Fair to Midland, The House HarkonnenCurtain ClubJuly 12, 2011Better than: your average Curtain Club show. Lest anyone was concerned that Deep Ellum has softened in recent years, that it has turned its back on its hard rock- and metal-intensive past or that the neighborhood’s heavier genres had fallen by the…
Good times last night in Lakewood, as Dallas rockers True Widow, fresh off their tour of the West Coast, were joined by their sorta labelmates in Dunes (Dunes’ Mexican Summer label is an imprint on Kemado Records, to which True Widow is signed) for an early evening garage show. Actually,…
Britney Spears, Nicki NinajAmerican Airlines CenterJuly 12, 2011Better than: most shows by folks who actually sing, dance and write their own music. Here’s the thing about Britney: She’s a mediocre singer and dancer who got very, very lucky and very, very famous by singing songs that she contributed very little,…
Welcome to My First Show, where we give bands a chance to talk about the first shows they ever attended — no matter how uncool and embarrassing those tales may be. When he isn’t recording, tour managing, or running sound for other bands, Matt Barnhart has Tre Orsi going. And…
Rihanna, J. Cole, a goddamn fire American Airlines July 8 2011 Better than: The Voice. Wait, does The Voice have fire? Four spotlight displays and a rounded widescreen highlighted the swanky American Airlines Center stage setup for Rihanna’s set last night. And it was all meant to draw attention to the…
Centro-matic, Sarah JaffeJuly 7, 2011Dan’s SilverleafBetter than: listening to old-timers go on and on about the “glory days” of local music. It’s abundantly clear at this point: Sarah Jaffe is a big deal around these here North Texas parts. She’s a local darling, and rightfully so: Riding high off of the…
Taking Back Sunday, Thursday, The Colour Revolt, The New Regime House of Blues July 5th, 2011 Better than: having your first colonoscopy. One of the biggest complaints about venues that can hold more than 100 people is that the intimacy between band and audience gets lost. Those craving a connection…
Given her DJ nickname of Tigerbee, maybe it’s not surprising that Patricia Rodriguez is a very busy person. When she isn’t working on her artwork, she serves as one of the main people behind the theme-party DJ troupe, The Lollipop Shoppe. She’s also spent time playing bass with The Upside…
Willie’s PicnicBilly Bob’s Texas in Fort WorthJuly 4, 2011Better than: A real picnic out in the blazing heat all day, with fire ants and dirt and things. In a concession to July, Willie Nelson’s iconic Fourth of July picnic became this year an indoor/outdoor affair at Billy Bob’s Texas. It’s not…
Foster The People, Gardens & VillaThe LoftJuly 3, 2011 Better than: going to a dance party where the host played some Foster the People. A little better, anyways. There’s something to be said for bands that can reproduce their recorded sound faithfully, note for note, at their live shows. Making your live show…
R. Stevie Moore, Tropical Ooze, Marriage Material, Hares on the MountainHailey’s Club, DentonJune 30, 2011Better than: waiting in line to see Santa in the mall Last night at Hailey’s, R. Stevie Moore really lived up to his reputation. The singer-songwriter is just as legendary for his seemingly endless stream of material…
New Kids on The Block, Backstreet Boys and Jordin SparksAmerican Airlines CenterJune 26, 2011Better than: leg warmers, boom boxes, and slow dancing in the gym. Last night at the American Airlines Center, NKOTBSB proved that boy bands are still hanging tough — especially with their powers combined.Yes, the lyrics are…
Ramblin’ Jack ElliottPoor David’s PubJune 25, 2011Better than: a good 90 percent of artists over 65 still out there performing. People make fun of The Rolling Stones because they’re still trying to rock out at almost 70 years of age. Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is 10 years their senior.But the 79-year-old…
Ishi, The Burning Hotels, Air ReviewTreesJune 24, 2011Better than: Twitter beef. In usual fashion, Dallas came out on Friday night to dance. It’s just what’s happened around these part for the past year and a half: When Ishi headlines Trees it has become an event. But on this particular night,…
In the sweltering summer sun yesterday, punk and metal fans both young and old headed to Gexa Energy Pavilion to catch the annual mass of humanity known as the Vans Warped Tour. Out of the bands that this reporter got to witness at the kickoff to this year’s summer tour,…
Warped Tour LaunchGexa Energy Pavilion June 24, 2011 Better than: spending all day on traffic control at the new In-N-Out Burger. Let’s address the elephant with the pink tutu standing in the corner: Sure, there were doubts about this year’s lineup, but given how the day played out, the opening…
Girl Talk, The Cool KidsGranada TheaterJune 23, 2011Better than: sweating to the oldies. Greg Gillis is not an aerobics instructor. But perhaps the man behind the ever-popular Girl Talk name should be. Because — there’s just no cutting around the bush here — his 110-minute headlining performance at the Granada Theater…
Warped Tour Kickoff Party with Against Me!, Lucero, Mike Herrera, The Aggrolites and Missile The Double Wide June 23, 2011 Better than: any house party you’ve ever attended Billed as a free-to-the-public kickoff party for the summer-long Warped Tour, last night’s display at the Double Wide was actually much, much…
The Rosebuds, Other Lives Dada June 23, 2011 Better than: a fried onion at an Aussie-themed steak house. The Rosebuds have what every other band worth its salt wants: Charisma. Sheer, raw charisma that makes connecting with fans a simple act. A smile, a nod, a knowing remark — all…
Emmylou HarrisWinspear Opera HouseJune 23, 2011Better than: Sipping lemonade on the porch swing on a breezy afternoon in May. Dressed like Stevie Nicks, if Nicks had been a flapper (black headband and all), Emmylou Harris literally danced her way onto the stage at the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Winspear Opera…
Yesterday eve’s Patio Sessions was a doozy: Chris Johnson of Telegraph Canyon and Bosque Brown laid down some tunes at the AT&T PAC. If you missed Johnson yesterday, he’s a total Observer fave and an immersive concert experience. Mara Lee Miller of Bosque Brown is no different with her smoky…
Welcome to My First Show, where we give bands a chance to talk about the first shows they ever attended — no matter how uncool and embarrassing those tales may be. Lucero has played Dallas a few times in recent memory (including our DOMA showcase last year). But they’ve never…
