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,”…
This week is chock-full of badass shows to go to in North Texas. If you’re planning to attend the Dallas Observer Music Awards Showcase though, you might want to clear your schedule for Monday, Thursday and Saturday so you can get a little taste of some of the acts on…
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…
Dan Auerbach, an electric guitar slung around his neck, stood just to the side of center stage. “Let’s go back to Akron right now, down in the basement, and play some basement music,” he said to the howling audience arrayed before him, glowing phones and overpriced plastic cups of beer…
It’s a lengthy list of concert announcements this week, so settle in. There’s a Brit global superstar, a retooled classic rock super group and a semi-underground cult favorite leading the way. Beyond that, there’s plenty more in venues large and small. Harry Styles is continuing his steady climb toward becoming…
Unless there’s a day off from work, most don’t give a damn about historical anniversaries. Nov. 9, 1989, saw the fall of the Berlin Wall. That date, exactly 30 years ago this month, spurred the reunification of East and West Germany and East and West Berlin. Born Matthias Paul, the…
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…
Look, we are nothing if not objective. While the Dallas Observer Music Awards showcase on Dec. 7 offers a lineup of more than 40 local bands in one night, we can still recognize that another Dallas show happening in the same month might be the greatest local show of the…
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…
Although they may be more “pop” than “punk,” the Simple Plan members are undeniably sweethearts. Fans haven’t been able to get enough of these guyliner-wearing Canadians since we first heard their debut album No Pads, No Helmets … Just Balls in 2002, with megahits like “I’m Just a Kid” and…
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…
Last month, we published a think piece titled, “Trump’s Dallas Rally Proved One Thing: Conservatives Need to Promote Better Music,” which argued that the music that conservatives are using to advance their cause isn’t championed on the basis of artistic merit. Since we ran that piece in mid-October, Kanye West…
It’s going to be a busy week for North Texas concertgoers. Miami-based garage rockers (with psych, punk and surf influences) Jacuzzi Boys are taking over Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios in Denton with some local favorites on the bill. The same night in Dallas, Matt and Kim will take the stage at…
Embarking on arena tours and playing to thousands of adoring fans every night might seem glamorous and enticing on the surface, but the grating minutiae of this routine can take its toll on an artist. Meet-and-greets, for example, are unanimously considered a chore in the music industry, but just like…
Kenny Vasoli was only 14 when he formed The Starting Line back in 1999, but the Pennsylvania native’s drive to become a musician began even earlier. When he was just 9, his parents bought him a cheap bass guitar, and he started taking lessons. “I knew I wanted to start…
Good times ahead for 2020 as new concert dates roll in to our market. We’ve got some things lined up for The Granada, The Kessler and some of the bigger sheds, too. If you haven’t found your calendar filling up yet, this week might change that. Read on for the…
The Coathangers have a history with Dallas that is almost as old as the band itself. In March 2009, the Atlanta punk trio played South by Southwest, then made their way to Dallas to play a festival called “South by South Flesh” at the Lounge on Elm Street. From there,…
If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, they have become precious lifetime pals with Tiffany Young, one of the brightest hopes among K-pop stars trying to bring more than bling to a solo pop act gaining universal appeal. With the stage name Tiffany identifying more with a certain jewelry company…
Artists promote themselves in a variety of ways; some hire managers, others use YouTube and social media, and some rely on a favorable word of mouth while booking shows themselves. There are also those who approach their artistic careers with a shrewdly open business mindset — building bridges by networking everywhere…
We often use an artist’s discography to map out their personal and creative evolution, and if we see an emerging artist encounter one of these pinpointed milestones in real time, it almost feels like we’re growing alongside them. This is especially the case of Denton artist Dahlia Knowles, who performs…
This past January marked 10 years since the release of indie rock duo Matt and Kim’s second album, Grand. While the two had been playing small gigs and releasing music through MySpace years before, they cite their sophomore release as the milestone that changed the course of their joined careers,…
