Tuesday, Jan. 9
CoLab10 p.m., Three Links, 2704 Elm St. Free
One of Dallas' longest running residencies, the hip-hop, funk and R&B collective CoLab, returns to the Three Links stage Tuesday after taking a little time off for the holidays. Each week a group of North Texas A-list musicians comes together for a night of improv, covers, originals and whatever else feels right. This weekly party is always live and always free, featuring a special guest and DJ Edgar Blue on the 1s and 2s. These nights have also been known to host local vendors and even serve up some food. It is the most fun you will have on a Tuesday night.
Thursday, Jan. 11
George Ensle6 p.m., Six Springs Tavern, 147 N. Plano Road, Richardson. $12 at prekindle.com
Though his name may not be familiar to you, George Ensle was a part of the same '60s club circuit that brought up legends like Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt and Jerry Jeff Walker. One of the last standing of that generation of songwriters, Ensle writes music that remains firmly planted in the traditions of Texas folk music and just has too much emotional depth to simply be called country. Singer-songwriter Helene Cronin opens the show.
From the River to the Sea Benefit Show
7 p.m., Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
If you're looking to rock out with purpose this week, Andy's Bar in Denton is hosting a benefit supporting the Palestinian Youth Movement. Songwriter Parker Lawson of skimp and Flesh Born opens the evening, followed by indie rock band Darling Farm, woman-fronted punk band Hen & the Cocks and Denton emo stalwarts Upsetting. Advance tickets are available for $10; they'll be $15 the day of the show.
Friday, Jan. 12
The Deadly Beloved7 p.m., Club Dada, 2720 Elm St. $10 at seetickets.us
Dallas alt-rock band The Deadly Beloved is a relative newcomer to the North Texas music scene, releasing its first music in October 2022. The five-piece band features an electric violin player, giving the music a layer of depth that is often missing from alt-rock. The band seamlessly moves between moments of sublime stillness to explosive movement, making for a dynamic listening experience and enveloping live show. The band will play with three woman-led North Texas acts: Fort Worth rock band Celestial L'amour, indie-pop artist Loren Kole and Denton pop-rock band Matchstick Ghost.
Lucky Pierres
7 p.m., AllGood Cafe, 2934 Main St. Free
Formed in 1995 and based in Dallas, Lucky Pierres first played at the legendary roots music bar Naomi’s, on Canton Street in Deep Ellum. For nearly three decades now, the band has developed a mix of honky-tonk shuffles, driving train beats, country-rock and Americana, creating a sound that is reminiscent of the countrypolitan genre of the 1960s. The band released its third album, My Temptation, last summer.
Reverend Horton Heat
8 p.m., Lava Cantina, 5805 Grandscape Blvd., The Colony. $15+ at eventbrite.com
As far as local legends go, they don't come much bigger than the Reverend Horton Heat. Leader of the second wave of psychobilly in the U.S., Reverend Horton Heat began playing with punk attitude and a 1950s rockabilly sound in the late-'80s in Dallas, mirroring the sound of psychobilly pioneers The Cramps. It was Reverend Horton Heat who re-introduced America to the sound with "Psychobilly Freakout" in 1990. The band's 11th studio album, Rev, is due out Jan. 21.
Two Tons of Steel
8 p.m., Dan's Silverleaf, 103 N. Industrial St., Denton. $12+ at prekindle.com
San Antonio band Two Tons of Steel has kept the sound of traditional rockabilly alive since 1990. Having released a dozen album of the course of its career, Two Tons of Steel is a popular act in Nashville's iconic Grand Ole Opry and has become something of an institution at the legendary Gruene Hall in New Braunfels. Every year, the band plays its Two Ton Tuesdays summer series, which draws thousands of fans.
Saturday, Jan. 13
Richard Haskins7 p.m., The Kava Bar, 109 Industrial St., Denton. $15 at prekindle.com
A lot has changed for Richard Haskins, the infamous leader of punk collective The Wee-Beasties. After a health scare last summer, Haskins has given up many of the vices that earned him his infamy and is looking to make a new start with a solo project. It's not that The Wee-Beasties are going away, it's just that this new way of living has opened new creative doors that Haskins is eager to show off. With a band composed of Ginny Mac (Asleep At The Wheel), Robert Hokamp (Brave Combo) and University of North Texas jazz alumnus Conner Kent, Haskins will play a eclectic mix of new and old songs after an acoustic set by Nip Slip.
Crooked Bones
9 p.m., Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. $12 at prekindle.com
A band inspired by punk, rock and surf music, the three-piece Crooked Bones combines dark imagery with a loping rhythm to get something that is soulful and bewitching. Guitarist and vocalist Tyler Curtis Rougeux has the songwriting sensibility of an outlaw country musician, finding the sweet in the sad and the peace amidst the chaos. The band performs in Deep Ellum Saturday night with noise rock band Thyroids and family punk rock band The Prof. Fuzz '63.
Sunday, Jan. 14
That 1 Guy8 p.m., Sundown at Granada, 3520 Greenville Ave. $15 at prekindle.com
A classically trained double bass player, Mike Silverman began performing as That 1 Guy in the early '90s, drawing inspiration from the experimental music of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. That 1 Guy sings and beatboxes over the sound of various strange and handmade instruments like The Magic Boot, The Magic Saw and The Magic Pipe. He also makes use of loops and samples in creating this music. Admittedly, it's really weird stuff, but it's the kind of weird stuff that is sure to be entertaining for the length of a concert.
Monday, Jan. 15
Bashed In6 p.m., Rubber Gloves, 411 E. Sycamore St., Denton. $15 at the door.
Oklahoma City beatdown hardcore band Bashed In heads south on Monday with its friends in Field Dressed and Unrelenting Butchery, for what is sure to be one of the hardest, loudest and most aggressive shows you'll see all year — and we say that being completely aware that we are only halfway through the first month. The band will be joined by Little Rock hardcore band Kill Order and local hardcore bands Scrape TX, Distain and Misanthrope. If you can't make it to the show, there's a chance you might still be able to hear it through your front door anywhere in North Texas.
