Will von Bolton
Audio By Carbonatix
New year, new music, right? Here in the opening weeks of a promising 2023, the big touring acts have yet to arise from hibernation, making this week a great time to see either somebody with whom you’re just vaguely familiar or somebody whom you’ve never heard of before. Local acts for you to check out this week include Tennessee transplant Jake Quillin, who has captured his new North Texas home in song. This week will also see performances from local indie powerhouse FIT in Oak Cliff on Friday, and on Saturday, gothabilly legends Ghoultown return to the stage for the first time in months. Touring through the area this week is Australian soft rock duo Air Supply, who play Arlington Friday night. From Germany, guitar virtuoso Ottmar Liebert plays House of Blues Sunday night at the same time Afroman brings his wildly entertaining show through Haltom City. There’s plenty more to choose from, but some of it might tear your eardrums.
Jake Quillin
7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5, Three Links, 2704 Elm St. $15 at seetickets.us
A North Texas transplant from Kingsport, Tennessee, Jake Quillin moved to Dallas in November 2019 after falling in love with the folks at Modern Electric Sound Recorders recording studio. An online acquaintance had introduced him to the studio, and after a live recording session, Quillin decided to relocate, bringing his R&B-infused Delta blues style along with him. Quillin has released six singles during his time in Dallas while building his reputation on the North Texas music scene. This Thursday, he celebrates the release of his new EP, East Dallas Diaries, at Three Links in Deep Ellum with the help of some special guests who have yet to be announced. Quillin released “voicemail.mp3,” the first single from the upcoming EP, in the beginning of December 2022. The track is reminiscent of The Weeknd’s early EPs or an analog version of James Blake – smooth and sexy with just a little bit of danger.
Air Supply
7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, Arlington Music Hall, 224 N. Center St. $35+ at eventbrite.com
Formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1975, soft rock duo Air Supply may not be at the top of everyone’s concert list this week, but any band who has kept it going for nearly five decades is worthy of a second look. Soft rock had its day in the early ’80s when Air Supply, along with artists like Hall & Oates, Kenny Loggins and Toto, dominated the radio airwaves in response to the growing popularity of glam metal. In contrast to the over-the-top outfits and sophomoric lyrics of musicians styled with too much hairspray, bands like Air Supply offered audiences a more heartfelt musical experience built on a foundation of synthesized music and lush production. While the band has not had a radio hit since 1983, adult contemporary audiences have not forgotten the magic of songs like “All Out of Love.” The band’s singles continue to chart on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart to this day.
FIT
7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, The Kessler, 1230 W. Davis St. $22 at prekindle.com
Made up of Sealion’s Hunter Moehring and Alex Poulos, The Birds of Night’s Hunter Cannon and Slim Lemon’s Joel Bradley, FIT came together with a mission to find the through-line of each member’s musical tastes and began producing music that sounds a lot like Radiohead’s early work with all of Arcade Fire’s brooding passion. Since emerging in the summer of 2021, FIT has released only three studio singles, one of which, “Modern Lovers,” continues to get consistent airplay on indie radio station KXT. The band subsequently released two singles in the spring of 2022. Boasting members from some of the most beloved bands on the North Texas music scene, FIT had a solid live following from its outset, and that following has only grown thanks to the band’s deeply moving live performances. FIT will have opening support from glam rock band The Dirty Shirts and psychedelic blues rock band Smokey Mirror.
Eric Tessmer
7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, Granada Theater, 3524 Greenville Ave. $20+ at prekindle.com
Over the last two decades, Austin musician Eric Tessmer has made a name for himself in the state capital for playing the same kind of blues-inspired rock ‘n’ roll that made Stevie Ray Vaughan a legend in these parts. Named Eric James Tessmer after Eric Clapton and Jimi (James) Hendrix, Tessmer was given a guitar at an early age, and he quickly set to the task of learning everything about it. At the age of 19, Tessmer moved to Austin and dedicated his life to the craft, playing in gospel choirs when he couldn’t get into nightclubs and living in a rehearsal space when he couldn’t afford an apartment. The years of dedication paid off when an annual poll of readers conducted by The Austin Chronicle showed that Austin music fans thought Tessmer was the best guitarist in the city for years 2017 and 2018. San Antonio blues-rock guitarist Chris Duarte will be there to warm up the crowd Friday night at the Granada.
