“By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Didn’t We”—the songs of Jimmy Webb can only be classified as hits. While most writers work a lifetime hoping to write just one standard, Webb began writing them at 20 and had written half a dozen more by 25. Though he’s…
Grayskul’s 2005 release, Deadlivers, seemed suspiciously mature for a debut effort, at least until fans did some digging about these ascendant masters of the underground universe and discovered Reason, Fiddle Back Recluse and Phantom Ghost El-Topo were the superhero aliases of scene vets Onry Ozzborn, JFK and Rob Castro. These…
Jenny Hoyston’s street cred is impeccable. She’s the frontwoman for the crazed post-math-nu-rock-whatever groundbreakers Erase Errata, whose latest release, Night Life, demonstrates the band’s continued maturity, as Hoyston leads her crew through a seamless series of songs that are both weird and compelling. Hoyston’s known for dipping her toes in…
The epic, soaring sonics on Happiness Ltd., Hot Hot Heat’s latest effort, owe a debt to some tricked-out production that results in a number of satisfying swells. The strongest candidates for airplay are front-loaded for instant gratification, while the rest of the album needs time to ferment. Comparisons to the…
DC-9 just got an e-mail announcing 2008 Austin City Limits Festival three-day passes are now on sale at special early-bird prices. If you buy ’em, the ACL folk will send you a confirmation e-mail and mail the tix later in the year. (So you don’t have to hang on to…
Just opened up my press materials from the House of Blues fall schedule. Scrolling through, I noticed there are a few changes, and also the return of the best ’90s comeback band so far the past two years, Dinosaur Jr. Check it: Swizz Beatz’ Oct. 16 show is cancelled. Ringo…
Just got word the Bonde Do Role’s Dallas’ show scheduled for Oct. 5 at the Palladium has been nixed. No word as to why. When we get the skinny, we’ll be sure to share. — Jonanna Widner…
Red Monroe, The Lifters, Oliver Future Central Market, Fort Worth. Free Get your broke ass down to Fort Worth on Thursday, Sept. 27, for a trio of nu-nue-nuevo-nouveau pop from this trio of bands. First off, Red Monroe shakes and shimmies with a style that culls from everything from new…
Dammit, I heart Austin City Limits. The show, not the festival. Well, the festival’s fun, too, but right now I’m talking about the show. The venerable PBS show, a music-lovers wet dream and a good excuse to stay home on a Saturday night, has announced the schedule for its upcoming…
(Hal Samples)I don’t know much about Slider Pines — yet — except that, oh, frontman Joey Shanks wrote the band’s new album, Road, Avenue, Railroad while moving back and forth between Dallas and Memphis, where he grew up. (Got that from the bio — and, like, straight from the bio.)…
Explosions in the Sky at Saturday’s Wall of Sound festival. (Travis Awalt) We spent our Saturday in Ft. Worth. Yeah. At a field little cell reception. Was it worth it? Of course! It was the Wall of Sound festival. Our photographer Travis Awalt snapped pictures all day, so hit up…
Max Cady guitarist Jeff shreds on the Double Wide stage Friday night. (Jonathan Finley) “It’s like a freight train of rock,” my friend Nick leans over to tell me. I had never seen Max Cady (rhymes with lady, not caddy as the opening band, Salute, thought) before I got to…
On April 27, 1983, David Bowie was in Las Colinas rehearsing songs for his “Serious Moonlight” tour, in support of his Let’s Dance album. Joining him was that hit record’s lead guitarist: Oak Cliff’s Stevie Ray Vaughan, who was only two months away from releasing his own debut, Texas Flood,…
I had a quick chat with Smile Smile’s co-singer/guitarist Ryan Hamilton, a.k.a. the nicest guy in the world, on the phone to get the skinny on the band’s upcoming CMJ appearance. Turns out, Hamilton and his singing cohort Jencey Hirunrusme don’t know yet with whom they’ll be playing at their…
Welcome to Good Friday, DC-9 at Night’s go-to spot for the lowdown on the weekend’s musical goodness. Each Friday, we’ll post suggestions for your best bets for Friday through Sunday in Big D, Little d and Funky FW. Hopefully, each week you’ll ignore our cheeky little intro, and go straight…
The five guys in Memphis May Fire are surely having a good day. The Dallas hardcore band is officially on the Trustkill Records roster. For the time being, the label as posted a pretty picture of MMF on the opening page of its site with the line: “The most exciting…
Art for Peace and Justice artistic director Dr. Tim Seelig sent me the link to the group’s first music video, “Red State Blues,” featuring local diva, Denise Lee. Fun stuff, but go to the actual YouTube page and check the heated comments…
Station 4 (or S4), Dallas’ biggest gay dance club goes in a different direction tonight from the usual techno/trash disco/Top 40 format. Instead, it’ll be hosting Houston’s DJ Cubanito for one night only as Café con Leche, where “Dallas’ best dance floor goes Latin.” Although, I’m not really sure how…
Club Dada was filled with cubicle drones who looked like they came straight from Chotchkies. I would venture to guess a lot of code went unwritten last night. The geeks gathered to see their king: Jonathan Coulton. You’ve heard the story by now: He used to write software, quit to…
DC-9 at Night has just learned that local group Smile Smile will perform at the esteemed CMJ Festival in New York this year at the Alphabet Lounge on October 17. Details to come. — Jonanna Widner…
Allow me to preface this review by saying every Roots performance I’ve been to has been the best show I’ve ever seen. Last night’s Hip Hop Honors tour kept the trend, but delivered a special dose of showmanship, because the Roots crew wasn’t there to play its own songs. The…
It was a set-up worthy of Sophie’s Choice. The organizers of this year’s Austin City Limits festival, which took place this last weekend, generally did an excellent job, dealing with headliner cancellations, fires and dehydrated sorority girls, but they really gave us a doozy of a decision to make on…
