Music

With Gov. Greg Abbott ordering bars to close and restaurants to dial back on capacity, live music is slim pickin’s this week. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. If you’re still going out (wearing a mask and keeping your distance), you can catch Opening Bell Coffee’s open mic night, Reid…

Taron Lockett has spent his entire career as the drummer for some of the biggest names in the industry. Now he’s stepping from behind the drums to bask in the spotlight. In Dallas circles, Lockett is often introduced (though seldom to his face) as “Prince’s last drummer.” But he’s also…

First, the bad news: “I find it hard to tell you, ’cause I find it hard to take,” but Mad World Records is no more. At least not as regulars know and love. The literal mom-and-pop record shop’s storefront is already closed to customers — for good. After nearly nine years, the…

Dealing with drunk people has always been an unpleasant part of the job for those in the service industry. Trying to get drunk people to wear a mask is a near impossible mask, local venue workers say. In part, that makes sense. People at bars need their mouths uncovered. The…

This pride month, Dallas-based singer Hey Greg, Hello is hot off the release of two new singles. The artist’s new tracks “Can’t Take It” and “In My Head” are emotionally charged pop-punk bangers. While there are many reasons to avoid partying these days, Greg’s songs make it hard to resist…

Sometimes you want to be alone in the crowd.

Once upon a time, Scott Tucker fronted the well-known local band The Orange, but after seeing that project fall apart in the office of a major record label, he is back with a new project, Aztec Milk Temple, and a brand new song, “Digital Natives.” “All those stories that people…

Looking at Christy Ray, Taylor Nicks and Ryan Nicolaidis, one wouldn’t ascribe them a care in the world. Ray is a successful DJ. Nicks is the lead singer of Atlantis Aquarius, and Nicolaidis is a medical aesthetician. They’re all popular characters in the music scene and could’ve easily started a band…

When Bill Wisener died in January, many mourned both the loss of a local music scene icon and an institution, his shop Bill’s Records. Now, the owners of Josey Records, Waric Cameron and Luke Sardello, are buying what remains of the business, Cameron tells the Observer. Josey is a favorite…

Over the past few years, post-punk outfit Rosegarden Funeral Party has made a name for itself as one of Dallas’ most hyped “it” bands of the 2010s. Sadly, the momentum its members have spent the past three years steadily cultivating was abruptly stymied by COVID-19’s merciless economic onslaught against the…

It was a California summer day like any other when a group of four or five little boys got together to play on their street. They were tired of walking around the basketball court and moved on to the steps of the church on their block. They were 9 years…

It’s a brisk Friday night in late January and a long, single-file line of ticket holders snakes around the House of Blues in Dallas. Tayla Parx sits in the green room, preparing herself for her homecoming show. She’s played arenas as a supporting act before and isn’t entirely overcome with stage fright…

On Thursday, country music outfit Lady Antebellum announced that they would be changing their name to “Lady A.” Concerning the word “antebellum” (which means “pre-war” and is usually associated with the pre-Civil War era South), the band said in a lengthy Instagram post that they “did not take into account…

We celebrate Father’s Day this month not just with tacky new neckties or economy-sized packs of whitey tighties, but through the power of music, songs written by loving dads that amplify the father-child bond. We’ve included dads of all stripes — chart toppers from decades past to local songwriters who’ve shared…

This past April, Dallas-based singer-songwriter Averi Burk released her debut album, Paradise, on which she speaks to a universal and deeply personal issue: mental health. As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety herself, Burk finds solace in creating meaningful art. While only two months have passed since the release…

Remaining aware of modern events can take a toll on one’s mental health, especially in the days of a pandemic and police brutality becoming more visible than ever. Dallas-based rapper Bryson Cole has recently taken some time to reflect and embark on a mental health journey of his own. On…

Ramon Mallow was a self-proclaimed hippie. People knew him as Mr. Troll in the Dallas-Fort Worth music scene, a moniker from his old biker days. His family called him Danny, after his middle name Daniel. His sister Faye Price said she always called her brother a bohemian. He prided himself…

The killing of George Floyd may finally propel the early stages of what could be a significant era for police reform — a cause that has long been part of Bobby Sessions’ work. For the Dallas native, police brutality is part of his family history. The rapper has frequently spoken about…

Police brutality and systemic racism have an ugly history that stems from slavery and colonialism, but the resulting social unrest of late culminated following the death of George Floyd. Not since the 1992 Los Angeles riots have we witnessed a collective furor of this magnitude. Yeah, it’s a confusing and…

While the last two weeks have seen an outpouring of solidarity for protesters demanding racial equality, not everyone is joining in on the cause, so prominent Dallas DJs are on a mission to call out racism within the industry, starting with the racially insensitive posts made by their colleagues. In…