Scotty McCreery was humbled from the first moment he won Season 10 of American Idol. The 17-year-old at the time had to fly back home to North Carolina right after the show’s season finale for an AP English test the next morning. “I guess that kind of grounded me pretty…
People still recognize Jeff Timmons at the grocery store all these years later. “A lot of people come up to me and say, ‘Hey, where do I know you from?’” Timmons tells us over the phone. “I’ve got like a 98 Degree tattoo on my arm, so it’s pretty obvious.”…
This week’s concert lineup boasts plenty of local acts. Catch KXT-FM 91.7 radio host Paul Slavens on Monday night at Dan’s Silver Leaf as he plays a comedic night of improv, or see country acts The Texas Gentlemen and Eleven Hundred Springs or The Vandoliers’ Holiday Hoedown at Three Links on…
Three-quarters into the sold-out Dallas stop of his Astroworld — Wish You Were Here Tour, Travis Scott rides a snaking roller coaster over the heads of his overjoyed youthful fans while performing “5% Tint.” That right there tells you all you need to know about Scott. He doesn’t settle for…
Though we’re still a few days out from Thanksgiving, the concert announcements are pouring in for the upcoming summer and are even stretching into next fall. For the ambitious types, plan ahead or be ready to snag tickets to some of these shows as holiday presents. Off The Rails Country…
Controversial rapper Daniel Hernandez, better known as his stage name, Tekashi 6ix9ine, was set to perform Saturday at the Mesquite Rodeo, but the show was canceled. The Mesquite Rodeo owners had no comment to the Observer regarding their reasons for canceling the show. However, Bruce Archer, a Mesquite council member,…
There is a myth that a handful of industry executives in Nashville are the sole arbiters and gatekeepers of country music. That is not said to diminish Nashville’s importance, or even the influence music industry bigwigs in Nashville have over country music, but rather, it is to point out that…
In late October, Pitchfork senior editor Jeremy D. Larson unleashed a scathing and hilarious review of Greta Van Fleet’s Anthem of the Peaceful Army. The band had gained popularity as a result of them sounding, well, a lot like Led Zeppelin. Larson pulled approximately zero punches, saying the group “sound like…
We will never see Mitski in a venue as small as Trees ever again. The New York-based indie sensation is on the road in support of her 2018 full-length album Be the Cowboy, and every date of the tour is sold out. This tour includes four consecutive dates at the…
The last 15 years have taken emo-pop trio Mae on quite a journey. The band’s name, which stands for “Multisensory Aesthetic Experience,” was inspired by drummer Jacob Marshall’s studies at Virginia’s Old Dominion University. He was interested in “the perception of beauty, awe and wonder … how the senses cross,”…
Whether you know her powerful voice and curly blonde hair from pop hits like “Should’ve Been Us” and “Dear No One” or her soulful duet with Ed Sheeran “I Was Made For Loving You,” or maybe as the voice of the shy elephant in the animated film Sing, Tori Kelly…
Say what you will about Good Charlotte, but damn, they know how to put on a fun show. The pop-punk giants have been around for more than 20 years, and their show Sunday night at House of Blues proved they’re not going anywhere. The Generation Rx Tour is promoting Good…
About halfway through Saturday night’s excellent set at The Granada Theater, Phosphorescent band leader Matthew Houck coughed one time too many. “I’m sorry, y’all. I’ve got quite the cold,” he announced to the surprise of few in the audience. After watching him power through a couple of false starts, rearrange…
Though greeted with commercial indifference at the time of its release, The Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo has grown to be certifiable classic. It’s a sacred text of country-rock; the 11 tracks molded together pedal steel and traditional country arrangements with the jangly rock ‘n’ roll that had become a…
Lend your voice at singer-songwriter night at Fort Worth Live, catch Willie Nelson at Billy Bob’s Texas, or celebrate 20 years with Thrice at House of Blues this week. That’s not all. Keep reading for more concerts happening this week. Singer-Songwriter Night with Josh Fleming 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 12…
Beth Wood has been making music professionally for more than 20 years now. Long nights on the road have taken her as far from her hometown of Lubbock than one could hope for. Yet the self-described modern-day troubadour says she still feels like an emerging artist. “I’ve always struggled, my…
The concert calendar is shaping up nicely for the year ahead as a bevy of new announcements are added to local venues. This week, we have a Pink Floyd original member, a country favorite, an arena powerhouse and many, many others coming to DFW. Read ahead for the details. Legendary…
Beauty Bar is typically closed on Monday, but not this week. It was shoulder-to-shoulder, maximum capacity to celebrate the birthday of a local boy done good. Eric Estornel, aka Maceo Plex, aka Mariel Ito, is Dallas’ most successful electronic music DJ and producer. Originally from Miami, the Cuban-American Estornel moved…
Billy Strings may be the most controversial name in bluegrass, playing blazing leads on acoustic and distorted electric guitar, an instrument frowned upon by the genre’s hardcore traditionalists. But the 25-year-old may just be following a family tradition. “I cut my teeth playing bluegrass with my dad at home (in…
From hip-hop to metal to Texas country, there’s a concert for everyone this week. Paul Slavens and Friends 9 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5 at Dan’s Silverleaf, 103 Industrial St., Denton, 940-320-2000, danssilverleaf.com, free Paul Slavens, frontman of the late ’80s and early ’90s band Ten Hands, is pretty well known…
A group of big names on big-ticket tours are heading this way on the latest batch of concert announcements. Fans of pop, classic rock and art rock will be pleased with what lies ahead. Ariana Grande is off and running with massive plans for her next tour. As she continues…
Johnny “Chops” Richardson has been throwing down bass lines for Texas music big boys The Randy Rogers Band since 2002. It continues to be a great gig and affords him the ability to pay the bills while honing his songwriting skills. His songs “Last Last Chance,” “Wicked Ways” and “10…
