EC watch: The rumor mill has been working overtime regarding the Entertainment Collective, owners of Trees and Gypsy Tea Room, ever since the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy (And Another Thing, October 27). We don't trust most of the rumors--particularly the one about Beck wanting to buy out the music venues and turn them into Scientology quiz centers--but we can officially confirm that former Trees manager and EC talent buyer Russell Turns has been let go by the company as of last Friday. "All it boils down to is that my position is being eliminated," says Turns, who started as a sound engineer at Trees in 1996. "I'm not surprised it happened, by any means. It's the business."
Concerning his next move in Dallas, Turns says that he'll probably stick to the local music scene. "It's what I've done my whole life," he says. "I'll never leave music, one way or another." But when asked about any further changes or firings at the EC, he spoke briefly: "We're all kind of in the dark about what's going on, so I don't know."
Swanky Scholars: Sick of concerts full of kids in crappy thrift-store clothes and beat-up Chucks? Then enjoy a rock 'n' roll reason to dress up. On Friday, stop by the Gypsy Tea Room for a special concert being billed as the "Laugh, Cry, Drink" show, starring Sorta, Peter Schmidt and his Gentleman Scholars and stand-up comedian David Little. "We're trying to make it different than a normal rock show," Schmidt writes via e-mail. "We want it to be more like a night out at a cabaret...we're encouraging folks to dress up for this one." Sorta bassist Danny Balis concurs: "Snappy dress is encouraged," he says, and he promises that his band will debut songs from their recently completed LP Strange and Sad but True. We might bust out our big-boy suit for this show, folks.
Wall construction: Sometimes we think great acts at a concert are reason enough to attend. But in the case of Sunday's A Spune Christmas 2005, we'll give you a reason that's even better than an incredibly solid local lineup, which includes Record Hop, Black Tie Dynasty, The Angelus and more (in particular, this'll be the Spitfire Tumbleweeds' final show of '05). Howzabout a big, whoppin' announcement from Spune Productions owner Lance Yocom about next year's Wall Of Sound Festival 2006? Seriously, that fest's headliners will be huge. He won't let us announce anything until closer to the new year, but we'd be lyin' if we told you to set your expectations low. Get to Hailey's by 6 p.m. for both the announcement and the full Sunday night lineup.
Evening of Dooms: Longtime local music fans, mark your calendars for Thursday, December 29, as that evening signals the return of John Freeman to Dan's Silverleaf in Denton. We normally avoid in-advance notices of concerts, but the madman behind local insane-rock legends Dooms UK doesn't fly to town from New York too often anymore, so make sure you're back from Christmas vacation in time to see him headline under the moniker the Dutch Treats at Dan's alongside Fishboy, Cavedweller and Night Game. We will have more on this show in the coming weeks.
