Wild Flag, Drew Grow and The Pastors WivesThe LoftOctober 28, 2011Better than: only experiencing the album. At least every once in a while, a performance causes a person to reflect on that eternal question: “Did I waste my money on this?” While the age of digital music has made it…
Explosions in the Sky, Burning Hotels Winspear Opera HouseOctober 28, 2011 Better than: living in Odessa When they attempted to perform at the outdoor Strauss Square in Dallas last month, the persistent rain prevented Explosions in the Sky from playing. To prevent any recurrence, Friday night’s show was moved inside…
Tom Rush The Kessler Theater October 26, 2011 Better than: sitting at home waiting for it to stop raining in St. Louis. At 70, Tom Rush is the elder statesman of the singer-songwriter era that began in the late 1960s. Known as the person who introduced audiences to the songwriting…
Soundgarden, Mastodon Verizon Theatre October 26, 2011 Better than: VH1’s I Love The ’90s. 2011 has been a pretty big year for grunge music. As this year marks the 20th anniversary of albums like Nirvana’s Nevermind, Pearl Jam’s Ten, and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger, there seems to be a bit of a…
Johnette Napolitano leads Concrete Blonde back to Dallas later this week for a Friday night gig at the Granada Theater that will no doubt stand as one of the best shows in town. With only a string of shows slated — three in Texas and all around Halloween time, no…
St. VincentKessler TheaterOctober 23, 2011Better than: missing out on all three of Annie Clark’s hometown performances this weekend. This much is clear, just as it always has been: Dallas loves its own, and especially those who love it back.Fortunate, then, that Annie Clark, the Oklahoma-born, Dallas-bred artist who performs under…
45 FestDadaOctober 21, 2011Better than: lots of Deep Ellum shows during Frankie and Adam’s formative years. Deep Ellum is picking back up. Although it may never be what it once was, it’s turning into something cool. The suicides of Spector 45 punks Frankie “45” Campagna and Adam “Bones” Carter, which…
Earlier this morning, Pete released the full list of the DOMAXXIII award winners following a damn great night at the House of Blues. If you missed it, the performers were RTB2, A.Dd+, The Burning Hotels and Erykah Badu–all with support from the Cannabanoids. A good night. While were celebrating, our…
Love ’em or hate ’em, 3 Doors Down have been around since the mid-’90s, with five albums in their canon. They’re currently touring on last year’s mega-selling Time of My Life, but you can still hear songs on the radio from their debut album. Led by vocalist (and the band’s…
Judas Priest, Black Label Society and Thin Lizzy Allen Event Center Sunday, October 16, 2011 Better than: getting all decked out in studs and leather and going to Oak Lawn. Back in the ’80s, when Allen, Texas, was nothing more than a speed trap between Dallas and Oklahoma City, folks…
The Toadies, the Old 97’s, Centro-matic and Sarah Jaffe 2011 Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase Main Stage Saturday, October 15, 2011 On Saturday afternoon, Deep Ellum boasted a buzz the area hadn’t felt in years, as the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase brought together four acts that have defined the…
Dawes, Blitzen TrapperDadaOctober 13, 2011Better than: another Dawes show. Oh wait! So: Another Dawes show. “We’ve been looking forward to this one for a while,” Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith revealed to his sold-out crowd of 600-plus on the outdoor, back patio stage at Dada last night, shortly after his band…
Star Slinger, Mux MoolHouse of Blues’ Cambridge RoomOctober 13, 2011Better than: yesterday’s Rangers game. Perhaps you’ve heard of Star Slinger by now. His smooth, sexy and sample-heavy hip-hop beats have earned him accolades from nearly every music publication and caught the attention of artists and labels the world around. To…
You might have seen Maria Taylor play with Azure Ray or Now It’s Overhead. You might have heard her on a Bright Eyes recording. Hell, you might have heard her on an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Regardless of where you heard her before, know this: Maria and her sweet voice…
Taylor Swift, Needtobreathe, James Wesley and Charlie Worsham Cowboys Stadium October 8, 2011 Better than: Watching a Broadway Musical Surrounded by just under 50,000 adoring fans, Taylor Swift put on a performance Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium that was so big, it nearly dwarfed the sizeable venue itself. It was…
Toro y Moi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Bass Drum of DeathDadaOctober 7, 2011Better than: heading out to any of the Red River Rivalry-related events taking place around town this weekend. Well before Toro y Moi took to the patio stage at Dada to perform a headlining set and before, even, Unknown…
400 Blows, El Paso Hot Button, New Science Projects Bryan Street Tavern October 6, 2011 Better than: Staying home and watching A-Rod strike out again! Maybe a couple dozen people ventured out last night into the sometimes seedy confines of old East Dallas to catch a fine triple-bill of noise,…
At this stage of things, Thrice has survived a couple of generations of punk and hardcore fans. A thinking-man’s band since their debut ten years ago — even that album featured a blend of hardcore, emo, electronica and full-on rock — it’s no surprise to see the group still at…
Roky Erickson, Dim LocatorKessler TheaterSeptember 30, 2011Better than: languishing away in a state hospital.There’s a difference between the psychedelic music that comes from Texas and that which comes from other scenes. Our state’s brew has got a whole lot more soul to it, plus a slight dusting of twang. Most…
Phife Dawg, The Gritz, A.Dd+, Big Hud Palladium Ballroom September 30, 2011 Better than: just about any other rapper in the world’s debut with a live band. The Palladium Ballroom opened its doors to a legend on Friday night as A Tribe Called Quest’s Phife Dawg headlined a wholly stimulating…
Incubus, Young the Giant Gexa Energy Pavillion September 29, 2011 Better than: sitting at home playing a bongo shirtless… by myself. riving up to Gexa Energy Pavillion last night was greeted with an impressive light show. Not only was the iconic Texas Star Ferris Wheel illuminated to mark the beginning of the…
Gang Gang Dance, Venus X and Shane Dada September 28, 2011 Better than: not paying attention and missing something clever. Sly is the word that best sums up last night’s show at Dada, which saw two groups from New York City presenting a seamless two-hour-plus performance of avant-garde electronic and…
