Dallas, what the hell? It is offensively cold outside. I don't appreciate it, and I don't want any part of it, but despite my wants or needs, the polar vortex has laid its wrath upon us with great vengeance and furious anger. I took my dog for a walk this morning, and even in double layers, I wanted to vomit. This is America, goddamnit. Better yet, this is Texas. Why does February have to be like this? Gone are December and January's endearing holiday chill. Christmas is over. All that's left is this bitter, bitchy, punch you in the face and kick you in the ass kind of cold that makes you want to stay in bed forever.
But I can't, because there are a ton of great shows this week. So wrap yourself in layers upon layers of patterned Snuggies and get outside.
Josh Garrels Thursday, February 6, at the Kessler Theater Josh Garrels epitomizes the phrase "God loves a cheerful giver." During a two-week stretch last March, his albums were downloaded for free 161,245 times on Noisetrade, and all the tips he received -- more than $70,000-- were donated to charity. Additionally, his 2011 album, Love & War & the Sea in Between, was downloaded for free more than 125,000 times during its first year. So why are people going crazy about Garrels? Mostly because he is not your typical heart-on-his-sleeve singer-songwriter, nor is he -- as a musician of faith -- dropping Jesus bombs every sentence. The thought-provoking artist falls into that uncomfortable space between the two, which he relishes. "The Resistance" showcases much of what makes him interesting, mixing his thick-as-molasses Citizen Cope-like voice with Chris Martin's falsetto and the tongue-twisting delivery of early Mat Kearney, all while laying bare his thoughts on the sometimes beautiful, sometimes harsh intersection between faith and the real world. Brian Palmer
Wick-It The Instigator Thursday, February 6, at Trees It is exceedingly hard to be an original DJ and producer in 2014. But Wick-It the Instigator is as surprising as they come. It's not complicated stuff, necessarily -- some clever mash-up work, a judicious sampling of trends you'll find elsewhere in EDM. But visit his SoundCloud page and don't be surprised if you end up spending the day there. Kiernan Maletsky
Nelo Friday, February 7, at Granada Theater Austin's Nelo have a sound that lies somewhere between pop, rock, and alt country. They've seen a good amount of success since recording their debut album at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in Spicewood, TX. This Friday, they hit The Kessler with local favorites, Seryn. Vanessa Quilantan
Curtis Heath Benefit Concert Friday, February 7, at The Live Oak Theater Fire guitarist and film score composer Curtis Heath was diagnosed with cancer a while back and, like so many creative people, was without the financial safety net afforded by health insurance. A series of benefit shows have helped to lighten the burden, though the expense of something like this is a black hole. So there's another worthy opportunity to help out here, with sets from The Baptist Generals, Dark Rooms and Priya and Andy. KM
Jimmie Vaughan Friday, February 7, at the Kessler Theater Whether solo or with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan's legendary guitar skills have been on display for the better part of four decades. Influenced by B.B. King and Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Vaughan's playing has always been beyond reproach. And unlike many skilled players, Vaughan also knows the value of restraint. Indeed, some of his best recorded moments have been when he played as much rhythm guitar as lead. His recent pair of Blues, Ballads & Favorites albums showcase how great a guitarist Vaughan is in an amazing variety of contexts. All of Vaughan's wares will be on display Friday night and the pristine sound at the Kessler will certainly enhance each and every note. Darryl Smyers
Yuck Friday, February 7, at Trees Somewhere between Yo La Tengo and Dinosaur Jr., adjacent to shoegaze and Elliot Smith, sit Yuck. With aesthetics plucked straight from the '90s and melodies 10 feet deep, Yuck strike a hook-heavy balance between indie noise and the daze of surf rock. This is the kind of grungy pop that makes every ex-college radio DJ salivate; the sort of quirky tunes inevitably destined to soundtrack a thousand coming-of-age moments. Oscillating between crunchy chords and woozy fluidity, Yuck's sound is all strung out with enough infectious slacker charm to sidestep the nostalgia trap. Hell, it wouldn't matter much anyway because Yuck aren't making music that aims for the clouds. Their cuts hit you square in the gut and reverberate below the belt. On Friday the London four-piece will play Trees -- the very venue that famously housed Kurt Cobain himself -- and for a night Yuck's musical DNA will collide with the history that helped write it, and what an awesome scene it will be. Jonathan Patrick
Turnpike Troubadours Saturday, February 8, at the House of Blues Red-dirt country music doesn't get much better than Oklahoma's Turnpike Troubadours. This entertaining five-piece has been gaining new fans at every show since forming in 2007. The band's third effort, Goodbye Normal Street, came out in 2012 and highlighted everything right about Turnpike Troubadours. Songs like "Gin, Smoke, Lies," "Before the Devil Knows We're Dead" and "Call a Spade a Spade" are more akin to Steve Earl than Pat Green. Lord knows that's a good thing. Turnpike Troubadours are, thankfully, a little rough around the edges. Let us all pray that the band will stay that way. Darryl Smyers Nipsey Hussle Saturday, February 8, at Prophet Bar Last fall, Nipsey Hussle trailblazed a revolutionary idea for mixtape sales with his Proud 2 Pay strategy. The Los Angeles rapper decided to press 1000 copies of his October 2013 release, Crenshaw, and retail them at $100 each. People called him crazy, but he sold out of all copies within 24 hours, essentially making a hundred grand in a single day. Come see what all the hype's about this weekend at Prophet Bar. VQ
Russian Circles Saturday, February 8, at Dada If you've never had the chance to see Chicago's best stoney instrumental fare, don't miss this one at Dada on Saturday. The sheer loudness and of layered guitar scales will put you in a trance like state and keep you wanting more. VQ
JessIe Frye's Dallas Album Release Show Saturday, February 8, at Three Links Local pop princess Jessie Frye has been hard at work on her new album, Obsidian. This weekend, she brings the album release party train to Deep Ellum, where she will celebrate her labor of love with her Dallas fans. VQ
Sting & Paul Simon Sunday, February 9, at American Airlines Center Do you dream of rain, alayalay? Or maybe you'll agree to be my bodyguard if I can be your long lost pal. Either way, you'll probably find what you're looking for at American Airlines Center this weekend. VQ
Dokken Sunday, February 9, at Trees 1980's heavy metal heroes Dokken hit Trees this weekend, so tease that hair up high and see if you can still fit into those old leather pants. I'm betting you can. VQ
The Weeks Tuesday, February 11, at Dada These Mississippi rockers released what might be the best album title of 2013 on Kings Of Leon's Serpents and Snakes label. With Dear Bo Jackson the young band has earned their place at the grownup's table. VQ
The Pack A.D. Wednesday, February 12, at Dan's Silverleaf Vancouver garage rock duo, The Pack A.D., will be a nice addition to your hump day. Please refrain from any violent bar fights as depicted in the video above for "Battering Ram", we'd like for them to come back after all. VQ
Snoop Dogg Wednesday, February 12, at House of Blues This is for the G's, this is for the hustlers. Whether you call him Snoop Dogg or Snoop Lion, you can't call his live show anything less that amazing. This is the first time he's been back since headlining our St. Patrick's Day parade concert last year. VQ
See also: -The Top Ten All Time Best Replacement Lead Singers in Rock and Roll -Songs That Have Hidden Messages When Played in Reverse -The Ten Best Music Videos Banned by MTV
