Anyone who has achieved even an iota of mobility in the music industry will attest to its corrosive tendency to strip aspiring artists of their innocence. Dahlia Knowles is certainly no exception to this, but she continues to remain steadfast and determined to pay her dues. “I came from the…
After returning from their tour of the West Coast and Midwest and racking up four Dallas Observer Music Award nominations, those post-punk darlings, Rosegarden Funeral Party, are back with a new song, demonstrating their commitment to developing their craft and expanding their sound. This time they’re adding just a dash…
Dallas is a long way from Italy, but Sauro Sale is yet another import from overseas bringing his talents behind the decks and in the production studio to Dallas — a migration that is becoming increasingly more common. With techno dominating the digital DJ music sites, it would seem that…
Oak Cliff rapper Deandre Conway’s career was turning a corner at the beginning of 2018. Better known as Yella Beezy, he was fresh off the release of a new album (Lite Work, Vol 2), had just signed a record deal with L.A. Reid’s Hitco and was finally generating buzz outside…
Vanessa Peters is back with her new album, Foxhole Prayers. The 10-song project was recorded locally with her husband, producer and bandmate Rip Rowan, along with John Dufilho. Maestro guitarist Chris Holt (Don Henley, Bastards of Soul) added his touch to a couple of songs. As the follow-up to The…
The Dallas Observer Music Awards survived its 20s. It can no longer blame its age on being stupid, or getting too drunk at a party, or not knowing what they want to do with the rest of their life. Well, they can, but society pities people in their 20s. Not…
Dead Flowers’ fourth album, Let’s Get Angry, won’t be out until Jan. 11, but we have an exclusive premiere of the first single, “We Aren’t Satisfied.” As evidenced here, the band continues its punky style from the previous album, Let Me Be. The song won’t be available to stream everywhere…
Taylor Young has played in a lot of bands for the past two decades. From Neon Girl to Hi-Fi Drowning to 25% Toby, he’s best known for his work with the folky stomp of the O’s. As fellow O John Pedigo works on his Pedigo’s Magic Pilsner, Young is about…
As a veteran of the local scene, Salim Nourallah has worked with an eclectic array of artists, many of whom have passed through the doors of his Pleasantry Lane Studios. You’ll see his name on the credits of albums by Old 97’s, Deathray Davies and Nicholas Altobelli, and it’s likely you’ve seen…
Jeff Plunk has earned his DJ veteran stripes with more than two decades of service to dance floors as one of the pioneering drum and bass DJs in the region. Plunk’s love affair with the thunderous sounds of jungle-related breaks goes back to when the sound was in its infancy. His…
Chris Esquivel, under his alias DJ Tums, is one of the special few among DJs who still loves the art of playing vinyl and is adept at the turntable. He’s skilled enough in his craft that he won the DMC regional battle this past July. He has been behind the…
Addison-based Hand Drawn Records has taken another step forward in bringing more opportunities for bands who want to press their music on vinyl. Launched Monday, Hand Drawn’s Line-In service is similar to crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo but with better options and a human touch. Partnered with the company Bandwear,…
An eclectic wave of music sprouted up in Dallas during the first half of 2018, much of which was accompanied by music videos filmed in and out of town. It isn’t easy turning local spots into visual moods or even social commentary, so we’re giving due recognition to five videos…
On the outskirts of Fort Worth, just past an iron gate with a musical note ornament, sits the cabin. Actually, two cabins are located on the five acres. One is a home built with logs from Willie Nelson’s original roadhouse. The other is a recording studio so serene it borders…
With only a year into the DJ game, Aaron Merges is the epitome of a rookie, but don’t let that fool you. Merges has taken to the craft like a fish to water. He’s a natural talent with a deft ear and the required amount of hustle that comes with…
On a cold, late November night, young teachers and even younger students of the Neighborhood Art & Music School in Frisco rolled their gear up to the stage of Lava Cantina. Parents began to fill up the seats to watch their children in the band Three at Four, comprised of…
In an upcoming music video for Eric Pulido’s single “Used To Be,” off his first solo album, To Each His Own, a Bad News Bears-esque band of bandits suit up in maroon baseball uniforms. Bubblegum pops and faux-players run from base to base. The uniforms read “E.B. The Younger,” the…
Washington Charcopa is humble and zen, which is the exact opposite of his alter-ego, DJ Megalomaniac. In an environment where techno is once again topping the DJ charts and an increasing number of younger DJs are genre hopping over to techno every week, Charcopa is a bonafide veteran among the…
It opened less than a year ago, but the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving is already the ninth most-attended amphitheater in the world, according to Pollstar Magazine. The magazine’s list of the top 50 amphitheaters based on ticket sales in the first half of the year shows that…
Six Shooter is a recurring feature in which we highlight six new releases by North Texas-based musicians. Bryce Bangs — “Chasing That Gold” Singer-songwriter Bryce Bangs is fresh off playing a sold-out show at the Granada Theater in which he heavily from his recently released self-titled album. With a stop-in-your-tracks…
Over the last year, Dallas hip-hop soul vocalist M3CCA has built a reputation for providing a unique live music experience that is both sensual and spiritual. She recently made her first foray into creating visuals to accompany her music with the release of her first video for her song “Insecurity…
Stetra has been in the DJ game for just under a decade, but in the last year, she has left her footprint all over Dallas nightlife, helping to move dance floors from The Statler to Beauty Bar to The Nines. As a member of the LOLO crew, she has become…
