Tuesday, Dec. 26
Corey Breedlove7:30 p.m., The Rustic, 3656 Howell St. Free
Dallas singer-songwriter Corey Breedlove may have never been formally taught, but he began playing music and writing songs on his guitar at a young age. Breedlove spent his early years playing rock music, but after spontaneously buying a Frank Sinatra CD for $1 at his local bookstore, he started taking more inspiration from the great American songbook. Breedlove then formed a jazz combo built around the elements of jazz, country and blues, playing a variety of iconic jazz standards from the '20s to the '40s as well as original songs.
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Honin7 p.m., Three Links, 2704 Elm St. $15 at prekindle.com
Carleigh Reese, better known by her stage name Honin, studied jazz at the University of North Texas after graduating from high school in Colleyville and began singing in jazz ensembles around Denton. Over time, Honin began to experiment with the jazz formula, bringing in elements of pop and R&B. On the singer's Bitter Cup EP, released earlier this year, Honin goes deeper into a bedroom pop sound. Indie pop acts Chalk Talk and Yasmeen will also perform at Three Links Wednesday night.
David Tribble
7 p.m., Magnolia Motor Lounge, 3005 Morton St., Fort Worth. Free
Former middle-school teacher and Fort Worth singer-songwriter David Tribble has been growing a following in the Cowtown circuit standing out from the crowd with his haunting troubadour ballads with humble lyrics that are emotionally deep and honest. Tribble draws as much inspiration from the American folk tradition as he does from indie rock. His raspy voice draws listeners close to hear the singer's life stories and lessons in love.
Thursday, Dec. 28
Dome Dwellers7 p.m., Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth. $10 at prekindle.com
Math-rock-infused psychedelic band Dome Dwellers has been on the scene for more than a decade now, crafting high-quality songs that are intriguing to listen to and easy to get lost in. The band's 2022 release, It's Just Us, was one of the best local albums released last year, and as good as that album is, Dome Dwellers is always better live. The band will be headlining a night of indie rock in Fort Worth with support from FIT, Joe Gorgeous and Darstar.
Colin Boyd Trio
8 p.m., AllGood Cafe, 2934 Main St. Free
The Colin Boyd Trio (which has four musicians) plays as part of Deep Ellum's beloved AllGood Cafe's holiday showcase. Boyd regularly performs around town as either a solo act, duo, full band or in this case with a trio of songwriters, Alex Hahn, Terence Slemmons and Mick Tinsley. Boyd has recorded six albums, and his songs have been picked up by the Domestic Science Club and Jack Ingram.
Friday, Dec. 29
Rick Maguire7 p.m., Club Dada, 2720 Elm St. $15 at prekindle.com
This year, indie-rock band Pile received some high praise for its eighth studio album, All Fiction. The band has long been known as a post-hardcore band, but on the new album, Pile began to experiment with more synth and percussion. While changes in direction are often resisted by a band's fanbase, Pile's fans seem to have welcomed the change with some calling it the band's best work. Pile founder Rick Maguire will perform solo with an opening set from Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Drugs, the solo project of Upsetting's Caleb Lewis.
Broke String Burnett
7 p.m., Tulips, 112 St. Louis Ave., Fort Worth. $10 at prekindle.com
Brandon "Broke String" Burnett is a Fort Worth singer-songwriter who has performed in several projects through the years, ranging from folk to country to rockabilly. Drawing deeply from Texas' rich musical history, Burnett picked up the name "Broke String" to honor and preserve guitar-driven music. Burnett picked up the guitar in his teens, inspired by '90s country, but over time, he began to experiment with other genres. No matter how far from roots music he may stray, his songwriting always begins with the basics. J. Isaiah Evans & the Boss Tweed, The Half Guided Hearts and Daniel Markham will also play sets at Tulips Friday night.
Saturday, Dec. 30
Mystery Skulls7 p.m., Club Dada, 2720 Elm St. $15 at prekindle.com
Luis Dubuc started his dance/electro-soul act, Mystery Skulls, in 2011 as a passion project in addition to his work as a drummer for Dallas bands The Secret Handshake and Of Legends. However, the upbeat, groovy sounds of Mystery Skulls quickly earned Dubuc over 100 million streams and nearly 550,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, turning his side project into his primary gig. His 2019 album Back to Life and 2020 album Now or Never both went to No. 1 on the iTunes Electronic charts. Mystery Skulls returns home Saturday night for a show with local electronic rock band NITE.
stepmom
7 p.m., Andy's Bar, 122 N. Locust St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
Oklahoma City orchestral dream punk band stepmom has been building a following north of the Red River with its dreamy three-part harmonies, ambient cello and synths juxtaposed to the angsty guitar riffs and powerful lead vocals of frontwoman Lindsey Cox. stepmom's music often grapples with the feelings of disillusionment and the search for purpose. The band will have local support from alex(andria) gore, Big Drag and Matchstick Ghost.
Sunday, Dec. 31
Daikaiju8 p.m., Double Wide, 3510 Commerce St. $15 at prekindle.com
Formed as a kaiju-themed surf punk band in Huntsville, Alabama, in the winter of 1999, Daikaiju is now based out of Houston. The band plays in many forms, but it mostly consists of two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer. Seems ordinary enough, right? But what has taken the band around the world to play shows across Europe, eastern Asia and North America is its incredible stage show culminating in any pyromaniac's dream. It's hard to say what the band will set on fire, but there most certainly will be fire in Deep Ellum after sets from heavy rock band Smokey Mirror and B-movie black metal surf rock band Kólga.
Starparty
8 p.m., Dan's Silverleaf, 103 N. Industrial St., Denton. $10 at prekindle.com
Daft Punk may not be around anymore, but thankfully Denton has its own version of the legendary electronic duo in Starparty, which performs Daft Punk's music with the benefit of live instruments. It really may be better than the real thing. Starparty will have help closing out the year from some Denton staples like Sol Kitchen, The Bret Crow Show and DJ Party Mcfly.
