Welcome to our 2011 Dallas Observer Music
Awards breakdown, wherein we'll use the weeks leading up to the DOMA
showcases on Saturday, October 15 (which is also when voting ends), to
explain the nominees in each category Today, we look at the nominees in
the Best Experimental/Avant Garde and Best Talent Buyer, and Best Local Music Advocate categories and see how each of
these nominees got to this point. Read up on them, follow the links to
hear their music and, if you're impressed, shoot the band some support
in the first of a text vote sent to 61721 (see codes for each band below
their names).
Best Experimental/Avant Garde Act
Diamond Age
Text Your Vote: DAL61
Why They're Here: Diamond Age's M. Leer can often be seen standing behind a table with keyboards, pedals and wires piled high, with a guitar strapped around his neck. The sound that results is much bigger than one would expect. Keyboards are looped and drums are sampled, creating beautifully melancholy, and often dark, songs.
Nervous Curtains
Text Your Vote: DAL62
Why They're Here: Sean Kirkpatrick, the man behind Nervous Curtains has come a long way since playing piano for The Paper Chase. He formed a three-piece band with a synth player and a drummer, and has been cranking out dark and quirky tunes ever since.
New Fumes
Text Your Vote: DAL63
Why They're Here:
New Fumes is a relatively new act, but Daniel Huffman, the man behind the moniker, has been behind the scenes for years. He has acted as a touring member with the Flaming Lips and Polyphonic Spree, and performed with Day Of The Double Agent. But his new solo project was birthed from performances in the Laptop Deathmatch series. Now, Huffman performs with just a laptop, guitar, and some projected psychedelic images.
New Science Projects
Text Your Vote: DAL64
Why They're Here: New Science Projects' Dale Jones has created an interesting performance art piece with his bluesy, in-your-face solo project. He uses lots of fake blood, invades your personal space (especially at house shows) and basically causes a huge spectacle. It's awesome.
Peopleodian
Text Your Vote: DAL65
Why They're Here: Like several of the other nominees in this category, Peopleodian's live shows are heavy on visual effects. In fact, on their Facebook page, they describe themselves as "a rapidly displayed sequence of images with sound accompaniment." But the band incorporates a non-dancy electronic element to the music, chock full of Nintendo DS samples.
Shiny Around The Edges
Text Your Vote: DAL66
Why They're Here: Shiny Around The Edges might be the most high-brow nominee in this category. After all, Michael Seman, part of the band's husband and wife duo, is a PHD candidate at UNT's Center for Economic Development and Research. No big deal. But when he gets bored with all that, he jams in his sparse, often dark, avant garde band.
Best Talent Buyer
DHS Entertainment (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, The Labb)
Text Your Vote: DAL168
Why They're Here: DHS Entertainment oftentimes will book quirky, forgotten or unknown up-and-coming touring acts. But don't underestimate these shows' importance: Without DHS, Jonathan Richman's quirky Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios performance would never stopped in North Texas.
Granada Theater (Granada Theater)
Text Your Vote: DAL169
Why They're Here: It's hard to say anything bad about the booking at Granada Theater. The longstanding Greenville Avenue theater has seen some of the world's top indie rock, country, blues and electronic acts over the last seven years. It would be rare to meet a North Texas music fan who hasn't seen at least one show at this venue.
Parade Of Flesh (Sons of Hermann Hall, Bryan Street Tavern, Dada)
Text Your Vote: DAL170
Why They're Here: Parade of Flesh's John Iskander has already won "Best Concert Promoter" in the 2011 Dallas Observer Best Of Dallas issue, and for good reason. He has a way of bringing buzzworthy indie acts to town -- and, in many cases, he even books them before they're buzzworthy. His eclectic taste in metal and indie rock brings some of the world's most interesting bands to town.
Spune Productions (Dada, Dan's Silverleaf, Lola's Saloon)
Text Your Vote: DAL171
Why They're Here: Spune Productions' Lance Yocom has been one of the area's top talent buyers for years, not only bringing in big national indie rock acts, but cultivating a group of local up-and-coming local acts. His festivals (see: Wall Of Sound Festival) have drawn thousands, and there's a good chance you've been to a show he's put on.
Tactics Productions (The Loft, South Side Music Hall, Prophet Bar)
Text Your Vote: DAL172
Why They're Here: Over the last few years, Kris Youmans, the man behind Tactics Productions, has earned a reputation for booking some pretty massive shows. Since branching out on his own this year, he's booked The Horrors at Prophet Bar, Airborne Toxic Event at South Side Music Hall, Beirut at Prophet, and Peter Murphy at Prophet. And that's just the beginning, really.
Third String Productions (Prophet Bar, Palladium Ballroom, Trees)
Text Your Vote: DAL173
Why They're Here: Third String Productions has booked some of the area's most well-attended concerts you never knew about. That's because, for a long time, the shows were geared to the mall-punk set, who showed up to TSPR's concerts by the thousands. As those kids are getting older, Third String has recently branched out by booking more electronic and indie rock bands.
Best Local Music Advocate
Chelsea Callahan (The Double Wide, Prekindle)
Text Your Vote: DAL174
Why She's Here: Chelsea Callahan does it all. She DJs, programs music for bars, books and attends shows just about every night of the week. And the annual birthday concerts she books for herself always go to benefit the Genesis Women's Shelter.
Natalie Davila (35 Denton, Majestic Dwelling Of Doom)
Text Your Vote: DAL175
Why She's Here: Natalie Davila is one of Denton's top music advocates thanks to the work she's done with the massive festival to our immediate north, 35 Denton. But she wouldn't have gotten there without the legendary house shows she once booked at the Majestic Dwelling of Doom in Denton.
Josh Florence (City Tavern, Dada, Homegrown Festival)
Text Your Vote: DAL176
Why He's Here: Josh Florence has a knack for finding struggling bars and turning them around with a solid music program, giving local bands a new, respectable place to play in the process. Before him, City Tavern was never considered a place worth playing. Now, Dada is a better place to see a show than ever before. It's all thanks to Florence.
Gutterth Productions (Violitionist Sessions)
Text Your Vote: DAL179
Why They're Here: Denton's Gutterth Productions focuses a lot of attention on Denton acts with both its record label and with its Violitionist video site. The passion that goes into the bands it backs is evident in the detailed and well thought-out videos, and in the company's thorough show and record promotions.
Jeff Liles (Kessler Theater)
Text Your Vote: DAL177
Why He's Here: Jeff Liles is essentially the unofficial historian of all things Dallas music. He's been an advocate in the scene for decades, breathing life to Deep Ellum in the '80s and '90s, and now bringing top acts (including some who would've never played North Texas otherwise) to Oak Cliff's Kessler Theater.
Mark Schectman (The Local Edge)
Text Your Vote: DAL178
Why He's Here: Mark Schectman has breathed new life into The Edge's once-flat local show. Before he was on the air, the Sunday night local slot was just a parade of local nu-metal acts. Schectman sheds light on some of the best local indie, rock and punk talent, and helps make the scene a little more fun in the process.
