It wasn’t all bad — 2019, we mean. Sure, politics were a trash fire; tensions over policing, gender and economic inequality hit Dallas as hard as anywhere else; and if we don’t manage to throttle one another before, the climate crisis is standing by, ready to kill us all. (Ten…
Contrary to popular belief, we at the Observer actually don’t sit in our ivory towers, looking down at all the lay folk with scorn and disapproval as we kick it with George Soros and other members of the Deep State. We’re all just regular people like you who are simply…
Many contemporary DIY artists and labels owe much of their success to Bandcamp for providing a popular, user-friendly platform with one of the most acclaimed payout models in the music industry. Artists such as Car Seat Headrest and Soccer Mommy used the streaming service as a launchpad, and it is…
At the end of October, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) hit 19 venues and restaurants across the U.S. with a Halloween surprise. And it wasn’t candy. The music licensing organization filed legal action against the venues for allegedly not paying fees to have licensed music in…
Backyard on Bell shuttered unexpectedly Tuesday, leaving many concertgoers of the beloved Denton music venue and bar taking to social media with speculations over why. Owner Scott Bonfield confirmed to the Observer that the venue closed for good, but declined to elaborate because of legal reasons. “We’re just calling it…
For Travis Austin, music and clothing have always gone hand in hand. Austin got his start in the fashion industry after he decided to leave the world of modeling to be one of the people he worked for. “I’ll never forget it,” he remembers. “It was Black Friday when I…
Midway through our text chat, drummer JD Beck stops me cold. “Hold on,” he sends. “Let me get you a photo from Paak.” A couple of minutes later, the 16-year-old Dallas musician sends a photo of himself and his bandmate DOMi, a 19-year-old pianist, hanging out in a kitchen. Both…
The big news in the concert industry this past week centered around summer festivals. So far, there haven’t been a bevy of new ones rolled out, but many of the mainstays are beginning to roll out their lineups. So, as you are compiling your holiday gift lists, be sure to…
Chicago-based industrial supergroup Pigface recently kicked off their first tour in 14 years, and this run sees the band playing Granada Theater on Sunday. It will be Pigface’s first Dallas show since their 2003 appearance at the Bronco Bowl’s Canyon Club room (where the Home Depot on Fort Worth Avenue…
The all-girl pop, punk band is popular, talented and not afraid to speak up.
The nominations for the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards are finally here, but before we dive into that, a mea culpa is in order. When we documented some possibilities yesterday, we predicted that Post Malone’s Hollywood’s Bleeding and The Highwomens’ self-titled album would make the cut for some nominations. The prediction…
Mysterious cypher boxes, Gothic locations and, of course, rock music are the puzzle pieces that interlock for Marquis of Vaudeville’s new music video for “The ENIGMA Men.” The group is no stranger to large production music videos. From the Alice in Wonderland-inspired “We’re All Mad Here” to experimental animation in…
Something many artists struggle with at some time or another is the ability to transition between work and play while staying true to their values. This is one of the feats that Dallas DJ Colton Carlyle, aka Carlyle, has had to overcome in his career as a millennial musician-turned-businessman. A…
For 72 hours, Davante Peters sat behind bars in the Arlington City Jail. Peters, along with eight others who are now known as the “Dallas 9,” was arrested on trespassing charges after a protest for Botham Jean outside AT&T Stadium last year. He was among about 75 others who turned…
The year ahead will be big in the realm of Latin music. 2020 will mark 30 years since the release of Selena Quintanilla’s iconic sophomore album, Ven Conmigo. It will also mark 25 years since Selena’s untimely death. In honor of Selena and her impact on Tejano music, Chris Perez,…
The nominees for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards will be announced Wednesday, and just like every year, there is lively speculation about who will receive a nomination. Artists like Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande are safe and almost certain predictions, but the Recording Academy may surprise us in nominating…
Singer Beck made headlines this past week when he released a new EP recorded at Prince’s famed studio complex, Paisley Park. Paisley Park Sessions, recorded for Amazon Music, features songs like “Where It’s At” off Beck’s iconic ‘90s album Odelay, as well as a medley of Prince classics like “Kiss,”…
Kanye West has given his life to Jesus. The proof: his album Jesus Is King, West’s ninth studio album, of Christian hip-hop songs. More proof: His Sunday services. And further proof: He’s set to speak at televangelist Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston on Sunday. But West’s fans and critics aren’t…
A side hobby turned passion has given Darius “D.Woo” Wooten more than he expected. Not too long ago, he was producing music on and off out of his home, hoping to work with a major artist one day. After working with one of the NBA’s top players and one of…
Looking like a burned out Rick Owens, Signals and Alibis guitarist Brian Carter skulks into the building on a bright fall afternoon, flanked by his bandmate, singer Rebecca Jozwiak. Carter’s eyes betrayed a lack of sleep and some kind of rarefied sadness, the sort that only he understands. He, and…
Even since before their 2012 self-titled debut album, The Roomsounds have gone through many rebirths. Ahead of their junior album release, the modern-take-on-classic-rock outfit is working with a relatively new lineup. But listening to The Roomsounds’ most recent single, “Take Me As I Am,” it’s clear nearly nothing can slow…
Last year, Austin-based cartoonist, archivist and sound artist Ethan Persoff was in need of a break. Between the 2016 election of President Donald Trump and 2018, he says, he was filled with nervous stress and trepidation. But after spending two years glued to the news and social media debates over…
