dallas' favorite Beatles tribute band, Hard Night's Day, plays a celebratory concert at the Granada Theater. Unless you're one of those who consider themselves too cool to like such a popular and quintessential band of 20th-century rock 'n' roll, you'll remember the album's hits like "Here Comes the Sun," "Something" and "Come Together." We may not be able to see the Beatles play live, but we can get close. Catch what is sure to be a nostalgic night of infectious music by John, Paul, George and Ringo on Saturday night with one of the best acts around. Diamond Rodrigue

Lorelei K and Polly Anna
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, at Top Ten Records, 338 W. Jefferson Blvd., $10 at door

The artist/musician/poet mashup from Denton, Dahlia Knowles, who performs under the name Lorelei K, will take the stage at Top Ten Records in Dallas this Saturday. Knowles just put out her second full-length album, Lightbender, this October and is up for a Best Pop Act in the Dallas Observer Music Awards. The album is darker than her 2017 release Be the Doll. She told the Observer that Lightbender was a project that was two years in the making. But following her birthday, she finally stepped into the studio with the Denton sound engineer Michael Briggs to record her sophomore full-length, which is now up on streaming platforms for the world to hear. Lorelei K will share the stage with the San Antonio electronic jazz-pop act Polly Anna. Jacob Vaughn

Revelers Hall Band
2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1, at Revelers Hall, 412 N. Bishop Ave., free

Every Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m., the Revelers Hall Band makes a not-so-subtle stop at their home venue. The six-piece brass band packs a punch that is near impossible to stand still against. The band embodies what Revelers Hall co-owner Jason Roberts and music director Kevin Butler want to get out of all the performers at the venue. It's acoustic, and they play real pianos and upright basses, instead of electric. Even if the power goes out, the Revelers Hall Band will keep the show going. The band can also be heard accompanying other acts booked at the venue throughout the week. Jacob Vaughn