There’s that one song that when it begins, when the first notes hit your ears, your heart stops for a millisecond and you’re taken back to the place you were when you heard it play for the first time. It’s a wave of emotion, both beautiful and bittersweet, that is…
Since its origin as Black Music Month 39 years ago, Americans have used June to honor the work of African-American musicians by hosting activities and presentations that showcase their music. Cities across the country are celebrating. For example, New York City Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus honored Lil Kim last…
Frances Quinlan doesn’t really do social media. A cursory search returns official pages for her band, Hop Along, on most major social media platforms. Even then, it’s mostly promotions for shows and other standard fare — rarely ever musings, jokes, tirades. She is nothing if not deliberate. “I don’t know…
Kick off the first week of summer with a co-headlining tour by Kesha and Macklemore; Slayer or Dallas’s first Wobbleland festival at the Bomb Factory; cozy in at Andy’s Bar in Denton for an intimate show featuring Bun B with AV the Great and Smitty and more. Funky Knuckles9 p.m…
With a nickname like the “Donald Trump of hip-hop,” Post Malone has surely lived up to his reputation of achieving an unexpected amount of success. It’s a pretty accurate moniker, considering he says some outlandish things but is somehow is really successful. But unlike Trump, he’s actually good at what he…
Singer-songwriter Jessie Frye continues to cultivate the synthwave pop side of her diverse skill set. On Friday, she released the video for her latest single, “Faded Memory,” produced by Timecop1983. “Faded Memory” is akin to one of Frye’s most successful singles, “Honey.” In many ways, the songs are two sides…
As triple-digit temperatures across our area are beginning to cause fatigue, it’s time to think ahead to the cooler temperatures of fall. These months are looking promising for live music, too, as a variety of acts from a multitude of genres have announced upcoming dates for the Dallas area. Nicki…
Artists will always look for the best ways to promote their music. Since its inception, social media has been a hub for musicians to do just that. For a while, Myspace was the spot. In 2006, it surpassed Google as the most visited website in the United States. The following…
Redsean has been a staple in Dallas’ weekend DJ nightlife for the past decade. He’s most often spotted dropping tunes ranging from the underground savvy to unapologetically pop music at various residencies in Uptown. Redsean rides that fine line, but when pressed on the subject of his preferred genre, he…
Hip-hop artist Topic solidified himself as one of the best lyricists and stage performers in Dallas. His transparency about the ups and downs within his personal life and an infectious sense of humor endeared him to fans. Topic has survived several career setbacks, including the highly publicized theft of a…
In 2013, an absurd video of a white man, purportedly an Iowa pastor, performing something he called “Rappin’ for Jesus” went viral on YouTube. “My crew is big and it keeps getting bigger, that’s cause Jesus Christ is my nigga,” the man raps in front of a wall with a cross on it. About…
Jeremy Enigk might not know exactly where his career will go in the future, but he certainly sounds way more open and giving than he used to. For many years, as the frontman of Sunny Day Real Estate and the Fire Theft and as a solo artist, Enigk had a reputation…
Banjos to Beats has assembled some of the most iconic names ever to grace turntables for its summer DJ series Scratch Session. The lineup comprises DJ Nu-Mark, DJ Z-Trip, Just Blaze, Kid Capri, Mix Master Mike, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. The shows will be Fridays at It’ll Do from June…
It’s a great week to find some new summer favorites. Catch ’80s synth outfit Timecop1983 at Curtain Club on Tuesday night or up-and-coming R&B singer-songwriter Bruno Major at Three Links on Wednesday. Hear new music from emo band The Get Up Kids at Trees on Thursday night, Belle and Sebastian…
Hip-hop artist Jamil Kelley has received critical acclaim since he began his career in 2013 under the moniker Buffalo Black. The Oak Cliff native aims to validate past accolades with the release of his new album, Be Like Water. Buffalo Black unveiled his latest project Friday at Spinster Records, where…
What does an artist owe an audience? Is it an evening brimming with songs instantly familiar to those gathered before the stage? Or is a night spent chasing a feeling across a deliberately assembled set list more rewarding, a chance to invite those in attendance to share in the mood…
The house lights faded as the stadium thump of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” thundered to life. Perhaps you’ve heard “We Will Rock You” at the American Airlines Center before — during a Mavericks or Stars game — but you’ve never heard it like that, not with the fog, at…
Though we’ve been greeted with hot summer temperatures a bit earlier than usual, the concert calendar is already looking ahead to the cooler fall and winter months. Ahead this week, we’ve got announcements from ’80s favorites, legendary rock and classical acts, a bit of country and some club shows of…
It can be hard to trust record companies and believe that entertainers sound the same live as they do recorded. This especially rings true for electronic and pop genres. But sometimes, fans get really lucky, and an artist proves to be even better in person. Dua Lipa is one of…
Acid Carousel’s video for “Killer on the Moonbeam” from its EP Street Cowboys is filled with irony and satire, sending up politics and culture to tell the story of life as seen from the background. “The story is that of the killer on the moonbeam,” singer and guitarist Gus Baldwin…
San Francisco rock band The Stone Foxes were in high spirits when the quintet took the stage Tuesday night at Sundown at Granada. Driving into Dallas in their white van earlier that day, the rear suspension on their trailer busted and dragged behind them. The folks at Sundown jumped on…
Rock ‘n’ roll has never been very honest with itself. A music of change and rebellion, it’s also one of hard-and-fast demarcations, an us-and-them fantasy that increasingly has left it trapped inside its own (largely white, largely male) self-image that pits the cool kids against everyone else. But that may be changing…