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown
7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall, 122 E. Exchange Ave. Ste. 200. $22 at ticketmaster.com
Formed in Nashville in 2009, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown came together to resurrect that blues-rock sound that had all but disappeared as Americana-inspired indie-folk became the musique du jour for the 18-to-25 crowd. Beginning as a three-piece band, Tyler Bryant picked up guitarist Graham Whitford after an interview in New York City in March 2011. You may not recognize that name, but Graham Whitford is the son of Brad Whitford, who has played in Joe Perry’s shadow as Aerosmith’s second guitarist since 1971. After independently releasing the band’s first two EPs, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown spent time on various record labels, releasing four albums and three more EPs before deciding to go independent once again. The band’s latest album, Shake the Roots, came out last September on the band’s new label, Rattle Shake Records.
Ghoultown
7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, Amplified Live, 10261 Technology Blvd. E. $12 at seetickets.us
It’s hard to believe that Dallas cowpunk band Ghoultown has been at it for two and a half decades now, but this horror-themed rockabilly band has shown no sign of stopping since its formation in the late ’90s. Some outsiders may see the combination of styles as a bit gimmicky, but for Ghoultown frontman “Count” Lyle Blackburn, monsters are serious business. Back in 2019, Blackburn released his follow-up to The Beast of Boggy Creek, Momo: The Strange Case of a Missouri Monster, which centers on a Bigfoot-like creature spotted in Missouri in 1972. An author and monster hunter, Blackburn can be seen at speaking events when he is not fronting his long-running band. Ghoultown released its most recent album, Curse of Eldorado, back in 2020, but thanks in large part to the global pandemic, Saturday night’s show will be only the third Dallas date the band has played to support it.
Ottmar Liebert
6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, House of Blues, 2200 N. Lamar St. $25+ at livenation.com
In 1990, Ottmar Liebert released his debut album Nouveau Flamenco. A German guitarist playing Spanish-influenced music, Liebert produced an unlikely candidate for a platinum-selling record, but at a time when smooth jazz was at the peak of its popularity, the album did just that. A true world musician, Liebert has gone on to receive gold and platinum certifications around the world, particularly in the U.S. Latin market. He’s been prolific in his music production, releasing an album nearly every year since his start – many nominated for Grammys in the New Age category. For Liebert’s latest release, Bare Wood 2, which came out in October 2022, the musician ditched the accompanying music and lush production of his other works, highlighting instead the work that a single guitar can do. For his performance Sunday night, however, Liebert will be joined by his backing band Luna Negra.
Afroman
7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8, Haltom Theater, 5601 E. Belknap St., Haltom City. $30+ at eventbrite.com
Just weeks after announcing his 2024 presidential bid, the iconic rapper Afroman makes a weekend stop in Haltom City. Sure, you may only know his song “Because I Got High” from the time it was absolutely freaking everywhere in 2001, but honestly, Afroman knows that. In fact, his 2014 single “One Hit Wonder” is about that exactly. That is why you may be quite surprised to find out that, since the release of “Because I Got High,” Afroman has released 16 or so albums and a galaxy of singles including last year’s collaboration with Houston rapper Devin the Dude, “Gas.” Though you may have forgotten about him, Afroman remains as irreverent and humorous as ever with live shows that are wildly entertaining. Afroman is a performer through and through, and he is certain to show concertgoers a good time, no matter their familiarity with his deep cuts.
Mexican Coke
7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9, Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $10 at etix.com
Making its way through Houston’s hardcore music scene since 2020, Mexican Coke may have released only three songs in the last two years, but their live show keeps people coming back for more. You probably don’t know too much about the band unless you run in the same underground circles that saw them put on shows in, well, any space that will take them. But what we do know is that the band’s first single, “Kill a Fed,” came out in late summer of 2020 with only two band members credited on the track. It was a low-quality production with a too-loud guitar, but introduced audiences to a sound that was brutal and punishing. Early last year, the band released a two-track demo, this time with five band members listed using pseudonyms like “Pornstar,” “[REDACTED]” and “El Flaco.” The new music is more polished in its production but still every bit as brutal in its attack.
Sean Bonnette & Tim Kasher
7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave. $17+ at prekindle.com
The names Sean Bonnette and Tim Kasher may not immediately ring a bell, but maybe the names of the bands they front will. Tim Kasher fronted two iconic indie-rock groups, The Good Life and Cursive, which released their music on Omaha’s indie-rock label Saddle Creek Records. He has also seen success as a solo artist. Sean Bonnette may be less familiar, but since 2004, he has fronted the band, AJJ, which was known as Andrew Jackson Jihad until 2016. The two musicians are currently on tour with a string of shows throughout the month of January. Neither is playing in direct support of a particular release, but both have respectively promised their fans that the shows will include material from across their musical careers, and each will be sitting in on the other’s set. The tour kicks off Jan. 6, so there is no way to know what the setlist will entail, but it’s sure to be a folk-punk delight.
