A venue’s sound is best when it’s not a distraction. You notice when the sound is bad — when a mic cuts out, when you can’t distinguish one instrument from another or when the feedback makes your ears feel like they’re about to bleed. When the sound is good, all…
It’s a challenge to think of three hip-hop acts that had a better 2017 than Migos, Gucci Mane and Chance The Rapper. Among them, they released platinum records, dominated the airwaves, became pop-culture icons and released a New York Times best-selling autobiography (The Autobiography of Gucci Mane). They also made…
This week, we hear soul-infused hip-hop, psychedelic art rock and everything in between. As the weather warms up a bit, getting out to experience some great music will be a little easier. The Moody Blues 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, 316 W. Las Colinas Blvd., 972-810-1495…
When he was first diagnosed with esophageal cancer, Bruce Corbitt thought he had a pretty good chance to beat it. As a heavy-metal vocalist for Rigor Mortis and Warbeast, he’d faced tough battles over the years and even survived a knife attack. He’s the kind of metalhead who answers the…
Longtime Dallasite John Congleton continues to have a prolific career as a producer, engineer and mixer. Congleton now lives in Los Angeles, and he’s adding the Decemberists to the list of artists hundreds of artists he’s worked with. The Portland, Oregon-based quintet dropped a new song, “Severed,” this week. It’s…
“Barf Wave” started as a name for Eric Vaughn Eisenman’s band, Loafers, to book shows under. “Everything we do starts off as a joke; then it gets serious,” he says. He and his bandmates began to toss around the idea of a record label in 2015, when they released a…
A whole lot of rock and roll, of both the indie and classic varieties, is making its way to Dallas this spring and summer. Venues and artists are continuing to roll out their itineraries for 2018, and we’ve been graced with visits from many recognizable names. Start putting aside some…
Like so many industries, Texas music can seem like a boys’ club. That’s why visitors to the Texas Musicians Museum in Irving are surprised by one of its star exhibits, a 1912 wax cylinder recording of Mary Carson’s “O Dry Those Tears,” the first known recording by a Texas musician…
The legacy of house music in Dallas goes back decades, but part of what keeps it alive is the constant introduction of fresh, young talent. Tony Ellis, who performs under the alias Little Human, is a producer, DJ and artists and repertoire executive for Dallas-based house label Flunked Records, and he’s part…
As a tabloid regular, Grand Prairie native Selena Gomez has faced her share of criticism. But this week, the pop star and actress had an unusual attacker: her mom. Gomez’s mother, Mandy Teefey, called her out for starring in director Woody Allen’s upcoming film, A Rainy Day in New York…
Every year, a handful of bands from Dallas are invited to play SXSW’s official music showcase. Names are trickling out now for this year’s festival of film, interactive media and music, which takes place March 9-18 in Austin. These 11 bands will be making the trip. Cure for Paranoia Dallas…
Dallas-Fort Worth is overloaded with musical talent, and it’s not limited to any particular genre. The acts that caught our attention last year spanned EDM, indie, psychedelic, emo-revival and more. Here are 10 that seemed poised for breakouts in 2018. Medasin Medasin is the most established artist on this list,…
A GoFundMe campaign for a local musician accused of domestic violence has raised nearly $3,000 in two weeks. Dallas County court records show that Scotty Isaacs, who runs the open mic at Deep Ellum’s Free Man Cajun Cafe, was arrested Dec. 12 on a charge of assault/family violence. A temporary…
You felt the difference the first time you attended a concert at the Granada Theater. You may not have been able to put your finger on it, but when one of the employees in black smiled at you, chatted with you about your day or helped you with a problem,…
The seemingly suddens deaths of a spate of iconic musicians, including David Bowie, Prince and Tom Petty, has had fans giving the last two years the finger. Now, 2018 has suffered its first such loss: Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer of Irish rock group the Cranberries. O’Riordan was found dead…
Mind Spiders have performed a magic shrinking trick. Just a few years ago, the band had a huge sound influenced by Phil Spector and Brian Eno. But for its fifth record, Furies, Mind Spiders have significantly pared down that lineup of two drummers, a keyboardist, two guitarists and a bass player…
Despite reports of lagging ticket sales, Katy Perry showed up to a filled American Airlines Center on Sunday evening with her A-game intact, proving to her critics that 10 years after launching her career with “I Kissed A Girl,” she’s still poppin’. Her decadelong run could be attributed to the…
Friday’s Damn Fine Music Festival rolled the dice and came up sevens. Members of 19 Dallas bands were scrambled and assembled into five new ones for the Twin Peaks-inspired concept concert at Three Links, and the result was a surprisingly cohesive show that paid tribute to David Lynch’s iconic nighttime…
This week, Destroyer kicks things off at Three Links, followed by Brockhampton at House of Blues and Charley Crockett at Dan’s Silverleaf. Later in the week, Dru Hill woos the ladies at Music Hall at Fair Park, The Dream Syndicate makes a comeback at Granada Theater and plenty of others…
Monte Pittman plays Three Links on Saturday. East Texas-born axeman Monte Pittman has no plans for slowing down. In fact, one could argue that Pittman is just now entering his golden years as a professional musician. The longtime Madonna guitarist and collaborator has been taking advantage of the Material Girl’s…
It’s been a year and a half since Rosegarden Funeral Party emerged from the ashes of lead singer Leah Lane’s former project, Moon Waves, and the going hasn’t been easy. There have been last-minute changes to Rosegarden’s performance schedule, and the group’s cast of members has continued to evolve. In…
It’s been a busy week for concert announcements. One of the world’s biggest celebrities is coming to Dallas. A couple of popular rock acts are heading this way later in the spring. And, as always, some really good shows are filling up the theater and club calendars. But first, we…
