Frightened Rabbit, Plants & Animals, Bad VeinsThe LoftOctober 19, 2010Better Than: How most people spend random Tuesday nights. Frightened RabbitScott Hutchinson, the lead Scotsman for Glasgow-based indie band Frightened Rabbit, is one sensitive dude. Sure, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to detect a sensitive, aching soul when listening to…
Shiner Rising Star Semi-Final Round, Week 4 T-Bones Bar & Grill, Denison TX Perhaps the most intriguing element to the annual Shiner Rising Star competition is the length of the contest: In years past, the winners have been the acts that lit the stage on fire not once, but…
Blitzen Trapper with Fruit Bats, Pearly Gate Music House of Blues October 14, 2010 Better Than: The Houston show, it appears. All photos by Kiernan MaletskyBlitzen Trapper’s Eric EarleyBlitzen Trapper opened with “Wild Mountain Nation,” which is about as good a show opener as it is possible to have in…
Between the “Music and Media” and “Travel” sections at Borders’ Lovers Lane branch last night, the Old 97’s celebrated The Grand Theatre, Volume One’s official release date with a 45-minute set, followed by a signing session for anyone fan enough to buy the new album in the store. The band’s…
Carrie UnderwoodAmerican Airlines CenterOctober 9, 2010Better than: Austin City Limits. OK, not really. But at least she can sing. If you are looking for a concert where you could bring the whole family, including grandma, go to a Carrie Underwood Show. Because it’s more family friendly than Miley Cyrus. Nevertheless, her…
Morning Benders, Twin Sister, CultsThe Kessler TheaterSaturday, October 9Better than: Just about any show I’ve seen in several years. Morning BendersThe competition on Saturday night was stiff–maybe one of the toughest weekends of the year to draw a crowd. With the Austin City Limits spillover effect in full force, picking…
The xx, Warpaint, Zola JesusGranada TheaterOctober 8, 2010 Better than: the build-up to the lightning-hot London trio’s show. The xxThe xx making their Dallas debut came with much anticipation: After being sold-out since late summer, the attitude at the Granada Friday night was electric, with swooning the xx followers whipping…
The Gaslight Anthem, Rival Schools, Fake ProblemsPalladium ShowroomOctober 8, 2010Better than: staying home and watching the 20/20 special that spoiled the twist of Catfish. Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight Anthem has always had a broader appeal than other bands who also claim punk rock as an influence–whether you have Darkness On the…
We’re just hours away from the end of the ACL, but the number of good bands left to play in day three is staggering. Band of Horses and the Flaming Lips are up next–and bleeding into the sky here is Robert Earl Keen’s “The Road Goes On Forever.” Before those…
Day three and it’s starting to feel like Texas again. That is–the cool weather has vanished and it’s hot as hell balls again. Shirts are coming off in the crowd. No shirts is a good solution to the swelter, but some fans have been choosing the opposite. It’s mysterious. So,…
Shiner Rising Star Competition: Round Two, Week ThreeThe Ranch in Las ColinasOctober 7, 2010Getting back into the swing of things after a week away, I was treated to a kickass night of tunes as a judge for last night’s semi-final round of this year’s Shiner Rising Star competition, hosted by…
Vampire Weekend, Beach House, The Very BestPalladium BallroomOctober 6, 2010Better than: watching the Yankees win another play-off game. To understand just how good 2010 has been for Vampire Weekend, one can look at their trips this year through Dallas: Their first time through last April had them playing a sold-out…
Neon Indian, Profuse 73, Miniature TigersGranada TheaterOctober 5, 2010Better than: the album, which is a miracle for an electronic act. Few Dallas acts have non-Dallas acts opening for them. Even fewer electronic acts can boast about having a live show that enhances instead of degrades the material. But the Dallas-bred, Austin-wannabe Neon…
Are you one of those people annoyed by the word meme? Well, turn away dear friend. Yesterday, the Daily Mail posted an incredible photograph from the Ryder Cup–one depicting a golf ball not much more than a nose hair away from the lens. Of course, the Interneters of the world…
Before Texas-OU rattled the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Shakira brought her tour through Dallas’ American Airlines Center for her own bit of shake-n-bake. And the already-elated crowd got a taste of pure Shakira-heaven when she made her way to the stage… through the crowd.Our photographer Kevin Todora had to bust…
Between the Rangers’ and University of Texas’ weekend losses, there might be enough desk-chair-throwing sports talk to last the morning. Oh well, here’s a little more reason to chatter: After Oklahoma’s 28-20 win over UT, football fans brought out the hook ’em horns on the streets of Lower Greenville.Our photographers…
Eisley, Christie DuPreeBrewtones in TylerOctober 1, 2010Better Than: Just about any blast from the past. On Friday night in Tyler, a hodgepodge of around 150 young hipsters, adults and children sat comfortably in the auditorium of Brewtones, an occasional rock venue built into the Vineyard Church the members of Eisley…
Shiner Rising Star UpdateLove & War in Texas in Grapevine September 30, 2010Semi-Final Round, Week TwoAs was the case a few weeks ago, we weren’t able to sit in as judge for the latest Shiner Rising Star happening–a shame, really. One of the two best bands from the first round…
Guided by VoicesPalladium ShowroomSeptember 29, 2010Better than: watching almost any other group of men in their 50s get drunk in front of a large number of people. It’s been 16 years since the “classic” line-up of Guided By Voices graced the stage together, and, apparently, the band thought Wednesday’s crowd…
CocoRosie, Sleep WhaleGranada TheaterSeptember 29, 2010Better than: listening to recorded CocoRosie. Far better, actually. The sisters Bianca and Sierra (CoCo and Rosie, respectively) Casady and their sidemen brought their unique brand of freaky fairy music to the Granada last night…
Ratatat Palladium Pallroom September 28, 2010 Better than: Avatar–’cause, yeah, Ratatat had more effects. Last time Ratatat came to Dallas, they played at the Granada. This year, they played at the Palladium. And, as the band’s Evan Mast told us this week, that meant fans could expect an even bigger,…
Marc RibotKessler TheaterSeptember 25, 2010Better than: Being challenged by musical banality. The Kessler Theater presented its first “Storytellers at the Kessler” event on Saturday night, hosting Marc Ribot in his first-ever Texas performance. And the combination of music and space could not have been better suited for each other. …
