Shawn Kasal has been a DJ for only a few years, but it’s clearly his calling. Under the alias Stone Castle, he spins and produces techno in support of local DJ crew Lolo and as a guest on other DJ nights throughout town. Unlike many DJs, Kasal has a background…
One Direction members are better apart than they ever were together. If you disagree, then the second you listen to each member’s solo attempts, you should be ready to agree. Or you’ll see for yourself in November, when you see Niall Horan in concert in Dallas. For anyone older than…
Last week, Kelly Clarkson made the news for her witty, self-confident response to someone who called her fat on Twitter. The hateful tweet that just said “you’re fat” was in response to a tweet Clarkson, 35, made July 4 in support of America’s troops. The original American Idol winner and…
Last Friday night in North Richland Hills, Nytex Sports Centre hosted its inaugural concert with recently reunited Tripping Daisy, which played what was likely its last concert — at least for a while. “Maybe in 18 more years we’ll have another reunion,” frontman Tim DeLaughter said to an ecstatic crowd…
Hans Zimmer will perform at Verizon Theatre on Thursday, July 13. At nearly 60 years old, the prolific film score composer Hans Zimmer decided to try something he’d never done before. He’s the go-to guy in Hollywood for creating monumental soundtracks for some of the most-loved movies: The Lion King,…
The Granada Theater is the place to be this month. Free Week is back for the second year, and Valise, Micky and the Motorcars, Quaker City Night Hawks, Night Drive, Eisley, and Savoy are all on the lineup. The festivities kick off at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, and continue…
When he isn’t working for the Denton State Supported Living Center, Billy Hensley writes and records for his Wirerims project. It’s a one-man-band, and he plays every instrument and sings on the recordings. After he put out a full LP called Self-Construction earlier this year, he set a goal of…
The Washington Post’s recent article about the slow death of the electric guitar has caused some local North Texas artists to come forward and give their own take on the state of guitar-driven music.
Although there were no major stadium or arena concerts announced this week for Dallas, several club and theater dates of note were released. A few influential names in the soul and R&B circuit, two stars with international roots and acclaim, and an old indie rock friend are all joining this…
Five years ago, Allen Falkner, managing partner at The Nines, came across a Craigslist ad offering roughly $800 worth of Deep Ellum club history in the form of video cassette tapes. The VHS tapes were from the archives of Video Bar, a club that provided an inclusive and eclectic soundtrack…
Aidin Hafezamini has played just about every role in DJ culture. First, he served time as a promoter, having co-founded the Dallas DJ promotion group Prime. But Hafezamini left that stressful gig five years ago to pursue deejaying. He’s also worked other day jobs. For a year, he was behind…
Late ’90s alt-rock band Jibe made an epic return in 2015 from its 11-year hiatus with a sold-out show at Gas Monkey Live. Now, the boys are back with the release of their first post-reunion album, Epic Tales of Human Nature, and another show at Gas Monkey Live on Saturday,…
Does your grandmother needle you about attending medical or law school? Well, you can look forward to her adding one more profession to her list, pop star, when she hears about the huge load of cash Selena Gomez is drawing in — without even using her pipes. The “Come and…
Playful noise is emanating from a warehouse in the industrial district on the edge of Garland. Inside, the trio Thyroids is practicing. Kenneth Ramirez riffs sharply and sings with a rambling howl tuned into Deborah Tamayo’s bass and Mark Bitner’s calculated drums. The group recently released a tape titled Oh…
Dandii Sun apologizes for being in his “rawest form.” The 22-year-old from Pasadena, California, doesn’t have on pants, and his hair is wet because he’s just showered. He’s facing a 10-hour work shift after this interview, conducted in in Mansfield, Texas. It’s a struggle for him to make time for his art…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature where we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Vandoliers — “Endless Summer” Cowpunk band Vandoliers continued its streak of good fortune in 2017 when Rolling Stone premiered the video for “Endless Summer” earlier this week. The track is from Vandoliers’ sophomore album…
“Hips Don’t Lie,” “Closer to Free” and “Cars” are three strong hit singles. Any casual listener could identify the melodies and likely sing along to a verse or two, as well. What do they have in common? The songs’ three creators are all coming to Dallas soon. Elsewhere, a rising…
Kid Koala performs at the Alamo Drafthouse Cedars on Thursday, June 29 . Even if you’re not a house music enthusiast or connoisseur of clubs, chances are you’ve still heard some of Kid Koala’s sick tracks. The Canadian DJ, also known as Eric San, has built an impressive musical resume…
Encouraged by his recent trip to Detroit for the Movement festival, Matthew Urbanic delivers an inspired mix that is heavy on techno. As a DJ, Urbanic is mostly associated with house music, but he recently began exploring new sonic pastures. Choice cuts from the likes of Fred P, Deadbeat, Function,…
We’re halfway through 2017, which means it’s time to assess all the local releases so far and rank our favorites. It’s never easy to reduce a region as large and rich in music as North Texas to a top 10 list, but in the first six months of this year,…
Last week, St. Vincent announced a new worldwide tour devoid of a show date in Dallas, her hometown. The 23-date tour kicks off Aug. 19 in Tokyo and ends Dec. 2 in Brooklyn. Presale tickets for the eight international dates opened today, and tickets for all dates go on sale…
Boy Epic wants to be the first artist to submit music videos to the Sundance Film Festival. His latest effort to that effect, “Trust,” was released June 8 on Playboy’s website. The provocative pop musician/filmmaker grew up in Frisco and lives in North Dallas. Since bursting onto the scene three…
